Critique My Introduction to RPGs For Newbies

[Chainsaw Hobbit]

On my blog, I wrote a description of tabletop roleplaying games for people unfamiliar with the concept.

Here is the link. (http://ultimatejosha.blogspot.com/p/tabletop-roleplaying-games.html)

Please evaluate and critique honestly.

[tensai_oni]

The fourth paragraph, about character stats and sheets. It's unnecessary or at least too long. Instead I'd focus more on what the game master does. Not only how he creates the world, but narrates what is going on and how the players respond in kind, saying what their characters do as the situation changes.

[Chainsaw Hobbit]

The fourth paragraph, about character stats and sheets. It's unnecessary or at least too long. Instead I'd focus more on what the game master does. Not only how he creates the world, but narrates what is going on and how the players respond in kind, saying what their characters do as the situation changes.

How could I trim it?

[tensai_oni]

"A character's statistics are recorded on a sheet of paper. These statistics determine what kinds of things they can do, how good they are at these things, how good they are at avoiding certain kinds of adversity"

This part, and I would mention it in context of dice rolls.

[Totally Guy]

Not all games are like those you describe. There are games without GMs or dice.

A roleplaying game fundamentally is a mechanism of conflict resolution for collaborative storytelling.

[Altair_the_Vexed]

Over all, it's good, and covers most things one needs to know. That fourth paragraph could do with a trim in the manner already describe.

However, the thing that most jars with me is the opening paragraph: "It's a way for people to dream together."
It turns me off - probably because it invokes (to me) a load of New Age nonsense and pretentiousness.
I'd strongly recommend you re-phrase that for something more neutral, like "It's a way for people to create narratives together" or "tell interactive tales together".

[DonDuckie]

It seems dishonest to omit:
"Or sometimes, they just run around like murderous hobos. With superpowers."

But it looks good. I usually equate it to reading a book with friends, but instead of the author writing what the characters do, each friend tells what a character does. And then the rules tell the friend if it works.

[Gemini Lupus]

It seems dishonest to omit:
"Or sometimes, they just run around like murderous hobos. With superpowers."


This reminds me of a favorite joke between my best friend and I:

Q: How does every DnD campaign start?
A: Four murderous hobos walk into a bar...

Apologies for being off-topic.