When Did "Role" Enter the Game?

[Mark]

When the gaming group I was with in 1974 started playing D&D, we immediately took on the persona of whatever character we were playing. We'd already been playing Chainmail and other miniatures games (and many, many wargames) and welcomed the new way to game. Acting the part, at least superficially around the table (without getting to our feet), was what we understood the game to mean by roleplaying, not just filling a tactical slot. In fact, it was more likely in those days that the tactical slots were not relegated to specific character classes but, rather, that things would switch around depending on who came up with the latest plan or scheme and who felt like stepping up for the tougher jobs, whatever those proved to be at the time.

 

[ExploderWizard]

My first guess would be the first time someone looked at thier little miniature on the board and decided to give it a personality.

 

[CharlesRyan]

Certainly when I entered the hobby in the late 70s, roleplaying as we understand it now was already very well established.

From everything I've read and heard, the concept caught on from the very beginning (as a couple posters here have already confirmed). Certainly, it's easy to imagine that a table of gamers, being given their minis and told "this is your character; you need to give him a name," might very quickly (perhaps within minutes) begin to embellish.

 

[CharlesRyan]

As I understand it, the Blackmoor players original thought of themselves as playing themselves. (Or a fictional version thereof.)

In 1985 or thereabouts Gary Gygax wrote an editorial in Dragon citing this style of play as the "correct" way to play D&D, and denigrating players who put too much alternate persona into their characters. My letter to the editor, strongly opposing Gary's view, was (much to my surprise) my first published piece of writing!