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I want to share this story here on the boards. Last night I had a gaming session (black fang scenario) with the kids of good friends. We (parents) were talking about this for some time and finally we settled down to yesterday evening as the moment. The session was at the house of one of the parents and I went to them with very low expectations. Arriving there the kids (2 girls and 1 boy around 13 years old) where hanging behind facebook and the game console, so not much chance to get a game started. One of the fathers rallied the kids together and with much whining and long faces they assembled at the table where I started to explain the concept.
Slowly a transformation happened, the two girls were first fighting to play the elf and once they settled on that, they started to talk, talk, talk in character to each other and us. The boy who played the fighter started to explore the game mechanics trying to minmax the use of his character. One of the fathers filled in the role of the wizard and I instructed him to keep low profile and only help when they were stuck (we used to play ad&d together back in the old days).
Once they got past the first combat and started to realize the freedom a game like this offers, they started to run the game by themselves. They organised the group together, using me only to ask questions about the environment. I barely had to do anything. At the end they started to do very clever tricks with the potions they found and while the playing father was holding his wizard back to use the spells at the end, each time it was his turn the kids where yelling "BURN, BURN, BURN".
They ended by severely wounding the dragon before he fled.
They had a great evening together (without TV or computers) and are asking for more. They want to play the full game now since I showed them the website and artwork in the books.
Moments like this shows me what a great product the beginner box is and
the public it is meant for. The other parents are very supportive for this since it is more social and creative.
Nice story and a good beginning. Good luck with future sessions. It sounds like you're doing your bit to introduce this wonderful game to the next generation.
Wonderful to read this. My parents have always found games like these too tiresome, haha. I'll be sure to introduce my own kids to the "old-fashioned" games one day, when I actually have kids. And as a teacher-to-be it's nice to read a story of kids doing something else than hanging behind facebook and the like.
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This made my morning a bit, I am a new teacher and help out with another teachers strategic games club and I have thought about seeing if I could get some kids to play something like this. It's nice to know that they can enjoy it and that their minds really open up to the imaginative side of it. Thanks!
I have a considerable amount of experience with this having played RPGs w/ my kids, nieces & nephews and the children of one of my gaming buddies. IME, WhiteBox is the ultimate gateway RPG for kids and you can pretty quickly get them rolling into rules lite Supers (which they will love I can guarantee you). After enough experience, you can probably roll right into full blown PF rules as long as you put some pretty hard limits and do the character building. My 6-year old loves Whitebox and ICONS and she's ready to have a go at PF now. One thing to keep in mind, for fantasy gaming in general, kids love having pets be that animal companions, familiars, what have you. Also, spend a bit of money and grab some LEGO minis (and the aftermarket 25mm round bases, similar to the Paizo Pawns and WH40K). Those will REALLY add to your sessions. My adult group even uses them now. LOL
Thank you all for your kind words.
@scadgrad: the kids paint 28mm miniatures minis with me for years now (in their own childish way) and making the connection of the painting and roleplaying was a wonderful thing for them. They want to shop in my big collection now to have a mini for their characters :)