Survey for English Paper

[ImmortalLiam]

So, Im writing a paper for my english class about table top rpgs. And Im conducting a survey to gather information. So, here are some questions

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
2. What about the game do you find fun?
3. Why do you play?
4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?

And, it wouldnt be fair to not answer this myself so...

1. I have been playing video games all my life and been an many online forum RPGs. One of my new college friends got me to play DnD last semester. Since then I have played DnD, Dark Heresy, Call of Cthulhu, and Vampire the Requiem.
2. I enjoy the acting and story involved. I tend to enjoy making extensive backstories and interacting with other characters and their own life. Im much more of a roleplay fan than a dungeon crawler fan.
3. I play to exercise my mind and to push my creative bounds.
4. I tried being a DM for DnD and have learned that having players that wish to hog attention is hard to manage. I also do not like players that think their Cleric Healer can take my Paladin Tank that got lucky stat rolls out.
5. I do not think that they have changed me drastically, but I am open to a new world of stories that I would not have known if not for roleplaying.

I have to thank Djinn_in_Tonic for his advice. Now, im anxious for your answers!:smallsmile:

[Jallorn]

1. My brother played DnD, I think he first started with ADnD, but I'm not sure. Anyway, as I have always had an overactive imagination and enjoyed fantasy, I eventually got curious. took me a long time before I got anywhere real though.

2. Telling a cooperative story with friends where no one can suddenly say, "I become all-powerful," or something stupid like that except the DM.

3. Because it's fun, and because it allows me to explore both my writing with other people, as well as the way people behave. I have learned a lot about people I wouldn't normally sympathize with by trying to create a character based around that archetype, or by reading someone else's backstory for such a type of person. Also helps my acting.

4. Personally, no. Unless disappointment over a dead game or a game I can't even get started counts.

5. See 3. Also, they're a good outlet for some of my ideas, allowing me to focus more on others and actually get something done.

[zagan]

While I don't like survey much, I'm willing to help a fellow player.

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
Two thing, Fantasy novel, in particular those from the forgotten realms campaign setting with drizzt, Elminster and all the other. I want a way to interact with those character or other like them.
The second thing are video game, rpg in particular, while I really like them sometime you want to do something but you can't because the game can't do it and it can be frustrating.
Table top rpg was a good way to combine the two.

2. What about the game do you find fun?
Lots of thing. Creating the character, putting all the pieces together, finding a way to crame everything you want in the character and if necessary after that finding a way to justify it in the backstory in a logical way.
Once your done it get even better you get to test it to see how it far against horrible monster.

3. Why do you play?
I find it fun, it combine various thing I like to do so o get to do them at the same time.

4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
It take time, sometime lot of it. It can also be expensive but that depend a lot on the game.

5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?
I've gotten better at seeing thing in a different way and I think it help develop my imagination.

I hope that helps, good luck with your paper.

[Kobold-Bard]

So, Im writing a paper for my english class about table top rpgs. And Im conducting a survey to gather information. So, here are some questions

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
2. What about the game do you find fun?
3. Why do you play?
4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?...

1. In Fresher's Fair (uni societies stand in a room and beg you to join) the preident of the RPG society in uni was dressed like a peasant woman, wielding a wooden sword and talking like a pirate. I knew then that I was going to love it.

2. The sheer ability to make whatever character you want. I loved games like Fable where you could choose whether you turned good or evil, and D&D was basically that on steriods.

3. Because I enjoy it, and it's a good way to meet other nerds who are more likely to have similar interests to you (at least the geeky pursuits).

4. Mockery from all the other societies during the following year's Freshers Fair. My dad openly wondering if there was something wrong with me mentally for being in uni and still playing kids games. For a while I became a bit obsessed with it and everything I talked about related back to RPGs, which people found irritating.

5. I found the Playground, which is awesome. I met both my first (and current) long term girlfriend and my best friend through the society. I developed a proper hobby, rather than video games and drinking.

Acceptable answers?

[Captain Six]

In the case of quoting my answers or referencing things I say, and feel free to, my name is Robert, Rob for short.

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?

My friend Josh got into D&D through Dragonlance and eventually brought me into it. That is the official moment I started to RPG I guess. When I was really young I had basically invented my own RPG systems with my brother, although they were extremely primitive and I never truly got them to work; it was mostly comparing numbers and deciding who would win from stats. I've always been a tabletop gamer at heart, it just took me a long time to actually find one.

2. What about the game do you find fun? & 3. Why do you play? (they are similar enough)

Adventure. Adventure is a huge buzz word for me, just about everything I do in life is for the sake of adventure. I love to explore worlds made by DMs even more than treasure and battles I want to see the grandest cliffs, the ones that look down on the clouds, and scale them even though I could have flown. I want to see the cities in the sky, discover how far the tunnels reach into the earth. I want to find a farmer and chat up on local affairs, make friends with NPCs that would normally not even be mentioned just so they exist. I want to find forests so massive that the greatest giants have to reach up to touch the lowest branches, to walk along deserts of volcanic glass and uncover ancient technology that has rested untouched for one-thousand years. Everyone has a story, everyone. I want to know yours.

4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?

Yes. As you can tell with my last post I really, really like gaming. Sometimes gaming and I get into a poisoned relationship. I am very slow to leave a game that doesn't work for me. A terrible DM, a party I don't mesh with, whatever the reason I keep coming back. I let myself get angry and I have strained friendships by going to games that just aren't my style. I've gotten better about turning down games. The saying "a bad game is better than no game at all" is bull. At least for me I'm better off not playing.

5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?

RPGs have been my primary creative outlet since I was 18. While it is a game and it doesn't leave any lasting pieces behind I think of RPGs as an art. It takes an incredible amount of creativity and passion to enjoy to it's fullest. I get the same thrill drafting up a new character sheet as I do when I hit that sweet 5,000-10,000 word creative writing spree.

Also, and probably most importantly, it greatly helped my communication. I have Asperger's Syndrome and it was incredibly bad in highschool. I never spoke to people, I didn't know how it all worked so I took no risk in trying. Then I played D&D for the first time, Warlock, largest ham you could possibly imagine. She wasn't arrogant, no, arrogance is a flaw and flaws are for lesser mortals. I risked sounding stupid because sounding stupid was all part of that character. I hopped back and forth over the line of appropriateness and got a very good feel of where it was. It may on the outside looked like I played a chaotic evil/stupid megalomaniac warlock but I was mastering interaction. Nowadays Asperger's very rarely effects me and I recommend RPGs to anyone who is struggling with interaction.

[Fallbot]

1) My dad played when I was tiny, so I grew up with it (before I was old enough to play they used to let me make towers out of the funny shaped dice :smallsmile:)
2) Creating characters and then watching their stories play out. And the catharsis of coming home after a stressful day and getting to stab a bugbear in the face.
3) It's fun (for reasons listed in 2), and it lets me keep in touch with school friends I wouldn't see otherwise.
4) It's a massive time sink and I occasionally prioritize gaming over finishing papers
5) I don't think it's made much of a difference. If I had never gotten involved in RPGs, I'd have found another creative outlet, and another way to mark myself out as a geek.

[IonDragon]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?Honestly? I had heard that giant nerds played it all the time when I was in Jr. High. So I picked up a book, looked throught the pictures, and decided it sounded like fun.

2. What about the game do you find fun?I love computer games. However, I often find them too constricting. The only options you have available in a computer game are the options that have been laid out by the developers in advance. In an RPG, anything you can think of can be attempted.

3. Why do you play?Now, years later, I keep playing because it's always something new. Also, my gaming night is the one night a week I ALWAYS am able to get out of the house (and not to work) and hang out with cool people. Well, not cool, but enjoyable.

