Getting A Newb To Play?

[Battlestar]

Well I might be able get another another buddy into this wonderful game The only problem is that I'm out of practice when it comes to making up adventures. I guess I could use premade adventure from WEG but I kinda need something a bit simplier so he can get used to the rules. Can anybody help?

[Chandra Mindarass]

Maybe you should start up small, in an out of the way setting and play an introductory adventure. Let him wake up in his apartment/ship/hotel and let him discover the scene a bit. Let him make a few rolls for all kinds of stuff, so he gets a feel for difficulties and the values and stats on his sheet: Let him meet a few neighbours, strange aliens and let him buy some item. Feed the scenery with a lot of Star Wars flavor. When he has won his first fight with the Rodian, who wants to rob him, he's ready for the first adventure.

Think of how some computer RPGs start up with a small tutorial about the controls.
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[Warhippo]

One thing I always do is allow the player to alter any aspect of his character (even change the character template) after the first session but allow them to keep any character points, equipment, etc they may have gained already (as if their altered character had always been in use). After the second session, I allow them to make minor changes (eg skill changes) without penalty.

The reason for this is to allow the player time to adapt to a new game, a new character, to your way of reffing, etc without having to make lots of costly mistakes. It saves time in the long run and as long as the rule isn't abused, allows the player to get comfortable with their character.

As for an adventure, the Pirates of Prexiar is real simple (in the 2nd edition rules). I'm starting a new campaign on Friday for a noob (only one player). I'm using the adventures from the Mos Eisely Adventure Set to begin with as they are really simple and I have lots of background infor (plus the atmosphere has been well created in the 4th movie).

I'll allow the player to make up a character from scratch (no templates, I only use them for rough guidelines) but without a history. The idea is that the last memory they have is stumbling through the dune sea (battered / bruised and with minimal equipment) before they were picked up by a Bantha herder. Over the last month, they got a job as a permanent militia member (low salary but digs and food thrown in).

The no history bit allows me to either create it myself if the noob isn't up to it or allow them to create their own ('remembering' it as they go along) as the player works out what kind of game they want to play.

It should be very flexible but allow me plenty of control (ie if they can't get funds for a vessel off Tatooine, then perhaps they remember that they crashed their ship in the desert - now they need to recover their ship (that's a whole adventure in itself) and take a loan for repairs (another adventure) which will help to maintain game balance).

I'm going to steer them down the loan bounty hunter route before plopping them into a Rebel campaign (by then, they should be skilled enough to control 2 more secondary characters to help even up the adventures).
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[Battlestar]

Thanks for the tips

[Kehlin Yew]

If your introducing a new character, we've found out that a really easy, yet interesting way, is to have him in the most recent adventure. i.e. he was a slave from the last base, and now needs a job.
(we're ridding the galaxy of slavers and pirates, yet running a fake mining business as a cover for our own pirateering(sp?))

So we bring them in for however long they're able to game, and then continue with our coregroup adventures. We just say they finally got back on their feet with the help of our 'business'.

Or have them run an undercover operation for us depending on their template, smugglers, and bountyhunters we do that to....
Have them deliver goods to a planet, and we send a guy out to tail them...

[Argamoth]

If he's a real newbie to paper & pencil type games, go easy on the roleplaying or being in character. When I started, I was terrible.

[garhkal]

[KageRyu]

I've generally found it helpful with players who are new to any particular game system to only give them a brief rundown of the basic game mechanics, and only the most important rules. It is best to take extra time helping them to create their character, and ask them often what they would like their character to do in real world terms, then explain how they achieve that in the games mechanics. Then, once the character is complete, introduce them to the rules As Needed. What I mean by As Needed is this:
It is not good to sit down and read the entire rule book to the player (which some GMs Ihave known actually do!). This will undoubtedly confuse the player, and bore the living force out of him. Just give him the most basic rules to start. As new situations arrive, start to introduce the rules needed at that time. This often works best, as this hands on approach makes the rules more memorable for many players. If the character is not a pilot or smuggler, no need to explain starship combat. For D6, it becomes easy, as you only need to initially explain that a skill rolls the number of dice and adds them up, and the Wild Die concept. When I introduced my new players to my new campaign, I started by having the Jedi in his master's courtyard practicing his lightsaber forms (wandering around the courtyard, eyes closed, making a sense roll, etc...) Then a basic sparring match with his Master (introduced basic combat to the player). When we got into the actual meat of the adventure, he had a fair knowledge of how skills and combat worked. I didn't even cover vehicle rules until the first big chase scene. This worked rather well. Just as I will not get into Starship rules until there is a space fight on our hands. At the end of the adventure, when I handed out skill points, I then explained how to increase skills, and how those worked. It also worked well because my group is entirely new to D6.
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"There's a set way to gain new Force Points and it represents a very nice system, where you're rewarded for heroism, not for being a poor conductor to electricity." ~Jachra

[garhkal]

When i brief new pcs, i go over..

Alien races, a little primer, and what their min/maxes mean
Templates and what they mean
Attributes what they do
Skills what some are
Wild die what it is used for
CP, what they are used for
FP what they are used for
DSP, what they do
Wound levels
A quick example of combat..
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[KageRyu]

yes, but I have found approaching it as it is needed or used helps give time for things to "sink in" and allows for new players to learn easier. Just a personal observation. I do cover what force points do in short, but feel that explaining the combat rules as they are used is far easier and practical than an initial "rules Briefing". It's just a matter of styles. I also do this as new players might get bored and find such an experience dry, turning them off to roleplaying, so I try to get them right into things, and let them learn as they go. They seem to enjoy it more this way too.
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"There's a set way to gain new Force Points and it represents a very nice system, where you're rewarded for heroism, not for being a poor conductor to electricity." ~Jachra

[Jedi Skyler]

I think KageRyu has it right on! I've also noticed that in addition to newbies appreciating not being bored to tears, they're fine about being told they can't do something, then being told why. Their reaction is usually like, "Whoa, sorry. Well then, I'll try this instead." When you treat noobs as intelligent beings rather than, well, noobs, they react to it much better.

[garhkal]

Agreed. If you take the time to explain why a pc could not do something, i have found that it makes it easier for them to figure out other things...
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[Lord Aramus]

I always 'solo' a new player before I introduce him to the rest of my group.. leads to less confusion and awkwardness that way.
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[Jamfke]

[Jedi Skyler]

Yes, it's a great idea. It's always easier to run an adventure with people who've at least had a few chances to roll the dice before they're all sitting around your table. Plus, instead of trying to get the game mechanics down (or at least the basics), they now have time to try to concentrate more on their roleplaying, which if done properly could greatly augment their dice rolls...