I just got back from Genghis Con here in Denver. I think we had 3000 gamers there and it's the big ROLE PLAYING convention for us. Zero slots of WFRP ran (2e or 3e). Last year, I ran FALSE PRETENSES and had to teach all the noobs how to play and my friend ran a 2 scenario (I think Noblesse Oblige..but I could be wrong).

Is 3e running at your local conventions? How long is the noob training time taking?

Anybody have any suggestions for 4 hour slots that I could run at Tacticon this fall?

Do you think we need more 4-hour scenarios so people have something to run at conventions to help grow our WFRP hobby?

jh

I'm thinking of running 3ed at Kubla Con this year ... the slots are 6hrs though. This will be my first time running anything so if you have any pointers I'd love to hear them. I'm not sure what I'm going to do for an adventure yet ...

Here on Cons in Germany i run a 3h to 4h session with noobs to get them excited about Warhammer 3e. Mostly i gm a short free adventure having the focus for the player to learn about the system and the world. If the player are nerds that wanna play the system and know about the warhammer world it will be a different session, than when i have roleplayers.

Hey Zwobot,

on which Cons in Germany are you running them? Maybe I will find the time to walk by and say hello?

Next big thing is the RPC in Cologne, before that some small meetings in aachen and Düsseldorf. I am the one with loud whisky voice.

@GullyFoyle

I'll be joining Kubla Con this year too. Have not decided about running any formal sessions yet, but i do plan to at least play in some. Hopefully i'll see you there.

We also talked about doing a live Reckless Dice Podcast at the con. No real news on that yet.

Gitzman

GullyFoyle said:

Here are my thoughts from last year's experience:

Limit your table size to 5 MAX

Give yourself at least 30 minutes to teach the game and have everybody roll some dice. Have a checklist of things that you NEED to go over: combat, fatigue, stress, fortune points, dice symbols, perform stunt (never say no , tracking, rally phase, social encounters, etc. You DON'T need to go over character generation and advancement and anything else that won't be used that game

Be wary of your cards & sheets disappearing/getting lost/ruined. I've resolved that next time I run, I'm just going to use a copy of the action from the Players guide (probably take each strip and tape it to the character sheet)

House rules for simplicity:

* Magic/Blessings: I just handed my book to the player last time and said "read up on it." That worked ok, but I'm thinking of just making a house rule for simplified casting. If you've got an experienced player then you don't have to worry about it, but in the essence of time to learn the game AND play a scenario, it could be useful to simplify the tracking element.

* Talent exhaust could be per encounter/rally (otherwise you may turn them off with yet another thing to track..the big complaint that I heard at the table)

* Minimize the character sheet stuff (you don't need advancements, etc.). Have copies of the basic actions and a copy of the advanced actions (I prefer a copy to the actual card..because I don't want to lose a card).

Lastly, i'd recommend using a HORIZONTAL/HORIZON layout GM screen with all the necessary quick reference rules on the cover of it for the players to see. This just isn't a very good game for novices to "wing it." If you've got experienced 3e players, then you're ok, but the vast majority of people I've met have no idea what wfrp is, much less how to track stress, stance, talents, action cards, fatigue, critical wounds, and recharge for favor and magic.

I'd like to see suggestions from other GMs on what scenarios work good for a 4 hour game slot (convention or game-store demo). I ran False Pretenses, but we went about 5 hours. I'm keeping my eyes open for others that would work.

jh

@Emri

Have you (or anyone else) considered making a spellcasting quick-sheet? Sort of like a flowchart for spellcasters. I've seen people make some gorgeous PDFs with quick-rules and cheat-sheets around here.

It shouldn't be too hard to outline, and it might help many people for the purpose of teaching new players or handling con-games.

Thought about it is about it. If you see any, let me know.

jh

I've run WFRP3 in 4, 6, and 8 hour con slots. It works for all of them.

The real key is picking the right scenario, and making sure you're pacing it right. There's nothing worse than having 30 minutes left and realizing that it will take you a minimum of 60 to get to the climax. Folks at cons often have other games to attend, and can't necessarily "stay late."

So make sure you playtest with you regular game group at least once, keeping an eye on the clock. Learn what you can cut out if you get behind, and what you can add (do this rarely as it always adds more time than you think, and it's better to be slightly early than late) if the PCs are nailing it.

