How involved do you get when playing RPG's? Is it just an escape and a chance to solve puzzles? Is it an avenue to release violent tendency's in a socially accepted manner? Do you construct characters and live thru their adventures?

Some people get very involved. And in a way yes to all your other questions. Forgive me for being brief, dinner is almost ready. But as a whole its just plain fun! Call it vicarious if you wish, theres some truth to that. Now its your turn. You must drink beer vicariously through me. :D

For me it's a game, a puzzle to be solved, that sort of thing. But every now and then, I just gotta kill a few goblins to relieve a spot of tension! LOL

It starts out as a game. Becomes an involement. Then turns into an ongoing battle between me and potions. Darn potions, never enough of em..

Thats why I buy them a case at a time ;)

How involved do you get when playing RPG's?
In an PnP RPG a lot, in a CRPG a little less.

Is it just an escape and a chance to solve puzzles?
Escape, yes. Puzzles, no, I hate them.

Is it an avenue to release violent tendency's in a socially accepted manner?
I have kick-boxing and rugby to release violent tendancy in a socially accepted manner [img]graemlins/viking.gif[/img]

Do you construct characters and live thru their adventures?
Depends on the game. For example Fallout 2 -> yes,... IWD 2 -> no

i get very attatched to certain characters, like my dark sun elf, my beastmaster on lord of the forums, and my half dragon, she's an idiot but i love her. i use my fighters as a way to get out aggression, i use the online stuff in these forums as a way to be creative, as i love to write creatively. sometimes they become a part of me, but not in the way ta i will start chopping ppl up with swords, but in the way a well written character in abook becomes a part of me.

I see RPGs as a good release. Yes, you can do some of those things you wish you could in real life. Getting up on the table at a business conference with sword in hand would be a lot of fun, but only for about 5 mins, and the resulting repurcussions would suck hard. In an RPG, however, it's just another day at the office. :D

I think a great RPG question is "do you play characters like you or different from you, and to what degree of difference?"

RPGs are great for puzzles, mental relaxation, etc, but the ability to *assume* the viewpoint and life of someone else always serves to educate me about both myself and about others. ;)

You raise an interesting point Timber Loftis. For me games are an escape. It is a way to forget problems and focus on things that have no consequences no matter what action I take. Want to kill the guard at the Adventurers Mart? Save/kill guard/oh that's what happens. I don't ever identify with the character I'm playing. Having said that I am now playing an evil character for the first time and am now having a hard time being consistent. Strangely enough I'm not bothered by being a thief and stealing people blind. No legal comments TL or I'll be forced to quote Heinlen on the night they killed all the lawyers.