Finally changed my approach to teaching new games after a friend's blunt comment

My buddy told me I explain rules like I'm training a new plumber on a job site - all jargon and no overview. Now I start with the win condition and work backwards, and our game nights are way smoother. Has anyone else had to completely rework how they teach complex board games?

2 comments

2 Comments

emma_young7d ago

Start by admitting that approach can backfire if the goal is super abstract or doesn't click for people, like in a heavy euro where the win condition means nothing until they understand the engine. Some folks actually need the step-by-step mechanics first to even grasp what "winning" really looks like in practice. Tried it with a trading game once and everyone just sat there confused about how the goal connected to any action.

cameron_craig7d ago

Yeah that's basically how everything works better if you explain the goal first before diving into the details.