I have never played a pen and paper game, nor have I ever known anyone to play one. So I really only have a small idea how they work. They do seem interesting, but they seem so hard to get into.
Like for one you need to have a group of people. If you might not have friends that are actually willing to play this with you, which I am sure there are a lot of friends that wouldn't play pen and paper, also a lot of friends that wouldn't take the game seriously.
I am sure it is kind of like a tabletop war game, like warhammer. Only with a more role playing feel and without the figurines *in most cases?*. Atleast it works in the same way that you need people willing to play that have the patience.
I remember a television show called MTV's Downtown and the main character would get together with his friends and play D&D. I found it intriguing, but If you don't have friends like that, then you have to go FIND people around your city.
I'm just kind of rambling sorry, I am not really answering your question, because I don't know the answer. I am just simply giving my thoughts.
If anything I think pen and paper games are a waste of paper. They should change the format or name to "keyboard and microsoft word". hur hur