D&D 40th Anniversary Blog Hop Challenge Post 26 -- Any regrets about D&D?

D&D ... if I had it to do all over again what would I do anything differently when I first started gaming?

I think I have no regrets at all about my early experiences with D&D.  In fact I think I was blessed with a near optimal entry into the hobby for so many reasons.  First it was the literal "golden age" of D&D, second it was the analog age.  I had no distractions of technology calling me away to spend hours on YouTube or on the latest Call of Duty title.  Third I had a great version of the game to start into D&D with, basic red box D&D.  I can't imagine being a ten year old kid today and just starting D&D for so many reasons I do not see how children could possibly pull off D&D the way we were able to as kids in the 1980s.

We approached the game with a sense of adventure, wonder and even a little awe.  We took it seriously, yet we let it be fun.  When we came together to game, we did so with the spirit of having a good time.  Our DM was serious and applied the rules, but he didn't let that get in the way of that spirit of adventure, or our collective fun.  Those are very simple things, but I cannot tell you how many times I've been in a game where those things just didn't materialize or weren't respected from the beginning.

So honestly I can say I have nothing I'd do differently when I first started gaming.  I have plenty of regrets with how we approached things in various games over the past five or six years, but nothing from my early years.  I think in general the biggest faux pas one can make with D&D or really any game is to take it too seriously.  I also think that when one plays and RPG they need to have a giving attitude.  By that I mean be you a DM or a player you are part of a shared, collective experience.  You are responsible for adding to the fun, for helping breath life into the character and world in which you are playing.  Respect your DM, respect your fellow player, respect the game and respect yourself and above all don't forget to have fun!  All simple fortune cooking kind of advice, but to me that is what it all boils down to.

Never lose your sense of wonder and adventure ... if you can hang onto that ... not just in gaming, but in life, I believe you will have a much better time of it all :)

Here is a great little video that sums it all up I think ...