I'm Giving a Speech about D&D, please help.
- Thread starter the joe
- Start date
EricNoah
Adventurer
Don't plagiarize. Tuck in your shirt. Don't slouch.
I know, I know. Not very helpful.
Um.... draw an analogy between it and fantasy football.
Bring up a popular movie like Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter and ask, "Wouldn't it be fun if YOU were Frodo or Harry and could make the choices?"
I know, I know. Not very helpful.
Um.... draw an analogy between it and fantasy football.
Bring up a popular movie like Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter and ask, "Wouldn't it be fun if YOU were Frodo or Harry and could make the choices?"
Psychotic Jim
First Post
Religioustolerance.org has some information you might find useful.
trentonjoe
Explorer
First of all, if you're the joe, what does that make me? Just a joe? I don't like that buddy. Me and you gotta beef.
Seriously, most of these have been said but here is my list:
1. Storytelling rocks. It helps with developing (or keeping developed) the creative parts of the brain.
2. Problem solving is stressed. We're talking outside the box here. Options are weighed and decisions made all the time in my four hour session.
3. Positive peer interaction. When I was iin college, D&D night was the one night I didn't have to worry about getting in trouble. NOw that I am (gasp!) an adult, I find it great to be able to step away from all my regular junk and hang out with some friends in a positive way.
4. It is a game, IT'S FUN!
Seriously, most of these have been said but here is my list:
1. Storytelling rocks. It helps with developing (or keeping developed) the creative parts of the brain.
2. Problem solving is stressed. We're talking outside the box here. Options are weighed and decisions made all the time in my four hour session.
3. Positive peer interaction. When I was iin college, D&D night was the one night I didn't have to worry about getting in trouble. NOw that I am (gasp!) an adult, I find it great to be able to step away from all my regular junk and hang out with some friends in a positive way.
4. It is a game, IT'S FUN!
ToddSchumacher
I like to draw!
One of my College classes was Modern American Culture...It hit sub-cultures of America (Tattoos, Car-Hot rods, ect. ) We had to give a speech at one point about a sub-culture. Naturally my friend and I Chose to do gamers and D&D. We had all kinds of info preped and had everything down. One of the few times I was actually prepared for a speech. Even had visuals.
We got as far as stating we were doing our speech on gamer culture, the professor interrupted asking if we meant D&D, that lead into other questions by the students. We spent the whole time, 10-15 minutes, time we were supposed to do the speech, Just answering questions. It was really cool. We got an A.
We got as far as stating we were doing our speech on gamer culture, the professor interrupted asking if we meant D&D, that lead into other questions by the students. We spent the whole time, 10-15 minutes, time we were supposed to do the speech, Just answering questions. It was really cool. We got an A.
Last edited:
Painfully
First Post
Why not start your speech like a game session? Read a short passage to get them, "in the game," then ask them, "what would you do?"
Besides giving them a real taste for the game, even if it is just a brief one, it will get them thinking while you move on with your speech. It's a good way to "grab" your audience.
Basically, I would ask questions to the audience along the lines of:
1. Have you ever read or watched a really good fantasy or science fiction story?
2. If you could live in the story world as a character who would you be, and how would you do things differently?
Now read another descriptive passage, this one a bit longer. Put them in a real tough spot, not just combat. Make them ask the kinds of questions a character would face.
Now go into your speech mode and talk about the actual game.
Anyway. I think that would make a good kickoff for a speech. Throw in a visual aid or big pictures if you can. Some people like to stare at pictures even when their minds are off someplace else, and it's always good for the teacher to see that you have your audience looking like they're paying attention.
Besides giving them a real taste for the game, even if it is just a brief one, it will get them thinking while you move on with your speech. It's a good way to "grab" your audience.
Basically, I would ask questions to the audience along the lines of:
1. Have you ever read or watched a really good fantasy or science fiction story?
2. If you could live in the story world as a character who would you be, and how would you do things differently?
Now read another descriptive passage, this one a bit longer. Put them in a real tough spot, not just combat. Make them ask the kinds of questions a character would face.
Now go into your speech mode and talk about the actual game.
Anyway. I think that would make a good kickoff for a speech. Throw in a visual aid or big pictures if you can. Some people like to stare at pictures even when their minds are off someplace else, and it's always good for the teacher to see that you have your audience looking like they're paying attention.
DaveStebbins
First Post
My points have all been brought up by others, but since I had the following essay to hand, I thought I'd post it. I originally composed and posted it on the DnD-L mailing list in December of 1999. Feel free to use any bits that appeal to you. The only change I've made is to add "well over" to the length of time I've been playing.
