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How/Where were you first introduced to gaming?
- Thread starter Tsyr
- Start date
CrusaderX
First Post
I think my very first introduction to D&D was, of all places, either the JC Pennys or Sears Christmas toy catalogue. During one holiday season in the late 1970's or early 80's, the catalogue actually featured a full set of around 20 AD&D pewter miniatures. I was around 10 years old at the time, and I'd love looking at the picture of the minis in the catalgoue, trying to match up the pictures with the names in the product's description. I had no clue what a Bugbear, a Drow, or a Drider were. I assumed a Bugbear was a critter that looked like a bug 
(I later learned that was a drider).
Around that time, I would go to the local shopping malls with my family, and the AD&D hardback rule books intrigued me to no end. I really got a kick out of AD&D artwork, from the big demonic statue on the cover to the Player's Handbook, to the centaur, red dragon, and creepy troll on the cover to the Monster Manual. I'd browse through the books at the Walden's at the mall, but I still didn't know much about the game itself.
Eventually, my mom bought me the D&D basic set (purple box, with the Green Dragon and the Erol Otus artwork, IIRC). I loved pouring through the rules, and I still remember rolling up my first character, a Thief, though I never actually played him anywhere. Soon afterwards, though, I found out that my next door neighbor Mark wanted to put a local D&D game together. I was around 11 or 12, Mark was around 14, and Mark's older brother was a big AD&D player (though he didn't want to play with us kids), so Mark already had access to some rule books. Two other friends joined Mark and I, and our first official D&D experience was playing "Keep on the Borderlands" one fateful Saturday night in the early 1980's.
(I later learned that was a drider).Around that time, I would go to the local shopping malls with my family, and the AD&D hardback rule books intrigued me to no end. I really got a kick out of AD&D artwork, from the big demonic statue on the cover to the Player's Handbook, to the centaur, red dragon, and creepy troll on the cover to the Monster Manual. I'd browse through the books at the Walden's at the mall, but I still didn't know much about the game itself.
Eventually, my mom bought me the D&D basic set (purple box, with the Green Dragon and the Erol Otus artwork, IIRC). I loved pouring through the rules, and I still remember rolling up my first character, a Thief, though I never actually played him anywhere. Soon afterwards, though, I found out that my next door neighbor Mark wanted to put a local D&D game together. I was around 11 or 12, Mark was around 14, and Mark's older brother was a big AD&D player (though he didn't want to play with us kids), so Mark already had access to some rule books. Two other friends joined Mark and I, and our first official D&D experience was playing "Keep on the Borderlands" one fateful Saturday night in the early 1980's.
My first introduction to D&D was at school. It was fifth grade, and my teacher led the class in a game of basic D&D. Of course, this was a christian school, and the in-class D&D sessions ended after the first few.
But I remember how cool it seemed to me at the time. As soon as we started playing, I was hooked. I mean, what could be more exciting than exploring a maze and fighting monsters? It sure beat spelling bingo or whatever other games we were "supposed" to be playing.
A little while later, a couple of my classmates and I bought the 1st edition AD&D books and began playing again.
But I remember how cool it seemed to me at the time. As soon as we started playing, I was hooked. I mean, what could be more exciting than exploring a maze and fighting monsters? It sure beat spelling bingo or whatever other games we were "supposed" to be playing.
A little while later, a couple of my classmates and I bought the 1st edition AD&D books and began playing again.
I'm sure I'm in the minority here as someone who didn't play D&D until her mid-twenties. I suppose I might have played before then had I known anyone who played regularly and invited me, since I was always curious about it. But the first time I played was three summers ago, when my boyfriend brought back his box of first edition books from a trip to his parents' house. A few of our friends who had played as kids wanted to play again, and I wanted to check it out, and BF was willing to be DM, and we haven't gone more than a couple of months without playing since then.
VoodooGroves
First Post
My uncle who had played it in the military told me about it when I was about 8. A few weeks later I picked up some Ral Partha orcs at some store (Sears maybe even) and tried to paint them. They didn't have the books, so I was basically out of luck for a year or so. Eventually, I got the basic set.
Everyone keeps saying its red but I won't be fooled. Mine has turned a nice lavender or purple by now. I followed that up with the expert set and then as the 1e PHB, DMG and MM were released I picked them up as well. My biggest memories at that time had to do with some of the funkiness of the old PHB - random psionics, how impossible it must be to play a bard and did anyone REALLY use the weapon-versus-AC chart?
