Posted on 01/09/2014 12:39:10 PM PST by nickcarraway
Its creation paved the way for the gaming world of today -- adding social elements and changing the definition of what constitutes a game. It led the way for World of Warcraft, Fable, Final Fantasy, and many more -- and it's turning 40 years old. Happy birthday, Dungeons & Dragons.
We're not part of the 20 million people who've put a player character into the game and rolled the polyhedral dice to see how the events of D&D unfold. We've never purchased any of the $1-billion worth of game merchandise sold over the last four decades, but we do know that D&D isn't over the hill.
For those unfamiliar with D&D, Jon Peterson, author of Playing at the World: A History of Simulating Wars, People and Fantastic Adventures, from Chess to Role-Playing Games says "D&D was the original, fantasy role playing game, [and other social games] incorporate principles D&D introduced, where a character gets better with experience."
Building a character in D&D requires strategy (think chess), time, and a little luck -- that depends on the person running the game, known as the Dungeon Master.
Curious about how the game is won, or at least how you determine it's over, Peterson explains, "Like life, you just get better -- until you don't."
If you've never played D&D, and want to give it a try, you're not alone -- the D&D website's main image is large text asking "New to D&D?" And Peterson points out it's easier than ever to connect with the gaming community, be it through the internet or a local gaming store like Games of Berkeley, which hosts D&D nights.
So why not? We'll try it.
It’s also played live online...”DDO” ( Dungeon and dragons online) is a “free to play” download.
If one is a D&D enthusiast, I recommend the Dragonlance novels by Weis and Hickman.
Seconded.
Played Tasslehoff in the original game from the series.
It’s a game...it’s what the players make it...
I was much more into the table top war gaming aspect than the fiction or back round information...and I really enjoyed painting gaming figures...
Still have a couple fully painted armies.
It looks like one of those games where you down load for free but end up paying out from time to time to get ahead in the game.
Did you often “acquire” goods?
Not stealing of course...
LOL, It’s better than watching the EPL...
Watch it.
:)
I am looking forward to the World Cup this Summer.
It's certainly better than watching the Gators this past season.
I think those Dragonlance novels were one of the worst things ever to happen to D&D.
FReegards
Genesis 6:5 doesn’t say having an imagination is bad but having an imagination filled with evil is.
That’s quite a wonderful explanation...
Sorry, it was a pretty brief and inscrutable comment. My bad.
After those books got so popular (I even liked the first trilogy) the rules started to change, in my opinion. They did make D&D much more popular, but it then became bloated with an emphasis on a story with nigh invulnerable plot driven characters. The modules based on that Dragonlance stuff were just awful railroads with little player or DM choice provided, in my opinion.
Freegards
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