4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?The question is a little ambiguous, but I'm going to say 'No'. In fact, I think it's had a good impact on me. I'm an avid WoW player, and my D&D makes sure it never consumes my entire life. I recently lied to my guild and ducked out early to go play D&D:smallcool:

5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?There was this one time when I had just started playing, and all of my friends did too that I asked this cute girl if she played because at the time I thought it was much more common than it was. Obviously, she laughed at me. For most of the afternoon. This has colored with whom I talk about my gaming. Many people simply don't understand what it's all about. They think of people dressing up in plastic viking helmets sitting in the basement and throwing dice and waving toy swords.

[Umael]

So, Im writing a paper for my english class about table top rpgs. And Im conducting a survey to gather information. So, here are some questions

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
2. What about the game do you find fun?
3. Why do you play?
4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?

I have to thank Djinn_in_Tonic for his advice. Now, im anxious for your answers!:smallsmile:

1. I killed my first giant rat when I was four. My brother had the game and I was playing it because I tended to idolize my brother and want to do what he was doing. Since then, I have continued playing because I have a strong imagination and a love for stories.
2. The biggest thing is the stories. Some of the stories are plot, some are character, some are both. I also enjoy looking at a well-made system, a fascinating world, a daring take on old themes.
3. Escapism, not in the negative sense, but in the sense of putting aside the burdens of day-to-day existence and letting yourself feel free to soar. It is also a major social activity for me, and a great deal of entertainment.
4. Burn-out, time constraints, players bickering, and outsiders having negative stereotypes are all drawbacks I have encountered.
5. RPGs give me a sense of being allowed to be creative without society to question or money to keep those dreams in check. My interest in RPGs has branched off into other, related, interests - physical activity for LARPs, knowing a bit of military history, storytelling. The chance to play multiple people gives me a sense to explore different aspects of my personality. Sometimes, RPGs can actually inspire me.

[TheLogman]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
-If you mean table top or pen and paper Role Playing Games, then it was my dad. He was my first DM, and we had loads of fun together. From there I played in and DM'd a number of games. I game because it's fun.

2. What about the game do you find fun?
-I like pen and paper for a number of reasons. Part of it is the opportunities and the possibilities. I've always liked writing and being creative. That's why I like modding video games. But with D&D and Table Top gaming, it's really easy to write your own stuff. Published material provides the basic rules and inspiration, and you can provide all the rest. I don't know that I could choose I specific aspect that I find fun. I like writing the campaigns, I like homebrewing new material, I like the combat and the role playing and the character creation. I especially like the community element. Table Top Games are the most fun when with friends.

3. Why do you play?
-Usually a member of a gaming group's house. However, I've recently started doing more and more of my stuff online. Especially myth-weavers.com, since they have a lot of resources I can use and it is much easier to get together online to play.

4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
-I really have no idea what this means. I've never been attacked or stabbed by a player, gaming hasn't made me anti-social. If you mean the more distant "side-effects" like sleep deprivation or poor health, I haven't experienced those either, but if I did, it would have been by my choice and not because I was playing a game.

5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?
-It's a hobby. I guess it's inspired me to write and create, but if I didn't have a familiarity with Table Tops, I would probably write about or create something else. I've certainly met plenty of people from playing, especially online. And it's been great fun playing with friends.

[Godskook]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?

Which kind? Video game versions have had my attention since '87, and I was born in '83(Yes, I was fighting Ganon at 4).

I came to more standard RPGs very late in life despite my early Zelda exposure due to my parent's misconception of the genre. Final Fantasy Tactics was my first, about 7 years ago.

As for table-top, OotS brough me in about 2 or 3 years ago.


2. What about the game do you find fun?

YES!

But in seriousness, it'd be easier to describe what I didn't like, which is most forms of pvp outside a the Group X versus Group Y format. So a full-blown Diamond/Heart/Spade and an honorable Club.


3. Why do you play?

That's a silly question, considering the previous one. I play because its fun.


4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?

Yes.


5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?

I met one of my best friends while playing pokemon. I managed to keep him as a friend for a long time, despite kicking the poke habit. He stood as one of my best men at my wedding.

[Keld Denar]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs? My mother read Tolkein and Anne McCaffery to me when I was really little, and then I heard about D&D from some guys in Boy Scouts.
2. What about the game do you find fun? Ability to be creative, use my imagination, and think critically about all of the problems my characters have. Mental exercise is as rewarding as physical exercise.
3. Why do you play? Its fun and social. I've met tons of people I otherwise wouldn't have due to RPGs.
4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing? Like any hobby, it can enter your thoughts while you are trying to do something else productive, like homework or work and distract you.
5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual? I think they have helped me become more outgoing, more creative, and a better problem solver.

[LibraryOgre]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
2. What about the game do you find fun?
3. Why do you play?
4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?


1) Truthfully, I've been interested in them as long as I can remember. It may have been early exposure to Beowulf, or the D&D cartoon, or any number of things, but I've wanted to play RPGs as long as I've known what they are.

2) Depends on the group and the game. Sometimes it's tactics. Sometimes it's trying to out-think the GM (one of my best games involved almost no combat... I think our only fight was against a wolverine when we were in a national forest... but I went home each night with a delicious headache from trying to think about conspiracies). Most of the time, it's just hanging out with friends.

3) See answer to #2. I also do it because it's mentally interesting and, now, an irregular source of income.

4) Not really. I got a bit obsessed when I was younger, but not so much that I suffered for it.

5) They've improved my vocabulary and social skills. They've widened my circle of friends. Because of them, I've had a book and a number of articles published, and have more on the way. They've sharpened my interest in History (which is where I have my degree), as well as given a practical motivation for my interests in science and technology. They've improved my reasoning skills, my simple math skills (i.e. addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, geometry), and my grammar. They've been a spur to research any number of subjects... genetics, ethics, philosophy, geography, astronomy, spaceship engineer (no joke; one of my games, I play with two NASA engineers), ecology. I've learned a huge array of information because I want my games to be fun and have verisimilitude... which is a word I made a point to teach people who complained that "realism" doesn't make sense when wizards throw fireballs. You can also argue that my career (librarian) grows out of my love of RPGs... it fostered a love of books, a curiosity, and a wide base of knowledge which makes me a more effective librarian.

[Swordgleam]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
A pair of brothers I knew played. They talked about the game and it sounded fun, so I asked if I could play.

2. What about the game do you find fun?
Oh man, this could go on for pages. As a DM, I like that I can create an awesome story together with the players, and that my creativity has a built-in audience. I like it when I hear my players telling stories about my game to other people. As a player, I like being a badass, killing stuff, and solving problems.

3. Why do you play?
Because it's fun. See above.

4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
I've gotten made fun of a couple times, but not seriously. And it is a huge time sink.

5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?
I now make money off of them. They've also given me another outlet for my creativity, and helped me meet a lot of interesting people.

[Starbuck_II]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
I invented them. Joking aside, I kinda did. I mean, it was only pencil and paper but I've been making RPGs since I could talk. They were more like video game RPGs but they were RPGs.
Sadly I lost most of them when moving (not that they were the bomb).
I still have my country game (think Romance of Three Kingdoms video game but with RPG elements. This is before I knew about D&D so it used a d6 for everything). While I ran the countries, I also ran the mercenaries. Kinda was just a solo game when nothing on TV (or other activities).
Eventually, I got bored and stopped. I heard D&D started a war game similar to my countries game so that is kinda cool.

