How were you introduced to RPGs?

[Tuft]

In the "dominant system" thread, one reoccurring argument is that a dominant system is needed in order to have the clout to do mass-market advertising.

My feeling has always been that RPGs have grown organically through word-of-mouth: friends introducing friends, finding a gaming club when you started at the university, and so on.

So, my question is simply this: what introduced you to RPGs?

 

[Diamond Cross]

Well, I first saw an ad for D&D way back in the 80s in a comic, but I never really paid much attention to it.

Then came the big scare, that AD&D was Satanic (look for "A Christian Response To D&D), and also because of that old Tom Hanks movie where he played a kid who was mentally ill and couldn't tell reality from Fantasy and went in search of The Two Towers which turned out to be WTC which basically said that if you play these games you'll turn into a lunatic. So a few like minded friends and I tried AD&D and had fun.

The big scare lasted for a few years of course. And at one time I got concerned and decided to quit. So I threw out almost $150 worth of AD&D stuff. Now that I know better, I still kick myself in the arse for doing that.

 

[Pseudonym]

My father ran a game for his Army buddies when we were stationed in Germany back in the early 80s. I watched them play and occasionally rolled dice for them. Finally he let me create a character an play when I was eight. I've been playing ever since.

 

[Thac0 the Barbarian]

My start

I was introduced to D&D at the age of 7 by my older brother, who had started playing with two kids across the street a few years prior. However, I know that they had started de novo if you will, so I was only the fourth person to start playing in that particular chain. I don't disagree that most people are introduced into RPGs by friends and family, but I wonder if those de novo events would suffer without an accessible and recognizable ambassador game to represent the genre as a whole.

 

[WheresMyD20]

I got the Dungeon! boardgame for Christmas. In the box there was an ad for the 1981 Basic and Expert sets. I saw the artwork on the basic set and knew that I wanted that game.

 

[Chainsaw]

Well, I first saw an ad for D&D way back in the 80s in a comic, but I never really paid much attention to it.

Same here, except I did pay attention to it. I'd been reading comics and fantasy novels and playing console RPGs and had heard about D&D (various back alley whisperings, you know), but the basic set and 2E ads in the comics pushed me over the edge. My parents eventually bought me what I guess was the 15th print of the basic set - a rectangular black boxed basic set with the big red dragon on the front. Taught myself, my brother and my friends how to play (or least how I thought we were supposed to play) and later moved on to 2E.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

This poll does not have enough option, there should be at least an "Other"
I heard about D&D from computer magasine articles on Text adventure and then a few years later spotted a copy of the Red Box basic in a shop.

 

[Umbran]

In the "dominant system" thread, one reoccurring argument is that a dominant system is needed in order to have the clout to do mass-market advertising.

I made that argument, but if this is what came of it, perhaps I wasn't clear.

My point was that small companies do not have the money (not clout, but money) to do mass-market advertising, and that they must rely on word-of-mouth. They don't have much other choice.

 

[El Mahdi]

I voted: "A friend, colleague, family member, or acquaintance introduced me to RPGs".

But I want to be a Gelatinous Cube when I grow up...

 

[theskyfullofdust]

I was introduced to it by my dad, who learnt it from college. Started playing when i was eight, still playing now 28 years later. And still have my two original characters, both long retired and settled in Greyhawk City.