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Okay, got my box sets in yesterday and luckily had a family gathering last night. I presented a box set to my 12 year old and 8 year old nephew and one to my 9 year old niece.
First impressions, they LOVED the pawns and fretted over picking exactly the one they wanted to be their character. My 8 year old nephew went so far as to try to keep the fighter pawn from my niece's set because it was the one he picked as his (I had to explain that he had one just like it in his set).
Second, they wanted to play immediately. Therefore, I had the mayor of Sandpoint send them out to Farmer Malachi's farm where a goblin raid had taken place the previous night. They made their way to the farm and nearly took out Malachi when he came around the farmhouse corner...they just knew that noise around the corner had to be goblins!!! After a short roleplay of meeting Malachi...the group set off in the direction of goblin tracks.
Since we did not have time for the full mini-adventure(and my 8 year old nephew kept saying..."Get out the Maps!!"), I used the open side of the flipmat to run an encounter where 5 goblins were laying in wait in the tall grass. The goblins succeeded on stealth against everyone but the rogue and combat began. It was a fun encounter with everyone killing at least one goblin. Everyone was involved and had fun. The night ended with a meal at farmer Malachi's house and an invitation to stay the night and return to Sandpoint in the morning.
Overall, the new character sheets were great. Everyone was getting to the point of knowing where their basic stats were by the end of combat.
Excellent job Paizo!
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Sounds like the perfect use for the new begginner box. Glad everyone had fun, and its good to see young kids get into gamming with pen and paper. Nothing is more interesting then what a child comes up with in his or her own mind, and some of our more modern forms of entertainment dont encourage that nearly enough.
I plan to use the BB to let my 10 yo DM for the first time. I have played some old Red Box Basic and 4e with him so he has RPed before, but this will be his first DM experience. He is pretty excited. I had thought of letting him DM with the new Red Box but the BB has a higher replayable factor. Plus the BB rules are simpler than 4e.
I plan to use the BB to let my 10 yo DM for the first time. I have played some old Red Box Basic and 4e with him so he has RPed before, but this will be his first DM experience. He is pretty excited. I had thought of letting him DM with the new Red Box but the BB has a higher replayable factor. Plus the BB rules are simpler than 4e.
I had to specifically tell all of my players, "Do NOT look at the GM guide yet." I did not want them spoiling the adventure before we get to use it. However, after looking at it, I believe it will be a great way to get your son to GM for the first time.
The oddest thing to me about the various beginner box reports I have read is the number of adults that are playing the game with the kids. When I was 10 or 11 and learning D&D we didn't have any adults playing with us. Maybe they bought the game for us, or let us borrow a copy, but they certainly didn't run or play in our games. I don't think we would have liked that even if they offered.
I hope this is not a new level in "helicopter parenting" where now they play their games for them to. When my kids are old enough I'll point to the D&D books on shelf and tell them to go nuts with their friends if they have the interest.
I don't think that the people introducing the game to their families are helicoptering. They are same as parents that teach their kids how to play rugby or cricket on the weekend (your sport may vary). What they are doing is giving them the skills and tools to play well with their peers and spending some "quality time" with their children.
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The oddest thing to me about the various beginner box reports I have read is the number of adults that are playing the game with the kids. When I was 10 or 11 and learning D&D we didn't have any adults playing with us. Maybe they bought the game for us, or let us borrow a copy, but they certainly didn't run or play in our games. I don't think we would have liked that even if they offered.
I don't know how old you are, but perhaps this has to do with back in the 1980s, kids (like me) who got into playing didn't have parents who were gamers. (My dad and I played D&D a bit together, but it was mainly a hobby I did with friends.) Nowadays, we have a generation of parents who grew up playing D&D, and are now eager to teach their kids, rather than letting their kids discover "that thar newfangled dice game" on their own like it was back in the day.
The oddest thing to me about the various beginner box reports I have read is the number of adults that are playing the game with the kids. When I was 10 or 11 and learning D&D we didn't have any adults playing with us. Maybe they bought the game for us, or let us borrow a copy, but they certainly didn't run or play in our games. I don't think we would have liked that even if they offered.
I hope this is not a new level in "helicopter parenting" where now they play their games for them to. When my kids are old enough I'll point to the D&D books on shelf and tell them to go nuts with their friends if they have the interest.
Playing with kid is a gret experience and keeps you young. And no I am not a helicopter parent. My kids get plenty of adult free time, but that doesn't mean I don't want to share my passions with them (when thy are interested).
Back in the mid-80s my friend's mother did play D&D with us. She's pushing 70 and still plays sometimes.
The oddest thing to me about the various beginner box reports I have read is the number of adults that are playing the game with the kids. When I was 10 or 11 and learning D&D we didn't have any adults playing with us. Maybe they bought the game for us, or let us borrow a copy, but they certainly didn't run or play in our games. I don't think we would have liked that even if they offered.
I hope this is not a new level in "helicopter parenting" where now they play their games for them to. When my kids are old enough I'll point to the D&D books on shelf and tell them to go nuts with their friends if they have the interest.
