Well, there are several answers to that question - all depending on which game you are playing.

Some use squares and others do not.

The best way to start is finding a game that is being run near you and that welcomes new players. Game stores are the lieliest places to have them. Failing that you can find some quick play rules or demos on the web, which will give you an idea. Shortly, I have no doubt, someone will appear as if by magic to entice you with Savage Worlds. (Not my cup of tea, but a good game to start with none the less.)

Wizards of the Coast (makers of Dungeons & Dragons) has a using Flash - it explains movement using squares fairly well.

Hope this helps. RPGs are a great hobby to get into, and can lead to other hobbies such as cardstock modelling and miniatures painting.

The (tired) Auld Grump

There's usually a movement scale of some sort applied. Sometimes squares are 10 ft increments, sometimes they're 1 ft.

Depends highly on the system being used. What would you say the scale is for WW models?

(You know, I don't know if I've ever thought about that before - I mostly use the Warhammer Quest/HeroQuest movement rules and values)

I typically use WWG terrain at 1" = 5', which is the D20 standard. Savage Worlds (which I use) is actually 1" = 2 yards, I think, but I like the 5' measurement more.

Most RPGs have movement rates for characters (ie, how far you can move in a given time frame) and some kind of round/turn sequence (ie, how long is each distinct time frame, from which also follows how much you can do on your turn to act in that time frame). You don't always use those; there are times when you're just purely RPGing (dialogue, downtime, etc) when it makes more sense to just generally talk about whats happening ("so the group spends the day travling towards the City of Glass..."). But when it becomes important (such as combat), you tyipcally "slow" the game down and break into your game system's round/turn intervals.


TAG is right - checking out demos are a good thing. If you have a little disposable income, a great resource is the D&D Basic Game Set (yes, I really said that). It comes with a very basic set of D&D rules, some prepainted plastic minis and some dungeon tiles, and is a good intro into gaming. You should easily be able to find that at any game store, and even in a lot of book stores (Borders, Barnes and Noble, etc), as well as Amazon.

And *ahem* I would also check out Savage Worlds. It is a very streamlined game system that is quick and easy to learn, that focuses more on the action and less on the bookkeeping (which is a complaint you'll hear about the D&D system). They have a set of Test Drive rules at their website (look for the Downloads section): http://www.peginc.com/