TOPIC: Quick Start Sheet

Hopefully not an obtuse question. Is there room at the beginning to indicate that this is a variation of Dungeons & Dragons or a comparable online gaming counter part? An opening statement to this effect may give people a better idea or frame of reference as to what they are about to engage in. Having just taken 2 total novices thru TD E3 at Gen Con, when I used this analogy they integrated and processed info a lot faster. My 2 cents.

Spud

Matthew Hayward wrote: If I think of documents or communication aimed at the lowest common denominator, they mainly involve pictures, not words.

Think of airplane safety cards or lego instructions.


I think it's unlikely anyone will retain more than 3 or so facts from this handout. I would pick the top 1-2 problems we're trying to solve, pick 1-2 facts for each, and give that a try with this handout to see if it makes any difference.

Maybe something like:

1. Arrive at your starting area at least 5 minutes before the time on your ticket.

[illustration, people walking to a coaching area, clock on the wall.

2. Select a character card, and mark your starting hitpoints with paperclips on the highlighted numbers. Attach a flashlight to your card.

[illustration of group of people picking from the cards]
[illustration of a card showing paperclips slid over the highlighted numbers, an attached light.]

3. Your adventuring party will have 24 minutes in coaching, 12 minutes in training, and 12 minutes in each of seven dungeon rooms.

[illustration of hopscotch like grid of attached squares, the first two labeled coaching and training, and numbers inside each square indicating duration.]

4. During your adventure you'll encounter fantastic monsters, hazardous traps, and devious puzzles.

During coaching you'll equip your tokens to build your defenses up.
[Illustration of simple player map]

During training you'll practice the skills you'll need to fight monsters by:
All classes - sliding your weapon onto a target.
Spell casters - casting offensive spells from your character card, or using one time items like wands and scrolls.
[illustration of a combat board, puck, and slider]

Yes. Somebody with the right idea. People have the attention span of a housefly these days. As much as they need to read and learn these basic guidelines, they probably won't and won't.

Chad wrote:

Matthew Hayward wrote: If I think of documents or communication aimed at the lowest common denominator, they mainly involve pictures, not words.

Think of airplane safety cards or lego instructions.


I think it's unlikely anyone will retain more than 3 or so facts from this handout. I would pick the top 1-2 problems we're trying to solve, pick 1-2 facts for each, and give that a try with this handout to see if it makes any difference.

Maybe something like:

1. Arrive at your starting area at least 5 minutes before the time on your ticket.

[illustration, people walking to a coaching area, clock on the wall.

2. Select a character card, and mark your starting hitpoints with paperclips on the highlighted numbers. Attach a flashlight to your card.

[illustration of group of people picking from the cards]
[illustration of a card showing paperclips slid over the highlighted numbers, an attached light.]

3. Your adventuring party will have 24 minutes in coaching, 12 minutes in training, and 12 minutes in each of seven dungeon rooms.

[illustration of hopscotch like grid of attached squares, the first two labeled coaching and training, and numbers inside each square indicating duration.]

4. During your adventure you'll encounter fantastic monsters, hazardous traps, and devious puzzles.

During coaching you'll equip your tokens to build your defenses up.
[Illustration of simple player map]

During training you'll practice the skills you'll need to fight monsters by:
All classes - sliding your weapon onto a target.
Spell casters - casting offensive spells from your character card, or using one time items like wands and scrolls.
[illustration of a combat board, puck, and slider]

Yes. Somebody with the right idea. People have the attention span of a housefly these days. As much as they need to read and learn these basic guidelines, they probably won't and won't.

Heh, how many people even glance at those airline safety graphics?

Harlax wrote:

Chad wrote:

Matthew Hayward wrote: If I think of documents or communication aimed at the lowest common denominator, they mainly involve pictures, not words.

Think of airplane safety cards or lego instructions.


I think it's unlikely anyone will retain more than 3 or so facts from this handout. I would pick the top 1-2 problems we're trying to solve, pick 1-2 facts for each, and give that a try with this handout to see if it makes any difference.

Maybe something like:

1. Arrive at your starting area at least 5 minutes before the time on your ticket.

[illustration, people walking to a coaching area, clock on the wall.

2. Select a character card, and mark your starting hitpoints with paperclips on the highlighted numbers. Attach a flashlight to your card.

[illustration of group of people picking from the cards]
[illustration of a card showing paperclips slid over the highlighted numbers, an attached light.]

3. Your adventuring party will have 24 minutes in coaching, 12 minutes in training, and 12 minutes in each of seven dungeon rooms.

[illustration of hopscotch like grid of attached squares, the first two labeled coaching and training, and numbers inside each square indicating duration.]

4. During your adventure you'll encounter fantastic monsters, hazardous traps, and devious puzzles.

During coaching you'll equip your tokens to build your defenses up.
[Illustration of simple player map]

During training you'll practice the skills you'll need to fight monsters by:
All classes - sliding your weapon onto a target.
Spell casters - casting offensive spells from your character card, or using one time items like wands and scrolls.
[illustration of a combat board, puck, and slider]

Yes. Somebody with the right idea. People have the attention span of a housefly these days. As much as they need to read and learn these basic guidelines, they probably won't and won't.

Heh, how many people even glance at those airline safety graphics?

Every first time flier I've ever traveled with. Especially when you preface the flight with "dang, we're on a <insert plane model here >. The most likely model of plane to crash that is currently in regular use "

Matthew Hayward wrote: If I think of documents or communication aimed at the lowest common denominator, they mainly involve pictures, not words.

Think of airplane safety cards or lego instructions.


I think it's unlikely anyone will retain more than 3 or so facts from this handout. I would pick the top 1-2 problems we're trying to solve, pick 1-2 facts for each, and give that a try with this handout to see if it makes any difference.

Maybe something like:

1. Arrive at your starting area at least 5 minutes before the time on your ticket.

[illustration, people walking to a coaching area, clock on the wall.

2. Select a character card, and mark your starting hitpoints with paperclips on the highlighted numbers. Attach a flashlight to your card.

[illustration of group of people picking from the cards]
[illustration of a card showing paperclips slid over the highlighted numbers, an attached light.]

3. Your adventuring party will have 24 minutes in coaching, 12 minutes in training, and 12 minutes in each of seven dungeon rooms.

[illustration of hopscotch like grid of attached squares, the first two labeled coaching and training, and numbers inside each square indicating duration.]

4. During your adventure you'll encounter fantastic monsters, hazardous traps, and devious puzzles.

During coaching you'll equip your tokens to build your defenses up.
[Illustration of simple player map]

During training you'll practice the skills you'll need to fight monsters by:
All classes - sliding your weapon onto a target.
Spell casters - casting offensive spells from your character card, or using one time items like wands and scrolls.
[illustration of a combat board, puck, and slider]

+1 to this concept. I took a quick look at the latest version. I like the idea but no one's going to do that much reading.

Illustrations sound like a good idea.

But... it requires a much rarer skill set than what is needed for the text-based version.

My favorite instructions for RPGs comes from a group called "Up to Four Players."

They've created comic strips that are great at explaining games to new players, and, as many others have said, pictures are worth a thousand words.

It's possible that the group could be contacted to see if a "trade" in TD tickets/tokens could be arranged in return for creating an intro to TD cartoon. They are based in London, but maybe they travel to the US for one of the many conventions that TD is now taking part.

Here is an example of the Fate Core comics:
www.uptofourplayers.com/fate-core-rules/

They also have Star Wars FFG RPG and Savage Worlds comics.

--Steven