I previously mentioned how pen-and-paper role-playing games can boost your creativity. While this basic premise has not changed, social distancing changes the way we live our lives right now; so sitting around a table and rolling dice is out of the question. However, this may be an opportune time to try out these kinds of games safely from your own home, even if you have never played one before. Among the suggestions of the World Health Organization is to “listen to music, read a book or [to] play a game.” Time to start following instructions.
At the moment the platform Roll20, a popular service providing users with a platform to play different kinds of pen-and-paper role-playing games remotely, offers some of its features for free (then there’s more & even more).
If you are sitting at home, alone, you could try convincing a few friends to give this a shot. Among the list of items that you can find for free if you follow the link to Roll20, you will find the “D&D 5e: The Master’s Vault” which includes a pdf explaining everything you need to know to start your first campaign that is not already explained in the wiki.
It may seem a little overwhelming, if this is your first encounter with pen-and-paper rpgs, so if you would prefer to join other players instead of becoming the game master yourself, you can look for a group you can join online.
There are of course other ways to give this a shot, if you do not want to try roll20. You can use any voice over ip service of your choice (discord , teamspeak, skype , zoom etc.), find a rule book and start creating fantastic worlds with loved ones.
During this pandemic, social games are an ideal way to keep you both entertained and also allow you to talk to your friends; the scenarios you can create together using your creativity are endless.
Besides these free pen-and-paper rpgs, there are other options like the Tabletop Simulator that allow you to play apart together . As the name suggests, this is just a virtual tabletop and users provide all kinds of board games in a workshop, which can then be played remotely.
Try to make the most of this difficult time, stay in touch with others, and what better way is there to keep speaking English than to do it in a relaxed setting?
