For the uninitiated, the world of board games might seem over-complicated, boring, or only for kids.
If you could tap into their existing interests and passions, youll both have a better time.
Dont force a game because you really want to play it.
Focus on making the event fun for everyone else.
Ask yourself, will certain themes make them lose interest?
Are they competitive or are they more passive?
What kinds of games have they played before?
Keep in mind, however, that not everyone will be interested in becoming a tabletop gamer.
You cant force someone to like something.
Focus on the people that do show some interest and play with them.
Thats where gateway games come in.
Its fun to play the first time:This is an absolute must.
The first session with the game needs to be fun, exciting, and encouraging.
If you get them hooked, youll be able to play more games down the line.
When choosing a gateway game, its also a good idea to keep your audiences likes in mind.
As theCardboard Crusader blog explains, look for tangential theme relations.
What are your friends and family into?
If they like art, show them a game thats heavily influenced by art interpretation likeDixit.
If they dig scary supernatural stuff, have them play a game ofOne Night Ultimate Werewolf.
If theyre into sci-fi, maybe a game ofStar Fluxx.
Or, if they are wannabe comedians, a game ofCards Against Humanityalmost always ends in laughs.
You need lay out a plan to sell it a little.
It should be a dedicated event, rather than a random party or hangout.
It looks kind of spooky.
You guys want to come over to my apartment and play it Thursday night?
Offer to make your friends or family dinner, or tell them youll be ordering a few pizzas.
If you have a dish you know your friends love, now is the time to wield its power.
Whip up that fancy dip, roll upsome bacon-wrapped avocado, and cook some of your famous crab cakes.
That said, alcohol also has the potential derail a game.
You may have friends who dont drink, for example, who otherwise would love to play.
So keep that in mind while you plan out your game nights.
If youre going to eat dinner, eat before you dive in playing.
Let everyone socialize while they eat, so come game time, theyll be ready to learn and play.
Most importantly,have the game set up before people arrive or finish eating dinner.
Nobody wants to spend an hour going over rules for a game that plays for 45 minutes.
Its critical to know the game youll be playing inside and out.
Dont get frustrated if you have to repeat rules, and be patient.
Even a fun game will be ruined by an angry facilitator.
It helps to be enthusiastic about it as well.
Also, make the game aboutthem.
Games can be intense and competitive, but the first couple sessions isnt the time to focus on that.
Your friends wont have fun if youre kicking their butts while theyre trying to learn the rules.
You dont have to let them win, just focus on having an overall atmosphere of fun.
If that means occasionally fudging the rules, or creating fun new house rules, so be it.
Local game stores usually have games running every night that you might watch or even jump in on.
Some stores will also have a collection of games that are available for anyone to play.
Illustration by Sam Woolley.
drop a line to the author at[email protected].
