Based on the hobby section, and the load of system gamers I see here, I highly doubt many of y'all have ever messed with a pen and paper role playing game.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role-playing_game
Take a read if you have no clue.
Typically RPGamers are seen as the nerds of the nerds, not far away from math addicts and Pearl Programmers.
However, despite what you may have heard, they are amazingly enjoyable.

Anyone else here play? I personally run a lot of RPGs online via IM using the SKETCH system most the time (very simple, basic system) and sometimes Shadowrun, or at least my bastardized version of it.

Anyone? Or am I spitting into the wind here?

Edit: I know this is the VIDEO game forum, but all the sports nuts in Sports and Hobbies made me feel I should post here instead.

Edit2: they are also known as table top role playing games, btw. However table top brings to mind Warhammer and mechwarrior miniature gaming far too much to me, so i stick with Pen and Paper rpgs

Edit3: Listen to this. It's long but brilliant: slangdesign.com/rppr/2008/10/a…-fear-itself-actual-play/

I see. Perhaps I will try on a different forum. I feel I must educate this dear community in the ways of the uber-geek. Be prepared for a game or two to be ran!
It'll be a bit. I got a few on my hands atm all ready.

-sighs-
Ok let me do some explaining for the obviously system-stuck gamers.

Role playing games were originally only pen and paper, my dear deluded friends, btw.

Ok

Basically you make a character. Depending on the system used (there are hundreds of systems, the most famous being Dungeons and Dragons) this can mean long amounts of stats and skills, huge weapon lists with lots of details, or something simple as a small rating of 1-6. It all depends. But in general, you make a character.
Your game master helps out, tells you the setting, a mission if you have one, where you are, etc.
RPGs use your imagination btw. Some people use a game mat, which is a large mat with a hex grid that you can use markers on to show an area, commonly a dungeon, city, village, battlefield, etc. But it isnt necessary and is generally cumbersome.

Each person says what they are doing, or going to do, etc. The gm responds with and out come.
Anything complex is decided by dice - well on most systems. some are diceless and use points or such -, which are rolled as a randomizer to determine results.

Example, you are firing a rifle at a man in a tree. In Shadowrun, you'd roll a number of six sided dice (read as d6s) based on your Attribute and your skill. In this case, Agility+Longarms. You add the dice together, say, 6, roll them, and count how many 5s or 6s you get. This is versed against the GMs diffuculty level he/she has set in their mind, and usually won't tell you. Enough hits, and you peg the guy.
That's just shadowrun, but gives a general Idea

Fun stuff

Some people play in the style of "I HIT IT WITH MY SWORD"
those gamers are ... boring
Character development, or role playing as noted in the name ROLE PLAYING GAME, is my personal favorite part. characters talking, becoming their character. It's a slight mix of acting and improv. As almost every game manual states "ever play cops and robbers? or anything like that? It's the same idea but with a lot of details" or something to that style.


Basically it's incredible amounts of fun.

---------- Post added at 12:35 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:20 AM ----------

Since I can't post links, which is SO annoying, go and google RPPR (role playing public radio) and take a listen to some of the podcasts. go back three "older entries"...or was it two? ah well just look and listen to the Fear Itself Actual Play. Amazing game they ran. or start listening to their NEW WORLD game

-sighs-
Just wikipedia it
look up
ROLE PLAYING GAMES
on wiki

They actually have a WoW rpg
Imagine playing WoW but you are the character and you get to describe in way more detail how you kill things or what you do, etc.
It has all the fun of computer RPGs, but 5 times better
As I said I'll start up a simple on later. What board do y'all think would be best? I would use forum games but that forum seems to move way too fast.

There! I added some link at the beginning 'cause I can now! Woohoo!
Now go read/listen

Finally someone.
I took a look at Mage. I honestly don't really get it. WoD is confusing to me.
Perhaps if I saw it successfully played I might understand, but otherwise...no clue.
Care to give a small rundown? I know it runs on d10s and that's about it.
Or is that just Vampire?

Oh ok, makes a bit more sense now. I've heard people yelling back and forth about oWoD vs. nWoD and I certainly know about the pounds upon pounds of backstory that White Wolf loves to show off.
I like the concept of coincidental magic. That's actually pretty cool. I've never been too keen on magic in RPGs, to the point where I ripped it out of Shadowrun.
And yeah I know WoD is well known for the RP aspect. Ala Storyteller System. I would love to give any of the WoD games a shot, but they are soooooooooooo long to read. And it doesn't help that I seem to be the only roleplaying within 20 miles of my house, the friends I've converted nonwithstanding.

CashMoney wrote:

This seems to me like the most boring fucking game ever. I think watching paint dry is a much more educational and interactive experience.

And that's why we tend to play with people with brains, my good sir.
It's a social experience, you get to act as someone else and do stuff you'd never be able to do IRL.
It's incredible fun.
Go listen to that podcast I linked to at the beginning. Take a listen.
Learn something perchance.

Farseer wrote:

Eh, I like parts of them both. People who argue about it when they can easily enjoy both, either or neither are idiots. Changeling: the Lost was an enormous improvement on the Dreaming, in my opinion, while Requiem was a massive step back. No Malkavians. :mad:

And yeah, you can do a ton with magic. It is literally limited only by your imagination. My Mage, through some luck, had her run of the game I first played in - not GMed. Her Spheres were Mind and Spirit initially, and once she ramped up Mind to 5 ranks she was intelligent and wise enough (on her own, that is - no help from the Sphere) to use it like a scalpel and make enemies into friends (that, or enemies into enemies of each other). Never had to fight once. And I've heard it said that Mind is weak. :cool:



Feel free to leave, you know where the door is. Thanks for the stellar contribution.

hahaha excellent maging my friend. Very nice. Manipulation is always fun (which is why I commonly take a high Charisma in any game that has it)
Is the New Mage any good? Is it the same or changed a lot? I might take a bigger read next time then

And they removed malkavians? aren't they like, the main part of the damn game?!

---------- Post added at 04:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:10 PM ----------

Farseer wrote:

Pfft, don't play that card. He's entitled to his opinion and your opinion is no better or worse than his. He could be a bit less of an asshole about it but that's his prerogative. Just ignore him if you're going to be just as bad as he is, believing roleplaying is the entertainment of the gods and that he's a fool for not thinking so. I don't mean to be so harsh but maybe everyone will learn something here.

I didn't quite mean it to come off that way mate.
I just meant for him to take a look and learn about something new and see that it IS fun, and not boring .... unless you're playing F.A.T.A.L. of course. Oh man. Don't even get me started about that game.