My problem with new games

[osbad 4279xp 5]

This year was the first in a long time when I didn’t get one single, solitary new game in my Christmas stocking.  It was my choice.  I asked my family not to get me any, and only to get me something for an existing game I actually already played, or get something else – like paints or chocolate, or please, please, please: booze!

Coming to that conclusion, that I didn’t want any more games, was forced on my when I looked around my mancave at the sheer number of games (board games, miniatures games and hybrid games) that were sitting around, many fully painted and ready to roll, but which I had never played, and was never ever likely to play either.  It was purely a practical decision that suddenly came over me as a knee-jerk response to my ridiculous collection.

Now new year is here, and the chocolate and booze consumption is ebbing, I am having a moment to become more introspective and think through what is at the root of the problem, and I am thinking that it isn’t “eyes too big for my belly” or in other words, an appetite for the “New Shiney” that outstrips my ability to paint and play.  The fact is that I paint pretty quickly and my lead/plastic mountain, is only really a foothill (except for M-eSBG – but *that* is more a LotR fanboi/collector kind of thing, and I *do* have tons of it painted up and played with…look, I never said I was perfect!)

The reality is though that I actually have dozens of boxed games ready to pull off the shelf and play with, but which I *know* I will never get to the table – Conan for instance.  I loved getting that game, enjoyed speed-painting up its minis, and kept thinking, “this is the week I take it to the club and we play it”.  Except that week has never happened, and there was always something else to play.

Thinking back over why has provided me with the Eureka moment.  The fact is that I didn’t want to be the one to teach other people how to play the game!

I have had that revelation about my character that I wasn’t aware of until now.  I really *hate* the pressure of running a game where no 0ne else knows how to play!  I am quite happy learning a new game and being a n00b, I am quite happy coaching a n00b player along who is less experienced than me, if there is only one of them.  But I just realised that I find the pressure of having to explain even relatively simple games to other people very stressful.  And stress is what I engage in my hobby to avoid, not add to!

So.  I don’t do New Year’s resolutions, but in 2020 I am perilously close to making one it would appear.  And that is to root out from my collection all those boxes of games that I have now realised I will *never* play, because doing so would rely on me being the guy who teaches everyone else how to play them.  I will be sticking with games that other people play already from now on, and if I get new games, it will only be where I know others are also doing so in my club.  I am fortunate in that this still leaves a wide range of games and models to choose from.  But it *will* help me finally put to death my worst kickstarter urges, and free up some space in my mancave for me to breath!

Well, happy 2020 everyone!

[angelicdespot 4689xp 0]

Happy 2020 @osbad !

Have you considered asking someone else to take home, learn and then teach one or more of your games?   If you’ve got a cool game ready to go, with painted miniatures, and there are people who would play it with you if someone taught them, perhaps one of them is willing to take on the mentoring role?

[quixolParticipant 417xp 1]

I too suffer from a similar fate, but for different reasons…simply not enough time between work and family, and moreso because just when I think nothing is happening, something comes up…a trip for work, family emergency, etc…

However what I have found that helps is plowing through the rules in a way that is fun for me.  I work at making cheat sheets.  More or less a one or two pager for rule book, with various bullets with page numbers for more in depth text and brief, consolidated descriptions for turn order and what actions can be done.  It doesnt work for all games, but gives me a bit more of a footing when trying to express to others, since it is more organized in my own mind.

 

Also I make other support materials,  Character or Troop sheets, or in the case of KDM, a rooster for printing out characters in the village in a much easier format.  Either way, the easiest sounds like angelicdespot suggested.  Best of luck with getting your games played.  This holiday I finally got two older purchases (about 2yrs old) on the table…now only 40 more to go,  🙂

 

[onlyonepinman 18060xp 0]

We moved house, emptied the attic  which was full of games, scenery, hobby supplies and Armies in various states of completion and it filled about half of a 75 square foot storage unit.  I am not buying more games.  I may expand existing ones, I have a number of Kickstarters waiting to ship, I may well get rid of some but I won’t be buying any new games.

[angelicdespot 4689xp 0]

@quixol that’s a very good idea.   The additional probably helps you learn the game much better as wel.

Do you make any of your cheat sheets available?   I’d be interested to see what you’ve done for KDM.

[sundancer 42973xp 0]

@osbad I feel you. Especially when you are so hyped about a game only to find yourself with a lot of stuff that collects dust because nobody plays.

I think 2020 will be more Star Wars: Legion and more Battletech for me. And maybe (very maybe) some “The Elder Scrolls”. But only because that has a single player mode. (If I remember correctly)

[quixolParticipant 417xp 1]

Adding a better example for a cheat sheet – not a boardgame, but you should get the idea.

This is a how to play for Morrow Project RPG 4th ed.  https://drive.google.com/open?id=1KZDCetIrHMbtE77ryUV7ZluNBviGdNQB3H5HlsaLC7Q

Here is one example – PC roster for Kingdom death – and updated for Dragon King,

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1tNpimIuDMUbKuap1DPgb5hp40lreHMKW, 2

Download and open with excel.  On KDM sheet you update PC details in a column – filling in only yellow boxes.

Then go to PC1  PC2, PC 3, etc worksheets and from pull down select name and print the sheet to play.

Or you can cut and copy text and past it on a phenomenal site that allows you to manage PCs online.  A favorite since sometimes I set up video for friends to play, and this allows them to manage their PCs.   Either way, designed for me, but feel free to play around and use it if helpful. Did similar for Shadows of Brimstone and many RPGs and a few skirmish games… but they are all spread around, and perhaps a bit out of date.  I no doubt will be doing this for Anno Domini 1666 when it arrives though.

 

[nighthaunter666 3309xp 1]

I can teach others a new game, but I dislike the extra time that teaching a game adds to a session. It would be nice to just get it set up and go. So in the past I have arranged who will play the game in advance and shared ‘how to play’ videos with those people in advance of the gaming session. So I’m sort of teaching the game remotely with online materials.

It means when we come to sit at the table, I’m not having to introduce the game from basics, just answer some questions on details. Maybe this pre-familiarisation process can help you.

[soulman 2945xp 0]

I sold some off the week before christmas… my painted  core copy of nemesis and the second wave went on ebay…sold in under 30 minutes..!!!

I did that because i got the Ks of cmon death may die… a game that does not need a rulebook, easy to set up and pack away and plays in around 1-2 hours…

some games are so detailed and heavy in rules..they stay in boxes……

Just got reich busters coming in 2020.. and thats the last ks i`m guessing….

[144artist 25545xp 0]

I face a similar frustration but I also pick up figure sets for games I don’t play if they look fun to paint.  We are lucky in my group to have a member who loves to read rules AND teach them to others.  I still own way too many games I bought and don’t play.  I think I will follow your lead and start culling some of my extraneous titles.

[angelicdespot 4689xp 0]

Thanks @quixol – looks interesting.   Not sure how soon I’m likely to have the opportunity to play this game, but will save a copy.   Thanks!

[osbad 4279xp 0]

Thanks for all the comments guys.  Right now I am not sure what to do with my surplus games.  I’ll probably take them along to my local club and give them away free to a good home.  I can’t be bothered with the hassle of eBaying them and I’d rather my friends and colleagues got some use out of them rather than getting the money back.  On the other hand, I may take them to a bring-and-buy at a local show if I get my act together.  That may kill 2 birds with one stone.

[slayerofworldsParticipant 3449xp 0]

You should check out BGG or the Esoteric Order of Gamers…. both sites have tons of one page rules, and “cheat” sheets for help with many wargame boardgames.

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