Why did you start the hobby?
- Thread starter Desdichado
- Start date
Etan Moonstar
First Post
Other. Just after starting third grade in my new school (my parents having moved that summer), I stumbled across the 1E Monster Manual and Monster Manual II on the shelves of the elementary school library. I thought they looked pretty neat (as I was very interested in movie monsters and dinosaurs back then--I was also quite fond of Tolkien and Milton at the time, but the movie monster/dinosaur angle was more what drew me into D&D), and continued on to read the nearby PHB and DMG, at which point I realized there was a game associated with all these cool monsters. I started running a (greatly-simplified) D&D game during noon recess, created my own campaign world during the summer before fifth grade, and have been DMing ever since (and playing as well since my freshman year of college when I finally got to play a character in someone else's game for a change!).
Wombat
First Post
Hmmm, long answer or short answer?
Short: Wanted to get away from miniatures gaming
Long: I grew up with a deep love of mythology, folklore, and, most importantly, the Arthurian legends. I fell in love with real medieval history thanks to the October 1966 issue of National Geographic with its foldout sections of the Bayeux Tapestry (I still root for the Anglo-Saxons, but that's just me...).
I did all the games as a kid of "wear a hat to become someone else" -- cowboy hats, astronaut helmets made from Baskin-Robbins tubs, etc. I always liked being someone else
In 1970 I discovered Avalon Hill boardgames. That was kinda fun, but not fully my style. In 1972 I went to Cambria, CA, and found Jack Scruby & his Soldier Factory. I immediately started painting troops and using the yellow-cover edition of Chainmail. The problem was all the others who got involved in the games wanted to run later period games, preferably the American Civil War. I got bored and disheartened.
Then came the catalog from Brookhurst Hobbies. "There's a new game, some sort of wargame, but you only use paper and pencils and fight dragons." That was about it, but the name Dungeons & Dragons sounded really promising.
Labor Day weekend, 1976, I got my Three Little Books.
I immediately dropped mini gaming and never looked back!
Soon I was running D&D, my buddy ran Traveller as soon as it was available, and we all started to branch out from there. T&T. EPT. Metamorphosis: Alpha. The Fantasty Trip. Chivalry and Sorcery.
Within a few years I gave up D&D altogether and didn't play another game of it until Third Edition.
Kinda come full circle
Short: Wanted to get away from miniatures gaming
Long: I grew up with a deep love of mythology, folklore, and, most importantly, the Arthurian legends. I fell in love with real medieval history thanks to the October 1966 issue of National Geographic with its foldout sections of the Bayeux Tapestry (I still root for the Anglo-Saxons, but that's just me...).
I did all the games as a kid of "wear a hat to become someone else" -- cowboy hats, astronaut helmets made from Baskin-Robbins tubs, etc. I always liked being someone else
In 1970 I discovered Avalon Hill boardgames. That was kinda fun, but not fully my style. In 1972 I went to Cambria, CA, and found Jack Scruby & his Soldier Factory. I immediately started painting troops and using the yellow-cover edition of Chainmail. The problem was all the others who got involved in the games wanted to run later period games, preferably the American Civil War. I got bored and disheartened.
Then came the catalog from Brookhurst Hobbies. "There's a new game, some sort of wargame, but you only use paper and pencils and fight dragons." That was about it, but the name Dungeons & Dragons sounded really promising.
Labor Day weekend, 1976, I got my Three Little Books.
I immediately dropped mini gaming and never looked back!
Soon I was running D&D, my buddy ran Traveller as soon as it was available, and we all started to branch out from there. T&T. EPT. Metamorphosis: Alpha. The Fantasty Trip. Chivalry and Sorcery.
Within a few years I gave up D&D altogether and didn't play another game of it until Third Edition.
