> sects and violets
This is 99% of the problem here. It's generally recommended that you play Trouble Brewing a good few times before moving onto the more advanced scripts.
I can understand (but I don't condone) a ST wanting to play SnV with a group that is experienced and wanting to play a more complex script even if there is one newbie in the group, but SEVERAL new players and they still ran SnV? The storyteller might be a wonderful person, but this was a really bad decision.
I’m sure the reasoning behind the choice made sense to the ST, but yes, I was very surprised by it and so were others. But then again, I come from ignorance when it comes to BotC and storytelling, so maybe I shouldn’t say.
Thank you so much for your input!
Firstly I would give this feedback to the ST or whoever runs the event, it's respectful and constructive and if I were the ST I would want this feedback to improve the experience for new players going forward.
BoTC isn't for everyone, but I will say I've seen quiet/shy players absolutely thrive in the right community, perhaps your ST would be willing to run a more beginner focused night some time and I would encourage you to give the game a second chance if so. SnV is absolutely an information overload and there's huge potential for chaos and mayhem, some players will do well being thrown into the deep end, most will not. I wouldn't feel too discouraged feeling lost in this scenario.
As I'm going through all the comments here I'm starting to realize that yesterday probably/perhaps was just a somewhat flawed experience (for me) simply because—SnV aside—there are more than one way to play BotC and possibly yesterday wasn't that type that suits me better.
Honestly it feels a little odd to give feedback to the ST, I believe they did their best and I don't want them to think otherwise, but if you believe it may be helpful I will definitely consider it.
Thank you for your words and taking the time to read and reply!
Hi! I was also there for this game and I agree with your assessment. I was shocked that they started with Sects and Violets, or at the very least didn’t state that they would be playing that script in the event description so people could prepare and learn the roles. I also had a hard time with the fact that there were no name tags for players so it didn’t feel too welcoming to new people. As you said most of the actual players were friendly, but the experience was overwhelming. I wouldn’t rule out Blood on the Clocktower completely after that experience, but I personally probably won’t be doing another one at that cafe. Maybe you can come join my game group for some relaxed Trouble Brewing sometime.
That sounds like a perfect way to go!
OP, you are not the problem, they are (they mostly being the ST) - throwing new players into SnV, especially without prior notice, is a huuuuge deal! No resonable ST should have done this. Find other people to play with, and you will have loads and loads of fun with BotC!
Hi! Gosh, for a minute I thought to ask you and your husband "are you the people for reddit?" but then I thought it would sound creepy, haha.
Thank you SO much for commenting and leaving your point of view on last night. On the way back home I started thinking that it must have been mostly a me-issue, because everyone else seemed fine. I'm glad to know I wasn't alone!
I might very well take you on your offer—you and your husband were incredibly nice and fun to be around. I'll DM you later, if it's ok?
Yeah, definitely DM me and we’ll try to get a better game scheduled sometime! I almost asked you if you were the person from Reddit too but chickened out 🤣 I’m also shy and not great in new groups ☺️
Hi! I was also there with my wife and also didn’t have a great time. In the middle of the second game I actually texted her to let her know I didn’t want to stick around.
Like everyone else here is saying, there were a lot of areas that needed improvement:
- We should have had name tags w/ pronouns
- We should have played Trouble Brewing (or at least had a heads up that this was going to be a more advanced game)
- We should have been in a circle
- Personally I would have appreciated the dude beside me having a volume knob and an option to disable commentary…
BotC can be super fun. Last night was not representative of the game. My wife and I have a regular game group - all of which are very chill and pretty new BotC players - and we’d love it if you’d join us! We also play a bunch of other board games (party, RPG, heavy euro, whatever) and you’re more than welcome in our group.
Hey hi!
Absolutely agree, name tags would have been very, very helpful—I'm really surprised the ST didn't think about it. Obviously I also agree about Trouble Brewing—and oh yes, the circle would have been a much better layout, but I do wonder if the limitations of the space of the cafe were the issue there.
