What would you do?

[JoeBlank]

You are a better man than I, Nebulous. Teaching kids to play D&D can be fun and rewarding, as long as you are prepared for the task. I did not understand completely from your post whether the father and son were the only players, or if you had others. If they are the only players, then obviously the father (who is also learning the game) will have a certain level of patience with the boy's learning curve. But if there are other players I would be checking with them to be sure they are willing to put up with it.

I run occasional games for my sons, ages 7, 5 and 3. All three played this weekend, using the iconics and the Basic Game for 3.5. They were bickering constantly over what to do next, and the 3 year old was very upset that the could not do more when his turn was over. I certainly understand that there is very little teaching going on with the youngest, mostly we were just including him in our fun, and I guided him quite a bit.

A helpful tool to transition the kid, which I have used, is the Temple of Elemental Evil PC game. It has several bugs, which can be minimized with a couple of patches, and uses the 3.5 rules, in a simplified version. The best thing about it as a tool to learn the game is that combat is turn based, unlike most video games. My boys and I have been playing, with each of them controlling a character, so they understand having to wait their turn in combat, and they can't ask me for permission to do more than the rules allow, since the computer is the DM.

If you choose to stick with it, try to have patience and encourage the kid to read the Players Handbook. Good Luck!

 

[Peter Gibbons]

A helpful tool to transition the kid, which I have used, is the Temple of Elemental Evil PC game. It has several bugs, which can be minimized with a couple of patches, and uses the 3.5 rules, in a simplified version. The best thing about it as a tool to learn the game is that combat is turn based, unlike most video games. My boys and I have been playing, with each of them controlling a character, so they understand having to wait their turn in combat, and they can't ask me for permission to do more than the rules allow, since the computer is the DM.

Man, that's a good idea! I'm going to be sure and save my copy of ToEE for when it comes time to teach my sons how to play D&D.

 

[Gold Roger]

To me it looks like it would be a good idea to have the kid get a basic grasp of the games concepts and principles. I know how I was at that age, it sounds a litlle like that guy, only more introverted. Has he got some friends he could master for? He would be a abysmal DM for the most part, but if he as some friends that aren't to much into bickering among each other, it should work out well enough and he would play with people that share his views of gaming.

 

[Mystery Man]

But the kid still kept asking, literally about 10 times, if we could play the mission again and not let the NPC get killed. I tried to explain it was more like a story, chapter 1, 2, 3, etc. and you wouldn't go back and re-read a chapter you'd just finished. You move on to the next. Well, he thought that was stupid.

You didn't realize he hit the quick save button?

 

[pntbllr]

I too have had difficulty with a young newbie but I say just tough it out and you'll probably end up with a lifelong gamer.
I am so glad that 25 yrs ago, my significantly older cousin didn't decide I was to much bother.

 

[Harmon]

Talk to the Dad about the game, and all the noise the kid made. Ask him to do a little more reining of the kid during the game so that you don't have to do so much.

You are a very good person for making the attempt.

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

He wanted to jump on the reins and steer the adventure to God-knows what avenues of prepubescent weirdness.

That's half the fun of running game with 9 year old players.

My son and another player, both 9 at the time, played a Vrock and a Raskshasa (they really wanted to play a Savage Species game). So, what did they decide to do? Open a shop so they could craft weapons and sell them to make money. And the rakshasa maxed out Perform: Saxophone and wanted to play at the inn every night to earn money. Oh, such vile plans those wretched, evil beings concocted.

It sounds like you have a more structured story in mind, however.

I suggest following the advice of others in the thread. But also, perhaps, giving a little "side scene" now and then where the kid's PC can run free-form for a few minutes. Let him decide his actions--and just bring up the consequences later in the game (e.g., a recurring minor villain who retreats every time the PC is about to capture him--the minor villain informs other (more important) people about the PC's strengths, weaknesses, etc.). That way, he gets a (short-term) burst of control, but there are long-term consequences.

 

[Nebulous]

The more i think about it, maybe i do have a duty as a DM to teach younger generations how to play the game right. I mean, he could be a game designer one day for all i know and i'll be buying crap from him. He's a smart boy. He's played Baldur's Gate, and other more hack n slash DnD video games, and he just got Star Wars miniatures and he's tinkered with that. It was sort of fun running him through the motions, but it was a difficult balancing act trying to tell a coherent story to two other adults, one of whom had never played an rpg, and at the same time listen to the kid's plans to eradicate the gate guards with improvised magic.

And the rakshasa maxed out Perform: Saxophone and wanted to play at the inn every night to earn money. Oh, such vile plans those wretched, evil beings concocted.

Now that's funny. I don't know what would happen if i gave the kid free-reign. I think he's a rules lawyer in the making, and would love to debate decisions and challenge the basic "The DM is always right" thing. But, maybe i can run one where he has more say in what happens, and repercussions. Yeah, the Midnight adventure was part of an ongoing plot line that couldn't really accomodate a lot of wild, unforeseen antics.

 

[jokamachi]

I ran a Midnight adventure yesterday, picking up where our first adventure had ended over 4 months ago. I had one old player, a new guy who had never played DnD at all, and his 9 year old son who is a videogame junkie.

It went pretty well, but the kid talked the whole time. He (and I warned the father this would likely happen) treated it like a videogame. He made up his own rules, wanted to cast spells to make people die and enemies fight each other, or carry weapons around in town and not be arrested, etc. His imagination is actually quite keen, and i'm sure he will be a good player/DM one day, but constant interruptions dragged the game down (he pulled me outside to ask if he could make a Listen check to hear and fight a Star Wars miniature - the Acklay - he'd brought from home).

The funniest part was when a particularly nasty troll cornered an NPC and ripped both arms off. The kid was flat out terrified by that point and wanted to quit playing. His character (who i had supplied and was a fighter, with the kid's Elminster-like additions) he actually took his mini off the board because he didn't want to fight the thing (he was the only defense and heavy hitter who could possibly do it).

Well, we made him put it back, he got swiped good, then a well placed critical hit chopped the Troll's arm off and sent it running. So all's well ends well.

But the kid still kept asking, literally about 10 times, if we could play the mission again and not let the NPC get killed. I tried to explain it was more like a story, chapter 1, 2, 3, etc. and you wouldn't go back and re-read a chapter you'd just finished. You move on to the next. Well, he thought that was stupid.

So, i wouldn't mind playing with the dad again, he seemed to like it, but the son is an extra degree of frustration that i'm not used to. If he comes along again should I just grin and bear it, or subtly suggest that the game is not quite appropriate for his age yet (plus it's morbidly violent, not that the father cares too much). And he might not come at all and it's a moot point. I'm just not sure of what to say or if i should say anything at all.

It's a brave new world.

 

[Henry]

Yeah, the Midnight adventure was part of an ongoing plot line that couldn't really accomodate a lot of wild, unforeseen antics.

That advice kind of applies to ANY new players, regardless of age, being injected into an ongoing game that the existing participants want to treat intently. A new player is going to try strange stuff, and while it's not a bad thing, it can break Suspenstion of Disbelief for the regulars.