RPG - the type of game not weapon

[Paul_B]

In looking at a non technology pastime for our 8 year old I got reminded about the game popular in the 80s that in used to play called Dungeons and Dragons or simply D&D. It struck me that there's a few people in here into historical re-enactments. I wonder if there's any who did or still do play D&D. Aren't reenactments just real time, adult RPG? Not bushcraft so if this thread dies a quick death I won't be offended.

I just thought I'd post in case there's anyone who knows about it in case they can advise. It's so long since I played I don't remember how old I was. I thought it was in cubs or primary school age range but the online info says 12yo. It's d&d any good for 8yo? Added bonus I get to play without feeling like I'm regressing into childhood, just playing to entertain my son honest!! Can just 2 or 3 play? Would you say it's ok for a bright 8yo? He's read first 4 or 5 Harry potter books and quarter of Hobbit. He's reading say a couple of years ahead of his age group I'm told so I think he could be ok. He's certainly creative with his lies/excuses so creativity is probably covered.

Any suggestions/advice if there's players on here

PS this is on top of our active, outdoors life. Got to go now, his sailing class is in half an hour so I'll check back in case of any replies. Good to have it good mix of indoor and outdoor activities. Also active and calm activities.

 

[Wayland]

I can clearly trace my interest in history - re-enactment - living history and now my career right back to D&D in the first place.

 

[zornt]

I played D&D years ago and loved it.
Think it might be ok for him, sounds like hi is an intelegent child.
Two can play but always better with more.
With two you would just have a Dungen Master and an an explorer.
Keep it simple lots of rewards and things to challenge his mind.
If I didn't live on the other side of the pond I would give you a whole crept ton of books character sheets and other stuff..
Have fun.
Might check to see if there are any online games in his age group.
Jon

 

[Kadushu]

I started playing DnD in January last year. Even I find it a bit of a trudge at times if played by the book and our group tends to take a few liberties to make it more playable. There are hundreds of RPGs so you might find a lighter one that is easier to get into and better for an 8 year old, or he might enjoy nerding out over sheets of spells and stats.

 

[fenix]

There is something called LARP. Live Action Role Playing games, people meet up, do a variation of re-enactment, role playing, fantasy type stuff in real life. Some bloke made the news a while back when the police encountered him dressed as mage and carrying a repro sword.

On the tabletop gameing front still seems popular with quiet a few people, my local pub hosted a sunday meeting prior to covid. Have a search for warhammer rpg, they have a complete universe with games, books, films, etc. There are shops that hosts the games in many towns. Only into the computer games and books myself.

 

[Paul_B]

I think it was Warhammer we switched to from d and d. That little figures you moved around in battles in teams. You bought the models which had certain hit points, damage, etc. Dice rolling, etc. You bought the little shiny metal models then painted them. You could buy little tubs of paint but I kind of had a thing about not undercoating them. I did keep having to paint them instead.

IIRC I bought a cannon thing. It was kind of ancient weaponry with a kind of almost steampunk ethic of mixing old with new tech for fighting. I think Warhammer had only just come out when we played it.

Well I bought the D&D essentials set, due tomorrow. Due to the weather we're staying in so it'll be good to have I hope. It's got enough to start off. Just got to get him off his Nintendo switch and Minecraft first!! I'm just worried that it's more for me than him. I seriously hope he enjoys it and we can say it's for him.

So it's still ok for adults to play? Or do I still need the "cover" of "playing with my son"??

 

[TeeDee]

I think it was Warhammer we switched to from d and d. That little figures you moved around in battles in teams. You bought the models which had certain hit points, damage, etc. Dice rolling, etc. You bought the little shiny metal models then painted them. You could buy little tubs of paint but I kind of had a thing about not undercoating them. I did keep having to paint them instead.

IIRC I bought a cannon thing. It was kind of ancient weaponry with a kind of almost steampunk ethic of mixing old with new tech for fighting. I think Warhammer had only just come out when we played it.

Well I bought the D&D essentials set, due tomorrow. Due to the weather we're staying in so it'll be good to have I hope. It's got enough to start off. Just got to get him off his Nintendo switch and Minecraft first!! I'm just worried that it's more for me than him. I seriously hope he enjoys it and we can say it's for him.

So it's still ok for adults to play? Or do I still need the "cover" of "playing with my son"??

Amused me to see the difference between Warhammer and D&D so easily portrayed. One requiring vast purchasing expenditure and the other just some element of imagination.

Ok to play as an adult?? Who cares - if you have fun crack on.

 

[Paul_B]

I can clearly trace my interest in history - re-enactment - living history and now my career right back to D&D in the first place.

Unfortunately I moved so lost the friends I played with and lost the game because of that. Nobody played where we moved to. Add in that the only place selling d and d or Warhammer was about not and half away in Manchester Arndale centre. Before online shops for sure. I think it would have been good of of kept it going a bit longer than I did.

BTW looking back I think d and d is more creative than Warhammer as a game. What do you think?

 

[Wayland]

Never tried Warhammer so cannot really comment.

 

[Chainsaw]

Warhammer is the crack cocaine of gaming! There to remove pocket money from teenagers at an alarming rate. It is much more proscriptive (compulsory rule book adoption if you want to play in store)

We used to roleplay/game everything, one of the favourites was Wild West but we did scifi, medieval victorian etc etc.

D&D is fine but a couple of thoughts from me, try to put him in an environment he can relate to, it will hold his attention more than most. Harry Potter roleplay, I am sure you can fudge some rules up but he may know more about the environment that you do so...?

You mention Minecraft, how about adopting something from that. I see some good output from that game from the building side. Could the two of you work at creating a town and castle etc in minecraft. Start with a bridge, then a toll booth and an inn. Where does the innkeeper live, who supplies the food, bread, beer etc. Be a good learning experience. Could you create your street? Hogwarts?

