To Convert A Boardgame Hater

[kcwong]

kcwong, are you implying that Settlers is complex? Most BGGs consider it to be the intro game to real gaming.

Settlers of Catan is not complex to me... but I thought it might be, to a new gamer.

One of my friend is a Settlers fan... he has almost every one of them, and so I get to play them all.

 

[Slax]

Re:Settlers of Catan

Two couples my wife and I introduced it to ended up buying it. Neither were game-players before. Like every game, it is complicated at first, but Settlers is easily figured out after about 10 turns. I suggest playing somewhat non-competitively the first time or two (for fast turns).

 

[Aabraxan]

The more I read about Settlers of Catan, the more I think it's going to have to go on my "boardgames to buy" list.

 

[Narz]

The more I read about Settlers of Catan, the more I think it's going to have to go on my "boardgames to buy" list.

Yeah, it's pretty sweet. Even my girlfriend who is unethusiastic about board games likes it. I'm thinking of buying "Settlers of the Stone Age" (a spin off version with a Earth map) next month.

 

[Aabraxan]

I suspect I'll end up buying it, even knowing that I may never get to play it. Kind of like I did with Twilight Imperium, Risk 2210, . . .

 

[Volstag]

I love boardgames (love them)...but my friend hates them with a passion. This is somewhat infuriating to me, as he has only played Monopoly. He decided that boardgames were therefore a pointless waste of time.

I call upon fellow boardgame enthusiasts to help. Truly, there must be a way to show my friend the light.

I have/had the same problem. When you mention boardgames, especially to Americans, their eyes tend to glaze over. Everyone automatically thinks of Monopoly, Life, Scrabble, etc. The easiest way to "convert" someone is to simply get them to sit down and play. I haven't had too much problem getting people to play at least one game.... and, after that, it's pretty easy to get them to play more. I tend to start with easier/quicker games (For Sale, Bang, Settlers, Modern Art, etc) to get 'em hooked, then slowly work up to the more thoughtful, strategic titles (Columbia Games, mid to heavy weight "Euros", etc).

 

[Volstag]

If he doesn't like Monopoly than all hope is lost.

No offense to anyone, but Monopoly is a horrible game -- and it utterly astounds me that it's so popular. There's not much in the way of tough choices, or strategic/tactical depth. After you play some decent euros, you'll never look at Monopoly again.

 

[Volstag]

Is your friend looking for complexity or not? Settlers (there're many variants, with Catan being probably the most famous of them) can take a while to learn...

Wow. I fail to see how Settlers (any version) could take awhile to learn.

 

[kcwong]

Wow. I fail to see how Settlers (any version) could take awhile to learn.

Well, definitely not for you, and not for me too. But I've seen it is for some new players - esp. those who've never played any boardgames at all, besides the reaaaaaally classic ones.

 

[Aabraxan]

When you mention boardgames, especially to Americans, their eyes tend to glaze over. Everyone automatically thinks of Monopoly, Life, Scrabble, etc.

Sadly, true. I enjoy a good game of Scrabble, though. Not that there's a lot of deep strategic thinking to it, but it's still enjoyable. And I used to have some friends that would come over for games of Monopoly or Life, but those games were almost invariably accompanied by beer or shot glasses, two items that can quickly destroy long-term strategic thinking. . . .

The easiest way to "convert" someone is to simply get them to sit down and play. I haven't had too much problem getting people to play at least one game.... and, after that, it's pretty easy to get them to play more.

But I think that's the basic problem. You can't get them to sit down and play that first game. (Or at least I haven't been able to.) You made a comment in the "Boardgames!" thread about a game having a decent playing time of 2-3 hours, but I think for many Americans, 2-3 hours is a very, very long game. I can usually get someone to sit down long enough for what I would call non-strategic games (Monopoly, Scrabble, Yahtzee, etc), but mention Risk, A&A, or anything more complicated than a character doing laps around the board picking & up cards, that's when their eyes glaze over. I agree that if you want to get someone into the more complex boardgames, you've got to start with something simple. Unfortunately, I think a lot of people either (a) lack the patience to learn any game more complex than Monopoly; or (b) have heard that wargames are horribly complicated and don't want to put out the effort to learn one. Either way, it's a shame.

 

[Volstag]

But I think that's the basic problem. You can't get them to sit down and play that first game. (Or at least I haven't been able to.) You made a comment in the "Boardgames!" thread about a game having a decent playing time of 2-3 hours, but I think for many Americans, 2-3 hours is a very, very long game.

The 2-3 hr. comment was in reference to wargames.... and that is pretty short when compared to the likes of Axis & Allies, Europe Engulfed, etc. Still, your point is well taken... that's why I try and start with something like "For Sale" (15 mins) or Carcassonne, Colossal Arena, Memoir '44, etc (1 to 2 hours).

I've personally found "For Sale" to be one of the ultimate "gateway" games. At 15 minutes for a fun game, it's fairly easy to get people hooked. After that it's Settlers or Carcassonne, etc.... once you pash that threshhold, they should be hooked (or were never a gamer to begin with).

-V