Later in high school My brother let me see D&D. He mentioned that a friend of his Tom was playing AD&D so I played after school.
So I guess I just knew about RPGs, but if talking just table top than I was told about them in high school.

2. What about the game do you find fun?
The Challenges. Making a character as good as I can and seeing if I can beat the opposition in a task. Working together with a party to beat up people and tale their stuff. Perferably evil people like demons.

3. Why do you play?
To chance to dream?
I can be someone I'm not and do things I've rarely be able to do.
I can't fly or shoot out beams of energy from me. My characters can.
I like interacting with a fantasy world.

4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
Negative side?
Well, sometimes I think about my character when trying to sleep. But that happens with studying for tests as well. Takes a few minutes before I can sleep.
I have to buy dice that costs money (that could be a negative).
They do make me wonder how a movie/TV show character might be in D&D though. Since it was my first system.

5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?
Well, they focus my thoughts. Expanded my math, thinking outside the box skills, and vocabulary.
Although, I dumped Wisdom in real life so I lack common sense. :smalltongue:

[Cicciograna]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?

I began when I was 15, almost by chance: I was in my class and saw some of my friends who were making characters for a contest. I asked them what were they doing and they introduced me to D&D 2nd Edition.
However, I have always been fascinated by Fantasy: my mother kept telling me for all my youth about that wonderful book that is LotR, and when I was 10 I read it for the first time: the passage to RP was just matter of time...


2. What about the game do you find fun?

As a player, I am interested in epos, the walk on the long and winding road that takes to become a real hero, one of those you hear of in bards' songs (Tomorrow will take us away / Far from home / No one will ever know our names...).
As a DM I love to write long and articulated stories, in which PC are first some small pieces of the game, and as they level up they become the masters of their own destiny.

Mind, I tend to raildroad a lot, and I'm really not keen on improvising. While I feel I'm creative on the long run, being able to write interesting and intriguing adventures, I find really hard reacting to unexpected moves by my players. I'm not the best DM... :smallfrown:


3. Why do you play?

To evade. To enter in a different world, where there are many dangers, but less confusion, in a world where there are clear distinction between Good and Evil, for example, and where one hopefully can reach the highest prize with intelligence and courage. And to smack things too, of course!


4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?

Not at all. Truly, I regard D&D (but also other RP games I played) as one of the best experiences in my life, second only to meeting my girlfriend. I cannot even imagine what would I be if on that day, when I was 15 I didn't ask my friends what were they doing... I don't think I would be a better person, no.


5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?

RPGs develop creativity and imagination: it's not a videogame, you don't have visual aids to tell what is your character sensing. It's all in your mind, but the fact that three or four people are with you, imagining the same thing and striving to improve their PCs' lots...well, I think that this make it more real than many illusions of our society. More, I think that facing dangerous situations, when odds are against you improves the ability to take decisions on the run, thus increasing the confidency in yourself (and gods know if I need confidency in myself!) and making you a better person.

[Eldariel]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?

First time, I ran into a roleplaying group at a relative's birthday party when I was like 8. I was asked along, given a pre-made healer (since he had a tent, it was alright for him to just jump along) and I played with the bunch for the rest of the day until our family went home and my character left the party retiring back to his tent, his job done.

I don't frankly even remember what system it was. And I later found out how the adventure had gone; they ended up fighting some giant spiders, experiencing a PC casualty, trumping over the evil Wizard in his castle and so on. But my short time there was so awesome that I always looked for a chance to play again. I only got one some 7 years later when I just happened to be at the right place at the right time; a group of friends were starting a game and I happened to be there so I asked if I could join in. It was fine and I've played ever since. This was some 10 years from the present day.


Short version: Being at the right place at the right time for all the wrong reasons. Though I showed tendencies towards role-playing games before I actually knew what they were too. I've played "free-form" a lot as a child, without knowing I was playing free-form. Of course, I spent a lot of time trying to convince others of the necessity of rules; mostly our games started purely without any, but I was always of the opinion that restrictions breed creativity (of course, the thought was not so far cultivated as to articulate it in such a manner then, but the idea remained the same).


2. What about the game do you find fun?

Tabletop RPGs in general? Verisimilitude is very important to me; the thing I specifically seek from a tabletop RPG is a world I can feel alive around me, my character being just one in millions, a strand in a web woven by a thousand spiders.

On the other hand, I want to express myself with my character; I want a character with the capabilities I'd find interesting to play with precisely the sort of source for the abilities and precisely the kinds of abilities I desire. In systems I've mastered, I find character creation extremely satisfying and as such, do that even outside games.

Mostly, the feel of the game and the character is what makes the game fun for me. As long as I can feel I belong to something greater and that I'm playing the character I created a concept for in my head, I'm going to be happy regardless of internal events in the game or such. Oh, and social aspects of doing something together with friends and such are of course as important as ever, like in any form of social activity. All in all, I find tabletop as I tend to play it extremely rewarding; of course, it better be too with how much time, money and effort I've put into it.


3. Why do you play?

Well, I think this is related to the above question and as such, I seem to have already answered it there.


4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?

Sure, some less relevant stuff like reading for tests and such has gotten postponed to undefined future and been left undone entirely...but that's just how I am. It doesn't really matter what I do, that's bound to happen when I'm not feeling the course anyways.


5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?

I've become a much better liar thanks to RPGs. Amazing how that works, eh? But having to come up with convincing lies on the spot constantly helps a lot in that regard.

I've also gotten to explore my morality and morality in general a bit more, which is bound to have some effect on me as an individual, and I've vastly expanded my knowledge of the worlds the games are based on, especially medieval Europe and Asia during the same era.

Of course, I've also gotten a chance to practice talking and leadership, but I think that was sufficiently covered in my military training so I don't attribute changes in that regard to RPGs very heavily.

And, of course, they've given me an impeccable tool for maintaining my English skill, and I've even learned some new words thanks to RPG; and that's saying a lot given I play e.g. Magic: the Gathering too and read literature almost exclusively in English nowadays giving me an expansive vocabulary to start with.

As a note, I'm a linguist and as such, I emphasize the effect of languages you master and think in to your persona extensively in discussions like these; as such, I find maintaining and improving my English to have a great deal of impact on me as an individual.

[Person_Man]

Surveys conducted in this fashion have no validity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Validity_%28statistics%29) or reliability (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reliability_%28statistics%29). But it's for an English class, so I guess that doesn't matter. :smallwink:

[Eldariel]

Surveys conducted in this fashion have no validity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Validity_%28statistics%29) or reliability (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reliability_%28statistics%29). But it's for an English class, so I guess that doesn't matter. :smallwink:

The sample size would be too small for any manner of relevant statistics, but if we're just acquiring some individual opinions to discuss for possible reasons for RPing and such, this is a wonderful basis.

Or, the answers can be used as a basis for a questionnaire to conduct a quantitative research on the subject, hoping one has hit most of the major ones and thus the "Other" doesn't get too populated with the options provided.

[Forrestfire]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?

My dad got me and my siblings into the 3.0 D&D starting set. I fell in immediately as the resident rules-lawyer.
2. What about the game do you find fun?

For me, it's the number crunching along with roleplaying stressfull situations.
3. Why do you play?

I think its fun to do. Kind of a cop-out answer, but it's the truth.
4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?

In 7th grade, my grades dropped for a bit...
5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?

Profoundly. It's improved my vocabulary, quick math, and improv skills.

[Glass Mouse]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
Friends, basically. I had a friend who played, he invited me, and it was fun - y'know, the whole hanging out, cracking jokes and eating snacks. Pretty good times.

