Convincing non-gamers to game [Archive] - Wizards Community

Convincing non-gamers to game [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
DanjaNinja
03-06-05, 09:54 PM How would you do it?

I've managed to convince most of my non-gamer friends to game a little (only a few really took to it, though), and I find it's all a matter of how you approach it. Usually I start out with a few hypothetical questions (what would you do in this situation?) to lead into the concept of role-playing. I often emphasize that it's less of a game (why are people afraid to play games these days?), and more of a social gathering, just a bunch of us guys getting together to shoot the breeze and roleplay a little. Then when they actually sit down at the gaming table, I handle all the rules initially (it's kind of intimidating to those non-gamers) and try to get them to roleplay.

This approach has actually gotten most of my friends to sit down for a game or two and agree that it was fun, but most leave because "it's too time-consuming."

So... how would/have you convinced your non-gaming friends to game?
Dathlue Mistwinter
03-07-05, 01:33 AM Well I start out with sitting them down with nothing to do. I offer to tell them a story, and of course they say it's a little weird of an idea but they give in.

I tell them an intriquitely prepared story of great fantasy and daring and once I'm finished I say something like, "Now how would you liked to have played a role in all that?"

It's worked I think 3 out of 6 times, so it's relatively effective. Of course it filters out the non-gaming types who simply don't have a mind for role-playing.

Well that's how I do it, I'm Dathlue Mistwinter.
Draco Strang
03-07-05, 03:45 AM It's worked I think 3 out of 6 times.
"60 percent of the time, it works everytime.

+5 vorpal boomerang to the first person to tell me where that came from.

Oh, and as for convincing non-gamers to game? I call it a victory if I can convince them that we aren't all 400 pound unwashed dorks that live in a basement watching anime and wearing all black. A lot of people are pretty close minded, and won't ever try. If you can improve their attitude one step (unfriendly to indifferent) then you're doing ok.
Habronicus
03-07-05, 04:01 AM "60 percent of the time, it works everytime.

+5 vorpal boomerang to the first person to tell me where that came from.

Anchorman - Legend of Ron Burgundy
Draco Strang
03-07-05, 04:55 AM Anchorman - Legend of Ron Burgundy
Good job. Your boomerang is on it's way.

I'd make sure to catch it if I were you. It is vorpal ya know.
Master Of Twists
03-07-05, 06:43 AM the spiritual guru has arrived, just put in some random words. NOT FUNNNNY only kiddin ur alright twazzio twazzio twa twa twa twa twazzio. makata.

pay them
srkingdavy
03-07-05, 06:54 AM Person X, We'll call him Gary Jackson, thinks roleplaying is for dweebs, dorks and nerds and won't have anything to do with it.

Gary was describing a simulated government to me... about how people would put forward motions, vote on it, laws would go through committe.

me: so what's the point?
gary: well it's just for fun, it's pretending.
me: oh, so you're roleplaying politicians.
gary: ...
me: so do you like roleplaying?
gary: ...
me: :D
pseudoidiot
03-07-05, 07:34 AM Person X, We'll call him Gary Jackson, thinks roleplaying is for dweebs, dorks and nerds and won't have anything to do with it.

Gary was describing a simulated government to me... about how people would put forward motions, vote on it, laws would go through committe.

me: so what's the point?
gary: well it's just for fun, it's pretending.
me: oh, so you're roleplaying politicians.
gary: ...
me: so do you like roleplaying?
gary: ...
me: :D

hahahaahahaha. that's great, i love it.

as for the thread topic, the vast majority of my friends play video games, rpg's, or both
Hobbygoblin
03-07-05, 10:27 AM Person X, We'll call him Gary Jackson, thinks roleplaying is for dweebs, dorks and nerds and won't have anything to do with it.

Gary was describing a simulated government to me... about how people would put forward motions, vote on it, laws would go through committe.

me: so what's the point?
gary: well it's just for fun, it's pretending.
me: oh, so you're roleplaying politicians.
gary: ...
me: so do you like roleplaying?
gary: ...
me: :D

Oooh, SNAP! You could run a D20 Modern game for this guy with his character as a politician or something. Random McNormalguy in '08!
Shaitan0.2beta
03-07-05, 11:22 AM The best players I ever had were people who hated fantasy, didn't play video games, never read Tolkien, and could not have been considered dorks in any way. The best of them were girls actualy. They are so much better then your common gamer that I don't even want to DM for fantasy fans, tolkien fans and video gamers. That's actualy true.
Aliquid
03-07-05, 11:38 AM The best players I ever had were people who hated fantasy, didn't play video games, never read Tolkien, and could not have been considered dorks in any way. The best of them were girls actualy. They are so much better then your common gamer that I don't even want to DM for fantasy fans, tolkien fans and video gamers. That's actualy true.Well the problem with people who game regularly, and people who are fantasy fans and especially video gamers... is that they walk into the game with a bunch of pre-conceived ideas about what the game should be.

