'Gold' Premieres, Uncovering Geekily Wonderful RPG World

GOLD, the new RPG gamer-themed web series premieres today, offering a comical tribute to “the geekily wonderful world of traditional, pen-and-paper style role playing gaming.” Not everyone could imagine spending their bachelor party rolling their multi-sided dice and casting spells, but for GOLD lead character, Jonathan Drake (David Nett), that’s exactly where he’d want to be — living the life of a Professional Tabletop Role Playing Gamer. The only problem is, his fiancée would rather have him focused on the wedding while his gaming team want him focused on the game.

These are the stakes in the first episode (above) “Prologue: Dark Clouds Gather” created by indie producers Nett, Andrew R. Deutsch, Shannon Nelson and Chad Schnaible under the production banners Brown Corduroy Jacket, and Punisher77. The show focuses on the journey of an American “Goblins and Gold” team as they attempt to win gold in the World G&G Championship, defeating long-time rivals the “juggernaut” British G&G team.

Clocking in at a healthy eight minutes, the episode feels a bit long, but the characters are endearing and genuine enough, that you’re willing to play along. There’s no doubt the actors involved are genuine gamers bringing authenticity to the fictional game created for the sake of the series. Written by Nett and Deutsch the GOLD stars Nett alongside Rick Robinson, James Paul Xavier, Gary Karp, Nathan Mobley, Robert J. Brewer, Alan Loayza, Shannon Nelson, Shannon Ivey, Jeremy Guskin and Angela Schnaible.  [Check out our recent interview with star and creator David Nett.]

Watching the show, it’s always difficult not to draw the comparison to internet gamer hit The Guild

, but so far, the show has solid legs of it’s own. While the social issues facing the guys (specifically Drake’s impending nuptials) are given due weight, it’s clear these guys will devote some good time nerding-out with the details of the game, giving RPG’s their due in the spotlight. Drake’s buddies say it best themselves, “they do this for a living.”

But like with any good RPG scenario, the show promises drama. “Can you take the hits?” is the tag of the show, hinting playing G&G will have a price. This early in the game it’s hard to tell if that price will be Drake’s marriage, but so far, I’ve got a hunch that in life, love, and gaming, these guys would pick gaming every time.

New episodes will be posted monthly at www.goldtheseries.com as well as through iTunes and their YouTube and Vimeo channels.