PSA: That one guy at the game night totally changed how I teach rules

I used to just dive right in and explain every single rule from the rulebook during game night. Then this guy named Dave pulled me aside after a game of Brass Birmingham. He said I was overloading people and making them zone out before we even started. He told me to just teach the basic goal and one or two actions, then explain the rest as it comes up. I tried it last month with a group of 4 new players on a game called Great Western Trail. It actually worked way better and we finished in 2 hours instead of 3.5. Nobody looked bored and they asked way more questions during the game. Has anyone else had to unlearn the way they explain games to newcomers?

2 comments

2 Comments

troy_ross5d ago

Nodding along thing is huge. I started asking "cool so what's the main thing you're trying to do" after my quick rundown, and it's wild how many people just smile and have zero clue. Keeping it to 2-3 core rules then adding layers as turns progress saves the whole night.

the_lucas6d ago

The 'explain the rest as it comes up' part is the real key here. People tune out after the first five minutes of rules anyway, so you might as well save the detailed stuff for when they actually need it. It also helps you spot who's actually paying attention versus who's just nodding along.