Why I like Role Playing Games (RPGs)
by Dave Stebbins
Let's face it, the reason most people do any hobby is because
they enjoy it. There are several main elements inherent to RPGs
which lead to great enjoyment on my part. I'll try to (briefly)
discuss each one. Since Dungeons and Dragons is basically the
only RPG I have played, any specific points will refer to that game.
The first element of RPGs which I like is storytelling, perhaps
one of the oldest and most universal forms of entertainment. The
admixture of background atmosphere, plots, characters, and
conflicts make each RPG session very similar to reading a book.
It stimulates the imagination to no end.
A second element of RPGs is that the players are active
participants. TV, movies, and even books, are passive forms
of entertainment where the action is already plotted out. In an
RPG the participants actively affect the direction and the
outcome of the story. Active participation is one of the
elements that makes video games (and games in general) so
popular.
Unlike many games, where your friends are your opponents and
the objective is to win at their expense, RPGs are cooperative
efforts. In most RPGs the opponents are fictional and the
players all work together to overcome the challenges they
face. Though one member of the group is usually apart from the
others, his role is more that of a storyteller, referee and/or
facilitator than an opponent to the players. If the players
are successful, everyone has a good time; everyone feels like
a winner. RPGs combine the positive social feelings obtained
from team sports and just hanging out with friends, without
the inter-personal tensions that can arise in competitive
situations.
In many games, each time you set up to play, you start out in
exactly the same way. What happened in the last game makes no
difference in the next. RPGs, on the other hand, evolve and
change as time goes on. Treasure which is found at the end of
one adventure can be used in the next. As the players'
characters complete adventures, the characters become better
at what they do. The characters eventually grow from green
beginners into true heroes, and the challenges they face
and overcome grow with them. Each adventure, each story, is
different and a sense of history and familiarity develops
with the characters. This is also part of the popularity of
book and movie sequals, as well as TV drama series and
superhero comic books. Favorite villians can re-appear in
recurring roles also.
To summarize, RPGs combine many of the elements that make
other forms of entertainment popular. These elements have
sustained my interest in RPGs for well over 20 years now, and I
don't see myself losing interest anytime soon.
-Dave
"Be who you are and say what you feel 'cause people who mind don't matter and people who matter don't mind." --Theodor Suess Geisel (1904-1991), writer
Why I like Role Playing Games (RPGs)
by Dave Stebbins
Let's face it, the reason most people do any hobby is because
they enjoy it. There are several main elements inherent to RPGs
which lead to great enjoyment on my part. I'll try to (briefly)
discuss each one. Since Dungeons and Dragons is basically the
only RPG I have played, any specific points will refer to that game.
The first element of RPGs which I like is storytelling, perhaps
one of the oldest and most universal forms of entertainment. The
admixture of background atmosphere, plots, characters, and
conflicts make each RPG session very similar to reading a book.
It stimulates the imagination to no end.
A second element of RPGs is that the players are active
participants. TV, movies, and even books, are passive forms
of entertainment where the action is already plotted out. In an
RPG the participants actively affect the direction and the
outcome of the story. Active participation is one of the
elements that makes video games (and games in general) so
popular.
Unlike many games, where your friends are your opponents and
the objective is to win at their expense, RPGs are cooperative
efforts. In most RPGs the opponents are fictional and the
players all work together to overcome the challenges they
face. Though one member of the group is usually apart from the
others, his role is more that of a storyteller, referee and/or
facilitator than an opponent to the players. If the players
are successful, everyone has a good time; everyone feels like
a winner. RPGs combine the positive social feelings obtained
from team sports and just hanging out with friends, without
the inter-personal tensions that can arise in competitive
situations.
In many games, each time you set up to play, you start out in
exactly the same way. What happened in the last game makes no
difference in the next. RPGs, on the other hand, evolve and
change as time goes on. Treasure which is found at the end of
one adventure can be used in the next. As the players'
characters complete adventures, the characters become better
at what they do. The characters eventually grow from green
beginners into true heroes, and the challenges they face
and overcome grow with them. Each adventure, each story, is
different and a sense of history and familiarity develops
with the characters. This is also part of the popularity of
book and movie sequals, as well as TV drama series and
superhero comic books. Favorite villians can re-appear in
recurring roles also.
To summarize, RPGs combine many of the elements that make
other forms of entertainment popular. These elements have
sustained my interest in RPGs for well over 20 years now, and I
don't see myself losing interest anytime soon.
-Dave
"Be who you are and say what you feel 'cause people who mind don't matter and people who matter don't mind." --Theodor Suess Geisel (1904-1991), writer
Similar Threads
