I’ve got a looming problem I’m struggling with and thought I’d cast the question out here:

I’ve got a looming problem I’m struggling with and thought I’d cast the question out here:

I’ve got a looming problem I’m struggling with and thought I’d cast the question out here:

Our gaming group is going to return to a long-running campaign which has been in hiatus while we play a load of shorter campaigns and one-shots. In the meantime a new player has joined the group and I’m wondering how best to get him up to speed with the game.

Things I’m not worried about are:

1. player’s integration with the group

2. his character being on a par with the other PCs

More concerned at the right balance to strike between info-dumping and rendering everything that has gone before irrelevant.

I have a thought that working with the player to give his character something big to add to the game world would be good, but really unsure how to treat this

Grateful for any hard-won wisdom I can borrow!

12 thoughts on “I’ve got a looming problem I’m struggling with and thought I’d cast the question out here:”

  1. One short cut is to do what TV shows do. Give the newbie a strong tie to one or more characters but they come blind to the situation. Filling in can be done in character in media res. “You’re my brother and I love you, so tell me who are these guys and why are they swinging axes at my head?”

    Character would still need some general works knowledge, but that helps with campaign specifics. 

  2. One short cut is to do what TV shows do. Give the newbie a strong tie to one or more characters but they come blind to the situation. Filling in can be done in character in media res. “You’re my brother and I love you, so tell me who are these guys and why are they swinging axes at my head?”

    Character would still need some general works knowledge, but that helps with campaign specifics. 

  3. My group rights up a recap every night and its arcived in our emails. For us, its simple enough to let the newcomer skim the recaps, or else the old player who is bringing in the newcomer does a quick run down of key names and current quest.

    Something to consider for future sessions

  4. My group rights up a recap every night and its arcived in our emails. For us, its simple enough to let the newcomer skim the recaps, or else the old player who is bringing in the newcomer does a quick run down of key names and current quest.

    Something to consider for future sessions

  5. I just let the other players introduce themselves, then I ask leading questions of all players to get the new player involved in the group. Examples of this are like “what did the the wizard promise you if you went on this quest with him” “what makes you feel like you must protect the thief” etc. Whenever something comes up in the fiction that might need explanation, I stop to explain outside the fiction what it’s about or ask one of the players to explain it in character.

  6. I just let the other players introduce themselves, then I ask leading questions of all players to get the new player involved in the group. Examples of this are like “what did the the wizard promise you if you went on this quest with him” “what makes you feel like you must protect the thief” etc. Whenever something comes up in the fiction that might need explanation, I stop to explain outside the fiction what it’s about or ask one of the players to explain it in character.

  11. Thanks all

    Timothy Bennett Matthew G. Love Letters was a solution staring me in the face, wasn’t it! Used them plenty of times in Apocalypse World/Dungeon World, but my brain didn’t make the leap.

    Robert Doe we keep a journal of everything, but it’s really too much for someone new to take in!

    Taejas Kudva sounds like a plan!

    David LaFreniere Nice – I guess it’s just like bringing in a new character to a PbtA game – ask questions and build on the answers

  12. Thanks all

    Timothy Bennett Matthew G. Love Letters was a solution staring me in the face, wasn’t it! Used them plenty of times in Apocalypse World/Dungeon World, but my brain didn’t make the leap.

    Robert Doe we keep a journal of everything, but it’s really too much for someone new to take in!

    Taejas Kudva sounds like a plan!

    David LaFreniere Nice – I guess it’s just like bringing in a new character to a PbtA game – ask questions and build on the answers

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