Had to pick between a 3-hour teach for a heavy game or just playing something simple

My game group last Friday was tired from work, but really wanted to try Dune: Imperium. I knew explaining all the rules would take forever and kill the mood. So, I suggested we play The Crew: Mission Deep Sea instead, which takes five minutes to learn. It went great, everyone had fun and we actually finished two missions. How do you guys handle introducing new, complex games to a worn-out crowd?

3 comments

3 Comments

patricia_wright1mo ago

Yeah, "killing the mood" is the worst, I always keep a simple co-op game on hand for nights like that.

charles_henderson1mo ago

Totally feel you on that, patricia_wright. Having a go-to game is key. I learned the hard way after trying to teach someone a complex game and it just fell flat. Now I stick with something easy to pick up that everyone can get into right away. It saves the whole night from getting awkward.

taylor_barnes591mo ago

Lol it's just game night, not a final exam. If people are too tired to learn Dune, who cares? Patricia_wright is right that you saved the mood, but it's not that deep.