Fate for newbs (aspects in particular)

[danthehut]

So I've run the sample adventures available from DriveThru for my game group a few weeks back and it went pretty well for the most part.

The hardest part i found was in getting them to use Aspects effectively, even at all.

The magic system, which I thought would be the most complicating part of it, ran smoother then i expected.. and combat and stress/consequence tracking went well.

But every time i tried to explain compels, declarations, invoking, or basically anything involving aspects i just got blank stares.

Anyone else run into problems with this? Maybe the problem was with how i tried to explain those mechanics to the group. Any suggestions on how to provide this info to the table when they all dont own the books themselves?

[devonapple]

The advice I've always found useful  is to make the NPCs set up Aspects in similar ways - lead by example. Explain what the NPCs are doing as you do it.

[tetrasodium]

The advice I've always found useful  is to make the NPCs set up Aspects in similar ways - lead by example. Explain what the NPCs are doing as you do it.

Agreed.  Aspects & declarations are practically mind shattering to the average d&d background gamer. 
[quote Author="Fred Hicks"Fate is not concerned with the gamer notion of reality. It is concerned with the idea of the ebb and flow of the importance of elements of characters in a story and making the system come alive around those moments, but at the same time it wants a little bit of grounded familiarity, so it still has the skills and that sort of stuff.

http://www.thewalkingeye.com/?p=973+[/quote]
also helps I think, once they start to understand them they can go from being some bizzare alien thing to something cool & useful

[UmbraLux]

Two things - lead by example as devonapple and tetrasodium mention.  Use aspects against them and they'll start looking for ways to use them in self defense. 

Second, ask for descriptions of whatever they're doing.  From those pick declarations appropriate to the description.  Then have them roll the appropriate skill.  The instant +2 on a success will get them thinking more along the lines of aspect use. 

[EdgeOfDreams]

You might try starting from Fate Points instead of from Aspects.  Tell them that fate points are a currency.  You get them at the start of an adventure, or when the GM decides to screw you over.  You can spend them whenever you want +2 to a roll or a re-roll.

Then, when they try to spend a fate point, let them know that they need to justify it by pointing to an aspect.  This leads into the idea that no fate points ever change hands without an aspect involved.

Next, you can bring up the idea of declarations, assessments, and maneuvers in terms of "you can roll to find/create an aspect when there isn't a good one already there" and that the reward for doing so is a free, invisible fate point (called a 'tag') that can only be spent on that newly found/created aspect.

[danthehut]

You might try starting from Fate Points instead of from Aspects.  Tell them that fate points are a currency.  You get them at the start of an adventure, or when the GM decides to screw you over.  You can spend them whenever you want +2 to a roll or a re-roll.

Then, when they try to spend a fate point, let them know that they need to justify it by pointing to an aspect.  This leads into the idea that no fate points ever change hands without an aspect involved.

Next, you can bring up the idea of declarations, assessments, and maneuvers in terms of "you can roll to find/create an aspect when there isn't a good one already there" and that the reward for doing so is a free, invisible fate point (called a 'tag') that can only be spent on that newly found/created aspect.

I love this ^^^^^ Great Idea.

I used some aspects from the NPC side, but i dont think they caught on to what was happening.

What i was doing was when they stated what they were doing I would ask "Do any aspects you have or on the scene help with what your trying to do?"

[EdgeOfDreams]

What i was doing was when they stated what they were doing I would ask "Do any aspects you have or on the scene help with what your trying to do?"

Yeah, that's part of your problem, I'm sure. The thing is, mechanically speaking, aspects don't really do anything until a fate point or tag gets involved.

[noclue]

A good way to do that is to prompt them. If the player goes rushing in with guns blazing, you ask "are you DOING IT FOR THE GIRL? Spend a Fate Point and you can turn that failure into a success."

[Rubycon]

Maybe you should go through a couple of examples for some of the aspects. Then much of it becomes clearer.
When I read through the rulbook, I had some difficulties of my own with aspect, but the examples helped me a lot. Now I'm planning some sessions and some important NPC's and I'm constantly trying to think of examples of the aspects of my NPC's when developing them.

[HumAnnoyd]

One thing someone said on these boards that made it easier for me to figure out Declarations was Burn Notice.  All of those Michael Weston monologues about how spies do this or that are essentially Declarations that he would then free tag to get stuff done.