2. What about the game do you find fun?
The roleplaying part. I'm a very character-based player, and I love the interaction between characters and NPCs, the relationships they build, the stories they share. I wouldn't care for a plot if I couldn't see it through the eyes of a character.

3. Why do you play?
Because it's a lot of fun.

4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
Like, prejudices? No, not really. I keep expecting people to judge me because of it, but 1) I'm a pretty low-key gamer, and 2) people usually just ask if they don't know what it is. Maybe it's a national thing, though - we don't really have the religious controversy here, and LARPing is getting pretty mainstream.

5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?
I don't really think they've affected me. Maybe I'm a slightly better actor? Or a slightly better storyteller. I've made some friends through gaming, but I think I'd've made friends, too, if I'd just been hanging out with people instead.

Hope this was helpful :smallsmile:

[Nero24200]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
I've always loved fantasy. When I think back to being a kid, I remember finding a bunch of old books (can't even remember how I found them), but they talked about things like Ogres, Trolls, Merefolk, Dragons etc, and I was entralled by them. So I got into anything fantasy related - Games, Movies, Books etc. Though actual Roleplaying games....I'd say just curiousity. The only game stores where I live are a bit out-of-the-way, so I never really got a chance to see any RP games, but I would always hear about D'n'D on T.V, so I was always curious what it was like (honestly? I figured it would a board game like monopoly or something - only more complex).

But then one day I saw the three core rulebooks (3.5) on sale at Amazon and figured "why not?". Been hooked on RPG's since.


2. What about the game do you find fun?
Being able to create a story, but also the lack of limits. I'd remember playing some computer games a while back and I would always think things like "I'm trying to sneak in here...couldn't I just open the window?" or "I've tried breaking into this castle 10 times and they still havn't arrested me". It was a bit immersion breaking. What I liked about D'n'D was that you could try something different if doing something the normal way was too hard/boring.


3. Why do you play?
I consider myself a creative person, so I think I'm always going to have one or two character ideas I'd like to try or one or two stories I'd like to see through (the latter applying as a DM)


4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
Oh yep. Pettiness, control freaks, and theres also those who play ignorant and refuse to accept certain things about RPing (for instance, a fan of a particular version of the game refusing to see any flaws that might exist, no matter how obvious). Though, if you spend enough time on an RP forum you're likly to see alot of these without actually having to play.


5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?
I'd say they've made me a little more creative. There are some problems I look at now and can think of easier/better ways to solve them than probably could before.

[Thrice Dead Cat]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?

Short answer is video games. Long answer begins with Pokemon, jumping through other non-tabletop RPGs, and eventually meeting someone with similar interests who had been playing tabletop since practically birth.

2. What about the game do you find fun?

This really depends on the game for me. Class and level systems like DND offer me a set of tools to work with. I may not necessarily be making a character I'll ever play, but it offers me a sort of challenge at times.

For actual gaming, it's not unlike watching a movie, as you get to experience something beyond the limits of day-to-day life. Unlike any given movie, though, you've got a more personal investment at times with the story and how it progresses.

3. Why do you play?

To quote: "Big damned heroes, sir!" Moments like that kind of do it for me, especially when it's between player characters.

4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?

There have been times where I've gamed more than I should. The morning sun be not kind.

5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?

This one's a little trickier to answer, but I'd say it's allowed me better insight into how other people may think.

[Traveler]

1.
The first time I was introduced toRPGs was when I was about 10ish. My sister was moving and I was dragged along to help. One of the boxes had some old RPG books in it. Masquerade, Star Wars, and AD&D. I asked what they were and was given a watered down explaination. A few months later she offered to show me and ran a set on mini mods in 3.5. Bam, hooked for life.
Got a few books and started reading. Didn't understand most of it until a few years later but I loved reading them anyway.

2.
Uhhh... The whole thing.
Initially, it was just actually being able to say I did this compared to hitting the B button with this combo. I could take credit for stuff.
Once a few years passed and I understood what was going on beyond kill the bad guy, I really got into playing a character. If it isn't for playing a character and having those in games interactions, the whole thing becomes a system of numbers and odds.
The social part is also a great thing. When you are with a group of people that dig what you dig, there is electricity in the air. It gives the game it's feeling of being just that much more. You and the people you play with have invested time and energy into, admittedly, a fictional world, but that makes it something special, just as a sports team wins a trophy that they take pride in, players in RPGs take that same pride in the game they play.

3.
Personally, 2 things.
The first is that I love a good story, and every good story is made by the characters in them. RPGs are the closest a person can get to being one of those great characters like Samwise Gamgee, Belgarion, Samual Vimes, and others. That leads to the second point.
Escapism. Pure, simple, escapism without limits. True freedom to what you want, usually involving slaying monsters and taking their loot and/or emulating great characters. No gamer can truthfully say the have never built a character without basing it on someone.

4.
Yes, spending time I don't have on RPGs. Other then that, no.

5.
I know they have affected me personally, but it is hard to put into words. It isn't something that happens all at once. I play D&D (AD&D and 3.5) and over the course of the past few years and it is hard to say "It did this at this point". I belive that it has expanded my creativity, social skills, and overall outlook (pessimistic with a hopeful/optimistic streak).

Good luck of the paper, hope it helps.

[Amphetryon]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
2. What about the game do you find fun?
3. Why do you play?
4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?


1. 1978, my younger sister and I were staying over at a friend's house while the 'rents were out for the night. Friend's older brother had just gotten into Basic D&D, so we made characters.

2. Pretending to be someone else in a sword and sorcery setting; creating characters (and NPCs) for various niches and maximizing their potential as best I can; demented and sad but social activity. :smalltongue:

3. See #2

4. Shouting matches have - rarely - come up because DM and player were not on the same page about what was in-character reaction instead of an out-of-character response.

5. They've made me a message-board junkie. :smallbiggrin: I've formed lasting friendships, studied more about medieval history, and found a creative outlet through RPGs.

[AslanCross]

So, Im writing a paper for my english class about table top rpgs. And Im conducting a survey to gather information. So, here are some questions

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
2. What about the game do you find fun?
3. Why do you play?
4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?



1. I've always been interested in them since my high school friends kept bringing their sourcebooks to school, but we never really got around to playing. One of them would bring D&D 2E books (mostly Dragonlance) while another guy would bring World of Darkness and Heavy Gear books. Spent some time reading them. I was originally looking for RPG rules that I could use for a long-running game system that I was planning as a motivational tool for my English classes. I'm also the moderator of our school's creative writing club, so I thought we could do some D&D and write stories based on the sessions. The club members picked up the habit, so even after graduating from high school they still come to my house to play.

2. The ability to create. It's a rare feature in video games, really. The most you'll get is in RTS games like Warcraft 3, which have powerful editor tools. It's much harder to get anything done in CRPGs.

3. I think it's a great alternative to video games or just sitting in front of the TV. I prefer a hobby where we can actually produce something together than say, playing Magic. Magic's fun and all, but the money I spend there just vanishes. With RPGs, they allow the group to produce a great story together.

4. Mostly in terms of time lost and money spent.

5. In many ways it's helped me, really. I can do mental math faster, plan more efficiently, and improvise more creatively. It inspires me to draw more, write more, and seek inspiration from the things around me. I've learned to put a lot of attention into detail when doing something creative.

[Asheram]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
2. What about the game do you find fun?
3. Why do you play?
4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?