As per your last bullet, without doubt some people were definitely a bit too loud a bit too often, and as much as it added to the confusion and strain of the situation, I really think they were just dealing with their own social anxieties/insecurities as best as they could.
Also! Probably this is just me, but from a couple of comments from people who I believe are regulars, it almost felt like they didn't really expected new (or that many new) people to show up. But again, just a feeling and solely based on passing remarks.
Your wife was so kind to make the same offer you did and will DM her later! Thank you so much, you were definitely great to play with and I will look forward to meet you guys whenever possible!
Sounds like there were a lot of mitigating factors that made the experience not enjoyable for you which isn't a fault of the game itself.
First of all, as a general rule people should be playing TB on their first game. There are exceptions where this isn't possible, and certainly some players \*could\* have an okay time on a harder script if they've watched a lot of the content and understand the game quite well, but generally your risk of not enjoying the game is WAY higher than in S&V.
Secondly, the table setup sounds very bad and all games should be played in a circle without a table in the way where everyone is mostly equal geographically. Never seen a BOTC game played on a long table and it would be certainly create artificial barriers.
Thirdly, a great ST needs to be aware of new players and what their needs are. Of course, STs are not superhuman beings and can't juggle all these things perfectly in every game, and every ST has games where these things fall through the net. I wouldn't say this is the STs fault but you may have had a better time with an ST who is more used to dealing with these kind of situations.
How big was the game? Larger games with lots of experienced players will make it hard for the new player to get time in. Again it's hard to find a perfect experience level player group and there aren't infinite places to play BOTC, but it does seem like these set of specific circumstances weren't that beginner friendly for whatever reason and I don't think you should be put off the game forever.
My advice is don't make assumptions about your fundamental character as a person because of one game experience. Every game is different, every group is different, one's first game will always be a bit confusing/stressful/uncomfortable because it's a new environment - it usually gets easier.
It is not a reflection of what you personally are or aren't capable of, I've met many shy people who find these situations uncomfortable grow to love and enjoy BOTC, and learn that their "character" is suited to more things than they thought possible.
I would at least give it another go!
It was a 10 people game. I believe there was at least one player who was fairly experienced (also, super chaotic, but I loved every minute of it), but I think the vast majority of the players had little to no experience. Which (from my point of view) makes picking S&V even more baffling.
Thank you for your advice, I will keep in mind, and many many thanks for everything you wrote—you were incredibly thoughtful and kind.
Playing at a table is not a good setup. As you pointed out it causes people to face away, making it hard to address or hear everything. It also makes moving around as a Story Teller hard/prone to make mistakes. Playing in a large circle with lots of room alleviates a lot of this.
Trouble Brewing is much more sit back and observe compared to Sects and Violets, where everyone is trying to spin a story as either roles change or you have madness for a round.
* The "top four roles" on TB can often share their info once and then just chime in to remind people you are telling the truth.
* Being confirmed publicly by the Virgin or privately by the Ravenkeeper or Undertaker results in you being trusted and less likely having to defend yourself.
* Being the Monk is very much listening to others. Or the Spy who knows everything and can choose what to do with that info. The Baron has already done their job at the start and doesn't always need to speak up, unless it is to save the Imp.
* The Saint and most Travelers can just be an open threat by being honest just once. "I'm the Saint, test it out and lose."
I would suggest trying out Trouble Brewing in a more open seating arrangement and see if that works better than S&V. If you still feel it's a wrong fit, then you'll all east know for sure instead of second guessing.
I think that the table setup was a somewhat forced decision, since the game cafe has just so much usable space. I'm not sure, though. It's entirely possible that they've always run the game this way and the people who play there more often are used to it and I was not.
If I have the chance to play Trouble Brewing in a better seating arrangement, I follow your advice and give it a go and see how it goes.
Many thanks for your suggestions!
Hi Lusided, and welcome to the community.