That's funny - my dad told me "If I ever catch you playing that game, I'll kick your arse up to your shoulders!" He of course, was under the impression that D&D was a "devil-worshiping" game. This was back around 1979. LOL.
I started playing the game right away.
The oddest thing to me about the various beginner box reports I have read is the number of adults that are playing the game with the kids. When I was 10 or 11 and learning D&D we didn't have any adults playing with us. Maybe they bought the game for us, or let us borrow a copy, but they certainly didn't run or play in our games. I don't think we would have liked that even if they offered.
I hope this is not a new level in "helicopter parenting" where now they play their games for them to. When my kids are old enough I'll point to the D&D books on shelf and tell them to go nuts with their friends if they have the interest.
If the kids are still having fun and so long as they don't feel restricted with old pops around, sounds fine to me. I don't see how this is much different from playing Monopoly as a family.
Sure, you don't want to smother kids or force them to take up something they don't want (is there such a thing as a "D&D stage dad"?). But it sounds from what people are saying that the kids are having a blast.
Now, forbidding them from playing so long as mommy or daddy's not around, that's where you're getting into problems. That's "helicoptering" to me.
Hey, Paizo folks...
I was just about to compile the links you shared on Facebook to reviews in the blogosphere about the Beginner Box, all of which seem overwhelmingly positive. I was going to make a new thread, but then realized maybe you were going to put them up on your own Paizo Blog.
Should I just go ahead and do this or not?
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I don't know how old you are, but perhaps this has to do with back in the 1980s, kids (like me) who got into playing didn't have parents who were gamers. (My dad and I played D&D a bit together, but it was mainly a hobby I did with friends.) Nowadays, we have a generation of parents who grew up playing D&D, and are now eager to teach their kids, rather than letting their kids discover "that thar newfangled dice game" on their own like it was back in the day.
I must have been just lucky. I was living in Fort Meade, Maryland in 1978 and my best friends mom and dad played this "weird dice game". Initially we were not allowed to be present, but we used to sneak down the stairs as far as we could behind the heavy banister, and listen and be amazed by the fun the adults were having. After a few weeks of stealing the AD&D Players Handbook when we could, the parents ran a game for us with Mrs. B as the DM and the dad helped by playing too. When we got to I think 3rd level they felt we understood the game enough to cut us loose on our own and let us play for ourselves.
Gaming has dominated my free time (and some work hours) ever since. I am 42. 33 Years of gaming and no sign of stopping.
The oddest thing to me about the various beginner box reports I have read is the number of adults that are playing the game with the kids. When I was 10 or 11 and learning D&D we didn't have any adults playing with us.
As SKR said, its a generational thing.
My kids are likely to discover 'throwing the ball' or going fishing on their own. That's not what I've been doing with them as a dad.
That isn't to say that I don't spend time with them. Parents nowadays share what they like and what they did as kids, just like in the '80s. It's mostly what turns out under the Christmas tree that has changed...
'findel
Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
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Hey, Paizo folks...
I was just about to compile the links you shared on Facebook to reviews in the blogosphere about the Beginner Box, all of which seem overwhelmingly positive. I was going to make a new thread, but then realized maybe you were going to put them up on your own Paizo Blog.
Should I just go ahead and do this or not?
Please do! We don't have any plans to do this yet, so feel free to get it started!
I hope this is not a new level in "helicopter parenting" where now they play their games for them to. When my kids are old enough I'll point to the D&D books on shelf and tell them to go nuts with their friends if they have the interest.
As Sean Reynolds has said, some of these parents have played D&D themselves, and want to share something they enjoy with their kids in the hopes that their kids will also enjoy it.
I can't count the times I have seen people say in an online forum that they want to introduce their kids to RPGs, and that is most likely what is happening with the Pathfinder Beginner Box, which is in fact one of the reasons why Paizo created the Beginner Box set - to introduce new players to RPGs in general and PFRPG in particular - why is this helicopter parenting?
Do you really think that parents have never shared something they enjoy with their children before now?
Although my parents did not play RPGs with me when I was a kid, my father did share some of his fantasy / science fiction books with me and both my parents encouraged my reading, which in turn led to RPGs - was that helicopter parenting as well?
I think it is great that parents are using the Pathfinder Beginner Box set with their kids to get them involved with an imaginative and mentally stimulating hobby - go gaming parents!
Guys, let's tone down the conversation a notch and not get distracted by this side conversation about an off-handed remark.
I agree with Erik on the conversation needing to be on the box set. But, this being the internet and all, did want to add a couple of quick items.
First, I bought these sets for my niece and nephews. I fully hope they will play with just their friends. However, young kids today have no clue how to play a real RPG. I do think they can learn just using the box set, but, my goal was to give a short introduction.
Plus, after they opened their sets, they basically demanded we play. You don't turn down a desire to play.
Last, and probably the most important part brought up, I grew up playing RPGs. I definitely think the single reason we learned to play ourselves in the 80's is because no one older than us then knew how to play. Now we do...so...let's teach the new generation. I want someone to come over to my house when I'm in my 80's and run my weekly game. I need to start that GM early so they will be really good by then!!