Parents and rpgs. uh-oh.

[blackbelt2]

I want to start doing rpgs like D&D but my parents read all the stories about them and think they're evil or that I will get sucked into it.I have read all about how they are harmless but parents won't change they're minds

 

[Dark_Lite]

Then you're pretty much out of luck. Leave it alone for awhile then try to logically reason with them or attempt to demonstrate it. However, arguing with parents is generally futile, no matter how right you are.

 

[AcousticHxC]

ive seen testimonies of Christians that play them, and explain what to look out for and how the games for the most part are harmless. try to look it up on google. i cant remember what i searched for when looking for them.

 

[Dracil]

Explain that pretending to be another person is not much different than the movie actor pretending to be that evil Saruman or the good Aragorn. Except you get to change the movie. After all, if I'm not mistaken. The original D&D was inspired by Tokien's book anyway. The classes were stuff like Elf (Legolas), or Ranger (Aragorn).

 

[Kelly]

Are you completely new to gaming? Before you can present the case to the parental units, you must get a understanding of gaming basics. First you have to find (or gather) a gaming group. D&D works best with a DM and 4-5 players. If you are all newbies, you might want to find a person who knows the system. Look for someone who plays 'by the book'. There are lots of people playing the game in many different ways. You can usually tell who is playing within the spirit of the rules and who isn't after one session (and you can find out if they're a creep or not, too).

Once you've got the game rule basics down, you can invite one or more of your parents to either watch or participate in an adventure. Wizards of the Coast website has several free mini-adventures (playable in one session) on their D&D website. There is one that involves the characters investigating a local plague that's pretty straightforward, good-hearted and entertaining.

Things you have to 'dispell' as it were, are the false accusations that D&D is = to practicing witchcraft. Once they see how a character casts spells they will see how unrelated to witchcraft it really is. My parents were actually bored by our game and they left wondering why we would do it for hours at a time!

 

[Bohemian]

Have the same problems myself.Can't wait till this august,whoooo 18!
Here are some links that should help:

http://www.mjyoung.net/dungeon/confess.html
http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0046/0046_01.asp (this ones just to show how misunderstood D&D is.The sad thing is:the author is serious about it.)
http://www.trhickman.com/Intel/Essays/Ethic1.html

Confessions should really help. Explain to them the horrendous misunderstanding of the groups against D&D. If this doesn't help,then I don't know what will. The hardest part is getting themto listen to you. Argh! Parents sometimes!

If you need more links, I have about 10 more. Just PM me.

 

[Kelly]

Are any of you in the detroit metro area? I run a weekly (tuesday) Swashbuckling Adventures and a monthly game of straight D&D out of my home.

 

[Bohemian]

Nope,I live close Washington D.C.

 

[blackbelt2]

Thanks a lot. Great sugestions but my mom saw me playing starwars rpg with this one kid and she didn't like it at all.She thought that the kid was like powerthirsty.Or something.... but I like the idea about confessions though my parents will probably think its about how bad rpgs are because of the "confession" part.I will do my best.

over and out

 

[Bohemian]

Good Luck!

P.S.
You'll need it...

 

[seebs]

http://www.pvponline.com/rants_dd.php3

http://www.rpg.net/sites/252/quellen/stackpole/pulling_report.html

Finally, if all else fails, I would be happy to speak with your parents about my understanding of D&D and Christianity. I've been playing D&D for >20 years, and I feel I understand it tolerably well.

 

[Kelly]

Having a hobby or pastime that must be defended is really a pain, just the fact that you HAVE to defend it makes it seem sinful when you feel it isn't. Misinformation about D&D is the main culprit.

Another good introductory adventure, from the old 1st edition D&D, is called "Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh". I don't want to give any spoilers but it's very "scooby doo". I used to use it to introduce new players to the game and it always sold them on the game. It could be easily converted to the current 3.5 edition rules. Try ebay or one of the many online used game sellers such as nobleknight or hit pointe.

 

[MediocrityInAction]

If all fails, remember that D&D is not the only roleplaying game in existence. There are plenty of roleplaying games which do not follow the Tolkeinesque mold, and as such don't contain elements such as gods, mythology and magic. In fact, some are set in current times, or in a real historical setting. Also, maybe your parents might object less to a game set in a science fiction background.
If your parents don't object to the Star Wars films, I point out that there is a perfectly enjoyable Star Wars roleplaying game.

 

[seebs]

Another good introductory adventure, from the old 1st edition D&D, is called "Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh". I don't want to give any spoilers but it's very "scooby doo". I used to use it to introduce new players to the game and it always sold them on the game. It could be easily converted to the current 3.5 edition rules. Try ebay or one of the many online used game sellers such as nobleknight or hit pointe.

That is one of my favorite adventures ever. Beautifully done.

 

[Felron]

these games are compleatly what you make of them, if you want you could change the names of spells or w/e, but my parents are exactly the same way, but only because the game drove my dads friend insane and he killed himself because of it...or somthing like that.

 

[seebs]

I have never seen an actual supported case of D&D driving anyone insane. What I have seen is people who can't deal with a kid's suicide blaming it on anything and everything that they can think of.

 

[Felron]

kinda like the kid who killed his family and played MAGIC THE GATHERING, all of a sudden mtg was the culprit, nothing else matterd.

 

[blackbelt2]

My mom and dad didn't like starwars because you often start out at a bar.But all great sugestions.BTW my family loves Tolkien but not magic which is weird cause Gandalf uses magic in LoTR but my dad still likes it.Also my dad heard the story about the steam tunnels.That was where he went to college.

 

[Felron]

steam tunnles? what was that?

 

[Kelly]

My mom and dad didn't like starwars because you often start out at a bar.

How hard was it not to pull your hair out at that comment?

Magic is very subtle in LOTR. I can see how they would feel that way.