GameTalk - Examples of Play

[bayonetbrant]

What do you think of examples of play?

[mirth]

I'm glad to have them when they are included. Usually a good example of play will clear up any ambiguity in the written rules.

[Bison]

I like examples of game play especially in more complex games.  However I've seen it a couple of times where a rule is covered in the example and not in the actual rules.  That's just confusing and disjointed.

[Staggerwing]

What do you think of examples of play?

I'm generally pretty stupid when it comes to learning new games so including a decent Example of Play can be the difference between getting played or remaining shelf-candy.

[Barthheart]

I like examples of game play especially in more complex games.  However I've seen it a couple of times where a rule is covered in the example and not in the actual rules.  That's just confusing and disjointed.

I've seen this too, just can't remember where. But yeah that's a big no no.
Every rule book should have examples of play, especially for the intricate rules. I'm finding most rules books now, for deep war games at least, have a fair number of examples, whether just words or with pics as well. Pics are really welcome!

[Bison]

I seem to remember ASLSK doing this.

[Tom@PfG]

This is an area quite close to my heart atm, as I am finalising the Fog & Friction rule book.

I think it's important to distinguish between an 'example' and an 'example of play'.  Rule Books definitely need examples to illustrate rules, as a picture can speak a thousand words etc.  Although I heard an interesting podcast the other day where a designer talked about how people misinterpreted an example diagram as a rules diagram.  They thought that the way the cards were arranged in the example were how they had to be arranged period.  So it's important to make sure examples are clearly stated as just that, examples... so in light of this I chose to always include 2 examples where possible to illustrate different situations for the same rule to help reinforce the fact they are examples of possible ways to do things, not just the way to do things.

As for examples of play... We have produced a separate example of play document to be used alongside the rule book, which takes players through 2 rounds of the game and so far it has proved very useful, not only for helping players understand the sequence of play in context, but also (and perhaps most importantly) to help identify those areas of the rule book that are weak or unclear.  "I wasn't 100% sure about rule X until I read the example of play and then it made sense"...

[Cyrano]

1: Write your rules such that you don't need examples of play.

2:  Edit your damn rules...a lot...

3:  Then include examples of play because, no matter how broad your circle of friends and testers (definitely not the same thing), somebody won't think about a rule quite the way you do.  Do not, however, use this as an excuse to violate rules #1 and #2 above.  "Mice and Mystics" is filthy guilty of this.

Oh, and, by the way, please make sure that your example actually comports with the rules.  "Fighting Sail", the new Osprey age of sail miniatures rules failed in this rather dramatically, although the author stepped up and owned it

[Boggit]

What do you think of examples of play?

I'm generally pretty stupid when it comes to learning new games so including a decent Example of Play can be the difference between getting played or remaining shelf-candy.

My experience too. The emphasis of a "decent" example of play can't be overstressed, as it can be too simple, or so convoluted that the player is left scratching his/her head. A balance between a focused, concise explanation in straightforward language is probably best.