Crazy idea to help learn and teach the game

[super_bruno]

Hello all! Still struggling to find a way to learn the game and teach the game to complete newbie to miniature gaming.

I've thought about removing lots of rules for introductory games but the idea was not that well received on the forums. I'm also under the impression that Wyrd is reluctant to devise a tutorial for the game. So I've kept thinking and another idea came to me:

What if we could learn and teach the game, using a kind of obstacle course to learn the basic mechanics. Something similar to what we see in First-Person shooter (like the first Splinter Cell). You could have a first section where you learn to use the Walk action (pretty easy but it's important to learn it no?). Then move over severe terrain, climbing and jumping. Next you could have a station where your learn melee combat (strike, charge, disengaging, etc.) Another for ranged combat and LOS, another for spell casting, etc, etc.

What do you think?

[heartnet]

As the guy who teaches all the games he plays to all the friends he plays with, I'm not sure it would work. I haven't played a lot of malifaux yet but it seems that the masters are a little bit too diverse for a standard tutorial that would do much help. Its perfect for teaching the basics of wargaming in general but im not sure the specifics would carry over well.
Also would it be fun enough to play?
I'm an idiot, i missed the first line in your post. It sounds good for the absolute basics. The stuff that carries over from to game to game. But then where do you go from there?

[super_bruno]

Well, for it to work you would have to always use the same character. Maybe Perdita? I don't know which one would work.
Once you've learned the basics, I guess you could play the game?

[WindlordRyu]

Just play the game normally with them and give them a few examples of what they can do whenever it becomes their turn, sooner or later they will learn how to play. And hold back a bit (but not completely) on the dirty tricks.

[Spiku]

That works very well with Ophelia ;D Things like getting Rami over obstacles using Ooh! A Girl! or companioning people in a chain to get rid of destructable terrain like Ice Pillars from Rasputina

[CannonFodder]

I would take 2 crews that don't have too much interactions to start with(see other threads on subject), I like Ophelia, and VonSchills or Guild (not full Perdita crew, too much companion).

1. Experienced player pre-picks strategy and schemes. Spend 30 seconds on this. I find its best to go in depth after first game.
2. Explain each basic model get 2 action (exceptions explained later)
3. Go straight to an example of a melee combat between 2 grunts (leave SS out of it).
4. Explain a trigger off the melee attack
5. Give example of ranged combat including cover
6. Explain Spells timing and min CC value
7. Explain Use soul stone mechanics for combat and spells (adding card).
8. Explain other actions you can do, Wallk, attack, spells, (0) actions, Focus and Channel, set defence
9. Explain Instinctual, Melee expert, casting expert....
10. Explain turn order and initiave.

Start first game, during first turn on the game you should try to have crews that will cover the following.

1. Companion
2. Blasts
3. Poison
4. Flurry, etc
5. Use soulstone to re-flip initiative
6. remind as game is going that goal is VP not kills.
7. Use SS to prevent damage
8. Use SS to heal.

Post game

1. recover strategies and schemes so that they see how the game played and different strategies affect game play.
2. Different crew ideas.

I think that's the best way to cover introing the game. Cover basics in order of complexity, leave a couple for as the situation arises in first game, otherwise they will get information overload before first game.

[Dustcrusher]

I've been soapboxing the idea of starter sets lately, and actually Bruno, your initial frustrations with the game were what got me on board with the idea of starter rules.

Note: looks like CannonFodder's beaten me to the punch, though it looks like we might have two different approaches.

I've been itching to do an Intro Scenario series, but I feel underqualified to tackle it, at least not without a lot of feedback. The idea would be to start with the fundamentals then move into intermediate and finally advanced game aspects.

This is the idea I have so far- keep in mind this is designed to be as newbie friendly as possible, or something that someone could use to make self-teaching the game easier.

Scenarios:

1. Static duels, opposed duels, walk, charge, melee combat, ranged combat, line of sight.
2. Control hand, abilities, traits
3. Basic casting and standard actions (Channel, Defensive Stance, etc)
4. Triggers
5. Auras, pulses, blasts, and advanced casting/targeting
6. Advanced strategies and schemes

The model cards would have color-coded text. Black for the most basic elements that every card will have, maybe green for intermediate, blue for advanced. I figure either I'm on to something or this is complete overkill.

As for my current demo method and potential future improvements, I'll save those for a separate post. Probably going to blog that first.

[super_bruno]

Nice to see someone is working towars on a solution that could really help smoothing the learning curve of Malifaux. Seems like my constant whining is beginning to have some effects! Yay!

As an aside, I got a really nice surprise yesterday. My Malifaux group was: Me and My grilfriend. Yesterday morning I asked a few friends on facebook if they would be interested in trying a Miniature Wargame, and offered them a lot of choice (40K, Warmachine Hell Dorado, Anima tactics, mordheim, Lord of the rings, Epic 40k, etc, etc). Surprise surprise! I got 5 more players willing to try Malifaux now.

Just that renewed my interest in learning to play correctly. I haven't tried to teach Malifaux yet except to my girlfriend, but I did teach 3 of them how to play Battlelore. The first one learned by playing against me. The other two learned by playing together while I acted as a referee a guide. I must say that for me teaching and playing at the same time is not much fun. I find it much easier to teach while the other 2 are playing. It's really fun to whisper a nasty trcik in the ear of one player, then do the same for the other player the next turn. When I play at the same time, I find it harder to adjust my playing level. If I do some dirty trciks against my opponent, I feel rather unfair, and if I don't then there is some aspect of the game they won't learn...

That's why I got that idea of an obstacle course. That way I can supervise and teach while the other player goes "solo" against the challenge offered by the course.

Keep me informed on your teaching method. I am really interested.

[letsallchant]

i think its a great idea bruno, if you have never played a miniature game it would be pretty good to learn this way.

[mistercactus]

Nix told me he runs his first demos with only the same 4 models: Perdita and Nino Vs Lilith and Mature Nephilim. He said this lets him illustrate all the main aspects of the mechanics within 15 - 20 minutes.