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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Sword of Spirit" data-source="post: 6129495" data-attributes="member: 6677017">My first exposure to gaming came through the D&D cartoon series and the "Gold Box" AD&D computer games. I can't remember why anymore, but I eventually started looking for the "board game version" back in junior high.     I got a copy of the basic Red Box and tried it once or twice with a friend. In short order I moved on to AD&D 2e. I ended up playing that with two other friends (always as the DM) for a relatively short period of time. I always seemed to have a hard time getting my friends interested. At the same time I amassed a decent collection of AD&D materials.     The "D&D is evil" phase was still going on at the time, but my parents didn't seem to have a problem with it, and I found the claims absurd.     Socially, I was a bit of a shy kid, somewhat of a nerd when young, but by high school I was more of a "who?" than a nerd. For unrelated reasons, I didn't finish high school, so that cut short some social life.     I bought a lot of World of Darkness products, as well as dabbling in some other RPGs. I still seemed to have a heck of a time finding players. I occasionally joined a one-shot run by someone else, but most of the time I ended up studying the rules and settings of many different systems, occasionally getting a friend or two into it for a bit.     Then I moved to another state, and found a group of gamers right away. These were fun, well-adjusted people, and I loved having a consistent group to game with. We played Shadowrun, Ars Magica, a home-brew system the GM was working on, and my first exposured to D&D 3e. Despite being in my 20s, I was still in a socially awkward stage of my life (not dating much, minimal social activities outside of gaming, etc).     After a few years of little gaming opportunity I found my current group while in college (yeah, I started late). Whether coincidental or related, I started socially developing shortly after joining my new group of friends. We became quite close completely outside of gaming, and I managed to put together social events and trips that played a major role in helping more than one of my friends find their future spouses. Gaming played no role I am aware of in my non-gaming social life, other than the fact that most of my closest friends are also gamers. We've focused on D&D (still 3e), but have also played other games.     During this time I've mostly played, but occasionally GMed. I still consider myself primarily a GM who hasn't had a lot of opportunity lately. I still game with the same close friends (new people join and others leave, of course), although most of us are geographically scattered and now connect via teleconferencing or VTTs.     For some reason, I've never self-identified as a geek, even a gamer geek. Although I love fantasy and role-playing, I've never been into comics, don't like MMOs, only started watching anime because Hulu ran out of other shows I liked, am not much of a fan of Monty Python, and don't fit a number of other stereotypes.      I have to admit I don't advertise my gaming to anyone I don't already know games. As a single guy, I feel it closes off too many opportunities.     So there is my ongoing journey. Fun topic!</blockquote>

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