Simple, colorful mechanics to run a game for non-gamers?

[RangerWickett]

I work at a library, and a coworker and I had a conversation about me possibly running a 1 hour game for some staff who've never played RPGs before, as part of a series of staff members sharing their hobbies.

I've run simple systems before, but how simple do you think I could go and still have it be fun and meaningful? Three ability scores, d20s for attacks and skills, d6s for damage?

I'd try to fit in one bit of role-playing, one bit of exploring, one fight, and one puzzle. It would be neat if I could have at least a rudimentary sort of character creation where they got maybe 3 choices, and could pick from four options for each, ideally with cool illustrations.

This is all very tentative now. Does anyone know a really easy system to use? Should I use something geared for kids like No Thank You, Evil? Or should I write one?

 

[dbm]

I would use Fate or Fate Accelerated if I was doing someone like that. It is a simple system and leans in to narrative logic which a I find people new to gaming can tap into more naturally than game-thinking like 5-foot steps and so on.

Make simple characters with a few traits, leverage the adjective ladder to help them understand if they are Good or Great at something. Explain Fate points as things which give them a degree of narrative control.

Fate would allow a wider range of challenges to be played out and tailor those to what you think (or better still, know) would find interesting.

 

[Haiku Elvis]

The into the Odd family of games nearly matches what you suggested.
3 stats - D20 roll under for checks but mainly used for saves to avoid badness. Actions generally work if sound within reason.
No attack roll just roll damage. Damage dice vary from D4 to D12. When hp is exhausted remaining damage comes directly off stats. Armour is level 1 or 2 and reduces damage by that amount. Hp recovers automatically with a short 5-10 min rest, the stats take a proper rest and maybe a cost to recuperate.
If an attack leaves you with exactly 0 hp you get a scar which can increase your hp etc as it toughens you up. Otherwise no levels or special skills.
That's pretty much the main rules right there.
Cairn ,which is a take of the system that matches things up with D&D more, is free so you can easily have a look and see if it's for you.

 

[jdrakeh]

I'd use Tricube Tales and pick up one of the many genre books for whatever genre of game you're interested in running (or a bunch of them to mix and match).

 

[MichaelSomething]

Use the "Snakes on a Plane" role playing game.

 

[Umbran]

Does anyone know a really easy system to use?

Fate Accelerated is pretty simple, but for a single, one hour game, it might be more complicated than you want: Fate Accelerated

Grant Howitt has written a whole bunch of one page RPGs. They are, by that limitation, very simple. I would recommend Crash Pandas (you play a bunch of raccoons - not humanoid raccoons, just normal raccoons - trying to drive racecars) or Honey Heist (you are bears, trying to do a heist to get honey, but you are, well, bears, not people), but others are also good.

One-page games - Rowan, Rook and Decard

rowanrookanddecard.com

 

[innerdude]

Tiny D6 would be a great choice.

 

[Clint_L]

One hour is tight for any system, but I've used Dread for exactly this purpose: introducing TTRPGs to non-gamers. If they can pull a jenga block, they can understand Dread, and since there are essentially no rules to learn, they can focus on learning what roleplaying is.

Also, since it's a library, they will get the idea of genre, and will understand about building a suspenseful story.

Edit: I did do a two hour introduction for teachers using a simplified D&D5e, and that included TWO fights, exploration, a puzzle, and a bit of RP, but making it work took a TON of prep, including:

• a meticulously written scenario to keep the adventure tight
• simplified character sheets and turn instructions for each player, so we didn't need to spend time on character creation
• three student helpers, all experienced DMs, to Sherpa the teachers
• a pre-prepared battle map using Dwarven Forge and miniatures so they could see exactly what was happening.

Examples:

 

[Clint_L]

Further: D&D-like games are incredibly complex for a newbie, and thus I highly advise getting them playing as quickly as possible so they can learn by doing. If you hit them up front with a ton of conceptual stuff, there's no way they'll track it all. For example, instead of explaining dice and rolling to hit versus rolling for damage and so on up front, just wait until combat happens and let them do it.

 

[pemerton]

My suggestion would be Cthulhu Dark.