Cyprus-Forum.com

[johnnyp]

Hello to everyone. This forum, as others have noticed, is of great value and a great resource of answers to many questions. I am a new member to the forum and a new resident of Cyprus coming from Greece. I've been reading on topics about salaries, jobs, cars, renting and buying houses and it's been very helpful.
My question is for something entirely different though…
Are there any groups involved with Role Playing Games and/or Magic: The Gathering here in Cyprus? It would be great if there are any people involved or interested!

[Sotos]

There are many into RPG games. Online and at internet cafes and sometimes LAN parties.

[johnnyp]

Thanx for replying Sotos. I was getting desperate, seeing no replies.
What you say is true.. But I am refering to RPG and MtG as played in real life with players gathering and playing around a table Sorry it's my mistake I didn't clarify that.
Back at Greece there are many players for both games mentioned and it would be great if I could find such groups here in Cyprus. Searching among newsgroups and forums, I only found posts dated back to '96 and '99 regarding the two games here in Cyprus - nothing current.

[Gordon]

What are these games? They sound like they might be fun and if you could explain them to the uninitiated, it might generate interest.

[johnnyp]

Both games can be found among others here
http://www.wizards.com/

I can't get into details about the games but a short description for each could be:

Magic the Gathering is a game with collectible cards. You buy or trade cards building your deck. Each card has special abilities and you can combine abilities and form strategies in order to win your opponent/s. The game is addictive. However you need to spend money in order to build a decent deck. New cards are being released every three months, which you can ignore if you play for fun or pursuit if you want more abilities to choose from or you're into tournaments.

Dungeons and Dragons is a Role Playing Game like the ones you get on your pc or the internet. Then pen and paper form of dungeons and dragons require only a group of players, knowledge of the rules some dices and a GM or DM (Game Master- Dungeon Master). The person being the DM prepares ahead of the meeting, an "adventure", a tale with plot and precalculated ways to evolve based on the reactions and the decisions of the players. During the meeting what's going on is like a live fantasy movie. Players (the heroes of the adventure) play their roles in the story tha is being directed by the dm.
In the game players can go kill monsters search for treasures in dangerous dungeons or anything else they can think of. The DM 'role plays' the bad guys, give descriptions and disrections to players and generally is the ruler of them all

for example during a meeting this dialog could happen:

DM: - You are walking almost for 5 hours down the narrow path leading deeper into the forest. You're feeling like someone is watching you...

DM: - Tell me the order you are marching..

Player1 (Thief) - I, the great rogue Znibl, am as usual ahead of the rest searching for traps of anything out of the ordinary...

Player2 (Mage) - I am at the middle walking behind my good friend Aragorn

Player3(Ranger) - I am with my friend the old mage

Player4(Fighter) - I am last watching our backs

DM: - Znibl roll a 20 sided dice

Znible rolls a 19 (good thing- if roll was 13 or less possibly Znibl wouldn't have see anything but that's not the case so the DM tells him:)

DM: - Znibl, with your hightened senses you manage to discern a shadow moving to your right! What do you do?

Player1 - I warn the others: Hey guys guard yourselves, we might have company!!

DM: - The minute you shout you see an arrow passing over your shoulder.

DM: - Two orcs apear from nowhere! Guys roll to see who plays first.

...the fight begins..
etc
etc

(..that was the short description??? :p )

[Sotos]

But I am refering to RPG and MtG as played in real life with players gathering and playing around a table

I forgot that non computer games existed! But from what it seems it would be cheaper to buy a computer game than play the real life one!

[johnnyp]

It's a lot cheaper since you don't have to buy cards or rulebooks, and more fast paced since you don't have to wait the day that everyone can attend to the meetong .
It's fun though and helps your social life too :p

Of course, another BIG plus for the dnd game is that the computer game allows for specific and limited actions while the real thing allows anything you can think of .
Just imagine: a group of adventurers hunting down a thief resisting arrest. When finally we caught him, one of the players, angered by the fact we couldn't catch him sooner, decides to pee on him! The DM allowed him this action and rolled a dice smilling at the player...and continued:
DM: -Suddenly with a lightning fast move the criminal retrieves his hidden dagger and manages to cut your -beep- !!. You re in such pain with blood spilling everywhere!

...something like this could never happen in a computer game

[Gordon]

Thank god for that!