How I Learn a Game - Quick Guides
- Amber Marie
- Feb 15, 2020
- 2 min read
Recently, I posted some snaps on twitter of my bullet journal containing notes for Zweihander and during a podcast interview those notes were brought up in relation to game prep.
For my day job, I write instructions and spend a lot of time breaking down very complex concepts into directions a consumer can easily act upon.
If you've read my article series about character sheet design, you know I love, love, LOVE doing this and it completely affects how I approach learning ttrpgs and teaching how to play them.
When I sit down to digest a new game, I typically ask the following questions:
1. What is this game about?
2. What are the character playbooks about?
3. What should be the players' focus?
4. What can the characters do/stats?
5. What dice will be used?
6. What does success and failure look like/mean?
7. What are the main mechanics we'll be encountering/what's important to the game?
Not every game will be asked the same line of questions or in the same order but that list is generally what I'm after when I go to play or run a game.
Then because I'm incredibly extra, I tend to make a quick guide for a game. Usually just for me, but when I used to run a bunch of one shots, I would share it with new players.
Now this is something I did extra for people and I don't think it should never be expected of a GM to start providing learning materials for their players.
But I enjoyed doing it and if you're interested in what one of mine looks like, here's the Monsterhearts 2 Quick Guide I constructed to help new players understand what the game is all about.
I took artwork from the pdf and a lot of Avery Alder's rules text and rearranged it to fit my line of questions. This was only ever used for my one shot players. I love this game and it's one of my absolute favorites to run. Please do yourself a favor and pick up a copy.
Monsterhearts 2 Quick Guide
I really enjoyed how this post breaks learning a game into clear, thoughtful questions because it mirrors how a lot of us actually process new information. I remember using a similar checklist when I was juggling classes and hobbies, trying not to feel overwhelmed. In that phase, stress sometimes pushed classmates to talk about online exam takers, but having a structured way to learn made things feel more manageable and even fun again.
I love how structured your approach is to learning a new game it makes the process much less intimidating for newcomers. It makes me think: could PayssomeoneTo help educators or content creators hire an SEO copywriter to break down complex topics into digestible guides, similar to what you’ve done here?
I really like how you break learning a game into clear, purposeful questions this kind of structure makes complex systems far less intimidating for new players. It’s similar to how clarity matters in writing too; when people ask for an application essay proofreading service, teams like Academic Editors often focus on guiding questions rather than rewriting, which feels like the same philosophy.
Reading your post about How I Learn a Game: Quick Guides felt like sitting beside someone as they dive into a new challenge curious, a bit overwhelmed at first, and slowly turning confusion into confidence one step at a time. It made me think about how many learners experience that same journey when they face subjects like statistics, where the numbers don’t always make sense right away and the pressure to understand can feel heavy. For many online statistics course help service seekers, that quiet struggle isn’t about shortcuts, but about finding a steady way to break down complex ideas, gain clarity, and keep moving forward with both focus and confidence.
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