What ever happened to Role Playing?

[MrGone]

Yes... a subject that must be written about. I come to a few different boards like these for quite sometime and just read things and never post but I feel I would like to now.

It seems all that is ever discussed on these boards is mechanics... skills, feats, abilities, etc. All computer geek type qualities of D&D.

What about Role Playing... you all do realize these are "role Playing" games. Where one is made to create a character based on a concept. Build a persona... create a background... and act him or her out as it were. Now I have gamed a whole lot over the years (more than 20 to be exact) and have gone to rpga events and cons and have had home campaigns so I have seen a wide array of gamers and most of them (probably 80% and thats being kind) have zero rp ability and all they talk about is mechanics.

Its very difficult coming here and seeing so many people posting mechanical posts when it would be fun to see someone who made a character not based on a reach weapon or spell feat or ability score... but one based on an actual personality concept.

We must remember that 1st and 2nd editions brought us "role playing" and as much as I positively adore 3rd edition and 3.5 it seems it appeals to a large group or "computer gamer" types who just build their characters for "optimization" (or power gaming). No souls just numbers.

We need to bring back the soulful characters and stop just looking at D&D as if it were a spread sheet. Now I know some of you think youre good roleplayers but I am telling you from my experience I have seen just the opposite.

Bring back the true characters and bring back the "role playing" in role playing games!

 

[SweeneyTodd]

It's a d20 thing. The system works equally well for those DMs and players that ignore the roleplaying side, and those who do so despite the system, but it in no way attempts to encourage RP. That's just how it's set up.

What I mean is that any general RP discussion would apply to d20 as well as it would any other system, and so it doesn't really end up here.

 

[mhensley]

I don't want to roleplay, I just want to play D&D.

 

[Tabarnak Smokeblower]

I think role-playing is still present, but it's just not an easy topic to discuss as are mechanics and stuff.

Seriously, a part from polls about how much you role-play, what is there to do? You can relate role-playing experiences (~story hour?). There's even an In-character forum for people who need to role-play even on the boards

T "come on 5:00pm" S

PS: welcome to the boards, incidently

 

[tetsujin28]

Whatever happened to people playing whatever style they like?

 

[billd91]

We must remember that 1st and 2nd editions brought us "role playing" and as much as I positively adore 3rd edition and 3.5 it seems it appeals to a large group or "computer gamer" types who just build their characters for "optimization" (or power gaming). No souls just numbers.

We need to bring back the soulful characters and stop just looking at D&D as if it were a spread sheet. Now I know some of you think youre good roleplayers but I am telling you from my experience I have seen just the opposite.

Bring back the true characters and bring back the "role playing" in role playing games!

I see some people can role-play trolls pretty well. But, I'll let all that slide.

There are many different ways to play D&D and other role-playing games and are perfectly valid as long as the players and DM are having a good time. As far as how things pan out on a message board, it's a lot easier to get into interesting discussion about rules, which we all have a common background in since as we're talking about D&D, than it is about specific role-playing issues. After all, it makes sense to ask if you're handling a rule correctly, while it makes no sense whatsoever to ask if you're role-playing correctly.

The current edition of D&D is no more a cause of the dearth of role-playing than any previous edition. I seem to remember many of these same issues/comments/discussions under 2nd edition as well. Now, I suppose there may be a little more discussion about rules and mechanics due to the much wider variety in how a character can be built, but I don't think it's a particularly significant increase.

 

[Henry]

I'm sorry you seem to have come at a time of dearth of roleplaying idea threads in General discussion. This thread is filled chronically with concerns for alignment, the proper way to play certain concepts. morality questions from a fantasy standpoint, and numerous other concerns. There are always more mechanic-oriented questions, but mainly because roleplay is a subject that each group handles with a different level of immersion in their own instance.

If you are interesting in "where the roleplay's at," I suggest you look at our "Gaming Action" forums, where roleplay is not only alive and well, but Oh, So Kickin.'

We have story hours from our very own members, we have in-character forums, rogue's galleries that talk about people's character and game strategies, etc. It's where you'll find FAR more RP discussion than the General forums.

 

[Tabarnak Smokeblower]

"role-playing isn't dead, it just smells funny"

TS

 

[Umbran]

Yes... a subject that must be written about. I come to a few different boards like these for quite sometime and just read things and never post but I feel I would like to now.

It seems all that is ever discussed on these boards is mechanics... skills, feats, abilities, etc. All computer geek type qualities of D&D.

If it seems like that to you, MrGone, then your basic problem is that you haven't been reading ENWorld for very long, or very closely. My conclusion is supported by you claiming you've been to "boards like these". I don't mean to break my arm patting us on the back, but EN World is pretty unique. We discuss non-mechanics things on a fairly regular basis.

So, read more, and be enlightened

 

[MrGone]

I dont understand the Troll comment Billd91... I am asking a legitimate questions here and was looking for conversation.