by Elltrain
Misterboy wrote:
Well said. One of the worst experiences I've ever had gaming was "learning" GtR. It was poorly taught, and little effort was made to explain what was going on. I was given a rule overview and then thrown into a tank with a shark who played his hand close to his chest and later reveled in his combinations. I still don't know what the hell he played or how it came together.
Fortunately, I was able to identify on my own that GtR is an interesting game, so I tried it again later.
It's sad that so many games are dependent on competent teachers. I'm new-ish to the hobby and my list of "gamers I won't play with if they are teaching" is growing much faster than I would have expected.
Coincidentally, many people's list of "gamers they don't want to play with if it's their first game" increased to 1.
Learning games are just that, and Glory to Rome is a complicated game. It takes several plays to understand what is going on. Michelle explained it just fine. I played the game one time over two years ago, that hardly qualifies me as a "shark." Reading the rules and teaching games is not something anyone wants to do. I am always extremely appreciative when someone does it, regardless of their skill at explaining.