How to Get the Younguns

[frogspawner]

Originally Posted by Dredj

I'll shut up now

Don't feel bad. Real RPGs for Computer Games is a good idea. No-one's made it work spectacularly well yet, that's all.

Originally Posted by Jason Durall

If anything, I think RPGs should be making more effort to get into the retail bookstore space (despite the returns policies).

Would that really be worth it? I suspect not. OK, it's nice the local Waterstones has a shelf of big-name RPGs - but I didn't see a horde of eager young players flocking to it last time I was in there. If supermarkets are more successful than anywhere else, aren't they the outlet to use?

Originally Posted by Jason Durall

Additionally, game companies should focus on more "starter" games that are actually easy to play (D&D is not a starter game), and more emphasis on pre-packaged scenarios and campaigns to overcome the massive amount of work a GM has to do before a game can begin.

I think you're spot-on there. What would we need to include in a Starter BRP? Could it be a kids comic/magazine that supermarkets would sell? Kind of an updated White Dwarf, but mostly the core game rules with just a few extras tacked-on each month. Free weird dice with first issue...

[Puck]

Game store owners are very important as well...at least in my area. The gaming stores in this area host a lot of games right in the shop. Many kids flock there looking for something to do. The store owners have a huge influence on the games the kids pick up both role-playing and otherwise. As far as role-playing goes they do not like to carry non d20 games because they seem to sit on the shelf and are a bit of a gamble. If many store owners are convinced to switch to BRP you may see many new role-players make the switch as well.

The other thing that I think would help immensely is great artwork. This may be expensive, but it is very powerful. Games with stunning art are very hard not to pick up just to see what is inside the cover. I think that the art of D+D is one of the reasons it has never lost its stranglehold on the industry.

[RosenMcStern]

Oh, yeah! This was one of the reasons RQ lost ground in the eighties. David ultimately had some chances against Goliath, let's be honest. But Dobyski versus Larry Elmore..... tsk!

[GianniVacca]

I have played both Dungeons & Dragons Board Game | BoardGameGeek and HeroScape Master Set: Rise of the Valkyrie | BoardGameGeek with my children (ages 10 and 9). The former is particularly close to real [hack 'n slay] rolegames. Despite its name it's also actually closer to BRP than to D&D (characters use Magic Points to fuel their spells, and nothing prevents the Magic-User from using a 2H sword).
However, I haven't tried a real rolegame with them yet. I believe their attention span is still too short. I was 14 myself when I started playing D&D.

[GianniVacca]

Originally Posted by Puck

I think that the art of D+D is one of the reasons it has never lost its stranglehold on the industry.

Yes the art is important, as are the props. But unfortunately both are expensive.

I guess the ideal introductory rolegame should have: nice painted miniatures, nice full colour character sheets, full colour gaming tiles, and possibly a set of (again) full colour cards for spells, weapons, creatures, etc. The players should be able to play by having a look at their character sheet and their cards only -- no boring manual. Only the GM should need a manual, which should be as short as possible (like the original 1981 BRPS booklet).

All IMHO.

[OooMatron]

How to get the younguns?

You need to leave a trail of small pieces of World of Warcraft away from the PC, across the kitchen and into the study, where you can hit them over the head with a copy of BRP.

[seneschal]

I agree that props are essential. My first role-playing experience with my kids was a failure. The second time I used household toys to represent player-characters, monsters, and scenery. They got into it.

[Skunkape]

My current group is composed of mostly experienced players, and I can tell you that even they get excited when I pull out a prop for them, so I agree that adding them when dealing with younguns would work quite well.

[GianniVacca]

I've run my first game for kids using the plastic miniatures from Heroscape and the props (terrain, trees, columns, weapon cards...) from the D&D boardgame. It was a great success. The kids had great fun.

[TRose]

To get new players show up at your game store ready to run a game, and remember to be gentle with the new players. BRP caan be quit deadly to new players who dont know the system and if you kill off everyone first time, chance are they wont come back. so no trolls with Halberds even if you only give them a 20% chance to hit.