most gamers that have fumbled their way out of their mom's basement have learned some level of social skills to avoid being stoned to death in an alley

Go to game night at your local comic store, don't be aspie and have fun. Bring a pie too, bitches love pie.

Based on your posted interests, I'd recommend Warhammer 40K Rogue Trader. I haven't had a chance to play it myself, but I've observed a decent amount of it with my main RPG group, and it does seem like a lot of fun.

D&D 4e is commonly regarded as being very easy for new players to get into. all you need to start playing is a group (with a DM) and the Players Hand Book.

But honestly? What's right up your alley is Eclipse Phase. It's spacefaring cyberpunk set in post apocalyptic solar system. (Robots killed everybody!)

The best part about this system is all the books you need are available as free pdf. I'd go to your store and pick up some d10s and percentiles and possibly think about running a game yourself. Ask around your gaming store if anyone is familiar with the system, and if you could possibly post a flyer about finding a group. If nobody knows what the system is, you get to learn alongside the players.

Honestly, learning RPGs comes in two steps: reading the rulebook, which gives you the basis and the framework, and playing the game, which lets you see how it all plays out.

Most (and i mean MOST) people are very willing to help you learn what you want to, especially if you're joining a new game.

I'd shop around on different rules systems that seem appealing (check RPGgeek for some) and try to obtain the rulebooks. Read up on those, then ask around to see if anyone is familiar with the game and would like to play. If they're not familiar, offer to GM the campaign and learn with them. If the story is compelling enough, most people are willing to settle for a slower paced learning game

http://eclipsephase.com/resources

On there, you can find the rulebook, as well as a bunch of other resources used for running and playing a game

There is totally a Roadside Picnic RPG. It's called STALKER, just like the movie, and is a kinda crazy RPG with some pretty neat ideas in it.

You can read about the game over here: http://www.burgergames.com/stalker/EN_web/

Also, to answer your more general questions: new players are welcome all of the time. Lots of gaming stores hold open events specifically designed to let new players try out RPGs. Anyone that gives you an "Ugh, filthy newbie" attitude is a dick and you should take you and your good gaming to a different table.

Most of the older generation of gamers would suggest starting with some variation of DnD, like 3.5 or Pathfinder. They make this suggestion largely because that's where they got their start and its seen as a rite of passage for most gamers to play DnD. I say "fuck that".

That's not to say that those games are bad. They aren't. It just sounds like you have interests elsewhere. Don't seek out a DnD game, seek out an interesting one. Just like movies, comics and books, there's all kinds of great games out there to play. Don't feel like you need to limit yourself to the same experience that everyone else has had. Find a game that you're interested in, that you think sounds fun, and use that as your first experience.

You like post-apocalypse? Hunt down Apocalypse World or the aforementioned STALKER; two very different takes on the same themes. Mecha? Howsabout Mechwarrior, or Mekton Zeta, or MECHA, or Bliss Stage, just to name a few. Cyberpunk is so loved that there's a cyberpunk RPG simply called Cyberpunk (go with the 2020 edition, there). If you like your cyberpunk a little weird, grab Shadowrun to add magic spells and fantasy races to your peanut butter, or Eclipse Phase if you want to step sideways from cyberpunk to transhumanism. High fantasy... man, there's too many to count, but just let it be known that DnD is simply the tip of the iceberg there and, depending on your tastes, may not even be the best high fantasy game for you.

So, there's lots of game. Lots. And there are people in this community kind and generous and welcoming enough that you'll be able to find a table with very little effort. Go out there. Find a game and play. And let us know how it goes when it's all shaken out.

>>39463
I mostly agree with this guy. But, since you said you'll be lucky to get one of your friends to join in, your options may be limited at first. But, really, whatever theme, genre, or setting you want to try, there's most likely a game for it. Rule 34 applies to RPGs also.
While you MAY run into a group that takes the attitude "eww, noob!", most groups won't mind indoctrinating, I mean, teaching a new player.
As far as organized play, see if you're local store runs either DnD Encounters(Wed 7pm-9pm) or Pathfinder Society. both programs tend to be newbie friendly.
DnD Encounters is designed to be an introduction to the game. It's very casual, and groups are put together on the spot. There should be pre-generated characters you can use, you just need a set of dice.

If you want to try DnD out on your own with some friends, go to their website and look for learn-to-play. You can find free pdf quick-start rules, and a lot of free adventures for different levels.

Paizo has an online reference document that covers all the material in the core books for pathfinder at http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/.
Actually, a LOT of games offer free quick-start rules. Shadowrun, BattleTech,
If you look hard enough you can even find some games and materials for solo play.

also, check out this thread, http://7chan.org/read.php?b=tg&t=25335&p=l50 to "aquire" pdfs for various games

>>39456
I'm not sure I'd offer up Eclipse Phase as an 'entry level' table top ;-) It's kinda rough.
Of course, playing that uplifted Octopus who ran into some titan tech, had a psychotic break, and now thinks half his tentacles belong to someone else.... yeah, fun stuff. Hard to get into though.

If you like mechs, and horrors from beyond time and space, there's always Cthullhutech...

>>>/b/694459

Check out the Pathfinder Beginner Box. I know you're already familiar with RPGs, so some of it may be a little simple for you, but it comes with dice, a flip mat and markers for all the most-used monsters. A good way to break into face-to-face roleplaying.

Find a local games store and ask.
If you have a Games Workshop, ask them as well, many of staff are rpgers in their hobby lives.
Failing that, a comic store.
Then get a starter game like
Pathfinder Starter Set, or Savage Worlds pocket edition, or even Tunnels and Trolls.
Read, then try out on victims.

Or new Mindjammer game when it comes out, that's totally transhuman, post modern SF, but it'll be a little while.