People that have no interest in these things walk into the game as a clean slate… which is much more fun to play with
Transit
03-07-05, 01:38 PM When I'm introducing people to D&D and find that they have the idea that role-playing games are "weird", I always ask them if they have ever played MONOPOLY. (Most people have)

Pretending to be a ruthless business tycoon? Buying and selling make-believe real estate? Building imaginary buildings, and sending other players to "jail" for not having enough pretend money to pay their imaginary rent? Collecting little plastic houses and hotels? Moving little metal cannons and dogs and top-hats and shoes and battleships around the streets of New York City?

Sounds pretty weird to me.

Then I ask them if they have every played CLUE.

Oh! A game about MURDER? Imagining that someone has been killed and then making a GAME out of it? Pretending to be Professor Plum, or Colonel Mustard, or Miss Scarlet? Conducting an imaginary crime scene investigation, moving from room to room in a make-believe mansion looking for imaginary clues? Playing with little murder weapons like coils of rope and candlesticks and revolvers?

Sounds pretty weird to me.

Or how about THE GAME OF LIFE (do they still make that game?) where you drive a car down the road, deciding to "go to college" or "have a family?" Putting little pink and blue pegs in the car for your spouse and children.

The point is, a lot of "regular games" that people have played have role-playing in them. It shouldn't be any stranger for someone to play D&D than for someone to play MONOPOLY or CLUE or whatever. Once people understand that they've already played some role-playing games, they're a lot more open to trying D&D.

After all, if they can pretend to be a business tycoon out to eliminate the competition, or Miss Scarlet trying to solve the murder of Mr. Boddy, then they can pretend to be a hero trying to defeat a dragon. It's just a game.

And if they've ever played MOUSETRAP? That's just weird, playing a game about torturing a small animal like that! :D
Golem1972
03-07-05, 08:44 PM For beginning players (and pretty much all players at the start of a new game) character generation is the most time consuming part. It can be a bit confusing having to deal with all of the new concepts involved while making a bunch of seemingly arbitrary decisions on the spur of the moment. Things that most gamers take for granted can be difficult and confusing to newbies. Like: it's not the best idea to make a half-orc bard, or a kobold barbarian (though it can work, it's just not easy for a new gamer to deal with being statistically weaker in a standard game).