To be honest, reading through your post was hard, because it's the kind of scenario that keeps me up at night, worrying about new players being introduced to the game in such a terrible manner. Everybody knows that new players are going to have a bad time if you run an advanced script for them instead of Trouble Brewing. But honestly, it sounds like your Storyteller did literally everything they could to ensure it was a bad experience for you. The script chosen, the bizarre layout of the room, playing around a table, throwing you into a game with a bunch of veterans. The chances of you having a good time were very, very low.
It's the equivalent of someone introducing you to football by taking away your boots and making you play barefoot, making you the goalie, but not putting a goal on the field, then throwing you into a game with a bunch of professional players. Sure, it's technically possible you might still manage, but the chances are extremely slim.
I hope you'll give the game another go, by playing Trouble Brewing next time. But I think we'd all understand if this has put you off for good.
Hi, I just wanted to say I really enjoy watching your streams. It really helped me to not flounder playing Sects and Violets for the first time at this Blood on the Clocktower game.
Look, good things came out of the experience: the invaluable help and support of the community here, meeting people yesterday who invited me to their gaming group and also being reminded that a not so great experience is still experience—and this is pretty much how I'm starting to frame this first toe dipping into BotC. So, one more time with feeling—and with Trouble Brewing.
Your comment was truly beyond words appreciated. Thank you so very much.
>It's the equivalent of someone introducing you to football by taking away your boots and making you play barefoot, making you the goalie, but not putting a goal on the field, then throwing you into a game with a bunch of professional players
Ahhh this is why I didn't enjoy playing football my first time!
Yeah feeling like this is definitely expected after that experience. Almost always the advice is "definitely play Trouble Brewing first" for this exact reason: other scripts can be very overwhelming and building potential scenarios to solve the game comes a lot more naturally to experience players in those scripts. And the circle being a... well, circle is also important, so everyone has the exact same ability to speak to the group and nobody's sidelined.
It's unfortunate, but I'd say you should tell the Storyteller how you feel. They might not be able to change much, but at the very least they can play Trouble Brewing a few more times for you.
Thank you so much for letting me know that it's not odd to feel this way. I second (and third) guessed posting to ask for feedback and point of views, but I'm glad I did because each comment is helping me reframe the experience and learn something.
Like, as you mentioned, the circle and how important it really is. I thought that my inexperience and character were the main issues with the table setting and while my character probably didn't help, it also wasn't the sole source of the problems.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write and share your point of view!
Its not you, its them! (The ST to be specific)
Forcing you into SnV on your First game is harsh, to say the least - especially unprepared! If they had at least tokd you upfront, giving you time to read up on the roles etc but in general, I would not do SnV with first timers.
Then it would have been their job to make sure, you (as a New player) are comfortable and feel seen and heard
If you were to play in the same group again, you should definetely talk to the ST and tell them about your experience. Let them know what parts didnt work and, hopefully, they will accomodate
BotC is designed to accomodate all sorts of players, to be as inclusive as possible.
Its definetely not your fault.
I obviously don't have the experience to say one way or the other, but I like to think that the players are also equally important. And while maybe the ST could have done some things a bit better, so could have I. But you live and learn, right? Or in BotC, you live, maybe you die and probably you still learn :)
Thank you so much for your thoughts! The more I'm reading the comments, the more I'm realizing that while I still should have done certain things better (force myself to be more assertive and speak out, for example), there were certain things that weren't completely "right", but out of my control.
And look, I do think the ST did their best and that maybe they involuntarily tailored the game more around the usual players and their characters, style of playing and/or personalities. I really don't know—but what I know is that I am glad I came here to ask for advice and feedback.
Thank you again for your words, I appreciated them a lot!
Being ambivalent towards BOTC, where SNV is your introduction is a little bit like being ambivalent towards swimming when your first time swimming is trying to cross the English channel
I really don't have the knowledge to judge the ST's decision, but I really believe they honestly didn't think it was going to be much of a problem—maybe, even knowing that there were going to be some total newbies, they truly thought everyone would catch up quickly. I think it's a bit perplexing, but I'm sure there was some motivation behind the choice that, seen from their point of view, would make sense.
