I am setting up a game of Wind on the Path for our local con here in Yellowknife, I am thinking this would be a good way to run the game over the course of a day
1) everyone meets up for a quick intro and rules explanation.
2) Everyone will get a sticker to put on their show badge to show that they are playing the game.
3) I will have a preset area set up for people to resolve their duels at.(I’m thinking I’ll set up a fountain or something thematic)
4) The winner of a duel will have a sticker or mark added to their badge. So you can see how accomplished a player is at a glance.
5) Killed samurai will have a special sticker or mark added to their badge.
6) at the end of the day I’ll do a debrief and give people a chance to share their experience/feedback
Does anyone who’s run or played have feedback or advice for running WotP at a smallish convention?
Hey Jeremy,
I recently ran this game in a con setting for about 12 or so people. Afterwards, I learned some things that I would like to pass to you.
1) Because this game is light, but doesn’t fit a familiar Trad infrastructure, make sure you know Key terms vs vernacular. The game’s rules get a little confusing and you will probably get the same questions over and over (What is a future wound? What is the benefit of moving a stress track, etc).
2) Over estimate the amount of time it will take you to teach the core. I felt that I spent enough time doing so, but it quickly became apparent that I did not teach the rules well enough. Make sure that you teach the rules well enough that your players can teacher other people how to play. You may pick up stranglers who see your game and want to jump in after your initial rules session. If you can have your players teacher that new person, it will keep you from having to re-teach the game to 1 or 2 people in the off time (while simultaneously reinforcing the rules for your players)
3)Spend the 7-10 minutes playing a mock game as you vs the rest of your players. Have them make the decisions as one group and have it be against just you. This helped out for them to see the rules and real game play and to fidget with the rules. Explain the rock, paper, scissors type of thinking and basic strategies
4)Lastly, make sure everyone understand the bystander, location, and shared information clauses of the game. It is fun and in the flavor of the game that you can share info of the game with other people. Allow players to ONLY use in-game information when referring to previous fights. Let them share ‘I fought against a shifty eyed samurai with an unconventional long blade. He favored heavy wind and unstable footing.’ DON’T let them say, ‘I played against Greg last round. He gets a bonus in Gusty and Rocky, so look out.’
Outside of that, make sure you print off enough sheets. I went into word and printed off tables for Terrain, Wind, and Tension so that it could sit out and players had a reference for what the terms were. Without that, my players would forget where they were and/or if something got changed.
Hit me up if you have more questions.
Thanks,
Hey Jeremy,
I recently ran this game in a con setting for about 12 or so people. Afterwards, I learned some things that I would like to pass to you.
1) Because this game is light, but doesn’t fit a familiar Trad infrastructure, make sure you know Key terms vs vernacular. The game’s rules get a little confusing and you will probably get the same questions over and over (What is a future wound? What is the benefit of moving a stress track, etc).
2) Over estimate the amount of time it will take you to teach the core. I felt that I spent enough time doing so, but it quickly became apparent that I did not teach the rules well enough. Make sure that you teach the rules well enough that your players can teacher other people how to play. You may pick up stranglers who see your game and want to jump in after your initial rules session. If you can have your players teacher that new person, it will keep you from having to re-teach the game to 1 or 2 people in the off time (while simultaneously reinforcing the rules for your players)
3)Spend the 7-10 minutes playing a mock game as you vs the rest of your players. Have them make the decisions as one group and have it be against just you. This helped out for them to see the rules and real game play and to fidget with the rules. Explain the rock, paper, scissors type of thinking and basic strategies
4)Lastly, make sure everyone understand the bystander, location, and shared information clauses of the game. It is fun and in the flavor of the game that you can share info of the game with other people. Allow players to ONLY use in-game information when referring to previous fights. Let them share ‘I fought against a shifty eyed samurai with an unconventional long blade. He favored heavy wind and unstable footing.’ DON’T let them say, ‘I played against Greg last round. He gets a bonus in Gusty and Rocky, so look out.’
Outside of that, make sure you print off enough sheets. I went into word and printed off tables for Terrain, Wind, and Tension so that it could sit out and players had a reference for what the terms were. Without that, my players would forget where they were and/or if something got changed.
Hit me up if you have more questions.
Thanks,
Andrew Huffaker do you still have a copy of the print outs you did for terrain? thanks for the tips I will be sure to incorporate your advice!
Andrew Huffaker do you still have a copy of the print outs you did for terrain? thanks for the tips I will be sure to incorporate your advice!
