GM's Corner

GM's Corner

So why play Role Play Games?

Those of us that already partake are more than aware of the stigma attached to role playing games. If popular culture is to be believed then the sort of people who play games like Dungeons and Dragons and Dark Heresy are smelly, daylight fearing nerds with a limited clique of friends. They scuttle around in the shadows and spend their spare time sat in front of the PC screen wasting away on WOW and the likes.


Well let me tell you something... That only counts for like half of our little gaming group!

 

“Kind of a Dungeons and Dragons thing” – Moss
“Ew, is that some sort of sex thing?” – Jen
“Ha, Far from it Jen!” – Moss (IT Crowd – Jen the Fredo – Series 4, Episode 1)

 
One of the primary hobbies this review site will revolve around is Role Play Gaming. The most well known of these being Dungeons and Dragons, the games have also expanded into the numerous niches of popular geek culture, aside from the sword and shield play style of D&D, players can play as Jedi in the Star Wars role play, fearsome Space Marines in the Deathwatch role play and the secretive acolytes of the Inquisition in Dark Heresy (to name but a few). The possibilities are endless and only limits of role play gaming is the imagination of the GM and the players.


Over the coming weeks and months, myself and others will try and help aspiring GM’s by offering tips and hints to help with your gaming sessions. The gaming experience will only be as good as the GM who controls it, so hopefully you’ll be able to find something useful that you can use.


Now why play? In a world of Xbox Live and MMORPG’s, what can role play gaming offer? Well as I’ve already mentioned, from the GM’s point of view, it is a limitless world of your creation. For the player characters, it allows them to truly create a character and personality of their choosing. Modern gaming allows for some customisation, 
but in the world of role play gaming the character can be truly personalised to the player’s heart’s content. As such it can offer a much more immersive world in which to play out your characters lives.


Another good reason is the cost. Role play gaming is relatively cheap hobby. For the GM there is the initial expense of a rulebook and some dice and for the player characters they usually need nothing more than a few dice and some pens and paper. It’s not a bank breaking hobby and if you have a regular and committed gaming group, the costs can be split down even further.


So maybe we have your interest now, maybe not. As the site progresses we will recommend various games and rulebooks, we will offer advice on improving your sessions and if you have questions, we will do our best to answer them.


For now I hope we have at least piqued your interest.


Next time we’ll talk about free flow gaming versus adventure book gaming and Stray and I have plans to review Dark Heresy, a role play game set in the Warhammer 40K Universe where players take the roles of the secretive acolytes of the Imperial Inquisition.  

See you next time.

- Roth