How do you describe D&D/RPGs to the great unwashed?
- Thread starter DungeonKeeperUK
- Start date
Rashak Mani
First Post
I just describe how we draw the pentagram and set up the black candles and the goat sacrifice. Most people understand how demonic rituals are made from films.... oh... you mean RPG not the Rituals ?
I wouldnt dare trying to explain it... people think your crazy.
( Overall I keep it very simple. I start with theatre like thing... Dont extend the explanation too much. )
I wouldnt dare trying to explain it... people think your crazy.
( Overall I keep it very simple. I start with theatre like thing... Dont extend the explanation too much. )
Rel
Liquid Awesome
Re: Re: How do you describe D&D/RPGs to the great unwashed?
Damn! For a second there, I thought I was going to be the one to make this joke first!
As far as the OP goes, I try to convey the fact that it is just a game. I might say "It's just like checkers, but with dragons."
Davelozzi said:I don't have to. The unwashed already know how to play
Damn! For a second there, I thought I was going to be the one to make this joke first!
As far as the OP goes, I try to convey the fact that it is just a game. I might say "It's just like checkers, but with dragons."
Celebrim
Legend
I've had to do this so often I've practically got it down to a science. In fact, I did a three part oral presentation on 'What is a Role Playing Game' to pass my communications class.
The basic gist is to start out by getting common ground with the person before getting into the technical aspects of it, so I generally don't start the explanation by trying to explain what a modern RPG is. Instead, I begin something like this:
"Remember when you were a kid you used to play games like 'house' and 'cops and robbers' and 'cowboys and indians' and all sorts of other games were you used your imagination to pretend you were doing something else? In essence you were playing a very simple role playing game, and as a kid you probably enjoyed it alot. Everyone was played role playing games at some point in thier life. Over time, if you kept playing games like that, they got to be more and more complex. You started using more realistic props you invented scenarios and tried to tell stories. Eventually however, for a variaty of reasons, such games lose thier charm. One of the most common frustrations children have playing 'Cops and Robbers' is the problem of consensus. If I pull my gun out and say, "Bang, I shot you.", you have to concede that I've indeed shot you. At some point though, you get tired fo being shot and say, "No, you missed, BANG! I shot you." then I'm forced to concede that indeed I missed or else the game ends. Because, if no side concedes, it quickly deginerates into 'No, you missed!' NO, YOU MISSED!', and so forth. People that continue to play role playing games come up with means of arbitrating those disputes. For instance, you might decide that any time there was a dispute, you'd play rock-paper-scissors to decide who would have to conceed. Or, you might decide to start carring paintball guns and decide the more directly. However, if you decide to play the game with paint ball guns, the outcome is no longer dependent on your imagination. You can't decide to be different than you are, though you could of course pretend to be something other than a weekend warrior in a converted cow pasture. Returning to the rock-paper-scissors game, an intelligent child might decide to give everyone in the game some advantage. For instance, Bobby was a 'Sure Shot' and when he shot you, you had to beat him two out of three times in a rock paper scissors game to make him miss instead of only one. Jane was 'Dodgy', which cancelled Bobby's 'Sure Shot' because to hit her, you had to beat her two out of three times in a game of rock-paper-scissors. Tim was 'Tough' and had to be shot twice, and Sue was the 'Police Chief' and could get you to surrender without a fight if you lost a game of rock-paper-scissors to her. AND that is a role playing game.
Modern RPG's typically use very complex systems to describe each persons advantages and arbitrate disputes. Typically, one person acts as a referee and pretends to be every imaginary thing in the game that isn't one of the persons (or things) that the other players are pretending to be....."
And so on and so forth, with the level of detail modified to the intelligence, educational level, age, and interest of the person asking the question.
