How did you learn how to play?

[Thunderfoot]

I sense a pattern forming here...

I picked #1 but (like almost everybody else) it was a combo of #1 & #2.
The following description may become convoluted as I tell it, please try to keep up.
My cousin (David) played the game with his uncle (my cousin/Denny). Denny had played/learned with a group in California that preportedly had members from the original group from Lake Geneva (Maybe Col Playdoh would know who it might be). David ran a couple of games and I became hooked (winter 1978). I played for about a year when the new version of the "red box" rules was announced (winter of 1979). I saw one of those sell cards and get things ads in a comic book for Olymipc Sales Club, and guess what one of the prizes was?

I joined the OSC and went door to door selling christmas wrap and greeting cards in the middle of Jun - Aug of 1980. I sold enough stuff to get the game and make some money to buy my first set of "real" dice, some adventure modules and other gaming paraphenalia. I started studying the rules and playing with a group of my sister's friends (I was the only guy in a group of 5 - how often does that happen?) Soon I found out about AD&D and started buying the "yellow spine" editions of those books. Soon I had a library that would rival a bookstore and it just kind of spiralled out of control from there. By that winter (1980) I was in three separate gaming groups (two in "real life" and one at school during lunch). By spring of '81' I was DMing two of those groups and building my own campaign worlds (all at the tender age of 10. For my eleventh B-day I scored a bunch o' dough from the family and bought to my hearts content.

 

[was]

my brother taught me

 

[griff_goodbeard]

My dad had the red boxed set and I started to get interested in what he was doing around '88-'89. He taught me how to play, and used to take me to conventions (back when they were held at smoky VFW Halls ) I mostly learned AD&D through reading through the books, but since I new the basics, it wasn't hard to pick up.

 

[The Thayan Menace]

Self-Taught Paragon

I was sucked into D&D via the old Endless Quest book series, and then I pestered my parents into buying me the red box (basic) set for my birthday.

After I examined the player's manual, I "accidently" read the DM's guide, and the rest is history ....

 

[Wombat]

I was the only guy with the rulebooks in my community back in '75

OTOH, due to miniatures battles that we had been playing for the previous 3-4 years, we had already gotten in the habit of assigning units with "personalities", so that may have worked into the process.

Realistically, though, I had to teach everyone else how to play the game, and there was no one else around with any experience, so it was straight from the book.

 

[kenobi65]

The kids who lived next door taught me, but only after I'd bought the Moldvay boxed set.

 

[Mouseferatu]

I learned D&D by reading first the Basic set (the one that same with Keep on the Borderlands) and then by reading the 1E PHB.

Kane

Ditto, though I threw in the blue-boxed Expert set between those two.

 

[Mouseferatu]

You know, it might be interesting to see this poll combined with a "Which edition did you start with?" poll.

I have nothing but anecdotal evidence to back this theory up, but I believe that as you move to 3rd edition, you'll find fewer self-taught players.

Just a hypothesis, though.

 

[Zappo]

Simple. Occasionally, I contact a poster here, kill him, and eat his brain.

 

[sniffles]

I learned to play by joining a roleplaying group. We didn't start with D&D, though. The group members had all played D&D, but were somewhat burned out on it. After a few years of other games, someone decided to start an AD&D 2e campaign. I learned from him, and from the other players who were familiar with the system. I still have read very little of the AD&D books. I've read much more of 3e. But I wouldn't want to try to learn 3e based on merely having read the books. I wouldn't want to learn any RPG system that way.