I just figured out I've been teaching new players wrong for years

At a game night last month, I was trying to explain the rules for Terraforming Mars to a friend. I went through my usual 15 minute lecture on all the cards and actions. My friend looked totally lost and said, 'Can we just start playing and you tell me as we go?' We did that, and he picked it up in three rounds. I've been overloading people with info upfront instead of letting them learn by doing. Has anyone else found a better way to teach complex games without the info dump?

3 comments

3 Comments

mary7683mo ago

Honestly I have to disagree, that upfront info is CRUCIAL for some of us. If I just jump into a complex game I feel lost and anxious the whole time, like I'm ruining it for everyone. I need that big picture first so my early moves make some sense. Maybe the trick is making the lecture shorter and clearer, not getting rid of it.

andrew6933mo ago

Oh man, you just made me realize it's a group dynamic thing too. Like, if one person is lost, they might stay quiet and slow the whole table down out of fear. But a quick, clear intro gives that player the confidence to actually participate. I've seen games totally stall because someone was too nervous to take their turn, overthinking everything. A good setup prevents that awkward silence.

hall.emma29d ago

Have you tried just starting with the absolute basics and then adding rules in as they come up? I watched a buddy teach Catan once by just saying "you roll dice to get stuff and trade with people" then we figured out the rest as we went. It turned out way less intimidating for him than my usual pre-game speech about every single card and phase.