The Ludarium Guild of Game Guides · Toolkit
The Teachability Scorecard
Seven yes-or-no questions that tell you whether a game is ready for a newcomer tonight.
Game
- One core action a turnCan a new player say what they do on a turn in one sentence?
- Few exceptionsCould you list every special case on one hand?
- Visible progressCan a newcomer see, from the table, whether they are doing well?
- Kind interactionCan players affect each other without one person being picked on?
- Forgiving decisionsCan an early mistake be recovered from, so nobody is out of it by turn three?
- ShortDoes a first game take under 45 minutes, teach included?
- Right for the countDoes it play well at the number of people you will have tonight?
__ out of 7
- 6 or 7: teach it tonight. Any newcomer can learn this in five minutes.
- 4 or 5: teach it later. Good once they have played one or two easier games, or with a practice round.
- 3 or fewer: not for a first game. Save it for a player who asks for something bigger.
theludarium.com/academy/guild · The game is the reason. The people are the point.