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Why aren't RPGs poplular
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<blockquote data-quote="Shades of Green" data-source="post: 5011491" data-attributes="member: 3297"><p>I guess that it has to do with the learning curve, especially for the DM/GM. Most boardgames require a few minutes of reading the first time you ever pull them out of their box, and then you are ready to start actually playing. Some boardgames such as Talisman work on a "need to know" basis, with the majority of the specific rules clearly stated on their relevant cards/squares and thus appearing only once you encounter them (and then they are very simple and easy to understand in most cases); all you need to learn in advance are the basic rules which are quite simple.</p><p></p><p>Most P&P RPGs - D&D included - have quite involved rules that you have to know in order to play. Each player has to read, for the very least, the whole character creation, skills, feats and combat sections of the PHB (players playing spellcasters have to read even more) at least cursorily, and understand it at least to some degree BEFORE THE VERY FIRST GAME. The DM/GM has to be at least superficially familiar with the contents of THREE WHOLE BOOKS (in D&D; in some other games it's one whole book) in order to prep for the game. And that's not including the setting that the DM/GM usually has to invent and/or read about from YET ANOTHER BOOK.</p><p></p><p>And all of this comes before you start playing.</p><p></p><p>And then there's prep - most RPGs aren't playable straight out of the box.</p><p></p><p>In other words, you can't just crack the books open once you buy them and try out the game in some free evening you got with your friends. You need to read a lot and the DM/GM has to do some prep. All of these take time and effort. Most boardgames, on the other hand, are playable straight out of the box.</p><p></p><p>Of course, actually playing an RPG once you learn it and prep for it is an extremely rewarding experience, but you have to get there in the first place.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Shades of Green, post: 5011491, member: 3297"] I guess that it has to do with the learning curve, especially for the DM/GM. Most boardgames require a few minutes of reading the first time you ever pull them out of their box, and then you are ready to start actually playing. Some boardgames such as Talisman work on a "need to know" basis, with the majority of the specific rules clearly stated on their relevant cards/squares and thus appearing only once you encounter them (and then they are very simple and easy to understand in most cases); all you need to learn in advance are the basic rules which are quite simple. Most P&P RPGs - D&D included - have quite involved rules that you have to know in order to play. Each player has to read, for the very least, the whole character creation, skills, feats and combat sections of the PHB (players playing spellcasters have to read even more) at least cursorily, and understand it at least to some degree BEFORE THE VERY FIRST GAME. The DM/GM has to be at least superficially familiar with the contents of THREE WHOLE BOOKS (in D&D; in some other games it's one whole book) in order to prep for the game. And that's not including the setting that the DM/GM usually has to invent and/or read about from YET ANOTHER BOOK. And all of this comes before you start playing. And then there's prep - most RPGs aren't playable straight out of the box. In other words, you can't just crack the books open once you buy them and try out the game in some free evening you got with your friends. You need to read a lot and the DM/GM has to do some prep. All of these take time and effort. Most boardgames, on the other hand, are playable straight out of the box. Of course, actually playing an RPG once you learn it and prep for it is an extremely rewarding experience, but you have to get there in the first place. [/QUOTE]
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