I have always thought of D&D as a bunch of guys hacking away at orcs. I am pleased to see that women play also, I just never met any. Tell me where, when and why did you get started?

I started in high school and played a few times at the hand of a sadistic (chaotic evil)DM who regularly slaughtered the whole party. Then again a few times in college. The problem was that we could never find enough people to play or if we did someone who knew how to be a DM.

I have to say that the CRPG is a godsend because it allows people to play even if they cannot find others locally with the same interest.

The last time I played D&D was fifteen years ago, when I was in 6th grade Since moving to Australia I haven't been able to find as many people into PnP D&D.

CPRGs, that's a different story!

Hmmm...I had to check this out-that title, you know! LOL!

I had someone give me a D&D module in college, but never got anyone to play it with me, so it drifted off into the void somewhere in between my travels and moves and college changes. Found it again at one point, but never played. Then one day, I discovered the glorious COMPUTER and the fact that one can PLAY on it and not just do dreary reports and work-related projects. After playing Heroes of Might and Magic and Age of Empires, I needed a change. Baldur's Gate looked interesting.

What's this? *I* get to be IN an adventure?! Wow, waaaaaaay cool! So I played it for a while and got frustrated at being wiped out so often (tough going for a novice in the whole D&D universe- had NO clue what was good or bad for class/stats/weapons etc). Gave up til I got Icewind Dale. Discovered that dungeon crawls aren't all that bad, for the most part, and couldn't wait for the expansion even before I finished it. Got rather a huge amount of satisfaction wiping the floor with those darned blade skeletons!- er on my zillionth re-load! (giggle) Then I discovered BG2.....I am addicted.

Hello, all, my name is Cloudbringer and I'm a new BG2 (D&D-computer) addict......sigh.... (chuckle)

Well i am glad (kind of) to hear that scarcity of players is not just a problem related to western new york. Seems to be a global shortage, too bad.

I played some in High School. Then stopped after I got to college. Our gang all split up and when different was. Never found anyone else to play. That was 19 or 20 years ago. I'm not sure I could do it anymore. I picked up the Players Handbook ED. 3. The rules are totally different now and there are about 10 times as many.

So it is official. Cloudbringer is unique, as of yet she is the only woman on the board willing to admit that she is into D&D.

Hats off to the courageous

(courtsey) Thank you! There are others out there, but they may not be online today...er most of them have a (whispers) real life!


Cloudbringer, just back from multiplay game

My first boyfriend (I was 17) was a real AD&D addict, and also a computer addict ... and kept forgetting about our dates all the time, so at the time I swore two things I would never do : play RPGs and do anything close to computers ! (You see, I felt that these two hobbies just turned people crazy ... )
Four years later, I started studying computer engineering, and my new boyfriend (who is now my hubbie) brought me into his AD&D team ... and I got hooked ! (I played a Gnome thief/illusionist, hence my fondness for Gnomes). We played AD&D, Cthulhu, Rolemaster when we were student and for several more years, then the team members got married (I hate wives !) and left the game (I never met another woman playing RPGs before you ladies on the Board !). So, after several years with only computer RPGs, we decided last fall to start again playing in family, my hubbie, my son (who is 9 1/2) and me, with the new AD&D 3 rules. I can tell you that my son has totally abandoned the Pokemon now !

You know, my first boyfriend was REALLY kinda crazy ... now, he is the president of the French fan-club of the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" movie ...