I just ran a four-hour slot at Dreamation this past weekend and had a blast. I intentionally ran the session as an introduction to the game world and rules and it came together swimmingly. I took extra care to make sure that the rules were laid out in a slow but steady manner, building from the basics of dice mechanics into combat in a steady matter. If you haven't heard of Fluency Play, check out an article here and you'll see what I was trying to do.

Here are some tips that I have for running a session of WFRP3 in a con setting.

• Remember that this is likely the first time a player is playing the game. Err on the side of the new player and run the game in that direction.
• Only use the Basic Set (and if you need it, the Adventurer's Toolkit). You want to show new players how much good stuff is in their initial purchase.
• Pre-generate the PCs. Character creation for the game can lag when you hit the "Action Card" phase, so don't take that to the table. Make up starting characters for the session. Use archetypal characters, and try to make the characters as varied as possible so that the players can see what the game has on offer. The Party I generated included a Priestess of Sigmar, a Road Warden, a Troll Slayer, and a Grey Wizard Apprentice. All beginning characters, all exemplars of the setting.
• Pick the Party Sheet for the players to key in to the scenario.
• Don't assume the players know the setting. Lean on archetypes, explain the important features that are needed for the scenario, but leave the rest for the players to discover when they buy their own sets.
• If you have photoshop skills, make your own character sheet. I built a sheet using the front of the basic sheet on the top of a 8.5x11 piece of paper, and used the bottom for a stance meter, a list of possible maneuvers and the like, and a Favour/Power track for the spell-throwers. Otherwise, make sure you have as much of the characters pre-assembled as possible.
• Figure out what you want your scenario to be about and create Character Hooks for each of the PCs that engage that directly. I ran a session about the characters fighting some Chaos marauders in a northern frontier town. I then tied those characters into that conflict using character hooks. The Troll Slayer thought that the northern marauders may be strong enough to kill him. The Sigmarite was given visions by Sigmar sending her north to combat Chaos. The Road Warden came from a duchy that was destroyed by Chaos Marauders and sought revenge. The Grey Wizard's master disappeared in the North and she thought that Chaos may be responsible.
• No more than four PCs. This is no joke. No more than four! You go five and you start breaking the niche-protection of the basic set. Also, the more players you let in, the less time you can spend showing players how the rules work and interact. If you want to maximize player contact, run multiple sessions.
• Be liberal with Fortune Points. Give the players the opportunity to describe actions and outcomes. Reward those narrations with Fortune Points.
• Fluency Play. Start the scenario with a basic dice roll that every player can make. Discuss how to form a dice pool and talk about what the different dice types and sides mean. I opened my scenario with an observation check to notice a couple of hunting dogs coming at the PCs while they set up camp. Move into a small combat to show how Action Cards work. Throw in a Rally Step. Come back from the Rally Step and talk about Stance Meters. Then keep the ball rolling. By that point your players should feel comfortable enough to start making decisions without your input.
• If you spend more than fifteen minutes at the front of the session explaining how the game works, you're doing it wrong. Explain the dice mechanics first, but do it during play. Then play some more. Introduce a new rule, but do it in play. Keep doing that. When you see the players start to understand a new rule, it's time to introduce the next one.
• Make the PCs important to the scenario. Have them make all of the important decisions. Show them what it's like to be a hero in the world of Warhammer.
• Pacing, pacing, pacing. Run your scenario at home with your regular group, using your pre-genned characters. Remember, no more than four PCs. If you can run your session in three hours at home, your con scenario will run in four just fine.
• Don't House Rule. I cannot emphasize this enough. Players are coming to play WFRP3, not your version of it.
• Show up fifteen minutes early and set up the character sheets, Party sheet, cards, and all of that ahead of time. When your players start showing up, they should have a cool, colourful table waiting for them.
• Ask the players questions. When they use an action card, ask the player what their action looks like. If they use magic/blessings, ask them what it looks like when they curry favour or build up power. Reward those descriptions with Fortune Points.
• Don't gloss over social conflict. If the players butt heads with an NPC, make a roll for it.
• Use those hot mechanics that make WFRP3 stand apart. Boons and Banes, Fortune Points, the Initiative Track. Highlight what makes WFRP cool and different.
• Bring plenty of water for yourself. Keep the whistle wet.
• Say yes. Player have a crazy idea? Say yes. Player wants to talk to the chaos cultists and not punch them? Say yes.
• Be friendly, lively, and fun.
• Stand up. Being seated tends to lead to understated games. Standing keeps you moving and keeps the players engaged.

