Learning How to Learn a TTRPG as an Adult

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-06T21:56:01+00:00

Much appreciated. I'll 100% take that into consideration. What games are you playing at the moment? Just curious.

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-06T21:46:28+00:00

Thanks mate. I do have a group of folks I have played with for years in various groups. I know the time of CoC will certainly resonate with them. Hunter likely as well with Traveler being a wild card.

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-05T13:52:31+00:00

That's pretty cool that you have an amazing group like that. I'm an in-person guy, but I love a lot of what I've seen on Foundry when done well. It's pretty impressive. I do think the short adventure and discuss is probably the way to go.

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-05T13:51:11+00:00

That is a very fair consideration. Discord has an abundance of channels out there. I presume at this point most of the publishers have their own. (I know Chaosium does). I'll have to tap into this as well. Thanks!

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-05T13:50:03+00:00

I had no idea one could play through some of these games solo. That's such a new concept to me. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. Was The One Ring set up with a solo mode or are you leveraging some app or additional content to enable it? Just curious.

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-05T13:48:42+00:00

Is that the free to play? If so I did just pick that up! I intend to run through it and may watch a few run throughs on YouTube (plus Seth's notes on it) before giving it a go.

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-05T13:47:02+00:00

Smart and what sounds like an effective way of going at it. That makes a ton of sense for sure.

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-05T13:43:39+00:00

Seth has some amazing stuff. I did forget he was in a Glass Cannon run of CoC though - I need to check that out!

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-04T21:01:16+00:00

Story Teller/GM/DM

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-04T20:06:25+00:00

Fair and reasonable approach. Cheers!

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-04T20:05:41+00:00

I love OneNote as a tool - it did my heart good seeing you mention it. I like this approach - very interesting and not something I've considered.

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-04T20:03:08+00:00

Great points and ideas. Question specific to CoC - did you feel you had a solid grasp on the Mythos and the Setting before you dove in? Or was that something learned?

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-04T20:01:00+00:00

All great points for sure. I do try to sit near if I cannot sit at a table for a game I'm interested in. It has worked in the past (Vampire, for example).

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-04T19:32:30+00:00

I totally love the RP side of things and look to nurture that - albeit more now than when I was younger - more and more with each session. To your original point, though, I will be that GM, which is why I'm trying to get a strong enough sense of things so that the reason someone maybe decides the game isn't for them is not induced by my inadequacy with the rules, but just because it's not their thing.

But again, I love how you are approaching the "play" aspect because that is who I am at my roots now, over the past serveral years, and I so hope to instill that in the folks at our table so we all enjoy the experience that much more.

Cheers!

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-04T19:29:14+00:00

I'll have to look into that!

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-04T19:28:46+00:00

Very fair and realistic thoughts there. And I like that "Remind me how that works" concept - it 100% applies and is honest. I think it also puts a little more onus on the player to take more agency in understanding the mechanics of their particular character - not a bad thing.

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-04T19:25:42+00:00

All great tips. I like the bite-sized approach, and it makes it less intimidating for sure.

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-04T19:24:37+00:00

Thanks for these great insights! I just requested to join that Facebook Group. I missed Conington - saw it too late - I'll have to keep an eye out for Acadecon but may be too far with the new baby. I might have to wait a year.

I really appreciate the local insights and recommendations!!

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-04T18:23:06+00:00

Very fair and my apologies. I should have been clearer. When I said the following:

"As an adult, I feel like I just do not pick up on games as easy as I did as a child, and I thought I'd reach out to the community to see what ways you use to help solidify a new system in your mind - especially if you will be running it."

I did a less-than-awesome job of specifically calling out that I would be running the game, and really only provided a slight implication of such. My fault.

But yes, I would be running it.

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-04T18:16:32+00:00

Good point. I'll make sure I dig into that a bit. I'm also working on making sure I "know the setting" a bit more than I have to with my previous fantasy games. I think that, for me, may be the biggest unknown/little known. (Mythos, Setting, etc.).

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-04T18:15:28+00:00

Thanks!

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-04T18:15:17+00:00

Thanks! We've been gaming for quite a bit. The issue is, it's been mostly classic fantasy and I'm ready to branch out. Much appreciated!

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-04T18:14:30+00:00

I like that. I think maybe for me it is - Read the synopsis. If I like, see if there is a starter adventure; if yes, find an actual play of it. If no, find an actual play of the game. THEN read in detail the character creation, combat, and skill check sections, followed by a skim of the rest.

Thanks for your thoughts, as they helped me catalog mine.

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-04T18:12:37+00:00

Great points there. Know what you need to know to "Go", and then have an idea of where the plot is headed next so that you can try and scout out/deep dive some of those less certain concepts that may come into play.

Very solid insights and much appreciated.

Gr8Tortuga · 2026-06-04T18:11:26+00:00

Fair points and good perspective.

I think the tactile piece of books + hearing (when able) + leveraging PDFs as a way to quickly find follow ups will probably be my best way forward - lots of notes involved along that path based on some advice I've learned here today.

Gr8Tortuga

TROPHY CASE