For ages, I have been trying to get a group for Nobilis (I finally got one by asking on a FLGS forum – the last place I thought off. It’s my fault, really – I thought they were all just into D&D and Warhammer 40k). The group more or less understood the game, so I don’t have a hard time pitching them to play Nobilis. Throughout the process of creating characters, chancel and all that, I finally realised what I have been doing wrong when introducing the game to my other role-playing friends.
Usually, I begin with, “Would you want to play a game where you are a god-being? You represent a concept, say guns, and you can like do anything with guns.” The usual reply is “Heck, if I am so powerful, then where’s the challenge?”
There’s a couple of mistakes here; one reason may be due to I have been reading the GWB rather carelessly. First, the players are not god-beings. In fact, when pitching the games to others, I will suggest not trying to explain what’s a noble is. Remember, back when I mention HCI, people always try to frame new things with their own experiences. So to sell Nobilis, go for what they may already be familiar with.
“You play as an avatar which represents a component of creation”. Now this sounds easier to swallow.
(Though I have to say that people who read Sandman and other related novels, especially the series suggested in the GWB, will have less problems)
However, thinking through things, I think it is better to sell the world.
“Oh, Nobilis is a game in which everything and anything has a spirit and are semi-intelligence. You play as an avatar of a concept, or anything, in creation and you have to make sure it survives. You are being empowered by one of the many gods in creaton so in a sense you are superhuman. There are also others like you too around.”
I’m not sure if this sells better, but I am going to try this if I need a second group to play Nobilis.
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