That's about everything I've got. I hope that helps you in assembling your scenario. Just remember, have some fun and kick some butt.

I couldn't agree more with MPOSullivan's advice. This is exactly how to demo a new RPG, especially one with lots of interesting bits and cards like WFRP 3rd Edition. Starting out with 1-2 evocative sentences on the setting, and a dice roll to kick off the action, is far more effective than 30 minutes of discussion. People just can't focus for that long (the maximum sustained attention span of adults is about 20 minutes).

From my experience, I think most new players are coming to a demo to have fun and "do cool stuff", not necessarily to sit through a 2-hour lecture on how a specific game plays. I can't stress this enough. Having played RPGs for a long time, sometimes veterans lose sight of what attracts people to them in the first place, but it's generally not "the system". It's all about drawing on a person's emotions, imagination and fantasy. If you want to hook someone on a new game, those are your key selling points.

Regarding the characters:

I've found it's more important to briefly describe what each pre-gen character can do well, rather than a long explanation of how they do something. That way, if an appropriate opportunity arises the players will know when to have their characters act, while the GM instructs them on how to use the rules/dice to resolve their actions.

For example, the GM tells the Reiklander Hunter that he's good at tracking outdoors, identifying plants, observing things in the wild and shooting his crossbow. Explaining the ins-and-outs of how to do these things with the dice isn't necessary. What matters is that the player knows his character is skilled at these tasks, and should look for ways to incorporate them into the story.

Here is something I posted a little while ago in the "Black Fire Pass" sub-forum. Perhaps it's relevant to the topic...

I've now played in 3 demos- all with players new to WFRP 3E - which has given me a decent sense of how an introductory demo for Warhammer works. After some reflection, I've come up with a list of options and techniques to running such an event. Please note that the following advice is obviously based on my preferences, so take my ideas with a grain of salt. My suggestions represent a particular focus and style of play that may not be suitable for all groups. Now, on with the show.

What is the purpose of a demo event such as Journey to Black Fire Pass? As its most basic, the purpose is to sell players on a new RPG by actively engaging them in a story. And what sells RPGs? That's undoubtedly a big question, but in a demo I think it boils down to something fairly simple - an emotional connection to the story. Regardless of the rules, the trappings and everything else, if you can get people to "do cool stuff with my character!" or get hooked into the drama, then chances are they're going to like the game too.

Focusing on this goal - to create an emotional connection through the narrative twists and turns of the story, the players' roleplaying and their characters' actions - here are my suggestions:

On Explaining the Rules

For most demos, time is the enemy. And I've come to believe that a lengthy explanation of the rules is not the best use of what little time the players have to finish the adventure. In addition, I've found any talk of rules that stretches beyond 5 minutes tends not to have much use. Players' eyes get distracted, or the rules themselves all tend to bleed together. So instead of an in-depth look at how to play the game, or even a basic rundown of every aspect of the character sheet, dice and conflict resolution, I suggest a much broader approach, and one that touches upon the elements that really sell a RPG. In other words, answer the question "what can my character do?" rather than "how does my character do something?"

Sticking with the 5 minute limit on rules chatter, I would start with the stance meter as it's an easy concept to grab, and it segues nicely into the dice pool. Explain that green equals conservative and red equals reckless, how each side can reflect your character's personality, and how it's fun to roleplay these otherwise mechanical choices. Then go into a brief rundown of the dice, without bothering to explain the various symbols or facings. For example, black means bad luck and white means good luck. Blue, green, red and yellow represent your abilities. The more you roll, the better chance you have to succeed at an action. Directly opposing these colors is the purple die. The more purple you roll, the harder or more challenging the endeavor. Simple is key. For an even better option, start the demo with a basic dice roll to give everything you say more meaning and immediacy.

After the stance meter and the dice, tell each player in turn what their character is good at, again using the broadest of terms. Don't rely on numbers, or even bother with the character sheet. I would say things like "As a Gambler, you're good at talking to people, telling lies, noticing clues and uncovering truths." Now, the player has no idea how to do these things in the game, but that's not important. What matters is that the player now understands when these situations arise, it's a good time for his character to act. The GM is there to help translate the player's wishes into the game's mechanics.

