One option for dealing with large groups is to split the DM role. You could have one person handle rule issues, being in charge of making rulings when necessary, answering questions about the rules, and helping slow players take their turns in combat. Another person would handle the other DM roles, like controlling the NPCs, world building, and creating challenges for the players.

I don't play D&D myself, but I like to discuss it. Of course, that means I enjoy things like the pun-pun build that are not likely to show up in a serious game. (For those unaware, pun-pun is a 3.5e character build that abuses a shapechange effect to gain access to an ability that was never meant for player use; it allows granting of arbitrary abilities, breaking the entire game apart. I consider it to be the table top equivalent of arbitrary code execution.)

Wow this thread has brought back a lot of memories.

Funny that fortune brought up Hero Quest, that's what got me into D&D back in the day. I used to DM 2nd edition AD&D as a kid, but haven't played in about a decade and a half. It ws great fun, but too much of a time commitment for me by the time university and real life/work happened.

We did Drangonlance mostly, until I got sick of DMing someone else's world and made my own. We generally had from 2 to 4 people and dozens of the miniatures.

I loved using the miniatures too, looking back on it we were pretty lucky that my brother had some talent. He's still painting them, he has hundreds of them now. Here's a Tarrasque he did for me a few years back.

I still have the dice, but that's about it... I think I'm going to have to go stare at them for a bit...

I played and GM'ed the 2nd edition as a teenager (late 1970s and early 80s) and still have a fair number of the manuals. (Some of them might even be worth some money.) My group split up when we all went off to college, which was right around the time I discovered computer RPGs.

I haven't played a live game since. Honestly don't miss it that much, especially the not having to rebuy all the manuals part. I wouldn't even have the time to invest in regular roleplaying sessions these days; heck, I can barely manage to spare enough (ha!) for the one bowling league I'm in.

But like dtgreene, I'm always up for talking strategy or sharing jokes and memes. For example, here's the TL;DR version of everything I've just said:

I used to be an adventurer like you, but then Life handed me an arrow to the knee.

I never was in a game that used miniatures, not one group I ever played with used them. I guess it's because they're expensive and even back in the day when tabletop RPGs were a bigger deal in Poland (they're pretty much dead now) there were not many game stores and stuff like that was extra hard to come by.

On one hand it's a pity, since those miniatures can be really damn cool. On the other, I guess it did save us an awful lot of money :D

AD&D 2nd edition was the best in my opinion. I have all the Manuals includinkg ALL the DARK SUN accessories. I don't play with anyone anymore. I use the books for ideas when making new scenarios for WARLORDS III DLR

The miniatures themselves are not too bad price wise if you buy them bulk from Reaper ( http://www.reapermini.com/ ) You can get a ton of the plastic ones for extremely cheap if you get in on their Kickstarters too. The biggest issue I'd see is painting them. If you don't know someone who does it you might as well forget it.

My brother has been approached by several Warhammer 40k people trying to get him to paint their armies... He pretty much just laughs them off. If you try to pay someone to paint them it'd be at least 20 times the cost of the miniature for a quick job to make it worth their time. It just takes too much time to paint them.

And like you said, they're something that is nice to have, but you certainly don't need them to play.

Edit: attempting to fix link.

I had the opportunity to obtain some old D&D books a few years ago and looked it up. It turns out the boxed sets are the only things worth money; loose books haven't even kept up with inflation.

What a lovely surprise to see so many fellow D&Ders here.

Plus one here in Japan. Although about 2 and some hours away by shinkansen but cool to be on here in GOG as well.

I was really bad in playing. In that I mean I could easily go all night and day if the adventure plus DM was good. My wife would rightfully give me an earful when I returned back home. Ah the golden days of youth. But boy do I miss playing. Would any of you be interested in doing email playing? I haven't had the proper time to actually try 5E. Even though I had the beta of it. I teach here in Japan so not so much free time I have to much about on the new core rules. But spring break is coming up soon.

I still have my original character I started out with from the days of T&T to D&D to AD&D.

I'm a Ranger. I do have some Barbarians and a Cleric.

That kinda thing takes a hell of a great DM. I myself when I DM feel rather spent after more than 5-6 hours. Maybe it's because my players tend to do a lot unexpected stuff, and while I'm pretty good at improvising and I even like it, it's hard to be sharp and quick for so long, while still trying to tie everything together.

I only ever pulled very few all nighters as a player (and those were really not my favourite sessions) and none as a DM. Though I have this plan, that will probably never actually happen, to rent a house somewhere in the mountains with my friends for a weekend of RPGs, hiking and maybe watching some fantasy classics like Hawk the Slayer :D

D&D is one of those games that I've always wanted to play but never had the right company for it. I've read up on rules, lore and how stuff works just for fun - the game seems amazing.

The Infinity Engine games will have to do for now.

I wish I could have the honor of trying a short dungeon crawl with you as a DM. I do promise that I wouldn't high-jack all night to play. My wife would make sure I wouldn't do so. Hehe
Hahaha

I don't know should I laugh or smack you hard at this point, bro.

sprry. I get stupid sometimes. :P I'll try to be more respectful because while I don't play D&D myself, I have a great deal of love for the game and the community.

Keep the fun flowing and welcome to the realm of D&D

Hmmm, i got 3.5, Pathfinder, Neverwhen, and Herosystem 5&6... As for location and possibly playing, not sure. the biggest problem seems to be finding a group with the same time(s) as you.