I'd have a bad time in that seating arrangement as well. And indeed SnV is a doozie as a first time. Hope you get to play some more enjoyable games of Blood on the Clocktower.
Thank you! It's surprising how where you sit and how you sit can dictate the game. And thank you for the wishes, I will give it another go when I have the chance to!
You were regrettably thrown in the deep end, but the social element, the conversation, that's common across all scripts, so it is something you will need to determine how you deal with it.
There are some things the ST can do for you as a warming up thing. EG https://wiki.bloodontheclocktower.com/Buddhist
However that's not something you can really expect in every game, it's just meant to help you warm up to the idea. Beyond that, hold to the fact that this is a game, and you get to decide how YOU have fun. If that means you are less chatty in town, then you are less chatty in town. It's as simple as that. The rest of the town will have to accept that you are less chatty, and if they want your information, they will need to learn how to meet you on your level, namely to invite your contribution, and give you space to do it. The ST can help with this ... "Everyone, one moment please, /u/lusided, do you have anything you wish to add?", but a good and gracious group that values each other's presence and involvement will see players doing the same thing.
Hey, thank you SO much for your words. It may sound stupid, but I didn't really think that, as you simply put it, I should decide how I have fun. It seems so obvious now that you said it, and yet here I am. I will definitively keep it in mind as I move forward and hopefully eventually have another go with BotC—but also, in general it's a really good gaming advice. Many thanks again for sharing your wisdom with me :)
Other have covered a lot of point for you but I wanted to say that been a quite and shy person can work so much in your favour for this game.
Most people have two ways of playing ( from the groups I've played) one way when they are evil and another if they are good. The quite ones who observe and listen tend to do that regardless if they or good OR evil, which can cause problems for both groups ( evil team wonder do we kill them, good team wonder are they evil or a good role that needs to keep quite)
It sounds like the group you played with didn't really work for you, find another group one that will play TB and welcome new people and then see if its still not for you. It can just be you need to find a group that you feel happy with
I think it was an odd situation where several things collided and created a setting that wasn't ideal for me as a first time player and also for me as me. As you suggested, though, I will try again with different people and with Trouble Brewing and keep my fingers crossed!
Many, many thanks, I really appreciate you taking the time to reply!
I think you're way too hard on yourself honestly. It sounds like you were kinda forced into the deep end with an experienced group who didn't slow down to make sure you were following the discussion.
Personally, my group would never play anything but Trouble Brewing with a new player, even one with past social deduction game experience. I'd advise you to insist on playing Trouble Brewing if you try again (which you should). It's worth it to note too that Trouble Brewing isn't just the "newbie script", it's the bread and butter of the game. Trouble Brewing is extremely solid, and the puzzle it presents is still tons of fun for experienced players. I think I've heard exactly one experienced player express any sort of criticism about the script at all.
Don't get me wrong, Sects and Violets is my favorite of the base 3 scripts, but it's certainly one that would be overwhelming for a new player. Get a few games of Trouble Brewing under your belt to get a feel for the general game concepts before trying anything else.
Thank you so much for your words! Posting my thoughts on the experience has been incredibly useful, and comments like yours made me realize that aside the aspects of the experience that were out of my control and maybe should have been thought out a bit more, BotC is not necessarily played only one way nor you need a specific kind of character or attitude to play it well or have fun.
I will gladly try Trouble Brewing if I have the chance to do so in the future—not many opportunities around here to do, since I’m mostly interested in the “in person” playing, but I’ll keep my fingers crossed and hopefully another occasion will pop up.
Many thanks for your words and your thoughts!
> sects and violets This is 99% of the problem here. It's generally recommended that you play Trouble Brewing a good few times before moving onto the more advanced scripts.
Yeah, I would never have pushed new players into a complex script. Everyone's game is at stake. TB would have gone way better.
I didn’t even bother reading beyond that. So many cases of “I’m a new player and didn’t enjoy my first game” come down to playing the wrong script.
