Role Playing Games. I've only ever played around a table. We met every week using the Warhammer rules, but played an historical narrative. Our characters were individuals in King Henry V's entourage on the Agincourt campaign.

I recently tried to run a game for my sons using the Pathfinder rules, but it proved too difficult to manage with ECT messing with my memory of what had happened and what I planned to do.

In general, no matter what rules you're using, it's a structured way to socialise. It makes interaction easier as you're playing a character according to a template, yet tweaked with personal flair.