Well, my first time was at the tender age of...wait a minute. Oh! I get it! D&D!! HaHa! Alrighty then. Ahem. My husband got me into D&D when we first met 5,000 years ago. Well, we had been living together for about 3 months. Anywho, I remember one Saturday night it was winter and snowing pretty hard and we were stuck inside bored. He brings out this shoebox full of these little lead figurines (warriors and monsters, etc.), some are painted and some are not. I'm thinking "what is this? You wan't to play like a 5 year old or what? Should I dig up my old barbie dolls as well?! Then he brought out a rule book and started setting up all the men and monsters on the table, etc. etc. I was very reluctant to play D&D, when he started trying to explain things like proficiencies, hit points, etc. I felt totally confused. Of course, my husband has a way of talking a mile a minute! I ended up looking at the rule book myself, and getting an idea. We eventually started playing. It took me probably a good hour before I got used to it and then the addiction began! We played on and off for years, then got out of it for awhile. Then when we got a computer around 1990, we started checking out role playing games, and yet another addition to our addiction began. Around 1995, we finally got tired of fighting over computer time, and I got my own computer. Now we even have our own rooms to game in. Right now I'm typing this, and he's in the other room multi-playing Diablo 2! That is what rpgs and computers has done to us. We come home from work, say hello, separate to our rooms and our beloved computers! Some would say we are disfunctional, but I think after 14 years, we're doing OK!

Moiraine - Oh, man! Rocky Horror Picture Show? I still cannot fathom why oh why is that thing popular? There's something about a man wearing red lipstick?....

I started in 9th grade a million years ago in VA but when Dad retired and moved to Colorado I only played with myself. Both ways haha! Played a bit more in the military, then found a good group back in CO when I got out and DM'ed/played for years until I moved around a bit. Had a group going here in Charlotte for awhile but things drifted away years ago. Still would like to play but lack of players.....However since I can finally play these computer rpg's its been great!
LadyWendy-Hey whatever works for you guys! Better than watching tv together! And I have yet to see the Rocky Horror thing. Always sounded kinda stupid. Oh well

Though I've never actually played D&D my opinion still is quite important, after all, I'm ArmageddonX! ANYWHO, what I CAN offer is this:

I have constantly been fascinated D&D, I never knew what it was. I always wanted to get into it. Earlier in my life when I was about 8 & 9 I started playing my first computer RPG games (obviously I'm not very old) with things like Moraff's World, Excelsior, Ultima, and a couple other ones I can't even remember. Kinda alleviated that D&D drive I had. I mean a game board, a deck of cards, and multi-sided dice don't get very far with me. Excuse me but true!

Hmm, maybe a bit of an explanation of D&D would be nice, since all I can imagine is a nearly strategicless, game that is exceptionally hard to start with no relation to speed and function control (such as the mouse or keyboard). This is NOT designed as a "bash D&D" entry. I just simply don't get it.

I seem to remember someone talking about some sort of D&D and creating your own items making sure they aren't unrealistic and stuff... seemed, just plain weird, oh well.

If any of you have played Revenant and have experienced the type of function control that that game offers you will understand my viewpoint thoroughly. What am I rambling about... I have no idea so I had better stop there.

P.S. A friend has recently offered to teach me how to play the new D&D though she doesn't know (yes she) exactly what a DM does.

And then there were three. Lady Z i guess i am not surprised that you have seperate computer rooms after 14 years. I base this from my interpretation of the night you got started. Your telling us your stuck inside with you boyfriend during a snow storm ( I know this almost sounds romantic) and YOU WIND UP PLAYING D&D? Anyway glad to see you like it.

I went to see the midnight showing of the Rocky Horror Picture show when i was in high school. Unfortunately Lord of Alcohol was not there to give me guidance. I wound up drinking too much super cheap wine and hurling/sleeping it off in the car. As i hear it I probably had the better time.

Never played revenant. When I played pen and paper it was the only choice (at least affordable choice). One good thing about it was that if you had an imaginative group it could be very fun. I remember our DM rolling to see if we would hit a fire elemental when we decided to try and pee on it to put it out. If memeory serves me right one of the players suffered serious damage and we changed his gender on him later in the game.
The other nice thing is that it is very flexible, you may be able to get away with different things a computer would not let you. There is also a neat bonding that occurs as you guzzle down your favorite drink and wack away at an imaginary foe. I think it gets your creativity flowing more than CRPG. With that all said I don't know that i could live without the CRPG graphics now that i have seen them improve.

