Farcaster (Bellevue, WA) - Site Administrator

[Farcaster]

Greetings and well met! And, if that isn’t a dead give away for my insatiable gaming predilection and my favored genre, I can’t imagine what would be. Perhaps, “Hello, my name is Robert Howard, and I am a game-a-holic,” would be closer to the mark.

How did you first get started in roleplaying games?
My first introduction to roleplaying games was actually a very old computer game called Bard’s Tale. Yes, I am talking about the original Bard’s Tale first released in 1985 for the Commodore 64. I was hooked right from the start. Bard’s Tale II couldn’t come quickly enough. And when Bard’s Tale III finally came out in 1987, I remember opening that box and leaping head first into a three day straight summer whirlwind playing session fueled by an endless stream of coffee, punctuated by the briefest of bathroom breaks (hey, it was a lot of coffee), and ending only after unconsciousness nat-20'd me.

When I awoke from my 24 hour powernap, believe it or not, it was actually my stepfather that suggested I try out this pen and paper game called Dungeons and Dragons. Being a typical 12 year old, I thought that any suggestion that he might make was probably pretty dumb, but I checked it out anyway just to see what he was talking about.

Knowing nothing of D&D, I headed down to a hobby and gaming shop the next time I was at the mall and found this nifty red box set. I thought the dice were cool, so I bought it on the spot. Within a week, I ran my first D&D game and promptly killed my first player character with the sample encounter with the carrion crawler. A not altogether awe-inspiring first start in the DM chair, actually. But, I kept trying.

Since I lived in a relatively small city, I usually ended up enrolling my friends to try out the game and so inflicted upon my hapless players many an ill conceived, poorly contrived dungeon hack-and-slash. I’d love to say that I took to story telling right off, but honestly, it took many years before I could actual spin a fairly tolerable story line. Luckily, none of my players had ever been in a good D&D game, so they didn’t know any better anyway.

Thus began my obsession with table-top roleplaying games. Though I have had the occasional opportunity to be a player, for the most part I’ve been in the DM chair ever since. To be completely honest, I do enjoy playing, but I’m most comfortable being the story teller anyway.

What games have you played?
The litany of games I have tried is long (although, perhaps short by some standards), and includes: Dungeons and Dragons (from the Red Box set to the current 3.5 edition), Cyberpunk, Shadow Run, Paranoia, Marvel Superheroes, DC Heroes, Heroes Unlimited, Star Trek: TOS and TNG by FASA, Star Trek by Last Unicorn Games, Rifts, Warhammer the Roleplaying Game, MechWarrior, Warewolf: The Apocalypse, Vampire: The Masquerade, and most recently, GURPS 4th edition.

Are you currently in a group?
My current group of four players has graciously tolerated my DMing for the past four years. We have almost exclusively played AD&D, but I’ve managed to coax them into a few forays with Star Trek and GURPS Supers. Our current AD&D campaign is called Invasion Hell, which puts a slight twist on the usual invasion story, with the player characters at the forefront of a Prime Material invasion force trying to take over one of the layers of Hell.

What about this website? What’s the story?
As to this site, well, I have been lucky to find great players to roleplay with here in Dallas. But in the past, I haven’t always had an easy time finding other gamers. I imagine that there are a lot of folks out there who have faced the same frustration. Finding other roleplayers can be challenging, devolving into scouring publisher’s game forums, visiting various comic and gaming shops, or looking for meet ups in your area. My goal is to create a place for players to be able to meet up with other gamers in their are area, get the latest gaming news, and hook into the larger national roleplaying community.

So, that’s me! Welcome to Pen & Paper Games!

[nijineko]

We have almost exclusively played AD&D, but I’ve managed to coax them into a few forays with Star Trek and GURPS Supers.

anytime you want to start a gurps supers game here of the forums, i'll volunteer to play! =D

[Engar]

Interesting old post you pulled out there.

[nijineko]

heheheh. yeah, figured that it would serve as a public service to all the recent comers who likely haven't seen that post, get to know the big kahuna and all. plus, if he ever does start up a gurps supers game here on the forums, i would like in. ^^

[Farcaster]

I've actually never tried play-by-post. I don't know how much I'd like it. I'm more of a get-around-the-table-and-play kind of guy.

[Arch Lich Thoth-Amon]

Reading your post got me thinking of my early beginnings in DnD. Thanks for posting.

Thoth-Amon

[agoraderek]

welcome to the boards! nice to mee...oh, hey there Farcaster

[cplmac]

I've never done online gaming either. Not sure if my system and conection would be good for it anyhow. Out here in my neck of the woods, there is only dial-up service available or through the cable company.

I do think that I would tend to prefer the sitting around the tabe vs. online. Makes it more of a social gathering.

[Engar]

Fantasy Grounds combined with a VoIP worked well for me a few times. It does not compare to F2F but is as close I could muster.

[tesral]

I've actually never tried play-by-post. I don't know how much I'd like it. I'm more of a get-around-the-table-and-play kind of guy.

It's different. I've gone on at length elsewhere as to how. Not for everyone, or with everyone. You need players and a GM that can handle the style.

I'll take sit around the table any day.

[mrken]

A few years back I played in an online game where we played in a chat room and posted on a board. Was a very interesting game indeed.

Playing in the chat room was very fast paced and had the feel of a f2f, but the posts were perhaps the best part of the game in many respects. Those who enjoyed writing could really enjoy themselves and entertain others who would read the posts.