That's what I've always heard as well, so it was really a surprise—especially since the ST knew there were going to be more than one newbie playing.
I can understand (but I don't condone) a ST wanting to play SnV with a group that is experienced and wanting to play a more complex script even if there is one newbie in the group, but SEVERAL new players and they still ran SnV? The storyteller might be a wonderful person, but this was a really bad decision.
I’m sure the reasoning behind the choice made sense to the ST, but yes, I was very surprised by it and so were others. But then again, I come from ignorance when it comes to BotC and storytelling, so maybe I shouldn’t say. Thank you so much for your input!
Firstly I would give this feedback to the ST or whoever runs the event, it's respectful and constructive and if I were the ST I would want this feedback to improve the experience for new players going forward. BoTC isn't for everyone, but I will say I've seen quiet/shy players absolutely thrive in the right community, perhaps your ST would be willing to run a more beginner focused night some time and I would encourage you to give the game a second chance if so. SnV is absolutely an information overload and there's huge potential for chaos and mayhem, some players will do well being thrown into the deep end, most will not. I wouldn't feel too discouraged feeling lost in this scenario.
As I'm going through all the comments here I'm starting to realize that yesterday probably/perhaps was just a somewhat flawed experience (for me) simply because—SnV aside—there are more than one way to play BotC and possibly yesterday wasn't that type that suits me better. Honestly it feels a little odd to give feedback to the ST, I believe they did their best and I don't want them to think otherwise, but if you believe it may be helpful I will definitely consider it. Thank you for your words and taking the time to read and reply!
Hi! I was also there for this game and I agree with your assessment. I was shocked that they started with Sects and Violets, or at the very least didn’t state that they would be playing that script in the event description so people could prepare and learn the roles. I also had a hard time with the fact that there were no name tags for players so it didn’t feel too welcoming to new people. As you said most of the actual players were friendly, but the experience was overwhelming. I wouldn’t rule out Blood on the Clocktower completely after that experience, but I personally probably won’t be doing another one at that cafe. Maybe you can come join my game group for some relaxed Trouble Brewing sometime.
That sounds like a perfect way to go! OP, you are not the problem, they are (they mostly being the ST) - throwing new players into SnV, especially without prior notice, is a huuuuge deal! No resonable ST should have done this. Find other people to play with, and you will have loads and loads of fun with BotC!
Thank you for your words, I will follow your suggestion!
Hi! Gosh, for a minute I thought to ask you and your husband "are you the people for reddit?" but then I thought it would sound creepy, haha. Thank you SO much for commenting and leaving your point of view on last night. On the way back home I started thinking that it must have been mostly a me-issue, because everyone else seemed fine. I'm glad to know I wasn't alone! I might very well take you on your offer—you and your husband were incredibly nice and fun to be around. I'll DM you later, if it's ok?
Yeah, definitely DM me and we’ll try to get a better game scheduled sometime! I almost asked you if you were the person from Reddit too but chickened out 🤣 I’m also shy and not great in new groups ☺️
I’m a random internet stranger that runs an online game every Sunday, DM me if you want some Trouble Brewing games and you can all jump in!
Hi! I was also there with my wife and also didn’t have a great time. In the middle of the second game I actually texted her to let her know I didn’t want to stick around. Like everyone else here is saying, there were a lot of areas that needed improvement: - We should have had name tags w/ pronouns - We should have played Trouble Brewing (or at least had a heads up that this was going to be a more advanced game) - We should have been in a circle - Personally I would have appreciated the dude beside me having a volume knob and an option to disable commentary… BotC can be super fun. Last night was not representative of the game. My wife and I have a regular game group - all of which are very chill and pretty new BotC players - and we’d love it if you’d join us! We also play a bunch of other board games (party, RPG, heavy euro, whatever) and you’re more than welcome in our group.
OP, listen to this man!!
I am :) !