The basic gist is to start out by getting common ground with the person before getting into the technical aspects of it, so I generally don't start the explanation by trying to explain what a modern RPG is. Instead, I begin something like this:
"Remember when you were a kid you used to play games like 'house' and 'cops and robbers' and 'cowboys and indians' and all sorts of other games were you used your imagination to pretend you were doing something else? In essence you were playing a very simple role playing game, and as a kid you probably enjoyed it alot. Everyone was played role playing games at some point in thier life. Over time, if you kept playing games like that, they got to be more and more complex. You started using more realistic props you invented scenarios and tried to tell stories. Eventually however, for a variaty of reasons, such games lose thier charm. One of the most common frustrations children have playing 'Cops and Robbers' is the problem of consensus. If I pull my gun out and say, "Bang, I shot you.", you have to concede that I've indeed shot you. At some point though, you get tired fo being shot and say, "No, you missed, BANG! I shot you." then I'm forced to concede that indeed I missed or else the game ends. Because, if no side concedes, it quickly deginerates into 'No, you missed!' NO, YOU MISSED!', and so forth. People that continue to play role playing games come up with means of arbitrating those disputes. For instance, you might decide that any time there was a dispute, you'd play rock-paper-scissors to decide who would have to conceed. Or, you might decide to start carring paintball guns and decide the more directly. However, if you decide to play the game with paint ball guns, the outcome is no longer dependent on your imagination. You can't decide to be different than you are, though you could of course pretend to be something other than a weekend warrior in a converted cow pasture. Returning to the rock-paper-scissors game, an intelligent child might decide to give everyone in the game some advantage. For instance, Bobby was a 'Sure Shot' and when he shot you, you had to beat him two out of three times in a rock paper scissors game to make him miss instead of only one. Jane was 'Dodgy', which cancelled Bobby's 'Sure Shot' because to hit her, you had to beat her two out of three times in a game of rock-paper-scissors. Tim was 'Tough' and had to be shot twice, and Sue was the 'Police Chief' and could get you to surrender without a fight if you lost a game of rock-paper-scissors to her. AND that is a role playing game.
Modern RPG's typically use very complex systems to describe each persons advantages and arbitrate disputes. Typically, one person acts as a referee and pretends to be every imaginary thing in the game that isn't one of the persons (or things) that the other players are pretending to be....."
And so on and so forth, with the level of detail modified to the intelligence, educational level, age, and interest of the person asking the question.
phoamslinger
Explorer
explaining D&D is very simple.
I just tell them that it's a game of "Pretend", just like you used to play when you were little, only with more rules so it's a little more organized.
"did you really shoot people when you played 'cowboys and indians'? or go shopping when you played with your dolls?
same thing.
I just tell them that it's a game of "Pretend", just like you used to play when you were little, only with more rules so it's a little more organized.
"did you really shoot people when you played 'cowboys and indians'? or go shopping when you played with your dolls?
same thing.
GILGAMESH
First Post
some will never know
I find that if people have to ask me about role playing, they'll never really know. Not do to any lack in my explanation but that really they are asking a loaded question. They really don't want to know, they really want to say " Aren't you a bit old for childish things?" That's the impression I 've gotten from a number of aquantences, (family members, Friends of my wife etc.) So I don't waste my time telling people, and when asked about it, all I say is, " It's fun, you should try it." and try to keep it at that. I am in no way embarrassed that I role play, I just don't want to waste my time and stroke someone elses ego as they stand there trying to judge me. Face it, almost every person (at least in the U.S.)has heard of DnD and RPGs. If some one does want to know more about them they'll go to a store and ask questions. That's how I got involved gaming, the local comic and game store. Support your local gaming stores!!
I find that if people have to ask me about role playing, they'll never really know. Not do to any lack in my explanation but that really they are asking a loaded question. They really don't want to know, they really want to say " Aren't you a bit old for childish things?" That's the impression I 've gotten from a number of aquantences, (family members, Friends of my wife etc.) So I don't waste my time telling people, and when asked about it, all I say is, " It's fun, you should try it." and try to keep it at that. I am in no way embarrassed that I role play, I just don't want to waste my time and stroke someone elses ego as they stand there trying to judge me. Face it, almost every person (at least in the U.S.)has heard of DnD and RPGs. If some one does want to know more about them they'll go to a store and ask questions. That's how I got involved gaming, the local comic and game store. Support your local gaming stores!!
DungeonKeeperUK
First Post
THG Hal said:
Well I'm sure it would sell in Germany....
Rashak Mani said:
When I was changing my money to dollars ready for GenCon over here the lady at the till asked where I was going, Milwaukee I said, I then waited for her to ask why.. I was rady to say I was off to a Gay Man Convention rather than a Gaming Convention, it would have held a lot less of a stigma.....
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