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1 year ago ::
Jan 21, 2012 - 3:00PM
#11
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Date Joined:
Jul 20, 2006
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I have to say that I agree with most everyone here that the main reason is the shared experience of telling a story that you can influence and being able to hang out with friends. The set gaming time gets us away from the business of daily life that does not allow us to see each other as often as we would like.
Specifically about D&D, it is definitely because it is the first RPG I ever played.
D&D has always been the heroic story. The epic fantasy to save the world, get the girl and slay the dragon. More than I think any other RPG out there the presentation of D&D has always been the heroic journey. Gaining experience and the benefits is your tangible reward, but knowing that today you saved a village, next week you are going to save the city and then the continent and then... I think you get the idea.
Mechanics have always been the thing that created the common vocabulary so we could all talk to each other, but the use was always to create that epic story and take the hero's mythic journey and D&D, I think more so than any game gives the chance to do that. Whatever else happens with this new edition, that is one thing that has been true since the earliest editions, is true to today, and hope continues to be true tomorrow.
Great Topic Ballbamouth. Thanks for Starting it.
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1 year ago ::
Jan 21, 2012 - 3:28PM
#12
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I enjoy both D&D and WoW, but for very different reasons. D&D is not a limited semi-sandbox that will be nearly identical every time I play a new character. In D&D I can climb walls, a minor quibble but it goes to the heart of the differences and why D&D should not in any real way try to emulate video games.
In D&D you can climb walls and go off the rails of the story. The DM can create side adventures into the planes and have you visit Sigil if that's where their imagination is sparked for that game. The DM can take the written module and add those glorious twists to it, making your third time through Keep on the Borderlands fresh and exciting, in video games it is identical each and every time. Always will be until we get holodecks. In vgs I can't go off the map, ever. And once I've explored the map all I can do is "rediscover" the map on a new toon. In D&D the map doesn't ever have to be the same from session to session. It's the face to face act of engaging our shared imaginations and seeing where we want to go. Something you simply can't do in a vg.
Note that's not specifically about D&D but RPGs in general. I haven't enjoyed D&D in a while, not since the books started dictating how to play in their heavy handed way. I'm hopeful the modular design will reverse this.
"And why the simple mechanics? Two reasons: First, complex mechanics invariably channel and limit the imagination; second, my neurons have better things to do than calculate numbers and refer to charts all evening." -Over the Edge
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1 year ago ::
Jan 21, 2012 - 4:04PM
#13
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Date Joined:
Mar 28, 2004
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I have always sort of liked D&D as a go to rules system for fantasy gaming. In first edition, I would add rules to cover the odd things I wanted to do the game did not cover. Either I would make them, or I would get them out of a dragon magazine.(anyone remember the article about bringing your pc's to the modern world?)
I second edition, I did this again. And then they started introducing things like kits and optional powers to further those tweaks. I could run games where everyone was a viking, or a noble, or a pirate crew, and the game was simple enough that if I needed make the rules up I could or someone would have made it for me.
3rd and 3.5 continued this trend, only more so.
4th edition seemed to reverse this some, and concentrated on making a game with one style of play. That said, that style of play was fun and the game rules were excellent for that style of play. As 4th edition went on, it got better about providing more ways to tweak and tune it. I also got better at figuring out it's structure and how to get it to do things it was not set up, yet, to do.
I suppose this all leads to the notion of making stuff. I like crafting worlds and tales. I like having tools to translate those into a colaborative form with my friends. D&D is, should be a tool/toy box for creative fantasy building and it is why I have always loved it.
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1 year ago ::
Jan 22, 2012 - 3:36AM
#14
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Date Joined:
May 17, 2009
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I love the freedom of the medium. But more than anything, I love collaborating with my friends to make an aweome fantasy world, and then to rock that world's sock off.
Seriously, though, you should check out the PbP Haven. You might also like Real Adventures, IF you're cool. | Knights of W.T.F.- Silver Spur Winner | |
4enclave, a place where 4e fans can talk 4e in peace.
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1 year ago ::
Jan 22, 2012 - 3:50AM
#15
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Date Joined:
Sep 26, 2001
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I’m asking what is it about D&D that draws people to it, that make people wish to play D&D rather than creating a new WoW character.
That, specifically? Face-to-face interaction, and the adaptability and creativity of a DM rather than an AI.
But what draws people to D&D over other TT RPGs? Name recognition. It's easier to find people who have heard of and might be willing to play D&D than it is with any other RPG. And, really, ultimately, that's all D&D has had going for it since other RPGs started coming out.
Love 4e? Concerned about its future? Join the Old Guard of 4e"You want The Tooth? You can't handle The Tooth!" - Dahlver-Nar. "If magic is unrestrained in the campaign, D&D quickly degenerates into a weird wizard show where players get bored quickly" - E. Gary Gygax
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1 year ago ::
Jan 22, 2012 - 7:11AM
#16
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Date Joined:
Jan 10, 2012
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Great idea for a thread. Can't believe it took so long for someone to think of it.
Nostalgia is part of it. It's like social or religious tradition. I want to play the game they played in E.T.
Camaraderie is a big part. Telling stories and creating characters with friends.
Why specifically D&D? It is largely nostalgia and tradition. It's set in my brain as what a game should be, partially because it was the first I played. Even though I've been playing other games instead for 20 years I always wished I could go back to AC, HP, and lots of different shaped dice. No it isn't the most realistic, and in theory I don't like level based games...but lately I've been reminded it is a game, and it doesn't have to be a simulation or realistic. It just has to be fun.
And nostalgia and tradition. Don't under estimate the draw of playing "D&D". When I decided to give it a try last year (running it) after decades of running other games, a twinkle appeared in my Player's eyes. Smiles popped out. I think giddy is the word. Somebody may have giggled (or maybe I imagined that).
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1 year ago ::
Jan 27, 2012 - 10:06PM
#17
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Date Joined:
Jan 26, 2012
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escape into fantasy for an evening, leveling up, being with friends.
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1 year ago ::
Jan 27, 2012 - 10:22PM
#18
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Date Joined:
Jan 23, 2012
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A big part is the chance to use my imagination and create something. It is like writing a poem or story, except your friends are having fun while you do it.
When it goes right, you can see the the characters as you drive home in your minds eye brought to life by the players.
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1 year ago ::
Jan 28, 2012 - 9:03AM
#19
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Date Joined:
Jan 10, 2012
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The fun of getting together, every week, with my friends and playing a game together. Working as a team to come up with ideas to survive our sometimes fiendish DMs.
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