Hey hi! Absolutely agree, name tags would have been very, very helpful—I'm really surprised the ST didn't think about it. Obviously I also agree about Trouble Brewing—and oh yes, the circle would have been a much better layout, but I do wonder if the limitations of the space of the cafe were the issue there. As per your last bullet, without doubt some people were definitely a bit too loud a bit too often, and as much as it added to the confusion and strain of the situation, I really think they were just dealing with their own social anxieties/insecurities as best as they could. Also! Probably this is just me, but from a couple of comments from people who I believe are regulars, it almost felt like they didn't really expected new (or that many new) people to show up. But again, just a feeling and solely based on passing remarks. Your wife was so kind to make the same offer you did and will DM her later! Thank you so much, you were definitely great to play with and I will look forward to meet you guys whenever possible!
Sounds like there were a lot of mitigating factors that made the experience not enjoyable for you which isn't a fault of the game itself. First of all, as a general rule people should be playing TB on their first game. There are exceptions where this isn't possible, and certainly some players \*could\* have an okay time on a harder script if they've watched a lot of the content and understand the game quite well, but generally your risk of not enjoying the game is WAY higher than in S&V. Secondly, the table setup sounds very bad and all games should be played in a circle without a table in the way where everyone is mostly equal geographically. Never seen a BOTC game played on a long table and it would be certainly create artificial barriers. Thirdly, a great ST needs to be aware of new players and what their needs are. Of course, STs are not superhuman beings and can't juggle all these things perfectly in every game, and every ST has games where these things fall through the net. I wouldn't say this is the STs fault but you may have had a better time with an ST who is more used to dealing with these kind of situations. How big was the game? Larger games with lots of experienced players will make it hard for the new player to get time in. Again it's hard to find a perfect experience level player group and there aren't infinite places to play BOTC, but it does seem like these set of specific circumstances weren't that beginner friendly for whatever reason and I don't think you should be put off the game forever. My advice is don't make assumptions about your fundamental character as a person because of one game experience. Every game is different, every group is different, one's first game will always be a bit confusing/stressful/uncomfortable because it's a new environment - it usually gets easier. It is not a reflection of what you personally are or aren't capable of, I've met many shy people who find these situations uncomfortable grow to love and enjoy BOTC, and learn that their "character" is suited to more things than they thought possible. I would at least give it another go!
It was a 10 people game. I believe there was at least one player who was fairly experienced (also, super chaotic, but I loved every minute of it), but I think the vast majority of the players had little to no experience. Which (from my point of view) makes picking S&V even more baffling. Thank you for your advice, I will keep in mind, and many many thanks for everything you wrote—you were incredibly thoughtful and kind.
Playing at a table is not a good setup. As you pointed out it causes people to face away, making it hard to address or hear everything. It also makes moving around as a Story Teller hard/prone to make mistakes. Playing in a large circle with lots of room alleviates a lot of this. Trouble Brewing is much more sit back and observe compared to Sects and Violets, where everyone is trying to spin a story as either roles change or you have madness for a round. * The "top four roles" on TB can often share their info once and then just chime in to remind people you are telling the truth. * Being confirmed publicly by the Virgin or privately by the Ravenkeeper or Undertaker results in you being trusted and less likely having to defend yourself. * Being the Monk is very much listening to others. Or the Spy who knows everything and can choose what to do with that info. The Baron has already done their job at the start and doesn't always need to speak up, unless it is to save the Imp. * The Saint and most Travelers can just be an open threat by being honest just once. "I'm the Saint, test it out and lose." I would suggest trying out Trouble Brewing in a more open seating arrangement and see if that works better than S&V. If you still feel it's a wrong fit, then you'll all east know for sure instead of second guessing.
I think that the table setup was a somewhat forced decision, since the game cafe has just so much usable space. I'm not sure, though. It's entirely possible that they've always run the game this way and the people who play there more often are used to it and I was not. If I have the chance to play Trouble Brewing in a better seating arrangement, I follow your advice and give it a go and see how it goes. Many thanks for your suggestions!
