thebackupfreak said:
This article was really interesting, and it was (for want of a better, less wet phrase) heartwarming to see a few friends being introduced to the game. The only experience I've had of DnD is the stripped down version in Neverwinter Nights, but I've always wanted to have a go at in a proper setting. Can anyone recommend a way to get into the hobby?
There are a lot of ways to do this, but here are three that work pretty well.
Way 1 - Go to a local hobby shop (or even a Barnes and Noble) to pick up some base books and get a couple of friends willing to put in the time it takes for you (and them) to get used to the concept. This requires a lot of trial and error, but it leads to some of the best gaming moments you'll have because they are so random.
Way 2 - Your local PnP gaming store sometimes will have groups running pickup games on weekends. In Atlanta we had a great place called the War Room that was notorious for this. The good is that people tend to be willing to help out newbies. The bad is that you are usually getting a dungeon crawling experience that is very stat and combat based. A few good moments, but nothing that will really stand out once you get your footing.
Way 3 - Find somebody older, in my case it was my friend's older brother when he came home from Tech on the weekends, to GM and teach the rest of you how to play. Having them handle most of the mechanic calls early on will help you learn how to actually RP first. This is pretty much in line with the original story here. The GM usually has their own book collection as well, so this tends to save a bit of money in the short run.
D&D is a good "first system". Eventually you'll move on to something more suited to your tastes.
Edit: Oh, and don't let a bad first experience spoil things for you. The quality of the experience is a direct result of the quality of the people involved. It may take a few tries, but eventually you'll find a group of people who click well together.