When a friend of mine and I started a new gaming group with a bunch of newbies, we went ahead and built a bunch of characters for everyone to use in a one-shot adventure. Basically we built 30 characters for 6 gamers, so everyone would have a selection of characters to choose from. This got everyone right into the game itself, so they could see how the game works. After we wrapped up the first adventure, everyone was given a chance to try out another character for a second adventure. At the next session, we got into character generation. Some people chose to make new characters, some kept their old characters (with no xp) and changed a few things on them, and some just stuck with their old characters.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
DanjaNinja 03-06-05, 09:54 PM	How would you do it? I've managed to convince most of my non-gamer friends to game a little (only a few really took to it, though), and I find it's all a matter of how you approach it. Usually I start out with a few hypothetical questions (what would you do in this situation?) to lead into the concept of role-playing. I often emphasize that it's less of a game (why are people afraid to play games these days?), and more of a social gathering, just a bunch of us guys getting together to shoot the breeze and roleplay a little. Then when they actually sit down at the gaming table, I handle all the rules initially (it's kind of intimidating to those non-gamers) and try to get them to roleplay. This approach has actually gotten most of my friends to sit down for a game or two and agree that it was fun, but most leave because "it's too time-consuming." So... how would/have you convinced your non-gaming friends to game?
Dathlue Mistwinter 03-07-05, 01:33 AM	Well I start out with sitting them down with nothing to do. I offer to tell them a story, and of course they say it's a little weird of an idea but they give in. I tell them an intriquitely prepared story of great fantasy and daring and once I'm finished I say something like, "Now how would you liked to have played a role in all that?" It's worked I think 3 out of 6 times, so it's relatively effective. Of course it filters out the non-gaming types who simply don't have a mind for role-playing. Well that's how I do it, I'm Dathlue Mistwinter.
Draco Strang 03-07-05, 03:45 AM	It's worked I think 3 out of 6 times. "60 percent of the time, it works everytime. +5 vorpal boomerang to the first person to tell me where that came from. Oh, and as for convincing non-gamers to game? I call it a victory if I can convince them that we aren't all 400 pound unwashed dorks that live in a basement watching anime and wearing all black. A lot of people are pretty close minded, and won't ever try. If you can improve their attitude one step (unfriendly to indifferent) then you're doing ok.
Habronicus 03-07-05, 04:01 AM	"60 percent of the time, it works everytime. +5 vorpal boomerang to the first person to tell me where that came from. Anchorman - Legend of Ron Burgundy
Draco Strang 03-07-05, 04:55 AM	Anchorman - Legend of Ron Burgundy Good job. Your boomerang is on it's way. I'd make sure to catch it if I were you. It is vorpal ya know.
Master Of Twists 03-07-05, 06:43 AM	the spiritual guru has arrived, just put in some random words. NOT FUNNNNY only kiddin ur alright twazzio twazzio twa twa twa twa twazzio. makata. pay them
srkingdavy 03-07-05, 06:54 AM	Person X, We'll call him Gary Jackson, thinks roleplaying is for dweebs, dorks and nerds and won't have anything to do with it. Gary was describing a simulated government to me... about how people would put forward motions, vote on it, laws would go through committe. me: so what's the point? gary: well it's just for fun, it's pretending. me: oh, so you're roleplaying politicians. gary: ... me: so do you like roleplaying? gary: ... me: :D
pseudoidiot 03-07-05, 07:34 AM	Person X, We'll call him Gary Jackson, thinks roleplaying is for dweebs, dorks and nerds and won't have anything to do with it. Gary was describing a simulated government to me... about how people would put forward motions, vote on it, laws would go through committe. me: so what's the point? gary: well it's just for fun, it's pretending. me: oh, so you're roleplaying politicians. gary: ... me: so do you like roleplaying? gary: ... me: :D hahahaahahaha. that's great, i love it. as for the thread topic, the vast majority of my friends play video games, rpg's, or both
Hobbygoblin 03-07-05, 10:27 AM	Person X, We'll call him Gary Jackson, thinks roleplaying is for dweebs, dorks and nerds and won't have anything to do with it. Gary was describing a simulated government to me... about how people would put forward motions, vote on it, laws would go through committe. me: so what's the point? gary: well it's just for fun, it's pretending. me: oh, so you're roleplaying politicians. gary: ... me: so do you like roleplaying? gary: ... me: :D Oooh, SNAP! You could run a D20 Modern game for this guy with his character as a politician or something. Random McNormalguy in '08!
Shaitan0.2beta 03-07-05, 11:22 AM	The best players I ever had were people who hated fantasy, didn't play video games, never read Tolkien, and could not have been considered dorks in any way. The best of them were girls actualy. They are so much better then your common gamer that I don't even want to DM for fantasy fans, tolkien fans and video gamers. That's actualy true.
Aliquid 03-07-05, 11:38 AM	The best players I ever had were people who hated fantasy, didn't play video games, never read Tolkien, and could not have been considered dorks in any way. The best of them were girls actualy. They are so much better then your common gamer that I don't even want to DM for fantasy fans, tolkien fans and video gamers. That's actualy true.Well the problem with people who game regularly, and people who are fantasy fans and especially video gamers... is that they walk into the game with a bunch of pre-conceived ideas about what the game should be. People that have no interest in these things walk into the game as a clean slate… which is much more fun to play with
Transit 03-07-05, 01:38 PM	When I'm introducing people to D&D and find that they have the idea that role-playing games are "weird", I always ask them if they have ever played MONOPOLY. (Most people have) Pretending to be a ruthless business tycoon? Buying and selling make-believe real estate? Building imaginary buildings, and sending other players to "jail" for not having enough pretend money to pay their imaginary rent? Collecting little plastic houses and hotels? Moving little metal cannons and dogs and top-hats and shoes and battleships around the streets of New York City? Sounds pretty weird to me. Then I ask them if they have every played CLUE. Oh! A game about MURDER? Imagining that someone has been killed and then making a GAME out of it? Pretending to be Professor Plum, or Colonel Mustard, or Miss Scarlet? Conducting an imaginary crime scene investigation, moving from room to room in a make-believe mansion looking for imaginary clues? Playing with little murder weapons like coils of rope and candlesticks and revolvers? Sounds pretty weird to me. Or how about THE GAME OF LIFE (do they still make that game?) where you drive a car down the road, deciding to "go to college" or "have a family?" Putting little pink and blue pegs in the car for your spouse and children. The point is, a lot of "regular games" that people have played have role-playing in them. It shouldn't be any stranger for someone to play D&D than for someone to play MONOPOLY or CLUE or whatever. Once people understand that they've already played some role-playing games, they're a lot more open to trying D&D. After all, if they can pretend to be a business tycoon out to eliminate the competition, or Miss Scarlet trying to solve the murder of Mr. Boddy, then they can pretend to be a hero trying to defeat a dragon. It's just a game. And if they've ever played MOUSETRAP? That's just weird, playing a game about torturing a small animal like that! :D
Golem1972 03-07-05, 08:44 PM	For beginning players (and pretty much all players at the start of a new game) character generation is the most time consuming part. It can be a bit confusing having to deal with all of the new concepts involved while making a bunch of seemingly arbitrary decisions on the spur of the moment. Things that most gamers take for granted can be difficult and confusing to newbies. Like: it's not the best idea to make a half-orc bard, or a kobold barbarian (though it can work, it's just not easy for a new gamer to deal with being statistically weaker in a standard game). When a friend of mine and I started a new gaming group with a bunch of newbies, we went ahead and built a bunch of characters for everyone to use in a one-shot adventure. Basically we built 30 characters for 6 gamers, so everyone would have a selection of characters to choose from. This got everyone right into the game itself, so they could see how the game works. After we wrapped up the first adventure, everyone was given a chance to try out another character for a second adventure. At the next session, we got into character generation. Some people chose to make new characters, some kept their old characters (with no xp) and changed a few things on them, and some just stuck with their old characters.