Casting Shadows

This question isn’t evil – it’s just misunderstood. For Day 6 of #RPGaDay2022 we carry on with the thought experiment of introducing a new person to roleplaying games. Some respondents out there have a very specific person in mind (such as their progeny), and others have a situation in mind (such as senior citizens in a retirement home). Either way, the notion is the same. Once play has begun, what are the steps to expanding the circle of players?

How would you introduce more people to this RPG?

I am going to proceed from the premise that I have introduced a single person to gaming, and after a few fun sessions 1:1 we are looking to add more people to the group. We can say farewell to “Roger” as a specific example to shift our focus to the modern hypothetical group because in both cases the steps are largely the same.

Some of the steps cover ground we have already explored in identifying a person is a good fit for RPGs and in identifying a good game to serve as their introduction to roleplaying. In other words, we must pay attention to the people around us and ascertain by observation, interaction, or both what it is that they require from participation, offer as a participant, and have as interests. Now, however, we are looking at this from the point of view of expanding from an existing group of people into a larger group of people. As a result, what I see as being an essential component is that the process ceases to be an invitation from one person to another person and becomes more of a collaboration. It is not longer a laser-focused process of what will work best for me to do for “Roger” as a great introduction to RPGs, but what will it be good for all of us to do together as roleplayers. While it might very well be the same game played the same way, it also might not.

The Group is the Game

I don’t think it is entirely manageable to keep the entire hobby in mind as a benchmark when we play. For more personally, it is not even desirable. For me, gaming, and my focus when I am a part of an active group, is who we are, what we are playing, when we play, where we play, why we play, and how we play. It’s a personal, finite, and local assessment procedure which by its nature cannot be extended much farther than the group as it exists in the moment. Our ability to connect with other gamers in other places is related to our play, but is not dependent on it, nor is it a requirement for us to have fun. It’s a separate part of the larger hobby that can – if needed and/or desired – impact on our play.

So, in a real sense, the singular GM identifying a singular person that might enjoy an RPG becomes a singular group made up of its members’ individual drives looking to include more people into that matrix of interests. It is sharing with like-minded individuals capable of working in tandem with others for the benefit of all involved. As such, I find it doesn’t work as well to have one representative reach out to a prospective new member to offer an invitation. Regardless of how well those two people get along and can find common interests, it is the group that is seeking a new member. If possible, then, I like to see how well the group, newcomer included, can get along socially in some neutral location like a coffee shop, to talk about non-RPG interests. If that goes well, then we can transition into talking about the game and the events which may have already happened in our play as a group so far. This gives us three points of comparison. Is the newcomer a comfortable fit with us at all? Do we have mutual areas of interest if the current game is not a good fit for this new formation of the group? Do they like the idea (as they understand it as an outsider) of what we do as roleplayers enough to join in? I tend to prefer smaller groups – especially online – but have been known to gather together very big ones for some games. This process has been a part of that.

The idea is to play with friends and if that isn’t possible, to play with people who could become friends.

Tomorrow: The next question is an opportunity to talk about system. Can you believe the first week is coming to an end already? For Sunday we will share a part of a favorite system that we enjoy~