How do you describe D&D?

[bouncyhead]

I've had to do this a few times and I've discovered that the quickest way to make progress is to ditch the whole elves thing and explain the concept in terms that are easier to grasp for the non fantasy-literate. I still find this easier, even since LotR.

The example I tend to use is the A-Team: A bunch of characters with different attributes, strengths, skills etc. get involved in adventures, mysteries and Blowing Stuff Up.

'If a group of us were to play the A-Team Game, I would give each player one of the A-Team to control (you can be Murdock. No? Which one do you want to be? Hannibal? OK.) and I would be everyone else - everyone the A-Team meets, fights, outwits and rescues. The game would probably start with me saying something like: 'You're still on the run, as you are every week. You're in a diner in the middle of nowhere. It's a rainy Tuesday in November. Out in the car park you see a young local guy pulled from his car by a couple of heavies. They start laying into him. What do you do?'.'


This tends to get the character/choice/story concept over OK. Then I get into: 'If you run out into the car park and take a swing at one of the heavies, who's to say whether or not you hit or miss? Roleplaying games tend to give a number, score, rating or whatever to tell you how good your character is at different things. Let's try it with Hannibal - on a scale of 1 to 6, how good do you think he is at fist-fighting?'

That's a pretty good start point for an explanation of rules, dice, resolution etc..

Then you just have to get Hannibal to grow his ears a little and you're away.

 

[CharlesRyan]

That's a pretty good description (the A-Team analogy). If you have to get detailed, that's not a bad way to go.

Personally, I avoid any description of game play when faced with this question. Instead, I compare it to a poker night or similar activity. A bunch of us get together on a regular basis to spend a few hours hanging out, playing a game we like, chatting, having a few snacks and drinks, etc. And then we do it again the next week and so on.

People can relate to that answer, and they usually find it more satisfying than a description of the actual activity. Just like, if they asked about poker night, they probably aren't really interested in the rules of poker.

 

[bouncyhead]

I was asked by my brothers-in-law about the whole D&D thing over Christmas and I reached for the Poker Night analogy straight away - it's an excellent one for communicating the social aspects, the regularity etc..

The whole A-Team thing is more a response to: 'Yes but how does it work? Is it true that nobody wins? Do you really wear costumes?' Which was the follow-up.