Role playing has continued to be the most popular activity I’ve provided since starting our community game club.
We use our imaginations, acting, strategy, and math skills to tell different types of collaborative stories. Some of our favorite themes have included Marvel Heroes, Mouse Guard, and Deadlands (Weird Wild West). Each of the 11- to 22-game sessions usually runs about two hours. We’ve even incorporated a role-playing element to some of our annual events such as Magician Academy.
Shows like Stranger Things have recently renewed interest in the hobby. The gaming industry has not only made RPGs easier to find out in the world (Target and Walmart), but also has made the rules easier for everyone to understand. They’ve even made online and solo adventuring a possibility!
I’ve played with all types and sizes of groups over the last 35 years. I’ve made new friends too. Some of my fondest memories have come from putting together a story with complete strangers during one-shot scenarios. I’ve even enjoyed playing in a worldwide LARP experience (like a murder mystery dinner party) where our characters’ actions could make a difference across the globe.
I first learned about the hobby when visiting a friend’s house back in sixth grade. His older brother was at the kitchen table running a superhero story for four other players. I was immediately curious and started asking questions about the unusual shaped dice and how to make a character.
The next weekend I had a few friends over and ran a very simple 80s action scenario with cops and gangsters. The weekend after that we played a sci-fi idea with aliens and space soldiers.
Thankfully my parents’ love for reading and theater helped me find an appreciation for storytelling and fantasy at a young age. Some of my fondest memories from childhood were talking about hobbits and dragons with my dad. Tolkien, Lewis, and other such authors gave us vivid worlds to dream about. Oddly enough, though, I never did much with Dungeons and Dragons besides watching the Saturday morning cartoon and reading a few of their Choose Your Own Adventure books that I found at the library.
In seventh grade I tried to teach a group how to create characters for a TMNT game in study hall. Unfortunately our teacher wasn’t thrilled about the idea and had a limited understanding of role playing. She told my mom that she didn’t want us thinking we were superheroes or transforming into actual ninja turtles.
In high school I ran my first real campaign during junior year. We played TSR’s Top Secret, which I found and bought at a favorite used book store for $10. The boxed set wasn’t in the best shape but it had all the books we needed to play. This game gave us a chance to play as James Bond and Carmen Sandiego styled characters while learning a ton about the Cold War, geography, and politics.
It wasn’t until my senior year that I discovered various horror titles that my group wanted to try. I’ve been a fan of Chaosium, White Wolf, and Pinnacle ever since. These game publishers did more than offer entertainment and the ability to expand our imagination. They also taught us to seek out new forms of music, films, and classic literature. I attribute much of my appreciation for learning world history, art, and philosophy to my time spent running and playing in these games.
Peter R. Talley 