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Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Introduction to Pen and Paper Role Playing Games

Pen and paper role playing games (RPGs) is a very popular category of fantasy games where players assume the role of a character and describe their actions through speech and/or using miniatures. In each pen and paper RPG, there is a comprehensive systems rule that describes the traits and abilities of each character and what actions they can perform. These games are typically turn-based, which means that each character may perform actions when their turn comes in a pre-determined, often randomized, cycle.
Pen and paper RPGs are played in small social gatherings, most often at home but occasionally on coffee shops and sometimes even at specially designed venues where big gatherings take place and even tournaments.

In a pen and paper RPG, the players create their characters (usually before the actual gaming session takes place) according to the specific rules of each game. The game rules dictate possible backgrounds and qualitative characteristics but also some numerical statistics. Many players usually go beyond the game rules to include sketches of how their character looks like and fine tune the whole role playing process.

After the characters have been created, the game procedure is being initiated by the Game Master (GM). The Game Master is usually a person well - versed in the rules of the specific game whose responsibility is to narrate a story and create the background for the players to act. Among the GM's responsibilities are to prepare the setting and the context where the game takes place, to play the role of all miscellaneous characters appearing in the plot interacting with the players, to describe events that take place, to  and even adjudicate disputes when they arise.


Most of these games rely on using various types of dice to introduce an element of randomization to the game and actually make it feel more alive. Several of the most popular pen and paper games have been implemented as PC games in the past, becoming blockbusters. The blooming category of massive multiplayer online RPGs that have conquered the PC gaming world have their roots in  these pen and paper games.

In subsequent posts we will explore several of the most popular pen & paper RPGs in more depth.

1 comment:

  1. I'm chibi and I do admit I'm starting to like this pen and paper rpg. Not your usual pc game but I do think it would certainly create a rowdy atmosphere of bonding, laughing and serious faces. Glad to try out this one! wow accounts for sale

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