1. Well, my neighbor spoke about it at great length when I were young, so my interest started way back there.
2. The freedom of it. Not bound by the imagination of a game designer, but freely being able to add things at a whim. I play a lot of computergames but I keep being annoyed by being herded into making a certain choice I don't want just because it's the "closest" to what I really want. In a pen and paper RPG the only limitation is the imagination of the GM, and even that can be stretched.
3. Because it's fun and soical.
4. Well... There can be some negative pent-up feelings between the characters that flow into the players, but not much else than that... and being annoyed that the next session can't come sooner.
5. It've improved my social and literary skills, as well as my vocabulary. As well as meeting a lot of new friends

[Gorbash]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?

As a kid I love playing Diablo, Nox and similar games, and seeing my intrest my brother told me about RPGs and then I started playing Baldur's Gate, Torment, NWN, so I knew about D&D since elementary school and started playing it when I met people who are intrested in it in high school.


2. What about the game do you find fun?

Everything. Once a week I meet with my best friends, we hang around, drink some booze, have fun, act our characters... What's there not to like?


3. Why do you play?

See above.


4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?

Well, in some periods I spend too much time reading D&D forums and books but other than that, not really... Aside from the fact that whenever I am browsing through my hard drive I automatically go to my RPG folder first, whether or not I actually need it at the moment. :smallbiggrin:



5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?

I have no idea, really.

[oxybe]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
2. What about the game do you find fun?
3. Why do you play?
4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?

1) console RPGs mostly. i'm english as a second language. i weaned my teeth learning how to read english on the Super Mario Bros. instruction manual, and all the text in the old Final Fantasy, Dragon Warrior & Legend of Zelda games all those years ago.

later, my cousin told me of this game, kinda like FF & DW, where you're a mage/fighter/thief/cleric and you go adventuring and stuff. unrestrained by the game's preset sequence of events... and that blew my mind.

so he brought out this weird binder full of weird monsters and wizards and stuff and we played a bit by rolling funny red dice. didn't think much of it, but it was fun. i was in like, grade 2 or something.

later on, my buddy brought these books to me in junior high that he got off his uncle. boom! memories come-a rushing back to me, we decipher the arcane writings and write our own character sheets off on my mom's old win3.1 machine and start making characters. the rest is history, really.

2) mostly the "getting together with my buddies" part. as much as i like the immersion and escapism, i have other activities i could be doing that are just as much fun. the main difference is that i get to do this with my my friends and sometimes meet new people.

3) it's fun. i could wax philosophically, but i won't since that's BS. i play because D&D allows me to play a magical hobo and his pet monkey powered up by demonic magics as we fly around shooting magical blasts. D&D allows me to play a half-orc wizard, who's also a bandito, engineer, chemist, shop owner, world traveler, and fires rainbows from a gun. D&D allows me to play the same character for more then 10 years, un-retiring him every so often to continue his story and escapades.

i play D&D for the same reason i play other games: it's fun.

4) i could have spent the time and money on other things? i grew up in a small little backwoods village. my options were limited and at least D&D got me out of the house.

5) i've learned weird words that i would never use in any other context. i mean... "orisons"? i mean, i guess i could have spent my time doing other stuff instead. shrug. too late now, can't change the past.

[Myou]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
The guy I liked played them, and invited me to play with him, so I joined in to spend time with him, and ended up also enjoying the game.

2. What about the game do you find fun?
I like interesting battles and plots, and enjoy playing a character interacting with friends in a fun setting.

3. Why do you play?
Partly for the fun or it all, partly because I get to RP my homoerotic romatic fantasies without making my friend uncomfortable.

4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
Not really, no.

5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?
I can't say I'm aware of any real effects.

[Fuzzie Fuzz]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
Actually, I was interested in increasing my nerd cred. :smallamused: I decided I couldn't very well be a true nerd without at least playing a bit of D&D at some point, so I rounded up some friends, and we started.

2. What about the game do you find fun?
Well, I DM, so I have to say world creation, and cooperative storytelling. I also like designing climactic battles that may or may not ever happen.

3. Why do you play?
Fun and nerd cred. Mostly fun, at this point.

4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
...Lack of doing homework because I'm building an NPC? None other than that.

5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?
They made me happier, nerdier, and gave me something to do in my free time.

[Magic Myrmidon]

1. Well, first of all, I love videogames. Big time. Of all kinds. However, my favorite kinds of videogames are generally fighting games or RPGs. The real main reason I got into them, however, is just because some of my friends at school were into it, and asked if I wanted to try. So I did, and I loved it.

2. I love the fact that you have the freedom to do whatever you want. If you can imagine it, you can do it. I also love how much you can customize your character, from personality to strengths to shortcomings to anything.

3. I play because it is a way to have fun with friends in a tasteful way. It costs little money, too. (Once you have the dice and information, that is.) It's also just because... well, it's fun.

4. Well, when I get into something, I get a little bit obsessive. However, I haven't been as obsessive about DnD as I have about videogames, so... yeah. Also, since I started DMing about 2 weeks ago, one of my friends has shown himself to be a bit of a power player, which... well, it's kind of a problem. He can be a bit difficult to deal with, which I didn't have a problem with until I was the DM.

5. Eh, not much. I already embraced my nerdliness. It has, however, given me a different facet of my personality that I can use to identify with other people.

[Project_Mayhem]

Always prepared to help out someone doing English :smallsmile:

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?

I began by constructing elaborate pretend worlds as a kid and roping my friends and siblings in. Then I got into Warhammer, and evolved through Warhammer Quest, my own random homebrew stuff, and Inquisitor, into WFRP. I then branched out into many other rpgs

2. What about the game do you find fun?

Creating a character and playing them - watching development, CMOAs, interactions with other characters, and inevitably, endings.

3. Why do you play?

As a lot of people are mentioning, this is basically the same question as 2 :smalltongue:

4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?

Erm - sometimes I roleplay when I should be doing work? We play in my room, and the DM keeps leaving pizza trays lying around?

5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?

I got to meet some people who are into the same geeky stuff I am.

[Ishcumbeebeeda]

Okay, I'll give it a shot. Hopefully it'll help you.
1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
Well, I've always been an avid reader of fantasy books and an on again off again player of video games, though mostly in the vein of Mortal Kombat, and frankly (looking at it from a psychological point of view) the escapism is what appealed to me. People are afraid of that word and seem to think that it means you're completely unable to process reality, but in reality a certain amount of escapism is perfectly natural and even healthy.

2. What about the game do you find fun?
I play D&D 3.5 primarily and the most enjoyable part for me is actually character creation. I like being able to invent "myself" in the world of the campaign; the ability to express my creativity and re-invent my self image, in a sense, within a structured and harmless environment.

3. Why do you play?
I think I may have answered this in questions 2 and 1 already, but I suppose I play because the real world and my place in it can be boring, stressful, and otherwise dissatisfying at times, so it's nice to have an outlet every now and then.

4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
In keeping with my honesty so far, I must say that when I first began playing I was in a position where I, regrettably, was "abusing" the escapism aspect of the game. When I suddenly found myself unable to play due to a lack of other players I was actually experiencing symptoms not unlike those of withdrawal from a chemical addiction. I'd like to stress here that this reaction was completely an aspect of my own psyche and was not in any way the fault of the game, and the game itself was not in any way the root cause.

5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?
After my initial negative experience (which provided me with a great opportunity for self-improvement) I think that gaming has actually helped a great deal with my personality problems. Specifically in that it helps to socialize me when I'd otherwise be very antisocial. It also helps with becoming more comfortable with public speaking.

Well, I hope all of that actually helps you, rather than just boring you to death. Good luck with your paper!:smallsmile:

[OldTrees]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
2. What about the game do you find fun?
3. Why do you play?
4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?

