AD&D response 1

by Peter Hofmann

Dear Brad,

It has been so long since I have even heard of any decent book and paper RPG. I have played a lot of both video and paper RPGs (I mean A LOT).

Are Book and Paper RPGs more fun? My answer is Yes. Simply because with the old style book RPGs you had a bunch of your best buddies over with some snacks and some beer (soda if you were underage) and you got to hang out. Admittedly in one of our average weekly gaming sessions there was about 60% gaming and about 40% bullsh*ting the day away.

Also, the Book RPGs have a mood and appeal to them that you cannot get from the video games, You get a certain feeling from hearing a story from your own mouth or the mouth of one of your friends (depending on who was the GM that particular week). It almost brings us back to ancient times, to a place where there is no TV or Video games, where the story is told to you by an actual human being, not some cathode tube. Even the best video game cannot duplicate the feeling that you are truly part of the story.

I feel the push of time more so these days then I did in High School or College. It has become nearly impossible to get even a fraction of our old group together for a few hours, much less an entire day. James has moved off to NC, Aaron is married with children, and Brian seems to have fallen off the face of the planet. I look to the shelves of my apartment and see literally hundreds of books from D+D to Whitewolf. and remember all those Saturdays spent in my best friends basement, with so many memorable personalities.

Thank you for this trip down memory lane. I love all RPGs, but I love the old tomes and musty smells of the classic Book and Paper games.

Your Friend in Gaming
Peter Hofmann