Thread: Re: Introduced to non-Gamers

squash — 2008-07-05T07:27:44+00:00

I couldn't agree more! This used to be one of my favourites for bringing out with the "total non-gamers" (because I enjoy it too!), although [GAMEID=30549] is probably my top choice now.

Thread: Re: Introduced to non-Gamers

Ambrose — 2008-07-05T05:23:59+00:00

rsmithx wrote:
Anyway, just had to say how happy I was with my purchase of TtD and how well it worked to play with people who are very much not gamers.
Excellent excellent! Thank you so much!

Thread: Introduced to non-Gamers

rsmithx — 2008-07-05T06:56:54+00:00

So this fourth of July my wife and I headed out to meet her entire family and go camping. It was kinda overcast, so I decided to back the gaming bag with a few games "just in case"... As we were headed out the door I grabbed Loot, Memoir '44 and Through the Desert. I figured Loot would get a lot of play, it's easy to pick up, only has cards, and everyone seems to enjoy it whenever I bring it out. I figured Memoir '44 had no chance of getting played, but on the off chance it was a real downpour I knew my wife would at least play with me... and who doesn't love pushing little plastic army men around on the board.

The one I didn't know about was Through the Desert. I always tend to think it is a pretty simple game... but my wifes family is COMPLETELY non-gamers. Their highpoint of strategy games is Yahtzee and Hand and Foot. Well sure enough the rain came so I brought out Through the Desert.

The candy colored pieces of course was the first thing everyone commented on (everyone always seems to think they are supposed to eat the pieces of this game). Well I got TtD all set up (I never noticed before, but this game is a bit fiddily to set up. While it isn't anything like a hardcore euro, for "non gamers" the fact that it took me more than 15 seconds to pop open a board and be ready to go had them worried).

I quickly explained the rules, and of course got quite a few blank stares (I am not sure if I am just terrible at explaining rules, or if they really just weren't paying attention). I finally said "screw it, just start placing your caravan leaders on the board, it will make sense"... which ended up being the best way to explain. Everyone got their leaders down, and then started playing their camels.

The first few turns you could tell people weren't really getting it, but after about 3 times around the board, people started figuring out to capture high point pieces, connect oasis and try and block people from getting in to other oasis. I didn't really even try, I was more concerned with explaining the rules, that by the end of the game my sister in law actually ended up winning the first game.

This turned out to be a great turn of events, because of course she then thought this was the greatest game of all time, and my brother in law of course couldn't stand the fact that his wife "beat" him, so they both clamored for another game. I quickly reset the board and we were off. Both of them picked up the game really quickly, with my brother in law in the second game sectioning off large portions of the board to score some big points, and my sister in law paying close attention to all the camel trains to try and secure the longest caravan in multiple colors.

My brother in law won the 2nd game (and sadly, I must admit, I was trying this time :p) and I think I had them hooked. They wanted to know where they could buy this game (they inquired if it was available at WalMart... I had a good chuckle) and I told them of a local game store I knew of nearby. They then made up their mind that on their way home from camping tomorrow that they were going to have to stop in and buy it.

All in all I have to say that I had read a lot of reviews on TtD and how good it was as an entry level game. I think it is a fine game, definitely far from my favorite but my main reasoning in purchasing it was for this very reason, my wifes family is mostly non gamers and I wanted to see if I could get them to expand beyond Monopoly with some actual "fun" games. TtD rated very high in the reviews and so I picked it up. In my opinion TtD lived up to it's reputation as a good "gateway" game, and I am hoping with the success of TtD, that maybe the next family get together we can try TTR or Settlers of Catan. Who knows, maybe this will be the begining of an addiction for 2 more unsuspecting individuals in to the world of board gaming.

Anyway, just had to say how happy I was with my purchase of TtD and how well it worked to play with people who are very much not gamers.

Game: Through the Desert

Thread: Re: Introduced to non-Gamers

Thread: Re: Introduced to non-Gamers

Thread: Introduced to non-Gamers