1) I saw my father playing Diablo II when I was young and wanted to play. This lead to me playing Ice Wind Dale which lead to my father DM a 3.0e game of D&D for me and some firends.

2) I find roleplaying the characters, using the game as a fine detail tactics scenario and testing my ability to optimize choices both in char gen and in game to be fun.

3) I play because I enjoy the game and it is a convenient activity to do with my friends.

4) No.

5) I have become more interested in strategy/tactics, the games tests my creativity, DMing tests my leaderships skills and my arbitration (rarely needed) and it has increased my ability to empathize greatly from my initial talent.

[Dashwood]

Good paper topic. I wish my teachers were that open ended.

1. My parents have both been large tabletop RPG Fans and gamers. They introduced me young, and I've grown up with them all my life. They host a weekly campaign, so I've always listened in on adventures and stories. Half their friends are all gamers too.

2. An RPG helps you to live life as you never could. It's like the appeal of video games: Being things you never could be in real life (And having no real consequences to your actions). Also, I prefer "Classic" tabletop games, which have a pre-generated set of characters as well as a story. It is a challenge and a competition to see who can generate a cool and realistic persona around 2-3 paragraphs of background information and opinions of a fictional being.

3. I play ANY form of Tabletop / Pen & Paper game. Some of the best kinds don't even use dice. One system, called "Dread", utilizes a Jenga tower, and whenever you do anything possibly hazardous you pull a piece and put it on top. If you knock over the tower, your character dies in some way. Towards the end, when the tower is so unstable you get uneasy about breathing, things become wonderfully intense! Computer RPGs are okay, though most have categorized an RPG as a "Fantasy" game. some are good, and some murder the Genre. I don't like a game where all of your actions are predetermined and all you can create is how you look and/or fight.

4. Negative side effects of an RPG come in two forms. One is the events you see on the news, where someone didn't quite grasp a distinction between reality and fiction ,and carries their actions too far. That hasn't happened to me. The other kind is playing with bad people. Some people create a character that is everything bad about themselves. They are mean in and out of game, complain when things don't go their way, and create in-game conflicts between characters that stop a game from running. I've had to sit at a few tables like this, although it is less so with "classic" games, than with "Living" campaigns. In a living game, people bring their own character to different games and have it continue to level up. They will become very possessive of these sheets of paper...

5. Being raised with RPGs has definitely taken on a life of it's own. The idea of human interaction over digital I think helps social development, but there will be a need to show differentiation of reality and fiction. EVERYONE should known how to Role Play. Interviews, public performances / appearances, or even doing jobs you know nothing about; All of these can be accomplished through role playing. As long as you're confident and can assume a recognizable position in the eyes of others, you can work your way through many tough or awkward situations. Knowing how to improvise and give false impressions (Preferably for the comfort of others) is a great skill to have!

Wow! I think I learned more about myself writing that than you may get out of it!

Cheers!

[PaladinBoy]

1) I've always been interested in fantasy and science fiction; eventually I ran across enough random references in other media to D+D that I finally decided to check it out for myself.

2) I enjoy the stories we tell and the characters we come up with. Particularly the latter - I don't get to be a heroic, resourceful paladin or a dashing, arrogant airship captain in real life. Also, when we're making up the stories, I don't have to worry about whether things will turn out all right, unlike real life. (In case you couldn't tell, there is probably a significant amount of escapism involved here.)

3) Because it's fun, really. I already mentioned that the stories and people I come up with tend to be more interesting and satisfying than what real life has provided me. I really do like to just think about these things, too - running through "what if" scenarios and reliving awesome moments or stories is quite a bit of fun, generally.

4) I tend to compare anything I see or run into in real life with my games. Real life tends to lose out; this doesn't help my optimism and positive outlook very much. Which is to say, I'm rather cynical most of the time, and my games do contribute to that. (They aren't the only factor, though.)

5) They've affected my morality - I still try to use some aspects of the D+D paladin as a role model. In fact, that concept of service and protection is a large part of what led me to my current career (US Naval Academy). I'm also better at thinking things through, visualizing, and imagining, although I tend to need quite a bit of time to do so. Again, I've already mentioned the cynicism and negativity which would be a negative consequence.

[Miles_Teg]

1. Some of my friends at a birthday party sleepover in 3rd grade, 1986. I played my friend Tonys 3rd level fighter; I remember killing a mummy and a dinosaur and finding a golden cup. I got the basic sed that year for my birthday.

2. I'll cop out and say its ALL fun. Creating characters, saving kingdoms, swinging through windows, the thrill of tossing a d20 knowing EVERYTHING depends on a good roll...

3. I play to spend time with my friends, to give my imagination a workout, to get out of the real world of classes, bills, work.

4. The only negative side Ive experienced is some religious yammerings about the evils of D&D. Some frustration in the group when game doesnt happen and nasty emails fly.

5. I know most of my friends through gaming; my best friend and I have been playing RPGs since 5th grade. They have positively affected my reading habits/vocabulary/creative-ness since my youth.

[Simba]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
I met some now people at school who played and as we became friends I joined them in their hobby.

2. What about the game do you find fun?
Using my imagination, being free to do things that could or should never be done in real life. I can get rid of a lot of tension and pressure by relaxing and pretending to be someone else for a few hours. And there are no losers in the game, everybody works for the same goals, at least in most games.

3. Why do you play?
Because it is a fulfilling, relaxing, entertaining and relatively cheap hobby. I get to meet some friends and have a good time. We do things together and achieve goals as a team.

4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
It takes a lot of time, that's all. One of my friends knew someone who was already an unstable person when he started gaming and lost it completely a few years later. I am not sure how much of this had to do with RPGs, but there might be a connection there.

5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?
They trained my memory, my imagination, my language skills, my social skills and my problem solving abilitiy.

[Comet]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
I got a translataded copy of the original red box of Dungeons and Dragons (1st ed? 2nd?) as a gift. I had heard of pen&paper games before, I just had no idea how to play them. Old school DnD was really accessible, with lots of good tips and a thorough explanation of how everything works.

2. What about the game do you find fun?
Storytelling. I'm not a huge fan of 'in-character' roleplaying or melodramatic acting. That's why I'm usually the GM. Even as a player I consider my characters' actions in a way that would take the story to interesting new directions, rather than just write a five-page essay on my characters' personality and follow that to the letter while playing. Improvisation is fun!

3. Why do you play?
See above. Also, playing is a good chance of getting together with a group of friends. It's very important to have that hour-long period of just chatting about everyday things before pulling out the dice.

4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
None. Ever. Lack of sleep when running/playing games through the night doesn't count.

5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?
Nothing dramatic, really. I have learned some new things about various fields while doing research for gaming purposes. Most of all, though, I've had a fun time and that's the only thing that counts in the long run.

[kestrel404]

You're lucky this is for an english class and not a math class. If you tried to do this kind of survey for a math class you teacher would have to fail you.


1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?

I enjoyed reading fantasy novels when I was young. At the age of about 10, my parents brought me out to one of their old friends. Their son had just joined the military, and they were getting rid of a lot of his stuff. I effectively inhereted an entire 1st ed AD&D set. I read the whole thing straight through. I've been playing ever since.

2. What about the game do you find fun?

I'm a gamist. I like to win. I like to make powerhouses and create effective characters. But I also like to hang out with friends, and have fun and do absurd and cool things by proxy. I used to enjoy exploring different personalities and act out various roles, but more and more I'm enjoying being myself in a different situation.

3. Why do you play?

I like games. I like hanging out with my friends. If I don't set aside time for just me, I would never get to do either of these things (as a recent father with a full-time job and occasional college courses, my time is pretty much always accounted for nearly a month in advance now).

