Troll Lord Games

Why do you like roleplaying?

Seriously...why?

What does it do for you?

Nothing it has only brought me misery. But like crack I keep coming back for more.

LOL, there are times that I do think that when I see my visa card and go oh my god I'm 'screwed'.

But really it is a great exit for all the creative juices that swell up in me. Eventually they have to penetrate out somewhere and I just explode all over the place. It's better that its through RPGs.
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I have a very, overactive imagination. With this, I need outlets. Outlets that allow me to stand defiantly, with my fist in the air and with a booming voice proclaim, "I slay the Dragon!"

If I don't have this outlet, I will start to go insane.

I've tried other hobbies/outlets with little success.

Hunting? Uptight ranchers call the law every time I shoot one of their cows.

Fishing? Me, large amounts of beer, and a boat or dock? Not a good idea.

Thus far, RPG's have proven to be safe, fun, and least likely to get me arrested.

Hmm, I would also say that RPGs are an outlet for my imagination. As the years have gone by though, RPGs are more like a better way to socialize with good friends. Plus, I've got this compulsion to play/run when ever I can now. Plain and simple, RPGs are the best hobby ever invented.

......................................Omote

FPQ
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Duke Omote Landwehr, Holy Order of the FPQ ~ Prince of the Castles & Crusades Society

Some of my favorite things about gaming:

The banter around the table.

The epiphany moment when players actually get what is going on.

That contagious creative high that seems to come from nowhere and infect the whole group.

The war stories, oh do I love those. Every time I get together with my friends who are now spread over the country, the war stories come back.

I guess I like everything about it. Except maybe the old "Kill the first NPC that has any significance to the story" ploy, but it is kind of funny to talk about years later.

The escapism, definitely. The chance to put woes and worries behind for just a few hours in the week.

But also the ability to tell a tale together, to get into character, whether it's the crusading cleric, the bit-of-a-windbag dwarven bard, or the centuries-old dragon that's just woken up.

And then there are the moments that shouldn't have worked but do. Like this weekend, where the PCs took on a veritable horde of orcs - they should've been slaughtered, but they won the day. And were rewarded with a 300-esque description of the slain piled around them.

All of the above.
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Yeah, all the above. Plus it has turned out to be awesome family time with the wife and kids.

Creativity

Strategy

Acting in character

Defeating monsters

Getting gold to buy armor and weapons

Building a castle and country estate

Singing bawdy songs in a tavern and guzzling ale, whilst grabbing meat with my bare hands and shoving it into my face

Slipping the barmaid some coin to meet me upstairs in my room

Lopping an orc's head clean off and watching it roll over to his comrades - while I have a huge grin on my face that says, "Come get some, ye ugly bastards!"

Rescuing the princess from the dragon and marrying her and living happily ever after

Recruiting a gnome manservant/valet/butler to help manage my holdings and keep his lord from doing anything foolish

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Count Rhuveinus - Lejendary Keeper of Castle Franqueforte

"Enjoy a 'world' where the fantastic is fact and magic really works!" ~ Gary Gygax

"By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes:" - Macbeth

All of the above and DICE!!!!!

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A lot of the past posts resonate with me re: why I love role-playing:-

a) as an outlet for my imagination; if I'm walking down the street I can't help but cook up fantasy scenarios from the things I see, people I meet;

b) the epiphany moments, when you've got the players round the table, and they are immersed, talking about a fantasy world as though it's real, as though the threats are real - that's magic!

c) the sheer good fun of getting a bunch of guys together for a few hours - mostly it's all smiles, laughter and surprises - hit and miss sometimes, but the good times outweigh the bad in my recollections

d) the art and craft of it all - beautifully illustrated books that transport you, writing that inspires - some of my RPG collection are really lovely pieces of handicraft

At various times in my life I have wondered about why I play RPGs, I may have even given up at some stages through burnout or player indifference, but I've always come back. With a few years under my belt now, I find the games all the more engrossing - I know how the games play, I know the fantasy conventions, and I can run with those themes or against them.

A lot of role-playing theory of late has been very interesting - the idea of a 'social contract' is something that has got my thinking of late - where referee and players actively negotiate to get a game that meets everyone's needs set up - pity I don't have any players at the moment to put all this into practice! Just spinning my wheels at the moment world-building to pass the time...

Bit longwinded, sorry!

Its either that or porn, and my arm's tired.
I find that RPG is like a complex chess game of multiple players, but we must move our pawns against insurmountable odds, just to become kings.
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Fry: Well, thanks to the internet, I'm now bored with sex.

To kill people. Oh, and to see an idea turn into something someone else enjoys.

Some of what others said... and the negative association with roleplaying among certain segments of society.

angelius wrote:
But really it is a great exit for all the creative juices that swell up in me. Eventually they have to penetrate out somewhere and I just explode all over the place. It's better that its through RPGs.

Dude, ever consider writin porn?

Keolander wrote:
Dude, ever consider writin porn?

"Dear Crusader,

I never thought it would have happened to me, but it did and that's why I'm writing you this letter today. So there I was..."

I do it for the ladies.