My first memories of role-playing came from seeing this book in the college lounge. (I was in high school at the time) I was fortunate enough to sit in on a couple of sessions as a spectator and was hooked on the idea. That was in the spring of 1981′ by Christmas of the year I would be buying Dragonquest and the rest is history. What are your first memories of an RPG? (Knowing what we do now about games, the front cover should be titled “It takes two to get crushed by a dragon.”)
My best friend back then had 5 brothers, all older and they all played D&D together and with friends. One night I was staying the night at his house and one brother was running a 1st edition AD&D game with a couple of friends. He let me create a Fighter and join in. It was awkward at first, but soon I was joining in. It was summer 1986 and I was 12 (aging myself here). Still remember that night and RPGs have been in my life ever since.
I was just posting about this elsewhere. I was 12 in 1994 when I got Heroes Unlimited as a present. I recognised it immediately for what it was, even though I can’t for the life of me figure out how I learned what an RPG was, let alone how to play one. I think I must have internalised the RPG scene from E.T. to the point where I basically knew instinctively what was going on.
It was 1979. I was 14. I had read a magazine article about D&D but still had no idea how it worked. My brother was 17 and his friends wanted to try it out, so I got invited.
Half of our group of 8 was female, including the DM, and the high school romances and rivalries got projected into the role playing, making it a very entertaining game.
I don’t know when it was. I was in grade-school, and my uncle ran my friend and me through some kind of adventure with rats and kobolds and a ring of rat control. I killed at least one kobold and was quite pleased, though I had no idea what a kobold was at the time.
Good memories. Glad to see I’m not the oldest here… It started With Richard Hamblen’s Magic Realm but we couldn’t figure out the rules. Then we found DnD. First adventure first encounter TPK by firebeetle. Awesome! (Just over 3 decades ago…)
Jason Smith In those days kobolds look like dogs. Now they look like lizards. I think.
1982 and I got the Red Box Set for Christmas. I was 10 years old and read it from cover to cover but couldn’t quite wrap my mind around it. Then that next summer we had a boy from Northern Ireland stay with us. He was a year older then me and saw the game and was like “This game is great. Let me show you how to play.” He really didn’t know either but we worked it out and had a blast. I have been the GM ever since.
I got the blue box at christmas 81. Pure moment of magic.
Also started with the blue box, purchased at a hobby shop in 1978. After that we drove to Lake Geneva about once a month to buy things right from the source. This picture makes me happy.