In modern society, an RPG (Role-Playing Game) is widely associated with the video game genre of taking on a persona and going on an adventure. The Elder Scroll series, such as Skyrim, has really boosted the amount of time people are willing to play this. When asked to play an RPG the old school way, i.e. pen, paper and dice, the majority of people will just assume you dress up in a renaissance outfit gather in someone’s creepy basement. Although playing in a basement is fun you would not have to dress up. I have had people ask which park I go to and chase other around with sticks, which I like to respond with “Oh honey, no. You sound so innocent when you get LARPing mixed up with and RPG.”
So let’s get a few things out of the way, first off, not all RPG’s are about stuff you see in Lord of the Rings. There are quite a few different genres, such as Zombie Survival, Super Hero, and even Disney (You may have to make up some of the stats for the character sheet). Some of the larger games are about Elves and Dwarves and stuff, like DND and Pathfinder, but that is because they been able to use the creativity of many to make vast amounts of expansion quests. Your group does not even need to follow the official book if your DM/GM (Dungeon Master/Game Master) chooses to create their own story.
Secondly, not everyone who plays is a giant Sci-fi/Fantasy fan. I have seen ordinary people, including my wife, get involved in RPGs because you actually sit down with a group and play. Half of the time we are cracking jokes, talking and eating. It just feels nice to get together every once in a while to a place where you know there will not be any judgments cast on you. Even celebrities such as Kevin Smith, Vin Diesel, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Felicia Day have played.
My third stereotype I have heard is that people have told me that it is either too hard to get into or that they are limited to the book’s adventures. Anyone who has played a strategy game, like Fire Emblem, or console based RPG, like Skyrim, could potentially enjoy a pen and paper RPG. It is a similar play style except you would substitute a screen and controller with your voice and imagination. Heck, I will go as far as a pen and paper RPG is far more expansive than a console based RPG because you can almost do whatever you want. As for difficulty to get into, a lot of players do not understand every aspect of the games, but are more than willing to help out with what they know. If you do not ask, they will not help.
Lastly, I have heard numerous times that RPGs are stupid and for people who have no lives. Everything about that sentence is wrong to me. Sometimes you can do ridiculous actions in the games, but the majority of the time it is problem solving and analyzing different aspect of the situation currently at hand. There is also team work and planning involved to complete tasks. Now let’s talk about the “no life” part. Have you or a friend ever been so busy that you had to schedule a time to meet with them. That is the case with meeting for an RPG. We plan a time with our friends to get together and enjoy each other’s company. It is just we do not want to sit around and just talk. We want something to keep our minds going while we talk amongst ourselves.
Whether it is from dying by a giant desert crab or by getting the crap scared out of me when Winnie the Pooh is able to rip the side off of a monorail car, I have a blast every time I go and play an RPG. So before you say no to playing and assume all these bad stereotypes, , just ask yourself a few things. Do I know everything that happens at an RPG? Would I hate playing if I joined a game? Am I even worthy of being asked to play? You do not have to avidly go out and find a group to see if you would like playing, but if given the chance and you have the time just give it a try. That is the best thing to do to potentially meet some awesome people.
