Can anyone tell me if this game is "appropriate" for a 14 year old?
I've heard horror stories but not sure what it's all about.
Anything you can tell me would be appreciated.
Greg

This is perfectly appropriate for any age. I played it as a kid. A couple years ago I organized and DMed a game for my kids who wanted to know what it was. At the time they were 6/12/14yo.

It's just a game to play with your imagination. Nothing nefarious. The horror stories are just the US religious extremist who heard that there were "daemons in the game", and that "you can play evil", and they went berserk for no good reason, as usual.

Heck, go and join the 14yo for a game, you may enjoy it.

I will. Thanks!
It wasn't religious types that had complained about it. It was more like typical teenage parents who said it brought "goth" into their childs life and the kids started the games at midnight and they never saw the kids anymore.

I'd recommend getting them a Ouiji board, and a copy of Grand Theft Auto as well.....[sarcasm]

I played it a bit in college.

It's not a "game" the the traditional sense, like Monopoly or Scrabble. It's role playing in the extreme, and that's what's got the religious fundies in a snit. You can play an evil character. You can also play religious characters (monks) who can kill with their bare hands.

It also has no definite end - you can explore the "dungeon" as long as you want - or until your character is killed. Sessions can last for hours or days, depending on the stamina of the players.

It's much more the jrr tolkien than "goth" (as goth implies a counter culture music/dress/lifestyle). if you let them watch the recent "fellowship of the rings" movies and they survived... they should be fine.

like any other hobby, it can be "addictive" if you get super into it.. and the games can go long into the night (its a role playing adventure game that relies heavily on imagination) and you can get caught up in games. but so can you on monopoly.

it got a real bad name in the 80's when kids were playing the game, going in the basement, dawning chainmail and acting out all the battles they just "played out" upstairs with the dice and manuals.

and I thought the Trekkies were goofy!

I thought WOW was the new version of D&D online... Never played either, but had a co-worker who lived for that stuff. Sold his car to buy a tweaked out computer (liquid cooled, multi-monitor, etc. etc.) and pretty much lived in his room.

Don't know what happened to him, but he may have stepped outside and dissolved in the sunshine...

Bullswan,
In the eighties my brother got into it heavily with his friends. Not sure about the newer video stuff. The problem with "fantasy" games are that they can get addictive. It elevated his confidence level the more he played. I wouldn't worry about it.
Very similiar to the effects of to much sailing.

J.P.

but back then everyone got together (in person) and played those games, so in some respects there was actual social engagement.

Today, I believe it's just one person and a computer terminal...