A conversation that happens often!
Individual: William, I used to play D&D and would like to again. You play games! Will you teach me D&D?
Me:...
Me: I'm not competent to do that. Can we talk about what you love and hate about D&D?
Individual: Sure! I love a group getting together, talking about cool, hot, hard adventurers travelling across the world overcoming monsters and taking their loot. That's so metal, and D&D does that.
Me: ... And what do you hate?
Individual: Oh man, I remember doing spreadsheets for the math. So much math. And the books were always hard to find the numbers I needed. And why oh why is a magic weapon boring?
Me: Can we talk about a game called Dungeon World?
Individual: ::Suspicions:: What's that?
Me: It's a love letter to dungeon and dragons. Let me print out the character sheet right now....
Individual: THIS IS METAL!
This happens to me almost once a month. Highly recommended.
The conversation can go other ways, of course. Sometimes, they want D&D AND THEY MEAN IT, and I cannot help them. Sometimes, they want a different genre and I recommend a different game.
But, by and large, in my experience, people only know one option. Opening up other options shows them that the bonds and chains they have accepted are only in their own mind.
This applies to other areas of course, too. Sometimes -- very rarely -- it is the first time they'e become aware of a chain that isn't real. Then I have to be really careful.
Is this just me?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
... a chain that isn't real. 😕? ... 💡Oh! Like Big Kahuna Burger!
ReplyDeleteIn the case of RPGs, having a single point of contact has made many of us thing it is the only way. We become chained to that habit, unable to see that there are other ways to go.
ReplyDeleteI remember, as a kid, thinking larpers were weird and creepy. That was a chain that I have since removed.
Things like that, where we are held back not by anyone, but by the blocks we have developed in our own minds.
Mmmm yes. I understand now. Larpers ARE weird. I see your point and revel in it's simplicity. I will shout it from the rooftop!
ReplyDeleteAlso yes to your actual point. Dungeon World opens up old fun to people who 'dont have time for that anymore' . Quick larps about feminism or wizards or Aids have erased the bad memories of being a one shot blood doll. And several new friends have helped me understand that in many games the GM is not 'playing all the bad guys' but instead editing a great story, co-written by all the players.
You regularly hear this story in OSR Land as well, only instead on Dungeon World being the new alternative it's an OSR game. And in the same way there are some people who really do miss D&D 3rd or Pathfinder and the OSR can't help them either.
ReplyDeleteIt's like you say though, there are lapsed gamers out there who no longer want to play D&D but don't realise there are other options.
Not just you, though i dont run Dungeon Worlld currently.
ReplyDeleteYeah. I love, Brian Ashford, that you do this from the other direction and have similar experience!
ReplyDeleteRPGs don't need to be 6 hour sessions, twice a week, around a table, for your entire life. They can be that, yes, of course, but they can also be:
-- 10 minute nanogames
-- weeklong or weekend larps
-- with or without beer
-- one-shots of varying lengths
-- once a month sessions
All this and so much more is possible. We live in a goddamn golden age of RPGs. There's so many, most require just a couple of sheets from players or GMs, and many are free!
I usually tell them it's d&d, then when the game starts, I say "... actually we'll be playing Dungeon World - it's like a rules lite version of the same game!"
ReplyDeleteThe old bait & switch.
And then a very good friend came over, and was all: I told you about DND, and you never mentioned Dungeon World! Tell me about it!
ReplyDelete