I was a very active role-player for most of my life. Though I still hold a strong love of the game(s), I find that my adult life it far too limited in time to engage in a full-scale war against evil army of ogres. Opinions of roleplaying games vary from the accusations of the satanic destroyer of our youth to vivid worlds of imagination, I have found great benefits bestowed to me from my gaming days.
My first, and overall favorite, of all roleplaying games was the ever popular Dungeons and Dragons. I hold a great fascination with fantasy settings, worlds full of dragons, elves, and magic. Where modern day cell phones, guns, and cars can't tread. Survival and supremacy are judged by the skill with a sword, knowledge of the arcane, or the shadowed arrow of an assassin. Dungeons and Dragons captured my heart and soul.
Where I lived as a young teen were a small group of kids my own age, or close, that played on a regular basis. Being schoolmates, I was subject to day after day of verbal discussion concerning the latest adventures on the bus ride to and from school. On the weekends when school was out, they would gather at one of their houses to act out their scenarios. Their gaming sessions would carry them throughout the weekend.
I had asked to play numerous times, and was either immediately turned down, or ignored. Finally, after exhausting all my humbleness, I was granted access to play. I was handed about ten books, called manuals, and told to read them front to back. Only then, would I be allowed to play. Their reasoning was that; if I was willing to read that entire stack, I showed enough dedication to join their group. It was a very undesirable way to learn the game, and I almost threw in the towel, but I read every word. Years later, I was a master of the game, creating my own adventures, and hosting my own gaming sessions.
Now, I realize to what benefit(s) it was to me. First and foremost was reading. Roleplaying kept you reading, no matter if you were a player or the all powerful Dungeon Master. There were the modules, or adventures, that had to be read. The manuals were read over and over, and always referred to in between readings. If you created your own adventures, there was a research for ideas or ways to make your ideas work. There is little that can increase knowledge, and expand the mind, than reading. In the age of televisions, computers, and video games, reading is in danger of becoming a lost art.
Roleplaying games were always considered "fiction", and in most senses they were; however, there was a good bit of actual facts imbedded in the game. There was one manual called "Deities and Demi-gods" which listed all the gods and religious figures in the game. Though there was little realism to the elven gods, like Corellian Loreithian; there were numerous listings straight out of our own history's mythology. Most all of the gods in Greek, Norse, and other cultures were included in the game. This was of benefit in my own history classes, and also in the Mythology class I attended in high school. I was almost ready for the test on the first day. I also would like to mention here that I aced all history tests based on the medieval period.
Roleplaying expanded the mind, the imagination. In reality, when one views a character, whether a warrior, thief, or wizard, all that they see is just a piece of paper with words and number written on it. Try telling this to the gamer who plays that character. When you do, be prepared to be met with resistance ranging from an unpleasant smirk, to a verbal assault that could make sailors flee the building. To the gamer, that character is a six foot tall giant of a man, wielding a sword that would exceed the lift capacity of most cranes. He stands firm on a hilltop alone while facing an angry horde of goblins.
Everything in the game is mental. When your character enters a room, it is verbally described to the player. When your character finds treasure, it is verbally described. The battle your warrior is engaged in with two demons from the lower planes of who knows where, is described. All of this is given to the player in mere words that form a mental picture. When you first start playing, it seems a little odd, and hard to grasp. After a little time behind the dice, you can vividly imagine the city in the most minute detail. This imagination carries on with you long after you leave the small soda and chip-stacked table. I am currently attempting my first fantasy novel, which without a decent imagination, I would have no chance.
Finally, I would like to add that the benefit of communication is of great benefit. Whether it is due to all the reading, or the countless hours of sitting around a table describing actions and settings, a players communication skills are benefited from roleplaying. Although Dungeons and Dragons was my favorite game, I moved on to others in a variety of genres, from space to spies. I am comfortable conversing with others on any of these issues and topics, and find my vocabulary competitive with the most educated of individuals.
I want to end this by stating that I do not believe this to be an all-inclusive list of benefits one can gain from roleplaying games. The complete list would take up a full novel in itself. This is just some samples from my own testament of what I have gained from my time as a role-player.