4

Top 5 Reasons Why Role-Playing Games Are Better Than Video Games

I thought I would start off this blog by providing you with some solid content that you can use and learn from. Today, I'm going to share with you what I feel are the top 5 reasons the role-playing games are better than video games. Now, this post will serve as more of an overview of the 5 reasons, but each week I will go into much more detail as to why I believe these to be true. Alright, now that the disclaimer is finished with, let's begin. Top 5 Reasons Why Role-Playing Games Are Better Than Video Games Reason 1: Role-playing games teach teamwork and social interaction skills. Teamwork is definitely a learned skill. And if today's workplace full of back-stabbers and those who are merely asking, "what's in it for me?" is any indication - a skill that is greatly lacking. Also, anyone else noticing how more and more people would rather spend 6 - 8 hours a night on the computer and/or online? Whether to play games, chat with friends, or any of the million other things people do on their electronics - less time is being spent with real people inside our real world. Reason 2: Role-playing games develop the participant's imagination. Without imagination, the human race would not be able to survive. Everyday there is something new invented to fulfill a new need of the population - and all these inventions first start as a thought. Now I am not saying that there are any scientific studies (that I know of) that prove that a player or game master will become a genius just by participating in role-playing games, but I do know for a fact that you cannot play the game without a very active and willing imagination. Besides, just like any other muscle in our bodies, the more we use the brain, the bigger and better it gets! Reason 3: Role-playing games show how one is in control of their own destiny through their own choices and actions. Accepting responsibility for one's actions and taking the consequences for any actions one has taken is the sign of a man or woman who is to become very successful - just read any self-help business book to see this for yourself. -- For a role-player, being in control of their character, making decisions that could quite literally decide the character's fate, and then accepting the consequences of their actions by the role of the dice - there is no better way I know of learning in such a fun and exciting way to be responsible and how to take proper risks. Reason 4: Role-playing games encourage the participant to express themselves creatively. One sin that we as a planet have bestowed on one another is the act of 'group-think'. What I mean by this is that we tell our children, all the way up through adulthood, that they must think a certain way - dress a certain way - speak a certain way - and do things a certain way. We take any shred of individuality left in a person and help them fit in society, just like everyone else. Luckily for some out there, role-playing games have created an outlet where role-players are free to express themselves through a character any way that they wish. This freedom can, and in many cases has, overflowed into other aspects of their lives, helping them to truly be themselves. Reason 5: Role-playing games will make the person think outside of the box. Finally, we end with something I am quite familiar with. In life, we are often presented with a challenge that traditionally is taken care of in one certain way - but who says that this way is always and forevermore the best way there is to proceed? If we don't allow ourselves to use both sides of our brains - left for logic and right for creativity - then how are we ever to grow and evolve? Without outside-the-box thinkers, we would never have the telephone, airplanes or even light-bulbs! With role-playing games, the game master's creativity can lead the players into many a situation that can appear utterly impossible to conquer, but with a little creative out-of-the-box thinking, the group can complete their quest and harvest the rewards! ------------------------------------------------------- Well, there you have it - the five reasons I personally believe role-playing games are superior to today's video games. Please tune in next week when I go into more detail on each of these, and feel free to leave a comment on what you read today. Thank you!