Once the story gets rolling and a social or combat encounter takes place, now is a good time to go a bit further into the rules (e.g. use one encounter to explain how actions, maneuvers and recharges work, the next how stress and fatigue function, etc). With clear cut choices that affect their character, or perhaps even the entire group, the rules will have more context and thus make more sense. Plus, you'll be doling them out in small chunks and in ways that are appropriate to the situation at hand. This should make WFRP's unique rule system more memorable.

On Theme and Mood

Jumping feet first into a new character without any time to prepare can be tough, even more so if you're playing an unfamiliar system with a group of strangers in a strange place. All these elements can detract from the emotional connection between the players and the story. To counteract this, as the GM I find it's helpful to take a few moments to describe the story's theme, mood and setting - things that will evoke images in the mind's eye of the players, as well as give them a psychological sense of direction to the adventure that is about to unfold. When describing the theme and mood, I feel that short and sweet works best. A phrase for a theme or a single word capturing the story's mood is far more powerful than a rambling paragraph.

Once you've described these elements to the players, take a moment to go around the table and have each person read aloud a small blurb about their character. Then give them an example of how their character's background fits in with the theme and mood of the story. Conversely, you can ask the player to provide an example, but be careful because you don't want to put anyone on the spot - at least not yet!

Using the Journey to Black Fire Pass as an example, the theme might be "Righting a Wrong" and the mood "Regret". Those familiar with the Trollslayer character, Thord, can already see how his background meshes with these elements, but what about his brother, the Agent? You could plug Gunnar's story into this theme/mood combo by saying he regrets leaving Karak Azgaraz so many years ago, that perhaps if he hadn't his family wouldn't lie in ruins. Having returned, he wants to find his missing brother, help Thord regain his honor and rebuild his clan to the way it was before he left for Averland. Only then will he find peace. If it seems heavy handed, well, it is. But remember, these are pre-gens, which assumes a measure of GM control. And besides, the players already have a lot on their plate with learning the game, the world and solving the adventure. Giving them some concrete guide posts on how to roleplay their characters is one less thing they have to worry about.

An advanced option would be to customize a theme and mood for each character, and then tell everyone you'll give extra fortune dice - or even extra fortune points - to players that RP those elements.

Finally, by tying your chosen theme and mood into the various events that take place in the adventure, you build a much stronger (and more logical) sense of accomplishment for the players when they reach the story's climax, rather than presenting them with a string of random obstacles that must be overcome. Given the above theme and mood, it's easy to see how getting the shield to Karak Azul would be fulfilling to each character on a personal level.

On Setting the Stage

Another technique to help players get into the roleplay rhythm is to set the stage for them. In other words, a prologue. Taking each character in turn, briefly describe how they got from the background printed on their character sheet to where they are now and, if relevant, how they met up with the other members of the party.

This can be an excellent way to paint a picture of the Old World that will carry on throughout the adventure. With the Journey to Black Fire Pass, you might describe the interior of Karak Azgaraz and the Guildmaster who oversaw the shield's construction. Narrate him ordering the Miner and the Agent to find the missing dwarf expedition, and then describe how they have to roust a hungover Trollslayer and make him suitable for travel while persuading the ticked-off Hunter to join their party. Be brief. You don't want to go overboard and make the players feel like you're taking away their options to roleplay, or that you're putting words in their mouth. The point is to give the players something more meaningful and descriptive than "You start here, and the adventure begins..."

On Pausing for Effect

Once the theme and mood have been established, and the stage is set, don't be afraid to take a brief pause. The purpose here is to give each player a moment to reflect on their character's personality and background, as well as all the other information you've just given them. It also creates a clear break between "explaining the game" and "playing the game".

Sincerely,

Yipe

@Yipe

All great advice and insight, man.

Convention gaming is an acquired skill, and something quite different from playing a game with your home group. Another tip I thought of, and something you can do at home, is play as many different games as possible. The ability to quickly and easily explain game rules is important in a con setting, and a great way to pick that up is by playing different games and learning from the experience of taking those new rules to your game table at home.

MPOSullivan said:

True indeed. Most of my advice is probably too touchy-feely for a convention demo.

Cutting everything else away, the main element I would stress is empowering the players. Not by teaching them the mechanics of how to do X or Y, but by having their characters perform bold, exciting actions throughout the demo, with the GM translating the players' actions into the game's rules. Let the players learn the ins-and-outs of the WFRP system once they go home and purchase the Core set.