Introducing a New Player – Ask His Opinions

The new player’s first session with the new group has concluded, and everyone is packing up to go home. Here’s how to finish up his first session:

• Ask Questions. This is the time to ask to the player what he thought about the game. You’ll want to know what he liked, what he didn’t like, and if he has any questions.
• Compliment him. If you’re a player, you should compliment him on what he did well, but avoid any criticism, as this is his first session. Point out any good roleplaying he did, or mention how quickly he understood the rules. Anything to make the newcomer feel good.
• Offer him a book. Now that he’s played a session he may want to read up on the game. Offer him a core rulebook to borrow, but don’t make him take it. After the second or third session, you should make reading the rules be mandatory, but not right away.
• Socialize Afterward. Just like you did before the session, it’s a good idea to wind down from the game and just hang out an talk. The newcomer should be more comfortable now, and you just did something together so you have something new to talk about. This is just good for the relationships of your players.

This concludes our first Apathy University, missed some posts? Check it out from the beginning here.