I want to get into TTRPGs (Cyberpunk 2020, DnD,etc.), but I’m completely clueless as how to navigate the topic.

  • I know I have to find a group of people to play with

  • I don’t have any minis, dice, free table for playing…, would I need to get anything of that? Could Google dices do the trick?

  • How is it played? What is the cycle of a one-shot/adventure/campaign? How does the role-playing happen, taking turns between DM and players? Do the players tell an action their character is doing and the DM says wether it’s allowed, wether they have to roll dice, or tells them what happens next?

  • BougieBirdie
    12·
    3 days ago

    TTRPGs are quite diverse, but generally speaking they follow a similar formula. Traditionally, play takes place around a table, but even that’s negotiable. Many people play exclusively online these days.

    Depending on the system you choose to play, accessories such as minis and battlemats could be optional. However, if you favour a tactical game and want to engage with all the combat rules, they do become more important.

    There’s always alternatives though. I don’t keep minis for all my creatures - as a DM, who could afford to? Personally I use paper tokens because they’re easy to whip up and doodle on. Many people use coins, legos, or colored blocks. Anything can stand as a proxy of it’s the right size. There are tales of people who use candy so players can eat what they kill.

    Another option, particularly if you go for the online option, is to use a Virtual Tabeletop (VTT). This is software that simulates your table, battlemat, minis, and generally facilitates play. I find them complicated and kind of fiddly, but a lot of people like them.

    At the end of the day, you don’t need all that. There’s a concept of play called the Theater of the Mind where players use their shared imagination instead of any accessories. It’s easier when there aren’t a lot of moving parts to keep track of, but if you prefer a narratively focused game then it’s a good way to play.

    As far as how to play the game, that’s up to the individual system. However generally speaking you play by having a conversation. The DM describes a situation and then asks “What do you do?” Players then describe their actions. Turn-taking can be more or less rigid depending on the situation. In D&D in particular, turns become much more formal during combat where players take turns in Initiative Order.

    Generally speaking, near the start of the rule book (if you have one) there will be an Example of Play. This is usually styled as a transcript of a conversation between players. I always thought those were neat, and they dona pretty good job of showing how a game might play

    Getting into the hobby can be intimidating because there are a lot of rules in certain systems, and it can be hard to keep track of them all.

    Almost all systems include (or should include) Rule Zero, or Have Fun - the most important rule of all.

    If you’re running the game then all rules are optional. As long as everyone is having fun then you can play however you want.

    Anyway, I ramble a lot, but I’ve been playing these games for a long time. You’re in for a fun new hobby, good luck getting your group together!