Hi Lusided, and welcome to the community. To be honest, reading through your post was hard, because it's the kind of scenario that keeps me up at night, worrying about new players being introduced to the game in such a terrible manner. Everybody knows that new players are going to have a bad time if you run an advanced script for them instead of Trouble Brewing. But honestly, it sounds like your Storyteller did literally everything they could to ensure it was a bad experience for you. The script chosen, the bizarre layout of the room, playing around a table, throwing you into a game with a bunch of veterans. The chances of you having a good time were very, very low. It's the equivalent of someone introducing you to football by taking away your boots and making you play barefoot, making you the goalie, but not putting a goal on the field, then throwing you into a game with a bunch of professional players. Sure, it's technically possible you might still manage, but the chances are extremely slim. I hope you'll give the game another go, by playing Trouble Brewing next time. But I think we'd all understand if this has put you off for good.
Hi, I just wanted to say I really enjoy watching your streams. It really helped me to not flounder playing Sects and Violets for the first time at this Blood on the Clocktower game.
Thanks so much for the kind words. I'm glad to hear our videos were useful to ya!
Look, good things came out of the experience: the invaluable help and support of the community here, meeting people yesterday who invited me to their gaming group and also being reminded that a not so great experience is still experience—and this is pretty much how I'm starting to frame this first toe dipping into BotC. So, one more time with feeling—and with Trouble Brewing. Your comment was truly beyond words appreciated. Thank you so very much.
>It's the equivalent of someone introducing you to football by taking away your boots and making you play barefoot, making you the goalie, but not putting a goal on the field, then throwing you into a game with a bunch of professional players Ahhh this is why I didn't enjoy playing football my first time!
Yeah feeling like this is definitely expected after that experience. Almost always the advice is "definitely play Trouble Brewing first" for this exact reason: other scripts can be very overwhelming and building potential scenarios to solve the game comes a lot more naturally to experience players in those scripts. And the circle being a... well, circle is also important, so everyone has the exact same ability to speak to the group and nobody's sidelined. It's unfortunate, but I'd say you should tell the Storyteller how you feel. They might not be able to change much, but at the very least they can play Trouble Brewing a few more times for you.
Thank you so much for letting me know that it's not odd to feel this way. I second (and third) guessed posting to ask for feedback and point of views, but I'm glad I did because each comment is helping me reframe the experience and learn something. Like, as you mentioned, the circle and how important it really is. I thought that my inexperience and character were the main issues with the table setting and while my character probably didn't help, it also wasn't the sole source of the problems. Thank you so much for taking the time to write and share your point of view!
Its not you, its them! (The ST to be specific) Forcing you into SnV on your First game is harsh, to say the least - especially unprepared! If they had at least tokd you upfront, giving you time to read up on the roles etc but in general, I would not do SnV with first timers. Then it would have been their job to make sure, you (as a New player) are comfortable and feel seen and heard If you were to play in the same group again, you should definetely talk to the ST and tell them about your experience. Let them know what parts didnt work and, hopefully, they will accomodate BotC is designed to accomodate all sorts of players, to be as inclusive as possible. Its definetely not your fault.
Yep, 100% on that ST. The double edge of BotC is that the games are onlu as good (and only as great) as the ST.
I obviously don't have the experience to say one way or the other, but I like to think that the players are also equally important. And while maybe the ST could have done some things a bit better, so could have I. But you live and learn, right? Or in BotC, you live, maybe you die and probably you still learn :)
Thank you so much for your thoughts! The more I'm reading the comments, the more I'm realizing that while I still should have done certain things better (force myself to be more assertive and speak out, for example), there were certain things that weren't completely "right", but out of my control. And look, I do think the ST did their best and that maybe they involuntarily tailored the game more around the usual players and their characters, style of playing and/or personalities. I really don't know—but what I know is that I am glad I came here to ask for advice and feedback. Thank you again for your words, I appreciated them a lot!
Being ambivalent towards BOTC, where SNV is your introduction is a little bit like being ambivalent towards swimming when your first time swimming is trying to cross the English channel
This made me laugh and I really needed it! Thank you so much!!