Kinda come full circle
d4
First Post
back around '79 or '80 i remember reading an article about role-playing games (D&D and Gamma World in particular) in a magazine, though for the life of me i can't remember which magazine it was.
the article didn't really go into much detail in how RPGs were played, but there was enough information there to intrigue me. unfortunately, nobody near us sold RPGs, so i was left wondering what these new games were...
in early '81 my family moved, and at a mall near our new home i found a bookstore selling D&D stuff. i started out with the Basic set, moved on to Expert, and then thought AD&D was the next step after that... (i wonder how many other kids made that same mistake... )
i'm not sure what really drew me to D&D back then. although i read LOTR and the Hobbit when i was as young as nine or ten, they're pretty much the only fantasy that i've ever really read (i've always been more interested in reading science fiction and nonfiction).
i stopped playing D&D around '85 or so, abandoning it for other systems like HERO, Traveller, Palladium, various R. Talsorian games, and eventually GURPS. was a diehard GURPShead for about ten years, finally abandoning it in 2000 for 3e. i've been gaming d20 pretty much exclusively since then (D&D, Star Wars, d20 Modern, and M&M).
the article didn't really go into much detail in how RPGs were played, but there was enough information there to intrigue me. unfortunately, nobody near us sold RPGs, so i was left wondering what these new games were...
in early '81 my family moved, and at a mall near our new home i found a bookstore selling D&D stuff. i started out with the Basic set, moved on to Expert, and then thought AD&D was the next step after that... (i wonder how many other kids made that same mistake...
)i'm not sure what really drew me to D&D back then. although i read LOTR and the Hobbit when i was as young as nine or ten, they're pretty much the only fantasy that i've ever really read (i've always been more interested in reading science fiction and nonfiction).
i stopped playing D&D around '85 or so, abandoning it for other systems like HERO, Traveller, Palladium, various R. Talsorian games, and eventually GURPS. was a diehard GURPShead for about ten years, finally abandoning it in 2000 for 3e. i've been gaming d20 pretty much exclusively since then (D&D, Star Wars, d20 Modern, and M&M).
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BSF
Explorer
I was hanging out at the bowling alley, bored out of my mind while my parents bowled in their league. Some kids were in the coffee shop playing some sort of game. I asked them what it was, they kind of explained it to me. Showed me how to make a character. Then told me all the things I couldn't do. Kinda peeved me off at the time (I was 10). But, I remember looking at the book and thinking that rack of weapons looked cool. 
And even though I didn't really get to do anything in the game, my imagination was running. My grandmother helped me get the basic boxed set a few weeks later. Then the expert set. Then, (much to Diaglo's chagrin I am sure) I found Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.
I've played other games over the years. Gave up on D&D during the 2nd edition days. Came back for 3rd Edition. So, you know, pretty much like a lot of other folks.
And even though I didn't really get to do anything in the game, my imagination was running. My grandmother helped me get the basic boxed set a few weeks later. Then the expert set. Then, (much to Diaglo's chagrin I am sure) I found Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. I've played other games over the years. Gave up on D&D during the 2nd edition days. Came back for 3rd Edition. So, you know, pretty much like a lot of other folks.
frankthedm
First Post
The D&D cartoon
I also like monsters.
I also like monsters.
Severion
First Post
My older brother was introduced to by some friends and when i asked him about it he said "Oh, you'll never get this game, way to complex." So i saved my allowence and bought the Basic an Expert sets (different editions) and taught myself to play. That was 20 years ago and he hasn't played since.
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alsih2o
First Post
my maternal grandmother bought me the red boxed set because she thought it was a book about how to draw dragons and their attendant baggage.
that same x-mas my cousins mother bought him the boxed set because she assumed from the pictures on the front that it was about pro wrestling.
we started trying to figure out what it was about over the phone x-mas night, and had out first game by new years. we played fast and loose with rules, cause who wants to read all that crap?
we played for 2-3 years knowing nothing more than how to create a character, some monster stats and that the books were full of cool pics! i soon became addicted to mini painting and this made games even more fun. we would battle whatever i had aquired and painted with no regard for fairness, balance or reason.
and i am still doing it
that same x-mas my cousins mother bought him the boxed set because she assumed from the pictures on the front that it was about pro wrestling.
we started trying to figure out what it was about over the phone x-mas night, and had out first game by new years. we played fast and loose with rules, cause who wants to read all that crap?
we played for 2-3 years knowing nothing more than how to create a character, some monster stats and that the books were full of cool pics! i soon became addicted to mini painting and this made games even more fun. we would battle whatever i had aquired and painted with no regard for fairness, balance or reason.
and i am still doing it
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