4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?

Yes. I can no longer play MMORPGs because I become too attached to them. It took me about six months at the end of college to realise how much of a useless time sink they were. Similarly, just out of college I was playing in 3 campaigns simultaneously, which basically meant 3 nights a week I was out with my friends. This nearly caused my fiance to break up with me.

5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?

They've made more literate and more aware. I can express myself better, I am more confident in outlandish situations (though my confidence in everyday situations hasn't really changed), and it has offered me many avenues for connecting with interesting people.

[Beowulf DW]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
2. What about the game do you find fun?
3. Why do you play?
4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?

As an English major, I'd feel bad if I didn't help you out a bit by doing your survey. Be sure to let us know the results when it's done!:smallsmile:

1. I started reading web-comics like OotS and DM of the Rings, and since I already enjoy videogame RPGs I decided to try out the table-top variety.

2. Roleplaying is what I find most fun. I honestly can't think of anything that's not fun, but that may be because it's difficult for me feel bored when I'm hanging out with my friends.

3. I play because it's fun and I like being able to create a story with my friends.

4. No.

5. RPGs in general allow me to explore myself, almost like running simulations on my personality (i.e. "What would I do in this situation?"). Table-top RPGs are bit different because it encourages a kind of acting on my part, but it's still interesting to put myself into the minds of characters who may have vastly different moral compasses than me.

[Thurbane]

So, Im writing a paper for my english class about table top rpgs. And Im conducting a survey to gather information. So, here are some questions

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
2. What about the game do you find fun?
3. Why do you play?
4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?



1. A combination of fantasy literature and general interest in all things mythological. The real kicker, however, was my first Fighting Fantasy gamebook borrowed from my school library (Forest of Doom).
2. It's a three part mix: hanging out with friends, the tactical aspect of gaming, and roleplaying a character.
3. Same as answer to 2, with heavy emphasis on hanging out with friends.
4. I have blown off other (important) things for gaming...most notably a 1 year anniversary with an (ex)girlfriend.
5. I think they have improved my life greatly. Improved my literacy and reading skills, introduced me to new friends, enabled me to share a fun hobby with some of my closest friends, and given me a fun pasttime that has helped get me through some rough patches in my life.

[Ranger Mattos]

So, Im writing a paper for my english class about table top rpgs. And Im conducting a survey to gather information. So, here are some questions

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
2. What about the game do you find fun?
3. Why do you play?
4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?

This is the kind of stuff we should do in my class. But no, we have to write 9-page papers about why the school day should be shorter.

1. I got interested when I was looking through a local used-book store. I happened to find a 3.0 MM, and things came along from there.

2. I find it fun because there is just so much you can do. Unlike in other RPGs, like online ones, so much imagination can be fit in. You can be anything from a gallant knight in shining armor, sacrificing himself to save the populace, to (if you wanted to) a diabolical wizard, summoning monsters from the deepest depths of Hell to kill your foes.

3. I play because they are just plain fun. It also really gets you into the game, because as you get more powerful, things you do affect the future on a dramatic scale, whereas in an MMORPG, really nothing you do influences the world around you.

4. Yes I have. I sometimes think about D&D too much, often during class when I should be paying attention. I occasionally miss a piece of information because I am thinking about, for example, about what could be inside an ancient city we have uncovered.

5. RRPGs have affected me not very much, but they still have. Learning to work in a highly diversified team, for instance.

[JGoldenberg]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
Reading Fantasy books as a kid and lurking forums where they mentioned D&D a lot. Picked up an old 3rd edition starter adventure box back in 2001 and my game consoles have been collecting dust ever since.

2. What about the game do you find fun?
I find the creativity most fun, if you can think it up, you can put it in the game with the right retooling, also, as a DM, I love to be an evil GM.

3. Why do you play?
I play because it's more fun than most of the things I could think of doing instead, and besides, dragons, who can resist the allure of fighting dragons?

4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
Just the negative and undeserved stigma that comes with being a geek.

5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?
They've given me something that makes me happy, that made me my own little group of friends, and a few quirks that for reasons unknown to me, girls find very cute. Who knew you could get girls by talking about the exploits of Nym Coppergear, the Gnome Illusionist who just couldn't cast his damn spells right?

[Pluto]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?

I played in a rock and roll band in high school. Despite anything any of us may have said, we were nerds: we wrote songs about Egyptian gods, got overly invested in particular characters in old SNES games (we got a sound complaint when Galuf's death in Final Fantasy 5 incited a spontaneous 2 AM metal jam) and drank Mountain Dew by the case.

We weren't geeks, we said, we were being ironic.

One night, while drinking and trying to work out the kinks of a new song, one of us idly asked "What would Geddy Lee do?" We unanimously decided that he would play a whole lot of D&D and then, when he picked up his bass, a wicked-awesome tune would write itself.

So we asked one of our friends to teach us to play.

Then we got really into it. (But see, it wasn't nerdy because we didn't mean it.)

>.>
<.<

2. What about the game do you find fun?

This is a game where you drink and talk in funny voices; a series of low-pressure improv sessions -- what isn't fun about that?

Also, I have a somewhat compulsive tick. When a game has any complexity, I'll think about it and fiddle with the mechanics and over-analyze the rules until I've beaten every one to death.

(eg. I just spent 2 hours analyzing the consequences of baseball's infield fly rule and the optimal strategies, should the rule not exist.)

(eg. I'm also the kind of nerd who somehow dwells on the nuances of the gameplay of Kingdom of Loathing (http://kingdomofloathing.com) and the optimization that lies therein.)

3. Why do you play?

It's fun. See above.

4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?

I lost a little respect from a couple dozen 12-year olds, once.

I used to have terrible anxiety attacks when there was even a chance that that cute girl over there might discover that I was actually one of those pasty-skinned, zit-ridden social inepts. (you know who I mean.)

Then I realized how little sense that made and more or less stopped worrying about it.



Um, beyond that, I sometimes check this forum when I probably should be studying for my probability test.

5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?

I'm not sure.

I don't think they affect much: if I didn't play D&D on Thursday nights, I'd go back to playing poker instead; same crowd, same routine.

I guess RPG's direct some of my idle thoughts toward story-building instead of wherever else they'd be. And I'd probably spend a bit more of my off-time doing the crossword instead of character-building.

[Irreverent Fool]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
I grew up during the fantasy craze with He-Man and Conan the Barbarian. When I was about 7, I was playing the old text adventure games like Zork. I also came across my older cousin's stash of 2nd edition D&D boxes, wilderness maps, lead figures, etc and became fascinated. This led to me asking for the 'exciting new game' Heroquest and a box set of beginner D&D. In spite of learning everything I could about the genre, I really didn't start to play until high school due to a lack of interest in the game from friends.
2. What about the game do you find fun?
Orignally, it was escapism -- the ability to play a character not yourself in a completely different world. Since I'm a little more comfortable in the world now, it's still about the character but also about their interactions with the other constructed personalities. After I got into Magic: the Gathering, I saw the strategic construction quite fun. I was always looking for the best combinations of abilities. Though I play the game for character interaction, I think I find optimization and simply picking through the mechanics to find weird quirks the most fun.
3. Why do you play?
Well, it's something to do on a Sunday night and keeps my friends and I coming together at least once a week. Social interaction and the reasons mentioned above. Also, I like rolling dice.
4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
You know, I always thought/knew about the stigma associated with D&D, but I rarely became the brunt of anything. The only real negative side-effect seems to be the undue stress generated when I lose one of my gaming notebooks or other pieces of gaming paraphernalia.
5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?
Positively. Without the interaction afforded by RPGs, I would lack the social confidence I have today. Moreover, they give me a way to occasionally blow off steam by escaping the real world. I feel like I can explore other parts of my personality through role-playing as well, making villains, heroes, thieves, opportunists, backstabbers, chivalrous knights, flawed rescuers, etc.

