How Do You Learn Boardgames?

[CandyLaser]

Frosthaven is sadly a very bad game to learn from; the rulebook is geared toward people who've already played Gloomhaven and understand the basic mechanics. You might try looking for a Gloomhaven tutorial? The digital version of GH might work as well. For games in general, I typically am the one teaching in my group, and I learn the games by reading the rulebook, pretending I'm teaching as I go.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

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.

I have found some of the YouTube videos to be the opposite of helpful and have gone away more confused than before I watched them at times.

Is there a channel you could recommend?

 

[Zardnaar]

Generally via the rules or other players.

Picked up Farshore recently. Played it twice

 

[Reynard]

I have found some of the YouTube videos to be the opposite of helpful and have gone away more confused than before I watched them at times.

Is there a channel you could recommend?

I rather like Geek and Sundry and Shut up and Site Down.

 

[TiQuinn]

YouTube is the way to go but I will say that I find tutorial videos from the game company, if that’s what you watched, are often inadequate when it comes to learning the game. I’ll hunt out two or three videos of folks playing the game if possible.

 

[Reynard]

YouTube is the way to go but I will say that I find tutorial videos from the game company, if that’s what you watched, are often inadequate when it comes to learning the game. I’ll hunt out two or three videos of folks playing the game if possible.

I almost never go for the "official" video.

 

[TiQuinn]

I almost never go for the "official" video.

Yeah, they’re often an afterthought.

 

[Smackpixi]

I’ve never had to bring something quite that complex to my group. But my method is read rules with the start setup laid out in front of me. Mostly, I don’t have patience for long rules and zone out for large parts of the reading. Then watch some play through/tutorial which I also don’t have patience for, so I skip parts, but keep going until I sorta feel like I get the gist. Then we play with everyone knowing it will be slow this first time, I give a few min sorta this is what we do, you’ll find out more later. And then we play and I reference rules often, but also do some GM fiat if not quickly clear what the answer is. Then finish, or quit early even if having fun if it’s a long game, once people are at the, okay I think I get it point. Then we play again next week and in between I look up some stuff I discovered I need to know in the rules.

Usually takes about 3 plays before I’m really doing most all the details right on anything more complex than say Castles of Burgandy. But that’s cause I’m real not interested in study, and no one else will do it. Have heard Gloomhaven family stuff is pretty amenable to guessing on some details and going with it cause not competitive.

 

[Blue]

We have a boardgaming group (that grew out of a 90s LAN party) that means about 5 times a year. So most often new games are taught by someone. When someone picks up a brand new game no one has tried they will post an elevator pitch and Youtube link on our Discord, and those interested watch before the next event and then work through it.

So, find a few folks interested, all of you take a look at the link,a nd go from there. Though from what I've heard, you've got a quite complex game that assumes a level of understanding of a previous, still pretty complex game. If it wasn't for your situation I'd say start with a different game.

 

[Retreater]

Would it be worth playing Jaws of the Lion as a Starter Set before jumping into Frosthaven? Or would the mechanics be so different as to confuse players when we go to the full game?