How Do You Learn Boardgames?

[Retreater]

I was recently given Frosthaven by a friend who said it was "just taking up space." The guy knew my group loved tactical combat like in 4E D&D and suggested we'd enjoy it.
This was a very generous gift. But I must admit, I'm completely overwhelmed. Even the "getting started" tutorial video on YouTube is around 1.5 hours.
How do you go about learning complex boardgames and teaching them? Any tips?
Thanks!

 

[Reynard]

I always start with a deep dive YouTube video of folks explaining and playing it. Once I have done that, I can read the instructions and try a solo game.

 

[prabe]

I was recently given Frosthaven by a friend who said it was "just taking up space." The guy knew my group loved tactical combat like in 4E D&D and suggested we'd enjoy it.
This was a very generous gift. But I must admit, I'm completely overwhelmed. Even the "getting started" tutorial video on YouTube is around 1.5 hours.
How do you go about learning complex boardgames and teaching them? Any tips?
Thanks!

We kinda bashed our way through learning Gloomhaven, which made learning Frosthaven kinda an iterative thing. The fact we mostly play co-op games--stuff like Pandemic or Eldritch Horror--and TRPGs means we're used to handling edge-cases that come up.

Usually, we have someone (or some ones) read the rules before we play the first time, and we have someone (or some ones) with the rules handy the first few times we play, and we expect things to take a little longer. Obviously, we're used to complex board games, so my breeziness here shouldn't be taken as any commentary on your table.

Y'know, I've played enough of Gloomhaven and Frosthaven that I'm going to say: DM me if you have specific questions. (By which I mean not "How do you play?" )

 

[schneeland]

I think my process is pretty similar for RPGs and board games - I read the instructions cover to cover (re-reading sections as necessary) until I feel I understand enough to at least get started. Then I explain the basics to the rest of the players (most of the time: the family). And from then on, it is an iterative process of seeing how things turn out in play and looking up rules again as needed. The first game is usually a bit slow and we're fine with re-reading the rules and walking back on earlier decisions, but usually after a couple of games, this is only necessary in exceptional cases.
To be fair: this works for games with medium complexity (Ticket to Ride, Cascadia, Imhotep), and I have never played Gloom- or Frosthaven - maybe they those have too many moving part for my current approach.

 

[Stalker0]

I'm probably not the best person, I'm one of those weird people that just read the instructions thoroughly and then I'm ready to go

 

[Dioltach]

My usual process is to unpack the game and admire all the cool pieces. Then I'll look at the rulebook, heave a sigh and lob it into the box. I'll check out the basics on SUSD (usually), then maybe a few how-to-play videos on YouTube. When the time comes to play, it's generally a combination of what I remember from the videos and a basic reading of the rulebook, plus lots of referring back to the rulebook. It gets easier as the game progresses.

Of course, by the time we get round to playing the same game again we've forgotten how it works, and the whole process starts over.

 

[payn]

Depends on the game but I’m guessing the one gifted the OP is not a lite game. In that case yeah I do watch those long videos because if I’m facilitating the game, I feel it’s a duty to be up to the task. I might even try and run the game solo to understand it.

I had some friends that loved games like this. However, they would rip the shrink and start on page one on game night and I’d nope the f right out. So, I expect folks to have run the numbers before introducing something like this. YMMV

 

[sevenbastard]

Never played Frosthaven but Jaws of The Lion seemed pretty easy to learn. I think it is geared as a "Starter Set".

I typically read the rules then try to muddle through. Maybe watch a video if something isn't clicking, but learning from a friend is still the best way to learn any game.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

I play it and get someone who knows how to play teach it to me.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I think my process is pretty similar for RPGs and board games - I read the instructions cover to cover (re-reading sections as necessary) until I feel I understand enough to at least get started. Then I explain the basics to the rest of the players (most of the time: the family). And from then on, it is an iterative process of seeing how things turn out in play and looking up rules again as needed. The first game is usually a bit slow and we're fine with re-reading the rules and walking back on earlier decisions, but usually after a couple of games, this is only necessary in exceptional cases.
To be fair: this works for games with medium complexity (Ticket to Ride, Cascadia, Imhotep), and I have never played Gloom- or Frosthaven - maybe they those have too many moving part for my current approach.

Pretty much this. Will usually to reread the rules soon after the first game to see what we got wrong. It can take a couple of integrations to get the game right.