Why do you do this?

[misterecho]

RPG gaming is a time consuming and logistical nightmare sometimes. Getting peoples availability matching, finding space and spending time away from our families in modern busy lifestyles can be a total nightmare.

Why do you go through all that to play these games when there are so many other distractions out there?

Why do you persist in this hobby?

[Evil Scientist]

Cheaper than cocaine.

[Onix]

Insanity? Dunno, that's the classic, why do you like RPGs question. Maybe the investment leads to the feeling of satisfaction. Many times you're finding out a friend's hidden nature or confirming thee one you already know. Maybe it's the power of making something true just because you say it is (and rules back you up making it more true). Flexibility over other types of games? Maybe reading and playing an RPG is no harder than figuring out how to hook up a video game system and then learn it's interface? Probably use different parts of your brain though.

[Evil Scientist]

Oh, that cocaine thing was meant to be a (lame) joke.

But.

In every (lame) joke there is a fragment of truth. RPGs are kinda addicting. You keep on playing even if you DON'T get the desired amount of satisfaction out of it - which happens from time to time, I had sessions like that (both as a player and as a master), when I felt that the overall feel was, like, at 3 when I wanted a 10... But decided to go on, because 1) you have to finish what you started, 2) "peer pressure" (you are probably doing it with friends)... maybe some more reasons. Holy smoke, the parallels with crack addiction are increasingly creepy!

[misterecho]

I enjoy the social aspect of it and the story and immersion, for me is unlike any other medium. Books, movies and games are fun but RPGs provide a different form of entertainment.

[maledictus]

Endless stories. As long as you want, the adventure will always continue.

And also for the LOLs.

[Rob Lang]

[Dominique]

It's like a video game, but more open-ended. Even sandbox video games are limited in what you can do, but in tabletop you can do ~anything~. Even if it is incredibly dumb. Which is what often happens in my gaming group...

Also, tabletop is so much better than the freeform online rpgs I used to do. So much better. Even though they were what started my love for multi-person storytelling, I am so glad I found tabletop.

[madunkieg]

Roleplaying games give me a chance to explore and try out new identities.

Yes, I know I'm not likely to wake up tomorrow and find myself as a vampire or somesuch, but that's not exactly what I'm talking about when I discuss identity. How would I react to suddenly having a lot of money? How would I react to suddenly finding myself living out of a cardboard box? How would I react to being a woman? What would I do if I threw aside all morals I could think of, and how does that compare to real villains? (That last question got answered with the words, "still surprisingly moral." There are some very amoral people in the real world.)

So why do I design games? The quest for new identities is a never-ending one. If I can't find a game which satisfies my desire to explore an identity, I make one.

[Chainsaw Aardvark]

If I had answered this question last month, the post would have been along the lines of "I don't" and a lamentation on how I have 45 games on my shelf that I never play and untold hundreds on my hard drive.

That is still true, but I'm not at the point of Fire Chief Beaddy in Fahrenheit 451's coda complaining about how his books had lost their meaning because I think each one still has hope. I like tales of what the future might bring, and hope to see something better. Each game is a widow to a different world, a different view of how things can or should be. Game are great the same way novels are, but with the improvement that you can actually take part.