Oh man, I love the “playing a mock game as you vs the rest of your players” idea! I’ve been wondering how to go about teaching a large group without it being a lecture.
I’ve been using this as my face-2-face samurai tracker at the table. You just need some tokens to place on the current value of that various things (I use those little red circle beads for fish tanks): dropbox.com – Wind on the Path – Tracking Helper.pdf
Oh man, I love the “playing a mock game as you vs the rest of your players” idea! I’ve been wondering how to go about teaching a large group without it being a lecture.
I’ve been using this as my face-2-face samurai tracker at the table. You just need some tokens to place on the current value of that various things (I use those little red circle beads for fish tanks): dropbox.com – Wind on the Path – Tracking Helper.pdf
Jeremy Scott I’ve played a few times online, and I’d say the biggest thing is being able to explain what a “future wound” is (it’s a weird concept, but SO important players understand what it means, both in the fiction and the mechanics). I think Andrew’s idea of an example duel is great. The game is really easy once you know how it works, but it’s very particular in its details.
Jeremy Scott I’ve played a few times online, and I’d say the biggest thing is being able to explain what a “future wound” is (it’s a weird concept, but SO important players understand what it means, both in the fiction and the mechanics). I think Andrew’s idea of an example duel is great. The game is really easy once you know how it works, but it’s very particular in its details.
I recreated one here for you really quick. I didn’t want to get to cute with color or font, but feel free to change for flavor. Don’t forget to print off multiple copies of the game’s tension tracker as well. When I used this, I just had tokens or extra dice as markers.
dropbox.com – Location.doc
I recreated one here for you really quick. I didn’t want to get to cute with color or font, but feel free to change for flavor. Don’t forget to print off multiple copies of the game’s tension tracker as well. When I used this, I just had tokens or extra dice as markers.
dropbox.com – Location.doc
Holy crud! I just saw Tomer Gurantz ‘s cheat sheet. That thing is beautiful! Use that thing instead.
Holy crud! I just saw Tomer Gurantz ‘s cheat sheet. That thing is beautiful! Use that thing instead.
Hah! Thanks Andrew Huffaker. I’ve gotten to use it a few times, and it started as pretty much what you had. I just realized there was no credit on the sheet, like uh perhaps who the game is by. I added Jonathan Lavallee’s name for “Game by” (and myself for the cheat sheet so people know who to blame).
Hah! Thanks Andrew Huffaker. I’ve gotten to use it a few times, and it started as pretty much what you had. I just realized there was no credit on the sheet, like uh perhaps who the game is by. I added Jonathan Lavallee’s name for “Game by” (and myself for the cheat sheet so people know who to blame).
Tomer Gurantz – I gladly take the blame there. That sheet is super fun. Do you mind if I share it. I can share it directly if you’d rather not have a pile of people hitting your dropbox.
Tomer Gurantz – I gladly take the blame there. That sheet is super fun. Do you mind if I share it. I can share it directly if you’d rather not have a pile of people hitting your dropbox.
Another question, when you’ve run this at a con did people resolve their duels in the moment wherever they happened to meet?
Another question, when you’ve run this at a con did people resolve their duels in the moment wherever they happened to meet?
They didn’t really play outside of where I taught them. At least, that I could see. It wasn’t like someone saw a duelist on the stairs or elevator and then cued the dramatic cutscene hahaha. I wish though. We played matches at the tables until there was a winner.
They didn’t really play outside of where I taught them. At least, that I could see. It wasn’t like someone saw a duelist on the stairs or elevator and then cued the dramatic cutscene hahaha. I wish though. We played matches at the tables until there was a winner.
Jonathan Lavallee Go for it re sharing. I have no idea how people hitting my dropbox will have any impact on me, but I feel like it’d probably be fine. Feel free to post it elsewhere as you like, too.
Jonathan Lavallee Go for it re sharing. I have no idea how people hitting my dropbox will have any impact on me, but I feel like it’d probably be fine. Feel free to post it elsewhere as you like, too.
I can’t answer any good con-playing question. I just ran it as little one-offs so far. Didn’t get a chance to do more with it or have a group. Might try to have a few sessions in an online con thing later in the month… I’ll let folks know what works and doesn’t when that happens (and will likely make a copy of the awesome sheet here at the Gauntlet)
I can’t answer any good con-playing question. I just ran it as little one-offs so far. Didn’t get a chance to do more with it or have a group. Might try to have a few sessions in an online con thing later in the month… I’ll let folks know what works and doesn’t when that happens (and will likely make a copy of the awesome sheet here at the Gauntlet)