| #1darvcusMay 25, 2010 13:45:38 | This is my story of how I started playing D&D with my children, ages 7 and 10.
Part 1: Making Plans - May 12, 2010
Background
Ok, so here is how it started.
I listen to podcasts driving to and from work, and on longer work trips around the state. In my periodic search for something new, I came across a podcast called Critical Hit. This a is group of 5 guys who record themselves playing Dungeons & Dragons, or D&D as it is commonly called. I have since learned that there are quite a few podcasts available on iTunes in which people have recorded themselves playing D&D.
It was fortunate that I found Critical Hit first, however, because it is the best of its genre. Most of the D&D podcasts are very poor, with the primary problems being: (1) terrible audio quality and (2) no effort by the players to adjust their play and behaviors for a listening podcast audience. Most of the D&D podcasts consist of someone placing a cheapie microphone somewhere on or in the vicinity of the gaming table and pressing record. As a result, you can’t hear all of the discussion, and you hear too much of shuffling papers, players habitually and constantly rolling dice, some guy with a hacking cough sitting closest to the mic, and all manner of other noises and distractions. I’ve even heard one with the TV on in the background, making listening to the affair completely impossible.
In the case of Critical Hit, however, this is a group of gents who, I learned in time, have experience recording a regular weekly podcast called Major Spoilers. The Major Spoilers podcast, fortuitously, is all about comic books and comic collecting. As luck would have it, I too have been a comic book collector since age 14 or so. But more on that some other time.
As a result of their Major Spoilers experience, they have done one crucial thing on Critical Hit that the other D&D podcasts have not – they each have their own separate microphone clipped to their person, allowing for fantastic audio quality (at least “fantastic” relative to other D&D podcasts). They apparently use pricy mics of high quality, adding to the listening experience.
They have also approached the game as a teaching experience for the audience. They play assuming that their audience does not play D&D. The moderator, Steven, provides an intro and extro for each podcast, proving continuity to the story line. Steven will also frequently devote part or all of some podcasts explaining the game mechanics, what they are doing, why they are doing it, and generally how the game is played.
The remainder of the time is simply the group playing game. The Game Master (GM), Rodrigo, is an excellent GM, who knows the game rules inside and out, always comes prepared and has crafted a sprawling and elaborate story-line for the adventurers and audience to enjoy. They story is seemingly never-ending, and they are already up to 40+ podcasts, each of which lasts between 30 and 120 minutes.
I listened to this podcast series constantly during our Spring break trip to Arizona in March. During flights, in the evening after the kids were in bed, and in the morning before everybody was up and around, I was able to squeeze in many hours of the podcast. I am now a regular listener, and I am completely hooked.
I used to play D&D off and on back in high school and a bit in college. My D&D career, such as it was, had three phases: (1) during long, hot Summer days and evenings in the basement of my friend Matt, roughly between 8th and 11th grades; (2) during Christmas breaks from school with Matt and my brother Bob in high school and a bit into college; and (3) with Matt, Bob, my friend Jay, and Jeff whom I met through Jay, for a few Christmas break sessions in the Bishop’s mansion in Davenport. I don’t recall playing during any school year, probably because I was too busy with school and debate.
So, with my interest in the latest version of D&D piqued by Critical Hit, back in April I bought the three core books that are necessary to understand and play the game: The Players Handbook, The Dungeon Masters Guide, and the Monster Manual. They are now on the 4th edition of the game, and I supposed I played under the 1st edition, as I used the original rulebooks that were written for D&D.
The rules have changed a lot since I played about two decades back. Actually, the best description would be “refined” – the game has all of the original elements, but many of the game-play mechanics have been fleshed out and expanded. A lot of the stuff that Matt and I used to make up now has full rule-sets that govern play.
The Kids Show Interest
My son and daughter, Roman and Amelia, saw these books laying around. They seemed interested in the pictures on the cover, and the prominently-displayed game title, and started asking questions about the game. “How do you play?” “What do you do?” “Is it fun?” I gave them general answers, and this seemed to heighten their interest.
This led me to seek out a few D&D related bulletin boards on the internet where parents discussed playing D&D with their kids. My primary questions were whether Roman and Amelia would be old enough to play, and do kids enjoy the game? The resounding answers that I found on-line were Yes and Yes. Some parents have introduced a very simplified version of D&D with kids as young as 5 and 6 years old.
As a result, I started putting together a D&D game in which I would serve as the GM and the kids would be the players. This blog is devoted to my on-going experience of playing D&D with my kids. |