I actually shudder at the thought of playing D&D. The idea that I have to make up a story as I go along and am dependant on what the DM thinks about my decisions, just does not appeal to me.
Considering I have never played D&D, I could very well be completely off the mark, however there is nothing that was said in the article that changed my mind, but (and this is important) this is a purely personal view of what I like to play.
I can see the appeal to other people and salute a game (and genre) that brings people together and away from being glued to a screen or computer.
Resurrected my old account just to reply to this. I just started playing 9 months ago or so. I was sceptical as I've always felt poor at acting/drama.
Turns out, it's really fun.
You're not making a story alone. You're in a group with 2-5 other 'heroes' and a DM. You're all making the story together and it's easy to go along with the flow until you think of something that pops into your head and you can then do whatever it is you want to.
In my experience, good DMs aren't going to judge you for what you do or don't do.
For me, D&D is way more lighthearted than I thought it would be. I guess this depends on the group, but, I've now bounced around a few and it seems to be a common thread. It sounds ridiculous, but, last night the group I DM'd 'invented' brunch before taking on a quest to save a girl that had been abducted by goblins (but, not before finishing their brunch and making a little picnic for themselves).
It's surprisingly easy to try D&D - there are often people running 'one shots'. These are small stories designed to start and end in a few hours so that you get a feel for it without needing to invest a huge amount of time.
These days you can actually go look at examples of various D&D (and other RP) games being played, to see if it really matches up with your expectations. Check a couple out on Twitch and YouTube. (I'm a fan of Critical Role, if you need a search term to start, but there are a LOT of different RPGs.)
If RPGs turn out to not be your cup of tea, search for Wil Wheaton Tabletop on YouTube, where he plays various tabletop games with guests. There are a lot of pick-up tabletop games at comic book stores and the like if you find a game or games to your fancy.
It’s certainly not for everyone, but I honestly don’t think it’s possible to know for sure who it’s for and who it isn’t without them actually trying it. The reality of it can be very different to how people imagine it.
Of course a huge amount also depends on who you play with and whether their style of play works with your personality.
Considering I have never played D&D, I could very well be completely off the mark, however there is nothing that was said in the article that changed my mind, but (and this is important) this is a purely personal view of what I like to play.
I can see the appeal to other people and salute a game (and genre) that brings people together and away from being glued to a screen or computer.