There are thousands of good role-playing games. There are some with cutting edge pop art and incredible game play. Others have huge followings and, for a writer who writes about games, provide an opportunity to actually find an audience. Write about Angry Birds or Dead Island and an author can feel like an overnight sensation.
So why do I write about Dungeons and Dragons then, if it won’t find a massive set of readers? Primarily, because its what I played when I was a kid. I must admit its been years since I’ve played the table top version of D&D. Regretfully, I haven’t joined any pen and paper groups in the area. I still play DDO (the online version of the game) and it is a great game. But the tabletop version was more what the creator of the game, Gary Gygax, had in mind. Both are great ways to enjoy this adventure game. I have made new friends in the online version, and there is something magical about being able to discuss a campaign you played in 1980 and having them understand what you are talking about.
Besides my love of a good community in a role-playing game, I also enjoy excitement. Adventure – the word itself means to have fun in my book. Exploring ancient crypts, battling giant champions, and matching wits with illusionists have all been regular companions to my imagination. The genre has appealed to me since The Lord of the Rings and D&D, but today I am excited to see so many new fantasy genre fans discovering what many of us knew years ago. That these games have a sort of substance to them that make them more than just games, it makes them real adventures.
I will probably expand my writing to cover other games at some point. But for now, I think I’ll just keep on writing about the game I grew up with and that so many others loved, too. Its been 37 years since the first D&D meeting took place. What it lacks in today’s pop culture popularity it more than makes up for in resiliency.
Dungeons & Dragons Player’s Handbook
Rules Compendium: An Essential Dungeons & Dragons Compendium (4th Edition D&D)
I have played Dungeons and Dragons for a great many years and haven’t played in years, however, I wouldn’t waste my time playing in an online community for the game. I like the interaction of playing with people in front of me. I played for a couple of years before I took on becoming a Dungeon Master for the first time and yes, the first time was a complete failure, but I did improve and challenged my players. I don’t find anything else acceptable, because the personal interaction cannot be substituted, especially when all of the people are friends. Nice article.
I agree its not possible to replace face to face meetings for D&D. But with people having busy schedules and trying to click where everyone can meet once a week or so, sometimes it just doesn’t happen. DDO is a way to keep up with the game for me, and I was surprised that I found it as appealing as I have. Thanks for the comment.
Thanks! Playing the online version takes away so much from what the original makers had in mind. Role-playing is practically gone in the online version, and that was a big part of what makes D&D tabletop so fun. That being said, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get satisfaction from seeing graphical versions of the monsters and lands that I, and my friends, had to imagine when we were kids.
Thank you for the comments!
Ray,
This is very cool. I just wanted to include a personal note. My 15 year old daughter tells me about many boys at her high school that love D&D and are into it in a very big way. Dungeons and Dragons is here to stay.
Great to read your work here, Katiem2
Thanks! Its always great to hear people are still talking about D&D all these years later.
I have to be honest, I never liked the game. In college I was asked to join a Dungeon and Dragons role playing game, and after an hour I was just not getting it. My mind does not think like that, and I am okay admitting this now. In my early twenties I dated a guy who was obsessed with playing Everquest, Warhammer, and Dungeon’s Dragons. I always wondered why he would rather play those games than talk with me on the phone, but I finally realized after all that time and space it was because we had very little in common. I would rather get in a deep conversation about art, history, and political issues, and he would rather play D and D. One thing I will suggest is not dating or marrying someone who is heavily into these role playing games, but you might discover down the line the two of you do not have much in common.
What I mean to say is there is nothing wrong with role playing games, but if you are not interested in these and dating someone who is, you might find that you have very little in common.
They can be time-consuming, and there are many serious Dungeons and Dragons Online players that are married couples. I wouldn’t discount anyone for playing role-playing games as a potential mate, of course. But, I agree, role-playing game fans are probably a little more into their hobby than other gamers; the games are normally involved. Thanks for your comments.