If you were doing a talk on your hobby

[Zander]

However well you explain what D&D is, most of your audience and the person grading you probably won't be interested. I would focus much more on how it makes you feel and why. This includes not just the experience of playing the game but also the social aspects (gaming friends, conventions, geek stigma etc).

 

[Romnipotent]

Copy this, word for word:
"Hi class, I've been asked to give a talk today on a hobby that I am involved in. The most passionate of which is Roleplaying. This is a lot like acting but you're not pressured to be any good at playing your part, but it helps. The mental ability to play does rely on maths, but also arts. As you're all unaware of this game, I consider you all to be mental lessers, and as such I shall fireball this entire area henceforth known as point zero.
Soon this area will be alight with fire as the fireball itself exists for a moment it ignites anything flamable in the area of effect. This area is 20ft in radius, OR approxiamately 5 meters radius. That means I will be Aiming for you (Name someone you dont like) and the explosion will spread out from there. Before you try and stop me Mr/Ms (Teacher) I'll let you know that I have a scroll of Contingency and Flesh to Stone on me, prepared should you try to apprehend me. You will be petrified and remain thus so till I deem it worthwhile to change you back.
Of course theres the reason I've decided to demonstrate my dark arts, its because many years ago, (Insert the name used before of the person you dislike), here teased and bullied me. While I dont particularly agree on punishing the whole class for his actions I feel your loss will further exemplify that I will no longer take any of your harassment. This harang of insults those many years ago have forced me to seek vengeance on you, insulting my family and country with writhed my soul into a wretched beast of turmoil!
TONE CHANGE>
You have just heard the general motif given by a character, be it evil or good, in the game of Dungeons and Dragons. I have high lighted the personalisation involved in the game by placing some of you in it. You played the part of characters, and I the DM (Or Dungeon Master). Many practical tools are used in the game, miniatures, maps, and props can be used to immerse one in play. Battle maps and miniatures can be used to simplify combat.

Thanks... See you later (insert person you dont like here).

MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA"

and return to your seat

 

[CarlZog]

Uh....yeah. Good plan. That's certain to dispel any myths about rpgs! And you're guaranteed to make a lot of new friends.

Seriously, here's a quote from Psion, talking in a thread a while back about rpg definitions:

And let me put a finer point on it and use the term "Role Playing Game" vice just "Role Playing", because "Role Playing" can simply refer to acts of taking on a persona and/or putting yourself in an hypothetical situation such as could occur as part of a therapy session, an employer's training exercise regarding ethics, or a night of fun with one's lover.

A role playing game, as I see it, is an activity where participants take on the decision making and other roles of a persona (often fictional) in a hypothetical or fantasy (as in "not real" not in the "world of elves and magic" sense) world or situation, wherein you use a set of agreed upon conventions or rules to decide what occurs in a situation that the outcome would be uncertain.

I reference this, because even if you want your talk to focus on D&D, it's important to remember that when you say "role-playing" people think of all kinds of different things.

One other aspect of discussing rpgs that I never hear mentioned is the importance of emphasizing that all this "playing of roles" is conversational -- you're sitting around a table saying what your character does, not physically acting it out. I think that's important, because I've found that when you tell someone you play D&D, a lot of people really do think you're dressing up and running around in the woods. They can spend your whole talk incorporating everything you say into that misunderstood image, unless you specifically tell them that this happens around a table,

Carl

 

[Steverooo]

Since practically everyone is familiar with movies, plays, and TV, I always liken RPing to acting. Here's my quick blurb:

"Basically, Roleplaying is acting, or a grown-up version of the "Let's Pretend" that we all played as a child. Just as an actor or actress plays a role in a film or play, RPers are portraying a character, which leads us to the next question...

Ever seen some "B" Horror flick where, on a dark and stormy night, when the lights suddenly go out, the protagonist says "I'll go check the fuse box in the basement."? Oh come on, now! We all know that the monster is down there, and that the protagonist's life expectancy is about six seconds!

Ever laughed at the poor sap, and thought how, "If I were him, I'd go get the shotgun and flashlight from the den, first, and when that critter jumped out, I'd blow his fool head off!" Ever watched a movie where Arnold missed an obvious clue, and thought how you could shorten the manhunt by 48 minutes? Ever wanted to meet a Dragon, be an Elf, sail across a sea of stars, or visit a world where the impossible is a daily occurrence?

So have we; that's why we're here. Just choose the appropriate role..."

 

[Vraille Darkfang]

Begin with:

"Everbody see this kitten? Cute ain't it"

"Meow"

"Now, lets say you're ambushed by a nasty troll, like the ones in the Lord of the Rings films. You know its going to be a tough battle and you'd like to gain an extra edge."

"We'll simply ask our dark lord SATAN WHOM WE HAVE GIVEN OUR ETERNAL SOULS TOO FOR A PLUS 2 TO HIT BY SACRIFICING THIS INOCENT SOUL TO HIM, THE LORD OF ALL EVIL. BWAHHAAAHHAAAA" (Be sure to practive your evil laugh).

"Vrrrmmm, vrrrrmmm, VRRRRRMRMMMM" (sound of chainsaw reving up).


Wait.

Did you want to tell them the TRUTH about roleplaying or did you want to tell them the standard alibi all roleplayers are given when put through the ritual indocteration into RPG's (you know the 'do you take Satan to be your one true master' bit followed by the babtism by Mountain Dew).

In that case tell them it's like Harry Potter.

 

[Whimsical]

I think that it is time that you learn about the real power!

 

[diaglo]

i gave G1 as a book report.

just used the PCs as the main characters in the story and told the class what happened.

you could do the same.

give a sample dungeon as your presentation.

 

[CarlZog]

i gave G1 as a book report.

Excellent!

Now that I think about it, most of my high school papers and talks were about gaming -- same with college when I had the option. I even wrote a fantasy/SF/gaming column in the high school paper (However, I went to a small prep school, and I suspect it wasn't read by anybody other than the four guys in my game group.)

Carl

 

[werk]

I think that it is time that you learn about the real power!

Same to you!

 

[Hand of Evil]

I am in TOASTMASTERS a international club to help people with speechs and public speaking, only done three speeches.

some points: have a clear opening, body and closing. write your speech out and practice it, over and over again. If you use props, don't let them become the show over you.