Everyone keeps saying its red but I won't be fooled. Mine has turned a nice lavender or purple by now. I followed that up with the expert set and then as the 1e PHB, DMG and MM were released I picked them up as well. My biggest memories at that time had to do with some of the funkiness of the old PHB - random psionics, how impossible it must be to play a bard and did anyone REALLY use the weapon-versus-AC chart?
i read about D&D in a magazine article way back in 1980 or so. unfortunately, the article didn't go into too much detail about what roleplaying games actually were, but there was enough there to capture my 10-year-old imagination... also unfortunately, no one in my town sold the game, so i spent a lot of time poring over that article trying to figure out roleplaying all by myself...
about a year later, my family moved from New York State to Pennsylvania. in PA, i found a bookstore that sold the basic D&D boxed sets. got my mom to buy it for me, and the rest is history...
about a year later, my family moved from New York State to Pennsylvania. in PA, i found a bookstore that sold the basic D&D boxed sets. got my mom to buy it for me, and the rest is history...
It was in the toy section of the Kearney Mesa Fed Mart. The year was 1963. The game was Milton Bradley's Broadsides.Of all things, an abstract simulation of a British raid on an American port in the War of 1812. The British player had to sink the merchant ships in port (which couldn't move), the American player had to stop him. The surest method was to sink all the British ships. (My older brother once outmaneuvered me and with his last remaining ship [a ship of the line with a single mast remaining], sank my merchant ships.)
That was my formal introduction to gaming, RPGs would come about 12 years later.
That was my formal introduction to gaming, RPGs would come about 12 years later.
madriel
First Post
My family was on history's Second Most Boring Family Vacation Ever (tm) when I discovered D&D. My mom and her boyfriend were dragging my brother and I through every antique shop and flea market in upstate New York.
I was 8 or 9 at the time so the two of us were bored stiff. We went for a stroll around the one flea market when one of us spotted a set of bright red books. We pooled our allowances and bought the books and a set of those dice where you coloured in the numbers yourself.
I played a few times until my brother's friends kicked up a stink over playing with the DM's baby sister. After all, everybody knows gurlz have cooties.
Fifteen years later I found my current gaming group through an old friend.
I was 8 or 9 at the time so the two of us were bored stiff. We went for a stroll around the one flea market when one of us spotted a set of bright red books. We pooled our allowances and bought the books and a set of those dice where you coloured in the numbers yourself.
I played a few times until my brother's friends kicked up a stink over playing with the DM's baby sister. After all, everybody knows gurlz have cooties.
Fifteen years later I found my current gaming group through an old friend.
ForceUser
Explorer
I picked school because I discovered D&D with a friend from school. I don't remember exactly how, but a copy of Unearthed Arcana made its way into my hands in the 6th grade. I didn't actually play D&D for three more years, but I collected the books and played "make believe" in the woods with my little brother, or my friend Steve, or even alone. It was the same as playing cowboys and indians, except we were knights and wizards and dragons. Then in the 9th grade, my friends and I started our first campaign, playing at lunchtime during school and the occasional Saturday.
Well, it all started in our satanic church when we were doing our usual evil business: sacrifice goats, drink blood in banana flavour, working on our plans to take over mcdonalds. When our Grand High super duper snazzy priest of Lucifer told us about a game that would allow us to get closer to the Dark One.
Well, I immediately became a a cleric of Satin, because it gave me access to some really Evil spells. But unfortunately I haven't been able to cast any spells yet in real life, I keep on trying magic stone on my neighbor but he got a little agrivated when I threw three hot coals against his chest. Our Grand high super duper snazzy priest told me that I have to play more role-playing games before Lucifer is truly convinced of my evilness.
Oh well, I just have to keep on rolling them dice.
Tata.
Well, I immediately became a a cleric of Satin, because it gave me access to some really Evil spells. But unfortunately I haven't been able to cast any spells yet in real life, I keep on trying magic stone on my neighbor but he got a little agrivated when I threw three hot coals against his chest. Our Grand high super duper snazzy priest told me that I have to play more role-playing games before Lucifer is truly convinced of my evilness.
Oh well, I just have to keep on rolling them dice.
Tata.
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