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© 1998-2001 Dru
Pagliassotti
All rights reserved.
Why Roleplay?
 With thousands of TV
stations, movies, videos, computer games, card games, board games, books,
magazines, websites, parks, sports, and other activities to choose from,
why roleplay? Roleplaying doesn't provide aerobic exercise or flood your
body with antioxidants, it isn't going to build up your resume or get
you into graduate school, and unless your significant other is also a
roleplayer, it isn't even likely to improve your sex life. So—why
bother?
• Because
roleplaying is fun. Have you read those psychological studies
about the importance of play to human health and mental well-being? First
and foremost, roleplaying is about playing—it's "Let's Pretend"
at its most refined. Playing isn't just for kids anymore.
• Because
roleplaying is educational. Roleplayers actively seek out new
knowledge to enhance their gaming experience; they learn about mythology,
history, weaponry, tactics, science, philosophy, codes, currencies, and
even basic astrophysics; they learn phrases in different languages and
traditions in different cultures. And here's a hint for students—more
than one roleplayer has learned to make a dull class interesting by thinking,
"How could I apply [macroeconomics, military history, the history
of the novel] to my game?"
• Because
roleplaying is social. Roleplaying requires players to interact
with each other, whether face-to-face or through some form of computer-mediated
communication. Roleplaying games (RPGs) are much more social than sitting
in front of a television or computer game all day. And for some people—for
example, those whose responsibilities or physical challenges keep them
at home all day—roleplaying by computer can became a significant
form of social interaction that would otherwise be closed to them.
• Because
roleplaying encourages teamwork. Roleplayers who only look out
for No. 1 aren't going to be invited back to games very often. RPGs usually
pose players with a problem to solve, and every player's participation
is essential to achieving a successful solution. Players learn that their
characters must work together to succeed—a good lesson to carry
over into real life!
• Because
roleplaying is about more than winning and losing. Roleplaying
games encompass far more than the win/lose scenario prevalent in most
sports and board or card games. RPGs can include self-sacrifice (see how
far that'll get you in a computer game!), romance, negotiation, and other
scenarios that most other types of games simply can't handle.
• Because
roleplaying teaches conflict management. A good gamemaster (GM)
encourages different methods of problem-solving within the game—sometimes
problems are solved by combat, but other times they must be resolved by
peaceful means. Players get a chance to explore different methods of conflict
management within the safety of a fictional setting and can later apply
those methods to the real world.
• Because
roleplaying encourages creativity. Many roleplayers enjoy painting
miniatures, sketching characters, carving terrain and models, writing
game-related poems or short stories, composing game-related songs, and
even, especially in the case of live-action roleplayers, sewing costumes
or cooking "in-character" meals. Even those who just play the
game exhibit creativity by developing their characters and interacting
with the fictional world in which the game takes place.
• Because
roleplaying is relatively inexpensive. RPGs don't need memory
upgrades, expensive equipment, or high-priced tickets. After the rulebooks
and dice have been purchased, roleplaying can be as expensive or inexpensive
as the players care to make it. RPGs can be run with nothing more than
paper and pencil, or they can be run with detailed terrain and handpainted
metal miniatures.
• Because
roleplaying doesn't discriminate. Roleplayers can be of any age,
gender, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, shape, size, or level
of fitness. A skilled GM can tailor a game to accommodate all sorts of
special needs or considerations.
• Because
roleplaying improves speaking skills. Roleplaying is a verbal
game (textual, if you play over e-mail or in chat), and through practice,
players improve their verbal (or writing) skills as they play. It's also
a form of acting, and players learn to convincingly present themselves
to others while they play.
• Because
roleplaying is extremely portable. At the minimum, most RPGs
require dice and character sheets ... and maybe a rulebook, although if
the players know the rules, they can often get by without one in a pinch.
RPGs can be played just about anywhere, unlike many physical sports, and
they don't require batteries or a nearby electrical outlet, unlike many
computer games.
• Because
roleplaying is wish-fulfillment. The daily grind gets everyone
down sooner or later, so it's a relief to become a devil-may-care space
pilot, a fearless warrior princess, a gorgeous rock star or a brilliant
computer programmer for a while. Players can step out of their own lives
by roleplaying characters of different genders, ethnicities, social classes,
physical or mental abilities. Roleplaying allows everyone to become someone
else for a while ... and most of us need that break in our lives.
So, why roleplay? Why
not? Not only is roleplaying fun, but it's been used by educators and
counselors for decades to improve skills and encourage learning. So, if
you don't roleplay, consider finding a group and trying it out. And if
you do roleplay, remember these reasons the next time somebody asks you
what the hobby is all about. Roleplaying is about a lot more than books
and dice and funny metal figures!
originally written May 15, 1999
This article was reprinted in Packer, A.
(2000). Highs! Over 150 Ways to Feel Really, Really Good ... Without
Alcohol or Other Drugs. Free Spirit Publishing.
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