The Gaming Experience
Helper Information > Detailed Explanation of Themes & Concepts:
What is roleplaying?
The best way to describe roleplaying is to imagine yourself as an actor in a play. Your purpose is to enact the part
of another person, to play the role of a character. This character may be like
you or not - a hero, villain or other more mundane role. The set can be an
ancient fantasy land or the distant future on another planet. It is a chance to
experience something you would not or could not normally. The possibilities are
as endless as your imagination. A roleplaying game offers a set of rules and
guidelines that allow players to interact within this shared experience.
The Gaming Event: Gaming is a social event. If all you want to
use is your imagination, you can read any number of books. However, when people
get together and share the gaming experience, it is often is far more interesting
than any single person's imagination. The gaming experience is going to be different for everyone.
Expectations will vary as well as different reactions to situations that come up during the play.
The nature of most people is to be competitive and to want to succeed at
their endeavors. Often, in order for one to succeed, all must work to achieve a common goal. If a group
works together, their ends are (most often) to everyone's advantage and the experience is positive and
fulfilling. Ultimately, the purpose of the game is the same as any other - to have fun.
Using the Rules: The core rules are only a start.
You can use your own imagination to provide enhanced powers, abilities, etc.
There are many other official expanded guides, supplements and add-ons
that expand on both the rules and roles (player
& Game Master) of the game.
Subscription based products will contain many new and enhanced elements to expand your roleplaying experience.