Next step is that one of these days i will learn how to do the multiplayer game and find some people to do that with.

Is revenant D&D? or some other type of RPG?

Raistlin, sounds like you did a great job at the movies and I commend you! Also I completely agree with you on the D&D. So much more flexible! Of course you have to have a good DM also. Have to be able to "wing" it at any given moment. CRPGs cant do that. Plus dont count on going to 20th level in a month. But its great fun with a good organised group

Raistlin: ROTFL!!!! I have been laughing for some time, too. You're making me wish I lived closer to some of you PnP people! LOL

It's the imagination part that intrigues me about those games over the crpgs. Sounds like a real blast to be doing stuff with your pals and creating together! Improv theater with goblins and orcs!


I'm REALLY enjoying the multiplayer game I'm in with turbovee and Charlie! We aren't going very fast, but we are having a really fun time. Today we did the harper hall quest (montaron) and they were so sweet. I haven't done that in my own single game, but they didn't rush through it, they let me wander about and talk to npc's etc. And then they probably sat back and chuckled as turbovee told me to find our quarry, myself! I almost missed him, but got a 'you were warm' message from my companions, then found him!!!

It's alot more like being there, when you have to stand around and actually discuss who gets what booty and how to divide up the spells. ---poor Cloudy....she's not very high up spell-wise yet, so her fearless leader gets all the kick-ass spells (just teasing leaderbossman! ). LOL Anyway, loads of fun, I can assure you.

Cloudbringer

Armageddonx - I've played Revenant! Loved it!! Took a bit getting used to all the moves, especially since I ended going through half the game without knowing the new moves keys. I went to the fighting master and did what he wanted, but only out of pure luck and a lot of random key hitting! Finally, my husband was watching and explained to me when the master goes to teach you a new move, it displays the key combinations at the bottom of the screen. "oh.. duhhh..." Anyway, after that I was a twirling kicking slashing machine!! I love that manueuver when he impales a spider and makes a "ugg" sound as he wipes his sword off!!

Raistlin - yes, well back then I was only 21 and sitting at home bored was akin to torture! You better come up with some good entertainment fast before I brave the elements in search of partyage!! As it is now, there are groups that still do play D&D in large groups. They even have a store that sells "accessories" near our house, but alas, they are all 14 to 17 year olds. Some of these guys get into it a little bit too much, if you know what I mean? Getting small fangs permanently put on by their dentists, etc. So we prefer to just go ahead and stick with CRPGs!!

Damn, my left 4foot speaker is flickering out. Man I hope I didn't blow it out. Can't afford another right now. FFFFFF!

LadyWendy: fangs? hmmm...stick to crpgs!!!

Cloudykins

The only way to see the Rocky Horror Picture Show was to go to a midnight viewing and take props. Usually buzzed of course. Wieners and a loaf of bread were a must. At opportune moments in the movie you then threw them at others in the crowd. Great fun when you were drunk!... Well at least it was when I was seventeen or eighteen. Seems kinda stupid now.

Cloudbringer - yep, freakorama! "no, I'll pass on that 7 inch winged elf tattoo, but thanks anyway!"

Sir Taliesin - throwing weeners at a Rocky Horror Picture show, how classic! Haha! GALES of laughter!!! "Watch out comrad! They're cheating and using Ball Park! Remember, they plump when you Cook Em! Why the hell did you buy Beanie Weenies dumb ass! What kind of pathetic weapon is that?! Owww! Someone got me in the eye! I'm getting outta here!"