Just some random thoughts from me on a gloomy monday

 

[TeeDee]

Maybe the half way step you want to try.

The new version of HeroQuest is a faithful remake of the classic board game

An exclusive first look at Hasbro’s ambitious crowdfunding campaign

www.polygon.com

 

[Paul_B]

Warhammer is the crack cocaine of gaming! There to remove pocket money from teenagers at an alarming rate. It is much more proscriptive (compulsory rule book adoption if you want to play in store)

We used to roleplay/game everything, one of the favourites was Wild West but we did scifi, medieval victorian etc etc.

D&D is fine but a couple of thoughts from me, try to put him in an environment he can relate to, it will hold his attention more than most. Harry Potter roleplay, I am sure you can fudge some rules up but he may know more about the environment that you do so...?

You mention Minecraft, how about adopting something from that. I see some good output from that game from the building side. Could the two of you work at creating a town and castle etc in minecraft. Start with a bridge, then a toll booth and an inn. Where does the innkeeper live, who supplies the food, bread, beer etc. Be a good learning experience. Could you create your street? Hogwarts?

Just some random thoughts from me on a gloomy monday

He's currently on YouTube watching episode 3 of building Hogwarts. He's got halfway through episode 3 replicating it in Minecraft as he goes. A little seen on YouTube then pause and he just builds away, checking back occasionally to the video. It took the makers of the videos 3 years to make Hogwarts!! I suspect he's not going to want to play D and D today or for some time!! Mind you he builds at twice the speed of most adults. Amazing to see a mansion built as fast as his parents build a shed!!

 

[Paul_B]

We got the d and d pack, too late to play but our son was playing a similar game on Alexa. Character attributes determined with 3xd6 roll which he gets to choose which attribute to apply the number outcome as it "rolls", d20 to decide on outcome of actions, etc.

I guess he'll be ok with d and d afterall. Although I read the booklets a little bit. A lot for me to take in. I think I need someone to bend the rules to make it easy for me!!! I'm guessing like any complex game you get experience in the mechanics and it becomes second nature. I need to read it tonight to get ahead so I can make it simple for him? I was going to play as a character with him and his mum could be DM. Not sure she'll get it so perhaps I need to be the DM.

 

[Kadushu]

There are lots of DnD guides on youtube that can help you get started and give some idea of how the game can/should be played. It's easy to get bogged down in the details but once you just start playing things start to fall into place and you get a feel for what players are looking for in a game.

 

[plastic-ninja]

We got the d and d pack, too late to play but our son was playing a similar game on Alexa. Character attributes determined with 3xd6 roll which he gets to choose which attribute to apply the number outcome as it "rolls", d20 to decide on outcome of actions, etc.

I guess he'll be ok with d and d afterall. Although I read the booklets a little bit. A lot for me to take in. I think I need someone to bend the rules to make it easy for me!!! I'm guessing like any complex game you get experience in the mechanics and it becomes second nature. I need to read it tonight to get ahead so I can make it simple for him? I was going to play as a character with him and his mum could be DM. Not sure she'll get it so perhaps I need to be the DM.

If you have experience you should ideally DM. A newcomer won’t manage it.
Used to play a lot of AD&D many years ago but it was those Soloquest books that got me started at about the age your youngster is now.
He’ll be ok with D&D as long as you keep it interesting in terms of monsters, traps and treasure, with plenty of chances not to kill the monsters.
Still got my Thrud the Barbarian figure from White Dwarf but I can’t find the Dwarf himself!

 

[TeeDee]

Maybe worth also looking at some of the choose your own adventure type gamebooks as this gives a limited set of options and obviously the book is then the 'DM'

Ones I can remember.

Fighting Fantasy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighting_Fantasy

Tunnels & Trolls.

Lone Wolf. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lone_Wolf_(gamebooks)

Another title which escapes me but the main character was "Pip" and the writing style was enjoyable and interesting.

 

[Paul_B]

I started on the first fighting fantasy one bought from the school bookshop. Then I found lone elf. Much preferred lone elf personally.

Took to a charity store the FF one maybe 5 years back. The lone elf ones I have no idea what happened to those.

He's getting on with the Alexa dungeon explorer game on the echo device. It is the DM, dice and guides you with your options. Plus remembers your stats. He's died quite a few times. Seems hard to get on in that game. He never wins enough battles to get enough weapons to win battles.

 

[Tony]

I play D&D most friday nights, started near the start of the first lockdown, it's all online though. Other than that I was playing every couple of months face to face. It's fun if you've got a good group.
Also used to play warhammer 40k, still got my chaos squat army from 30 years ago Good times.

Still got my Thrud the Barbarian figure from White Dwarf but I can’t find the Dwarf himself!

Ha ha, I used to live reading Thrud, I was telling my kids about him the other day!

 

[oldtimer]

My elder son, now 53, was addicted to D&D in his early teens. He went on to get an MA in Medieval Studies and eventually became director of strategy for one of the largest international charities.

 

[Wander]

Another title which escapes me but the main character was "Pip" and the writing style was enjoyable and interesting.

Yeah, I remember those. It had King Arthur as a background figure.
Can't remember what the books were called, and not entirely sure what the author's names was (the surname Brennan keeps coming to mind, but I might be thinking of something else). The writer of those books was an occultist expert and that sort of came through the books (if you knew).

I was a dyed in the wool Runequest player (another game like D&D). Still have all my old RQ2 and RQ3 stuff.

Does anyone remember The Travellers from White Dwarf? That was my favourite.

Edit: Here you go (I had to Google it) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grailquest