"So, what exactly is this D&D thing?"

[AereonBlaze]

Many of you have been asked this question by non-gamers when they see you pull out your PHB, or when they overhear you discuss with a friend how your epic-level monk single handly defeated a powerful lich the night before. The non-gamer might look over, quizically, and ask you: "What the $@&* are you talking about?!".

Keeping it cool, you say "D&D", and wait for them to raise their eyebrows. When they do, you tell them: "Dungeons & Dragons".

If the non-gamer hasn't run away in fear, screaming shouts of "Nerds! Run for the hills!" by now, chances are that they'll ask you "The Question" next: "It's a game, right? But, what exactly is it?". Many think it's a board game, or, as a friend who I've been trying to get to sit in on a game recently said: "No, thanks, I'm not interested in card games."

Back to the question. Now, you can't let this oppertunity slide. You have a very short timespan to accurately describe to a non-gamer the hobby that you so enjoy. You need to do it quickly, and you don't want it to bore them. In fact, just the opposite. You want the game to sound intriguing and worth trying out. So...what do you say?

-Aereon

 

[Orias]

You mean you DON'T have various "What is role playing" speeches written up in the front of every RPG game?

Just kidding. It's usually different depending on exactly the type of person I am answering to, but I usually explain to them that it's a fantasy concept, then go into exactly what roleplaying is, describe the DM, & tell how stats & dice help determin the outcome of various situations. You know, the usual.

 

[Emiricol]

I usually tell them something I ripped off from these very boards.

I tell them that basically, D&D is interactive storytelling, but the audience *is* the author, and that this is a very cool concept.

I may not convert them, but at least I don't get hazed.

 

[Gospog]

If it's anyone younger than 50, I tell them, "It's like one of those online computer fantasy games. But there's no computer."

I've actually seen people's eyebrows shoot entirely off thier heads.

 

[Rel]

Usually I try an analogy:

"Are you familiar with furry porn?"

"Uh...yes."

"WELL IT'S NOTHING LIKE THAT, YOU SICK BASTARD!!!"

Then I stomp away in righteous indignation.

I feel that this method helps keep my roleplaying hobby on the fringe of acceptable society, just where I like it.

 

[kiznit]

I usually start off with the statement that "it's endless adventure..." waiting for prompting from them.

Then I say, "You and a bunch of your buddies get to play epic heroes, and run around a fantasy landscape of dungeons, castles and all sorts of crazy places and fight nasty monsters and acquire vast and wonderful treasures."

Then, finally, the questions start making sense. Here are some usual answers:

"Well, basically your character is a bunch of paperwork on a character sheet, and usually you've got a little miniature figure about this small that represents where you are."

"All of the exciting details are usually determined through dice-rolling, that gets modified depending on what you're good at or not."

"Yeah, you've got one guy who doesn't get to have a character, but he gets to look at all the maps and play all the monsters and know what's really going on."

Usually that covers the basics.

NPR's explanation and description

 

[Zogg]

Very funny Rel - I'll have to use that one sometime.

I just tell them it's like an adventure board game with storytelling.

 

[CSB046]

I sometimes have success "breaking the ice" by using the Choose Your Own Adventure analogy.

"Remember those books you had as a kid where you were given choices and had to turn to another page to find out what happened? Well, it's sort of like that, only you're in an imaginary world where you have UNLIMITED choices. Instead of just opening the red door or the blue door, you could sit down and wait, or you could try to climb out the window, or..."

If the person I'm talking to hasn't tuned out by then, I go into more specific details! Seems to work pretty well (in my limited experience).

 

[KnowTheToe]

Usually I try an analogy:

"Are you familiar with furry porn?"

"Uh...yes."

"WELL IT'S NOTHING LIKE THAT, YOU SICK BASTARD!!!"

Then I stomp away in righteous indignation.

I feel that this method helps keep my roleplaying hobby on the fringe of acceptable society, just where I like it.

This killed me

 

[Ranger REG]

"It's 'Let's Pretend' or 'Make-Believe' ... only for adults. And no, I'm not taking about the kind of game you do in bed with your mate."