I was just wondering how you guys here go about explaining what the game is and how to play to someone with little to no RPG experience? I'm relocating and the 2 friends I have where I'm moving show interest in learning. Usually I explain what the game is, the point of it (having fun with friends making nasty jokes about elves), and then only afterwards do I start getting into the math. It's just that I got so sick of explaining it to someone over the course of a couple of hours only to have the person say "wait, you just imagine it in your head? sounds dumb". How do you guys go about it?
I tell them it's a modern version of storytelling around the campfire, except you get to participate in the story. Tell them their character is an "actor" in the story, but they get to control what the "actor" does. Don't try to get too detailed otherwise people's eyes glaze over.
At first they'll feel a bit detached from their character, but by putting it into simple, familiar terms, you can break the ice and once they've played a session or two, they'll "get" it, hopefully.
If your looking to teach someone D&D drop $25 and get the D&D basic set. I have the old one and it comes with easy to read character sheets. The sheets had the dice illustrated, named so if you call out d10, a newbie can easily reference the sheet. The new set comes with miniatures, use them it will help in visualizig the action. Be very discriptive of everything especially action. Give options on what the players might be able to do. Don't leave them hanging with what do you do? Newbies need some couching so let them know what they can or cannot not do. Remember keep it light and exciting and they will come back for more. One of the reasons I like third edition is that it is easy to teach.
I tell them it's a modern version of storytelling around the campfire, except you get to participate in the story. ...
Nice one.
I also compare it to video games where you go through levels and gain greater abilities as you play.
It's really difficult to give an accurate description of the game to someone who's never played anything like it. I find myself asking the person if they know tabletop wargaming, videogame RPGs, Lord of the Rings, Pokemon - anything to give myself a base from which to define D&D by comparison.
If they know videogame RPGs (Final Fantasy, Disgaea, Baldur's Gate), it's easily enough described. "It's kind of like a tabletop analogue to a videogame RPG, where each player controls one character, except for the Dungeon Master who handles the monsters and everything else."
If they know tabletop wargaming, you can say "It's just like that, except each player controls only one individual as part of a small strike force, and they work together to slay monsters and overcome challenges set by the game referee, the Dungeon Master."
If they know none of these, you're in a more difficult position. I usually fall back on describing the game as "A kind of complicated board game, except the board is optional. It uses lots of complicated rules and dice, and is set in a fantasy mediaeval background not unlike Lord of the Rings, if you're familiar with the recent movies. The basic premise is to kill monsters in underground dungeons and take their gold coins. Then you go back to the city and spend those on magic items that give us bonuses to killing monsters." (An imperfect description, I fear.)
I've tried explaining it before as collaborative storytelling, but that doesn't work out so well. People generally have a hard time understanding the allure of a game you can't "win" at, and the freedom and lack of clearly defined goals implied by "collaborative storytelling" understates the challenge involved in a typical game.
I've used the movie analogy before as well as the video game analogy. It works pretty well.
As far as d4s go though, they are a) Caltrops, b) Magic missle and dagger damage, c) Hit points for squishy mage-types.
:D
I got this one to a tee...
I explain to them that it's about a story. Each player plays one of the major characters in the story. I act as the narrator. I tell them what they see, hear and smell, and they tell me what their character does to move the story along.
And the fun part is really experiencing the adventure to the point of remembering it just as if you were there. (This is where I get the raised eyebrow and the same question... "With or without the use of drugs?")
And to that I respond: No no. It's just like when you read a book... You don't remember every word you read (nor do you remember flipping the pages), instead you remember the color of the trees, the expression on the characters faces, the sounds of cascading water as the main characters near a waterfall. Those are ther things you remember when you read a book... Same goes with roleplaying.
And this is where it suddenly click in their heads... "Oooohhh! Now I get it!"
Ultradan
I got this one to a tee...
I explain to them that it's about a story. Each player plays one of the major characters in the story. I act as the narrator. I tell them what they see, hear and smell, and they tell me what their character does to move the story along.
And the fun part is really experiencing the adventure to the point of remembering it just as if you were there. (This is where I get the raised eyebrow and the same question... "With or without the use of drugs?")
And to that I respond: No no. It's just like when you read a book... You don't remember every word you read (nor do you remember flipping the pages), instead you remember the color of the trees, the expression on the characters faces, the sounds of cascading water as the main characters near a waterfall. Those are ther things you remember when you read a book... Same goes with roleplaying.
And this is where it suddenly click in their heads... "Oooohhh! Now I get it!"
Ultradan
Ultradan! *jumps and gives him a big hug*
We've missed you!!!!
Neat way of describing roleplaying, I like it. :)
Ultradan! *jumps and gives him a big hug*
We've missed you!!!!
Thanks Lilith...
I can't write as much cause this site, along with many other sites, are now off-limits on my work computer. I used to have you guys up in front of me all day and would just pop in my thoughts when I felt like it. Now I only come in here when I turn on the computer when I get home (maybe once or twice a week).
I'll try to write more often!
Ultradan
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Ultradan! *jumps and gives him a big hug*
We've missed you!!!!
Thanks Lilith...
I can't write as much cause this site, along with many other sites, are now off-limits on my work computer. I used to have you guys up in front of me all day and would just pop in my thoughts when I felt like it. Now I only come in here when I turn on the computer when I get home (maybe once or twice a week).
I'll try to write more often!
Ultradan
You sure have been missed! Maybe you could re-route the Transflubulater through the internet whosits at work to bypass the security dinglehoffer. Sounds feasible.
FH (techno-void)
You sure have been missed! Maybe you could re-route the Transflubulater through the internet whosits at work to bypass the security dinglehoffer. Sounds feasible.
FH (techno-void)
... Thanks Scotty! (lol)
Ultradan
Security Dinglehoffer--isn't that a prestige class in d20 modern?
I missed you too, Ultradan--some thread a few weeks ago went haywire and we started talking about Canadian beer and somehow, you and your garage came up in the thread...wonder why? :)
I tell them it's a modern version of storytelling around the campfire, except you get to participate in the story. ...Nice one.
The reason I like the campfire comparison is because:
1) There are no other distractions (other than food & drink usually)
2) You're totally dependent on one person for the input to your imagination (the campfire storyteller)
I like the campfire story idea, too. I finally gave up trying to explain it to people and just said, "If you're interested, why don't you come and sit in on a session?"
--Fang
Same, I use the book analogy. It helps weed out the ones that aren't going to stick around very long too.
Me: "So it's like a book, players take the part of..."
Him: *stumped* "You meen one o' them paper thingies whith picteres in itt?"
Me: "Yes" *sigh* Not many people read books anymore.