Embedded Files
By: Katherine G. Huber
By: Katherine G. Huber
Dungeons and Dragons. The words call to mind mystery and adventure. Dark caves; flickering torches; and scaly, fire-breathing reptilian beasts. But what is the game behind the name, and why is it such a big deal?
Dungeons and Dragons is a popular role-playing game. Players create a character to act as, and they receive the opportunity to imagine, interact, and investigate as a narrator, known as the Dungeon Master (DM), handles the plot of the game. Usually, characters form groups (called campaigns) and work towards specific goals, be it to rescue a prince from a cult of orcs or to slay the monstrous chimera that threatens their village. These campaigns can go on for as long as the players choose.
Dungeons and Dragons was a hugely popular game in the 1970s and 1980s, but fell out of favor during the turn of the century. However, with the recent release of the game’s fifth edition, it seems to have reached new heights. To quote from a Washington Post article, “. . . in 2018, its developers, Wizards of the Coast, sold more units than ever before.”
It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact reason for D & D’s high interest rating. There are several important qualities of the game, including its imaginative nature, magical components, and the ability to choose who you want to be. It provides you with the opportunity to create your own character and grow with them as you navigate the world of Dungeons and Dragons.
Sources:
Alimurung, Gendi. “How Dungeons and Dragons Somehow Became More Popular Than Ever.” The Washington Post, April 18, 2019, www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/how-dungeons-and-dragons-somehow-became-more-popular-than-ever/2019/04/18/fc226f56-5f8f-11e9-9412-daf3d2e67c6d_story.html. Accessed April 14, 2021.
Culver, Jordan. “Dungeons & Dragons Had Fallen on 'Troubled Times.' The Role-Playing Game's Fifth Edition Changed Everything.” USA Today, January 14, 2020, www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2020/01/14/dungeons-dragons-role-playing-game-popular-again-why/4427635002/. Accessed April 14, 2021.
“D & D Monster Manual.” Wizards of the Coast, 2014, pp. 39. Accessed April 14, 2021.
Alimurung, Gendi. “How Dungeons and Dragons Somehow Became More Popular Than Ever.” The Washington Post, April 18, 2019, www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/how-dungeons-and-dragons-somehow-became-more-popular-than-ever/2019/04/18/fc226f56-5f8f-11e9-9412-daf3d2e67c6d_story.html. Accessed April 14, 2021.
Culver, Jordan. “Dungeons & Dragons Had Fallen on 'Troubled Times.' The Role-Playing Game's Fifth Edition Changed Everything.” USA Today, January 14, 2020, www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2020/01/14/dungeons-dragons-role-playing-game-popular-again-why/4427635002/. Accessed April 14, 2021.
“D & D Monster Manual.” Wizards of the Coast, 2014, pp. 39. Accessed April 14, 2021.
Page updated
Report abuse