Why do you role-play?

[Gothmog]

Why do you role-play? I have heard numerous explanations over the years from lots of people- from escapism, to stress release, artistic expression, socializtion, etc- and I wondered how the gang at ENWorld fits into the various reasons. Also, if you can give reasons why or elaborate, I think it would be interesting.

 

[MerricB]

Oh goody... I voted for all 6.

The other reason "Because it's fun!"

Cheers!

 

[arwink]

All of the above, it's a pretty well rounded hobby and there's no real point in nailing down one thing I enjoy more than the others.

My other reason: Habit. Gaming is one of the few consistent hobbies I've had since I was exremely young, and it makes it very hard to stop.

 

[beta-ray]

aye, I voted for other... "Fun"

 

[hong]

My other reason: Habbit.

"In a book in the shop there lived a habbit."

 

[arwink]

"In a book in the shop there lived a habbit."

Doh.

I will try to post and write histories for hobbit character at the same time, won't I?

 

[Mithriltooth]

a little Escapism, some socialization with friends, but mostly the game aspect.
I have been playing D&D over 21 years now, just about always as a DM. Ive always found the game enjoyable.

 

[The Sigil]

Other.

99% of the time I play, I DM.

I truly enjoy "creating worlds" if you will - down to minute detail. Not that I ever write it all out, but I have many many worlds living in my head, planned in such excruciating detail that I can really make the whole world come alive for my players... because I can walk in the world (in my own mind) in the places where the characters are and almost literally see through their eyes. And I'm simultaneously seeing the world through the eyes of all the NPCs they are coming across. In many ways, I think it must be a small "type" of how God feels - seeing everything all at once. I have been told that one of the most enjoyable aspects of playing games I DM is that the world I put the characters in seems truly real, with depth and breadth and change over time... but that's because I can truly "live" in my virtual worlds, so describing them is as easy as describing my childhood home.

I enjoy D&D because it's my time to create something beautiful - a world. I can't play piano. I can't draw for crap. I'm not a gifted poet. I can't act. IMO, my "artistic" talent, if you will, is creation in my mind - my physical body won't cooperate, but at least my mind can!

Not that I think I'm playing God by any means - but rather in some ways my D&D games are my "gift" to God - being "created in His image" I try, in my own little way, to create a world, just as He did... not out of jealousy or spite, but out of admiration and attempts at emulation - the way my not-quite-two-year-old son brings me a wad of paper with scribbling on it when he sees me writing notes... not because he wants to compete with me or replace me, but because he loves me and wants to be like me and share in the things I do.

My mind is the canvas, the rules are the brushes, and the stories are the paint. This is my "art time" when I can feel I'm more than just a computer (I'm very left-brained dominant in a family of right-brainers, so sometimes I feel like I got the short end of the stick when it comes to artistic ability).

Perhaps that's why I did the Enchiridion of Mystic Music - to compensate LOL. (j/k - Music - singing and trombone - are actually things I'm VERY good at).

--The Sigil

 

[RangerWickett]

I voted for friendship and artistry. As a game master, I am able to be both entertainer and storyteller, with the blessing that I know my friends more intimately than a director can know his audience or an author his readers. I am able to tell more personally individualized stories, and thus any morals or lessons I might wish to emphasize are made stronger and more meaningful.

 

[Celtavian]

Re

I chose all plus other. My other is because it is just plain fun. I truly enjoy roleplaying. I can think of no other game that requires the same level of thinking and creativity as roleplaying.

I will always roleplay as long as I can find people to roleplay with.