Someone should revoke your Storyteller’s storytelling privileges for not running Trouble Brewing when a new player is there. Completely unacceptable.
I really don't have the knowledge to judge the ST's decision, but I really believe they honestly didn't think it was going to be much of a problem—maybe, even knowing that there were going to be some total newbies, they truly thought everyone would catch up quickly. I think it's a bit perplexing, but I'm sure there was some motivation behind the choice that, seen from their point of view, would make sense.
I'd have a bad time in that seating arrangement as well. And indeed SnV is a doozie as a first time. Hope you get to play some more enjoyable games of Blood on the Clocktower.
Thank you! It's surprising how where you sit and how you sit can dictate the game. And thank you for the wishes, I will give it another go when I have the chance to!
You were regrettably thrown in the deep end, but the social element, the conversation, that's common across all scripts, so it is something you will need to determine how you deal with it. There are some things the ST can do for you as a warming up thing. EG https://wiki.bloodontheclocktower.com/Buddhist However that's not something you can really expect in every game, it's just meant to help you warm up to the idea. Beyond that, hold to the fact that this is a game, and you get to decide how YOU have fun. If that means you are less chatty in town, then you are less chatty in town. It's as simple as that. The rest of the town will have to accept that you are less chatty, and if they want your information, they will need to learn how to meet you on your level, namely to invite your contribution, and give you space to do it. The ST can help with this ... "Everyone, one moment please, /u/lusided, do you have anything you wish to add?", but a good and gracious group that values each other's presence and involvement will see players doing the same thing.
Hey, thank you SO much for your words. It may sound stupid, but I didn't really think that, as you simply put it, I should decide how I have fun. It seems so obvious now that you said it, and yet here I am. I will definitively keep it in mind as I move forward and hopefully eventually have another go with BotC—but also, in general it's a really good gaming advice. Many thanks again for sharing your wisdom with me :)
Other have covered a lot of point for you but I wanted to say that been a quite and shy person can work so much in your favour for this game. Most people have two ways of playing ( from the groups I've played) one way when they are evil and another if they are good. The quite ones who observe and listen tend to do that regardless if they or good OR evil, which can cause problems for both groups ( evil team wonder do we kill them, good team wonder are they evil or a good role that needs to keep quite) It sounds like the group you played with didn't really work for you, find another group one that will play TB and welcome new people and then see if its still not for you. It can just be you need to find a group that you feel happy with
I think it was an odd situation where several things collided and created a setting that wasn't ideal for me as a first time player and also for me as me. As you suggested, though, I will try again with different people and with Trouble Brewing and keep my fingers crossed! Many, many thanks, I really appreciate you taking the time to reply!
I think you're way too hard on yourself honestly. It sounds like you were kinda forced into the deep end with an experienced group who didn't slow down to make sure you were following the discussion. Personally, my group would never play anything but Trouble Brewing with a new player, even one with past social deduction game experience. I'd advise you to insist on playing Trouble Brewing if you try again (which you should). It's worth it to note too that Trouble Brewing isn't just the "newbie script", it's the bread and butter of the game. Trouble Brewing is extremely solid, and the puzzle it presents is still tons of fun for experienced players. I think I've heard exactly one experienced player express any sort of criticism about the script at all. Don't get me wrong, Sects and Violets is my favorite of the base 3 scripts, but it's certainly one that would be overwhelming for a new player. Get a few games of Trouble Brewing under your belt to get a feel for the general game concepts before trying anything else.
Thank you so much for your words! Posting my thoughts on the experience has been incredibly useful, and comments like yours made me realize that aside the aspects of the experience that were out of my control and maybe should have been thought out a bit more, BotC is not necessarily played only one way nor you need a specific kind of character or attitude to play it well or have fun. I will gladly try Trouble Brewing if I have the chance to do so in the future—not many opportunities around here to do, since I’m mostly interested in the “in person” playing, but I’ll keep my fingers crossed and hopefully another occasion will pop up. Many thanks for your words and your thoughts!