file Teaching VTES in three steps (Feedback please!)

08 Nov 2012 09:49 #40611 by Ashur
I recently made five demo-decks for VTES, all very simple stealth-bleeders (Malk, !Malk and Las). I haven´t had time to try them yet, but the philosophy builds on earlier attempts to demo the game.

The idea is to to break up the learning in three steps:

Step 1) First learn not much more than the most basic of game concepts: the turn sequence, stealth vs intercept and the simplest of card-based actions: equipment.

Example of a deck:
7 card crypt:
Roland Bishop
Didi Meyers
Zebulon
Ozmo
Gilbert Duane
Greger Anderssen
Mariel, Lady Thunder

40 card library:
1x Laptop
1x Sport Bike
1x Brass Knuckles
4x Threats
4x Bonding
4x Lost in crowds
4x Cloak the Gathering
3x Faceless Night
3x Elder Imp.
3x Deflection
3x Redirection
3x Precognition
3x Enhanced S.
4x Wake WEF

- I choose simple cards which do not have many multiple uses, ie Precognition is ok because it´s intercept at inf and intercept+something nice at sup, not two entirely different effects.
- Avoid combat - it is a "subgame" in the game which I feel distracts new players alot.
- Also avoid "bleed actions" (Govern, Kindred Spirits). In my experience these actions are confusing - the newbies gets confused between what is a +bleed action and a +bleed action modifier. Take this in later steps.

Step 2) Now, when the new players know the above, I put in masters and political actions. For the deck above, this would be:

Asylum HG
Blood Doll
2x KRC
Camarilla Exemplary
Cons. Agi.
Cons. Boon
Ancilla Emp.

- I feel it´s important to include politics as soon as possible because it is such a great mechanic, and new players tend to like it.

Step 3) Play with normal, yet simple, decks such as Starters. Now the rest of the concepts are included, like the whole combat sequence and so on.

What do you think of this?

"My strategy? Luck is my strategy, of course."

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08 Nov 2012 12:21 #40632 by Migalart
With regard to this topic...

If POD program will work we will have strong tools to try to acquire new players. One of it could be:
"special team" - starters in the shops combained with demo animation or movies online.

this is all not going to happen soon, but yet in case we will finally have this possibility the next question will be about CONTENT of this starters and animations.

This topis is about CONTENT so please continue ;)
Maybe it wil be helpfull in the future.

VEKN Marketing CoDirector

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09 Nov 2012 03:34 #40679 by the1andonlime
Try splitting the video up into sections and have each section available as a separate video as well as the full video. A good reference is the tutorial videos for Fantasy Flight Games (who are notorious for having incomprehensible rule books)

Sections can go something like that:
1. Introduction to V:tES (no rules here)
2. Setup (aka Getting started)
a. What you need before you start
b. Starting hand, pool and uncontrolled region
c. Win/Lose conditions
3. Untap phase
a. Gaining pool from the Edge (e.g. "During the course of the game, you may gain or lose control of the Edge. We will cover how this is done this in the Minion phase segment. If you control the Edge during your untap phase, you may choose to gain 1 pool")
4. Master phase
a. Explanation of Master Cards
5. Minion phase
a. Taking actions
b. Bleed and hunt
c. Action cards
d. Action Modifier cards
e. Blocking
f. Reaction cards
6. Combat
a. Before range is determined
b. Maneuvers
c. Choosing strikes
d. Hand strikes and strike cards
e. Resolve damage (maybe leave out aggravated damage at this point)
f. Prevent damage
g. Heal damage
h. Press
i. End
7. Influence phase
8. Discard phase


Any concepts not covered in the basic videos can have their own videos

My 2 cents


Suaku
Inceptor Asian Continental Championship
興っ
www.youtube.com/SuakuOz

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