One thing that blows my mind is how tabletop RPGs appeared roughly at the same time as computers and modern video games but it's pure coincidence
Why didn't tabletop RPGs appear sooner? All you need, in theory, is a randomizer and some paper and writing utensils.
@cwebber Because wargames were scratching the itch of the era. Understand that we were also coming out of WWII and both wargames and computers were going through a transformational period.
@craigmaloney @cwebber Wait, wargames way predate WWII, though. H. G. Wells was a gamer, he made and played Little Wars.
IIRC, Gygax originally planned D&D as a duel between the players and the DM but people kept treating it as story-telling.
It might be that RPGs are a unique fluke that wouldn't exist without him and TSR.
@JordiGH @cwebber Right, but wargaming took hold around the 1950s and 1960s. That was also around the same time that computers were becoming more prevalent and more folks had access to computers.