Oh yeah, i just remembered what really appealed to me with the PnP. there ws no level or exp cap. I really like playing once your character does not get his ass kicked by every orc in town. I absolutely despise starting out and playing the first few levels. I would like to be able to play a series of games (5 -7 modules) and keep building my character. I always play Raistlin from dragonlance because I liked watching his character grow stronger in his quest for power and godhood. Seems like every time a series looks attractive something happens and they only put out a few titles and then you have to start looking again. Of course they can also put out a game 8 or 9 years after you have lost the last save game ie: wizardry. I am alos partial to controling a complete party that i have generated and from that aspect baldurs gate was different for me.

LadyWendy: HAHAHHAHA You are on a roll (hot dog?) tonight, sis! Ball Park, the only kind to buy! Love the gif, er, what is it? LOL!

CB - don't know what the hell it is! Just thought it matched the mentality of those fang-tatoo freaks I mentioned!! Hehe! La La La!!

Well, there coming outof the wood work now, its a good thing. Intersting point about all women so far getting started through their boyfriends.

Tobbin..your my hero

Hmmmm. Fang-Tattoo freaks. Hmmmm. I don't have fangs, but I do have a tattoo. Loved The Rocky Horror Picture Show too. Don't know why, as it was kinda cheesy and outdated when I saw it, but definitely loved it. I guess cause it was an audience participation kinda thing (some people performed the scenes line by line LIVE right up front just below the screen. I was a virgin before I went there, but they inaugurated me (you just gotta go to find out).

Ok, the post was asking about our first time. Well, I can actually say that my first time was also MY FIRST TIME. It was in the 11th grade. I was talking to some friends at school and someone said they were going to a D&D game later on in the afternoon. I asked them about it and they said it was a game of the mind. It's like a boardgame without the board they would say. Whatever you can think up, you can do. Well, I was pretty intrigued by it, but didn't ask anymore about it. Til I got into my history class that is. There was this girl that I liked a lot, but just didn't know how to talk to. Well, seeing as I had a new line of conversation, I asked her if she played D&D. She told me (while I was tying her shoes - I did that a lot - don't ask - God this is awkward) that her brother had played D&D with her, but he always killed her off. She said that she had played it enough with him that she thought she could run a game. I asked her if she wanted to play with me. She gave me this odd kinda look, but said, sure. So later that day, she comes over to my house and she gets these figurines out. I'm like, "What's that for?" She told me that you just have to use them, cause it helps when stuff happens. I'm like ok and we get set up. We roll up some characters and she like sits real close to me to show me some tables that she says I need to know. Well, while she's showing me the tables, she kinda bends over and I kinda can see down her shirt a bit. She musta rushed over to the house after school cause she's only wearing the shirt. Well, so it doesn't get too much here, we ended up playing a couple of turns in the game when she asks me if I like her and I say I do and we liked each other together (if you know what I mean). OMG (face turning really red here). I just think, "MAN, I ******* LOVE D&D." We played with each other (in more ways than one) up until I went into the Navy and we broke up. Never will forget that day. And I never will forget her.

HaHa LadyZekke, when I saw this post, my thoughts were the same. ^Ahem^ that, gentlemen, is for me to know....
As for the other matter (yes, i'm a goil, even though the name here is of my male PC character in BG2), when did i start playing D&D? College days (am I that old?). Didn't like it: boyfriend who would play all day saturday at a student club called the "Dungeon Masters Association". I told him, OK fine, just be done by 6 or 7 so we can go out. Grrrrrrr. I would get there around then and sometimes he'd not finish till 8 or so. So, my first impression of D&D was not a good one. (He and I lasted about 5 months)

Then later, my much more true love introduced me to his friend who was a DM, seemed like quite a nice guy and......some women played in his game, so I said, why not?
Went fine, I even enjoyed it a bit. He was much more of the role-play DM. So now that we're all in the computer age, we don't have DMs anymore, just our boyfriends or husbands who buy these silly computer games. And so mine did, and so I play it too.

