RPGs as a hobby draw different kinds of people to the table, and for vastly different reasons. Some people like the puzzles and some like the acting. Some like telling stories and others like the social experience. For some people it's the only way to hang out with their friends - and yes, that is different from the social aspect.
So what kind of player are you? What do you get from the table? Even better though, how did you get into the game?
For me, getting in it was just a game I played with my cousin. It was the thing we did, and kind of the thing that was done to hang out with him. From there though I started getting hooked on the stories and experiences. The games we played let me do stuff I couldn't do in other games. Then I tried running. I haven't stopped since.
At present I game for numerous reasons. I enjoy the stories, but that isn't the primary reason. If I just want to tell stories I can write. However, Role Playing lets me play and build worlds that otherwise don't exist. They let me participate in stories that aren't like other narrative endeavors. With that, I also get a kick out of solving puzzles and the other obstacles that RPGs put in front of you. Even better is mixing them, and not solving the puzzle in the optimal way but in the way a view point different than my own would do it.
What about you? What got you into the hobby? What's kept you around?
I have to admit, getting into gaming was because I wanted to be cooler seeming to some of the older teens I wanted to be friends with when I was 8. That's how I ended up in Shadowrun, and from there I found I liked it and wanted the feeling of team work, and problem solving.
ReplyDeleteAt present I game because I love the collaborative story telling aspect of gaming, as well as the tension/catharsis combination it can offer. I also love creating world and stories as a GM and player both. It's really fun. I also enjoy being able to let out some of the parts of myself in extreme form that I can't express in day to day life for obvious reasons.