|
| Thread: Report after first demo | |
|
doc8466
Known Hero
Event Coordinator Annapolis MD
|
posted November 01, 2005 01:59 AM |
|
|
Report after first demo
And what a great learning experience it was!
TerpCon, at the University of Maryland happened this past Saturday. While it turned out to be primarily a "day of RPGs" I did get lots of quick looks, thoroughly tought 4 new people and answered questions from a dozen. If Geene, Dan, Dave or Jim see this post, take a bow!
For anyone out there who will be demoing, I'd like to give you a few do's and don'ts.
1. Do make a list or outline of sorts to give yourself a game plan for what you want to teach and in what order. (I'll post mine when I finalize it)
2. Do stick to that plan!
3. Do give yourself about an hour to set up a table, spread out some decks, separate the markers, pull out the starting cards for each deck and post signs/flyers.
4. Do make sure each person knows how to shuffel a deck that is in card protectors if you're using them. This may seem silly, but I had 3 sleeves rip. In over 10 years of CCGing I've only seen it happen once before.
5. Do have something each demo-ee can take away from the demo. I'm going to make up a "business card" with web sites and my email address at least. (Again I'll post it when I have it done)
6. Do ADVERTISE! You know where the gamers are, so make sure they have a much notice as possible and will see the posted notice.
7. Don't try and explain the whole game all at once. In my excitement I found that I was talking about advanced rules before we were 1/2 way through the basics!
8. Don't tell the demo-ee what to do on his turn. Give him options, point out benefits to certain moves, but let him decide what to do. (even if it's attack a guard force of 2 cyclopses and 3 beserkers with a beginning Death army)
9. Don't even mention the part about reinforcing the guard from your hand or adventure stack. I had the first 4 potential battles thwarted by level 4 units added to a guard stack.
10. After the first few rounds of explaining each part of each round, let them be. Wait for the demo-ee to ask what to do next. Teach, don't direct.
If anyone has any other input, I'd love to hear it.
|
|
J-Tech
Hired Hero
|
|
posted November 01, 2005 02:26 AM |
|
|
Good stuff. As the primary gamer in my group, I have a love for learning and teaching new games. It also helps that I seem to have an affinity for learning and retaining information, nigh-on photographic. My friends refer to me as the "walking rulebook".
In my experience, when teaching new players, it's important to talk through each phase of the game while performing it. It helps the audio to have some visual accompaniment. For example:
"At the beginning of my turn, I collect my income. Right now it's one, from the one town I control. I draw my one card, and then move to my purchase phase. If I want to buy units or upgrade my town, now's the time to do it. Since I'm kind of broke and I want to save for next turn I decline, and move straight to my action phase. My plan this turn is to do something about my poor income situation. I move my Hero next to this undefined location here, and lay down this Crystal Mine from my adventure stack. Since there's nothing free in life, we now have to see what creatures happen to be hanging around Guarding the location. Let's flip for Guards..."
Good on ya for promoting the game to the populace! Good luck!
J-Tech
|
| |
|
|