Same here.
Boyfriend introduced my to his friends with whom he played D&D, they asked me to join the game... few months later he showed me Baldur's Gate 1, I got hooked even more than him and bought BG2 myself!
Now I'm the one who's the RPG freak and I have to walkthrough him through the game yay
Any ladies out there who found out about roleplaying all by theirselves???? It seems all of us needed a male friend to find out about it.

Yeah, I think I'm one of the few guys that learned it from a girl though. Other than that, I don't think I've ever known another girl teach a girl.

Er, all but one,here ladies and gents! The only male type personage associated with my coming of age in the BG2 etc world is a friend's husband who used to play D&D or I'd not have known what it was...but I never actually played with him or his group! (The module I'd gotten as a gift from another friend was one he'd already done looooong before so we never played).
(my boyfriend at the time was too 'refined' to do such vulgar things....he later dumped me for a Swiss finishing schooled airhead.... geee..I think I like the D&D crowd so much better...if only I'd know then, what I know now! LOL!!!)



Cloudbringer, making the exception to the rule,as usual...sigh...LOL!

Wow, that's another thing we have in common CB. I'm usually the exception to the rule too. LOL. BTW, now that I can actually see your sig, just wanted to let you know that I thought it was a cool one for you to go with. If I see a storm one, I'll give ya a holler though.

Let's do the time warp again.... I would like to propose a ..TOAST! to all the lovely ladies on the board, where were you when i started with the world of greyhawk back in '76? Got into chess club as a frosh, and started accumulating all the paraphenalia *(no, that kind of paraphenalia did not happen til college and the rocky horror pictureshow)* had a bunch of friends, we all ran dungeons of our own, had the dominoes and lead figurines so you could not slick the DM by saying you were going to backstab the zombie when your character was actually in the back of the pack and still had to work his way forward. I still have my AD&D player handbook, monster manual, DM guide, characters on paper that i started over 20 years ago, all the die, the killer-literally- dungeon i made up- on graph paper and everything! after i got out of high school and started college, drinking and seeking the close company of the opposite sex replaced D&D as my favorite activities, and the old bunch all went our separate ways. I just bought bg2 in january, and have gotten hooked all over again- and, I'll have you know i have actually pulled out some of my old books to figure out some of the monsters, spells, weapon damages and the like, 'cause i started with a {looks around furtively and puts finger to lips ssshhhh} a burned copy of the game, so i did not have the manual or anything else. i finally repented and did go buy the thing, but i still use my monster manual- I forgot that darn +3 or better and magical resistance on the iron golem in nalia's keep, but electical attacks slows them. I truly enjoy the game, but because it seems that others who play are few and far between, the interpersonal interactions is the component that i really miss the most, and the computer is a poor substitute. I guess that is why i find myself on this board as much as I play the game, if only there were a way to combine them, I would be in hog heaven!

I kept my manuals for years and threw them away just last year. Oh how i wished i had them for this game. I bitched on another post about the lack of tactical info the manual that came with the game provides with respect to various beasties. (so what if it was a run on sentence. just read it quicker.)

Wow Tobbin, what a story!! hehehe!! Love D&D style!! ps-having a tattoo is Ok, just keep away from the fangs! Kinda takes away from your overall facial looks, believe me!

Newbie - no doubt it would be one heck of a game if all of us on this board got together! We'd have to rent out a gymnasium or something!

Late again! I started playing when I was 19, back in the dark ages. I quickly fell in love with RPGs and became Chairman of the Wargaming Society at University. There were 3 ladies who were fanatical about D&D and they plus about 6 others, myself included, played regularly D&D, Runequest, Chivalry & Sorcery and Vilains & Vigilantes. Although my experience with the game didn't lead to my other first time, I did have a relationship with one of the ladies, but it wasn't serious. She later married one of the other players.
Sadly, it is a game which is associated with males, but ironically is very unsexist as males and females have the same abilities and opportunities. In fact the ladies improved the game, since they were frequently better roleplayers whereas some of the men were pure powergamers.