[Sucrose]

So, Im writing a paper for my english class about table top rpgs. And Im conducting a survey to gather information. So, here are some questions

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
2. What about the game do you find fun?
3. Why do you play?
4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?

1. I had a couple of friends on the chess team in high school who played, and they eventually invited me. I found it very fun, and I've continued ever since.
2. I enjoy playing my character, seeing him/her grow as the game progresses, hanging out with my friends, and making the numbers dance on my character sheet (only enough to make a competent character, though; never been interested in TO).
3. Because I enjoy it.
4. Sometimes it can be very time-consuming, and people tend to look a bit askance at it. It's also a bit addictive.
5. I feel that they've made me more confident in expressing myself, and possibly a bit more laid back.

[Tura]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
The sheer concept of roleplaying: creative use of imagination + interacting --> collective storytelling.

I was once hanging around with the boys at college (10-15 years ago), when some of them started saying mysterious things like "and then George got drunk and fell asleep on the deck, and when he woke up in the morning the ship had sailed and the rest were still on land, so he jumped into the sea and starting swimming towards the shore without taking off the armor, haha, what a jerk!"

And I said "Wait, wait. Where did all this happen? Are you talking about a game?" They said it was a long story and it would take an awful lot of time to explain. I said no, tell me, I'm intrigued. I was sold the minute I realized that "all this" had happened in George's kitchen. I mean, it's genius, isn't it? Sheer genius.

2. What about the game do you find fun?
Creating a world, creating characters that fit into this world, and creating stories that make these characters come alive.

All this may be imaginary and include supernatural elements, but I'm a big fan of verisimilitude (I often try to simulate specific time periods etc) AND realism. I don't like dungeon crawls any more, I don't want Black and White, Good and Evil, Heroes and Villains, I want real people (even when they blast fireballs from their fingertips). I go to great lengths to change the rules so that they fit my vision, and I enjoy this process too.

I also like crunching numbers, I regard sifting through tons of books to nail an optimized build as an agreeable mental exercise. But I don't do that every time, I enjoy "handicapped" characters too, and the story always comes first.

3. Why do you play?
A) To tell stories and to learn stories.
B) To express myself and to learn how other people think.

4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
Well, I've used RPGs as an excuse to avoid stuff I didn't want to face, but I'm not sure it counts. (If it wasn't RPGs, it would be something else, so it's not a side-effect of the game per se.)

Now, despite the fact that "there is no winner in D&D", some folks insist on playing to win. Like any other game, RPGs can make people competitive - sometimes too competitive. I've seen this happen with poker and backgammon too, but when you are roleplaying to win, the implication isn't simply "Bwahaha, I know the game better", it's "Bwahaha, I am better, overall". And that can turn ugly.

5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?
They have made me discover a lot of things about myself, both good and bad. They have made me think very very hard about how the world works, how societies function, how myths - in the broadest sense - and ideals are created. (I would regardless, but designing a setting means building a world from scratch, and the process reveals a lot of things I would have missed otherwise.) They have made me understand a lot better how people work.

Oh, and they have made me laugh.

[ghost_warlock]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
Playing HeroQuest and Dragon Strike; DragonLance novels.


2. What about the game do you find fun?
Building and optimizing characters, tactical combat on the skirmish scale, and (of course) role-playing.


3. Why do you play?
Outlet for creativity, kill spare time, and socialize.


4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
Sleep deprivation.


5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?
Naturally a reserved and solitary person, RPGs have given me a means and motivation to come out of my shell and get involved with other people as more than merely something to study. Beyond that, it's hard for me to think of any aspect of my life that hasn't been heavily influenced by RPGs.

[NeoVid]

Well, this is a topic I didn't expect. Let's see...

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?

Being in a big writing project long ago, and hearing discussions about Mage the Ascension's magic system from the many gamers who were in the project.

2. What about the game do you find fun?

The fact that I'm directly rewarded for how much thought, effort and creativity I put into what I do, which is something you don't often get in real life.

(As a note for the OP, you might get some use out of looking at an article about what it takes for an activity to be fulfilling. Gaming tends to cover the 3 main points better than most jobs these days.)

3. Why do you play?

Because it's a better way to use my free time than pretty much anything else I could do for fun. There aren't many things that are as fun on as many levels as RPGs.

4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?

I've met way too many elitist ***wipes due to being involved in certain games.

5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?

I now have a social life, a large circle of friends, and good reasons to get out of the house.

[ImmortalLiam]

Wow, thanks for the response! Im working on the paper atm and i remembered i posted a survey here! You all have given me alot more info so thank you so much!! :smallbiggrin:

[SaintRidley]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?

I've always been big into speculative fiction and always liked the idea of roleplay. I had some friends who gamed and that's how it happened.

2. What about the game do you find fun?

I mostly just do mechanical exercises with a system now, building characters for fun.

3. Why do you play?

Now? It's a great way to get into a character's head.

4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?

No.

5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?

More or less helped me be better at interacting with people.

[Rowan Intheback]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?

I played my first game because an incredibly cute girl signed up for the intro D&D game hosted by the RPG club at my college.

2. What about the game do you find fun?

Really everything. The role playing was awesome because I was involved with theater and it was essentially improv. The mechanics were like a neat puzzle to solve. Picking abilities and spells for specific situations was and is half the fun of the game. Finally as a DM storytelling is a big part of the fun. Having people actively participate in my narratives is very gratifying.

3. Why do you play?

Fun. There are so many reasons this game is fun: interaction with friends, storytelling, performing, puzzle solving, developing complex characters and narratives, testing the limits of any system, overcoming hardships, and the total freedom of operating within imagination. Really any reason a person reads books watches movies or plays games is a reason I play RPGs.

4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?

Yeah sometimes I stay up too late playing. I get distracted from doing important things. I end up playing with people I don't really like to interact with. But really all of these are side effects which accompany all passions. There is nothing specifically bad about RPGs. Most people see it that way because they don't understand them. RPGs for most represent "the other," something foreign and therefore dangerous. I could easily argue organized sports are stupid and dangerous because I have an outsider's perspective and the benefits aren't immediately obvious to me.

In short yes. But the negative side effects are general hazards of an interesting hobby.

5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?

Good question. It's hard to say. I'll bet they have made me a better writer and story teller. I'll bet they also helped me get better at improv. They shaped my relationships throughout college and made me meet people I wouldn't have normally hung out with. Other than that I'd have to say I'm not the person to ask. It would be the people who saw me change.



I hope that helps!

[ImmortalLiam]

So yea... My school is being fail and hasnt posted our grades yet. However, Im very confident I made in the 92 percentile on that paper. Thanks to all you ye for your assistance :biggrin:

[Vaynor]

1. What got you interested in playing RPGs?
My step-dad played as a child and bought me the 3.5 core books for my 11th birthday. It was uphill from there. :smallsmile:
2. What about the game do you find fun?
I love the ability to create and play in worlds of my imagination. I enjoy the notion that anything is possible, I can be anything or anyone.
3. Why do you play?
I enjoy the game, both the social and creative aspects of it.
4. Have you ever experienced a negative side-effect of playing?
Other than lack of sleep? Nope.
5. How have RPGs affected you as an individual?
[b]I think playing RPGs has improved my ability to reason, my math skills, my vocabulary, my writing style, and my overall ability to create.