Explaining your own game can be surprisingly difficult, even if you have experience explaining rules. Here are some tips!
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Write them down! Even if you think your rules are going to change, writing down the rules both clarifies them before your playtest and lets players refer to a written guide. This could be as simple as a handful of summary cards or as complex as a whole rulebook. I use Google Docs and an iPad to cross reference as we play
Start by explaining the story of the game, if there is one. Who are we? Why are we doing this?
Then explain the end goal of the game. How do we win? What are the broad strokes for the gameplay loop that gets me to a win?
Follow this with a chronological breakdown of a turn or a round. If there’s a required order of steps, go step by step even if a step seems obvious or derivative. Assume players have no experience with similar games.
Get players touching or examining components as quickly as you can. The faster they are taking turns or making moves, the faster they are learning intrinsically.
Point to things you’re talking about. This seems obvious, but seriously: practice it. Cards, icons, tokens, board locations. Make sure everyone is looking at the same things at the same time when you’re explaining rules.
If something you’re explaining is also on a summary card, show the area they can refer to when they completely forget what you said!
Please use these as guidelines for First Play LA events