Raistlin there are a few other ladies, that I know of since you can't be sure by names alone, who are regulars but haven't responded yet. Bilquis is one.

PS Ladyzekke, your gif is a skipping sheep I think.

Stealth - I don't know what happened there. Let me try it again on a separate line:


But, hey, always up for a good skipping sheep too!!

I started playing D&D when I was about 13 or 14 (ie. a long time ago) with a bunch of (male) friends from school and I loved it from the start. We also used to play strategy stuff and large scale battle games, and I also got into painting the models for all of them. But I didn't get into computer RPGs until about 6 months ago, when I bought BG1 and was hooked. Before that I mostly played strategy games on my PC. I have learned from this board that I am not the only grown woman in the world to enjoy hacking trolls to bits, which is a bit of a relief!
I do have a life, and I am into other things, but when I need to unwind after work, BGII fits the bill. I don't know a single person who plays pen & paper RPGs which is a shame.
By the way, my boyfriend thinks that I am completely mad, as he is not into any kind of computer games at all - It was bad enough when I would disappear for a weekend to play Civilisation. I made the mistake of telling him about this board, and he gave me a very strange look!
Still, it takes all sorts, right?

I actually started playing PnP about a year ago. I moved in with a buddy from work who had all these boxes marked DnD. I asked about 'em and he let me look through them. you see, I have an uncle who got addicted to RPGs to the point of growing facial hair and wearing a flowing black robe on moonlit nights. Kinda weirded my folks out, so I wasn't allow to play any kind of fantasy type games. Heck I wasn't allowed to play Euchre in my house til I was 15. So I was a newcomer to it. But like my typical fashion, I jumped into it with both feet. We are just getting ready to start off a new 3rd edition party this coming weekend. I have 14 sets of dice (a new one for each time we played. You can NEVER have too many dice ) and many many many sheets of hex paper and notebook paper. It is not just a bunch of abstract rules. It is your mind vs that of your DM's, with the fun of getting a bunch of people together to share the experience. Our last party died trying to kill a Prince Devil. Oops. Nice try though. Had it down to a mere 12 hps. Damn. Oh well. I'll be back!

BK

I usually just lurk here but I had to let you have a groan.

A friend of mine from when I lived stateside who shall remain named Don had a friend called Gary. They gave me a set of typed rules in about June of 1973. We played all Summer and in 1974 it was published. Don went on to form a big company, I don't know what happened to gary,***** but my friends and I still meet for a fortnight each year to play D&D and AD&D, Tunnels and trolls and Swords and Sorcery, Also a couple of SCI FI games such as Paranoia. I guess that even when you grow up you still carry the baggage of your youth with you. Does anyone remember the Keep On The Borderlands. THe 1st official D&D game. If you have a copy lying around then pick it up and see how little the concept has changed over the last 28 years.

Scary

Actually I think the first dungeon module was G1 Steading of the Hill Giants, by your friends buddy named Gary.

I first started AD&D in early junior high, and (no joke here) three of us in
a gaming group in highschool had to repeat grade 11 for failure to show
up for enough class time to graduate, after highschool just didn't seem like
any of us could muster enough time to play. No one was around at the same time.

I miss those days, i like the crpg's but would gladly give them up for
the paper/pen days

First time I played was with my cousin he needed an extra player an I was 12 at the time. I was a Half-Elf warrior and I was with three other guys. He took him for ever to explain Thaco and armor class to me...

The first girl I saw intrested in Ad&d was a girl I dated abit, I just goten Bg1 and She loved the spells for some reason espcialy Fireball. I once had my two wizards in a fight in the xzavar village and she wanted to play so she blasted the little creatures in oblivion with the fireballs. Man did I ever laugh. She also like the Ravenloft Van Richten guides I had... If only she hadn't moved to Vancouver...

Now she's a vancouverite and it's a Canadian's duty to hate those freak of nature that get no snow and freak when they get it!!!