Why do you game?

[Maze]

To continue on this awesome topic:

Ehh... That's one thing I never understood personally. I don't game as a mean to escape from life. 

fair enough, but you do Role play, so you take on a role of another person, otherwise you just there rolling dice at a paper with stats and mods for your game, wich then is just a game of craps. So you still role play you may not go to escape life but to perhaps take on the role of another life? Maybe im just overthinking it why do you game for then?

Well, I use to do improvisation and would very well still do it if I had the time. I love acting, I love writing stories and the creative process in general. My head is always bursting with ideas and it affects every facet of my life.

I mean, some people game because life sucks and this and that, I've come to realize that. My life's fine as it is and I wouldn't change it for the world. I game for the same reason I draw, write, animate and read: because it's fun. If that counts as escapism, then everything and I mean EVERYTHING beside dull work is escapism and calling it so would be pointless. But that's just in my case.

Why do you game?

The ever present option to kill things as a means to solve problems without being arrested or suffer moral side effects.

Or to summarize: for fun.

I enjoy acting, I like to actually roleplay my character most of the session and make choices as my character rather than as myself. It offers me the chance to do things I normally wouldn't, which includes playing characters of exceptional virtue as well as vice.

Playing a neutal good cleric was one of my favorite times around the table.

I game because I used to like to play pretend as a kid and this is just a formal way of doing so.

Also, I love the storytelling aspect of things. I love to problem-solve. I love being inappropriate and making people laugh. I love being thoroughly creeped at during CoC games (the first game I ever played was during a vicious thunderstorm).

I love lamp.

I'd forgotten about that part. God, did I make believe as a kid. My stuff was always way more interesting than anything the real of the world had for me.

Well judging by why you all said you all game to let go of your real life junk and not worry bout work and other things you have to do, you all game to escape your normal life. Your normal life might be great like mine and mazes, dont mean you still dont wanna escape from it, to pretend to be someone else. No one says your life has to suck to want to escape from it.

I think most people watch reality tv so they can see how fucked up other people's life are, and to live threw there experiences with them, so a form of escaping none the less. You, like me, prob don't watch reality tv, the only reality tv I watch is Deadliest Catch because that is one fucked up job that I would never want to do, but I could still watch it on tv.

EDIT: I game for the same reasons, Go and have fun with friends, enjoy developing plot and trying to figure out how to get Threw the encounters, I enjoy Medium roll playing, I enjoy the combat side of it more, but I would like to get into a CoC game where the combat is A lot lighter then what I'm used to.

To respond to Boyos, I don't understand where you get the idea that most gamers have junk life though, seems like here, everyone is gaming to simply express their creativity and have a good time, or am I misunderstanding you?

To others: Why do YOU game?

[clockworkjoe]

matrix has me trying to unplug myself

[Tadanori Oyama]

Well to resummarize my point, I do it for fun.

I suppose there's a wide range of other reasons I like different sorts of game, why I DM, why I spend so much time getting together maps and minis and everything else.

They must be a good reasons since I spend, on average, around ten hours a week playing games (as a DM or a player) with another ten or so between sessions planning them.

[Boyos]

To respond to Boyos, I don't understand where you get the idea that most gamers have junk life though, seems like here, everyone is gaming to simply express their creativity and have a good time, or am I misunderstanding you?

To others: Why do YOU game?

Like I said your life dont have to suck, im just saying you escape your normal "junk" (as in stuff you do around your real life wether it be pushing paper work, rasing kids, driving, having a normal reality life.)

I like how Vin diesel describes it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQUEQOyIvf

you can live the most normal life out there in the world you can be a rich person, a poor person, a wel loved person, a hated person, it dont matter when you play dnd you play it to take on a role of another person wich is escaping from your normal life. Again if you guys dont feel that way, they hey you guys are as right as i feel. Never did I say your life must suck to escape reality .

[dragonshaos]

I feel like some anger and distaste will arise from this thread if it continues...

[Tadanori Oyama]

Only if people get mad and bad tasting. I think it's better to share why we play than argue about why we play or however you want to place to emphasis.

Just talk about what we enjoy, not that introspective junk. We're gamers, here to roll dice and consume snacks! Which, by the way, is another reason I game. Where else can you roll dice in the middle of a conversation? I tried it in college, it really distracts people.

[codered]

I like to game for many reasons one being  to hang out with people that have crazy imaginations like me also its good for networking.

[Maze]

Only if people get mad and bad tasting. I think it's better to share why we play than argue about why we play or however you want to place to emphasis.

Just talk about what we enjoy, not that introspective junk. We're gamers, here to roll dice and consume snacks! Which, by the way, is another reason I game. Where else can you roll dice in the middle of a conversation? I tried it in college, it really distracts people.

Rolling d20s can get you cockblocked.

[Tadanori Oyama]

Only if people get mad and bad tasting. I think it's better to share why we play than argue about why we play or however you want to place to emphasis.

Just talk about what we enjoy, not that introspective junk. We're gamers, here to roll dice and consume snacks! Which, by the way, is another reason I game. Where else can you roll dice in the middle of a conversation? I tried it in college, it really distracts people.

Rolling d20s can get you cockblocked.

Well boys, just you, me, and the random harlet tables.

[Maze]

Well boys, just you, me, and the random harlet tables.

Erm. Don't forget the random STD table that goes along with it.

[Tadanori Oyama]

I knew the risks when I picked up the dice.

[klaatu]

One of the many reasons I game is that it's collaborative.  The GM and players can tell a better story together than they can apart.  It's not just expressing creativity, but appreciating others' creativity.

[Maze]

One of the many reasons I game is that it's collaborative.  The GM and players can tell a better story together than they can apart.  It's not just expressing creativity, but appreciating others' creativity.

Oh yeah, of course. It's a great way to get with friends and even meet new ones.

I'd like to hear an alternative version LOTR if the main characters were players. Let's just say that it was better for Tolkien he didn't attempt his plot in a game. Although, with characters like Boromir, I wonder.

[Tadanori Oyama]

http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=612

[rayner23]

I game with my students at school because they participate more in class and care more about our school in general since they have felt like they belong more.