Just how popular was DnD? Did kids really play it during lunch? (red box nostalgia)

[asdfff]

(This was brought up by someone in an earlier thread I posted, when I was soliciting nostalgia over the red box)

For anyone who remembers, how popular was DnD? Were kids really pulling out character sheets and dice, and playing during lunch?

Would like...multiple kids in a group bring the manuals? Or did they just need 1 set of B/X hole-punched books?

I'd love any details, like how old you guys were (jr high, high school, maybe even grade school), about what year it was, what edition, I'll appreciate whatever details you'd like to share.

When I was in (mid-sized) jr high and high school, mid 90s, the DnD group was pretty small: 2 small sets of kids who everyone knew as the rpg guys. It wasn't a bad rep at my school, it was just a rare hobby. They always played all the newest hobby games during lunch, magic, netrunner, AD&D when the new editions came.

I guess it'd be pretty hard to play AD&D 2e (revised?) during lunch...seems like there'd be a lot of manuals needed.

 

[Narl]

Early 1980s, grades 5 & 6, we regularly played Traveller in the library at school during breaks. The little black books were easy to transport and it was easy to do a quick jump, some trading, and maybe a gunfight. Any AD&D that was played in school was done after school when there was more time and space.

We used whatever we had. For some time, I played with Holmes Basic, the AD&D Monster Manual, and Supplement I Greyhawk. Somehow we made it work. Eventually we did move to all the AD&D books. Except Unearthed Arcana. Because it sucked.

 

[JohnBiles]

During junior high to high school, I played B/X, Tunnels and Trolls, Mercenaries, Spies, and Private Eyes, and 1E AD&D at lunch at school.

 

[Henry]

I never knew any kids in high school or earlier who played - until my senior year, I met a school group, but we always played on weekends, or PLAYED LIKE CRAZY during the summer break. Back in the days of yore, we'd log maybe 60 to 70 hours a WEEK playing D&D... just like I plan to do in the retirement home.

 

[Mouseferatu]

I think I spent more lunches during late elementary school and most of middle school playing D&D than I did anything else. (Except, y'know, eating.)

Of course, we didn't normally have the books with us at school, so we made most it up off the top of our heads. (And boy did that lead to some, uh, "interesting" results.) But we were still gaming.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

My first game was in 1977, and it was after school in the library.

By the time the 1980s rolled around, I was playing with friends at lunch.

By 1983 or so, I had formed an RPG club...in a Catholic private school.

And just as an FYI, I was in a courthouse last year in which I saw people playing an Avalon Hill wargame in the cafeteria.

 

[sunrisekid]

late-elementary in the mid-80s, my friends and I would hold epic sleepovers with allnight (or so it seemed) Basic D&D games. so fun!

in junior high (late 80s - different town with different friends) we would play 1E at the library. we'd all just bring whatever books we, or holder siblings, happened to own and make stuff up as we went - rules, adventures, whatever.

Without doubt, these were some fond childhood memories

 

[AngryMojo]

I played second edition in the library at my high school during lunch.

When third edition came out, some friends of mine used to skip sixth period with me and game.

Memories...

 

[darjr]

Yes, and yes.

I remember a lot of Gamma World.

 

[thomkt]

Early 80s, 6th grade, I'd play D&D with three other kids...only one of the guys had played before and we never had any books so I'm not really sure which addition it was.

This was in a little town of about 2000 in eastern Oregon.

We convinced the librarian to let us use the copier to make copies of character sheets and maps.

- KT