Top 3 Things to Include in an instructional Video
The worst part about playing a new board game
Without a doubt, the worst part of playing a new board game is having to learn a whole new set of complex rules and concepts. Sure, there’s the off-chance that you could lose, or that someone you’re playing with might not enjoy the gameplay, but learning how to play a new board game is universally challenging.
Maybe the rulebook is long and wordy, or just the opposite—short with not enough detail. Whatever woes you may endure in setting out to learn a new game, the experience is almost always more enjoyable when your party can watch a quick how-to-play video that explains the rules in a short amount of time.
How to make a great how-to video
Who knew making a great how-to video would need… a how-to video. To make an instructional video that works in the board game industry, there are a couple key components you can’t miss. The headings might seem like no-brainers, but our methods are proven true with millions of views on each brand’s channel, so we’re saying it works!
1. Present a clear understanding of the game
Obviously this seems obvious, but you’d be surprised how tough it can be to give viewers a clear picture of a game in a short amount of time. Lucky Whisker is known for making fun and concise how-to-play videos in 5 minutes or less, so we’ve had to learn how to get to the point fast.
Explaining your ideas clearly and early in the video will help an audience who probably has no frame of reference for where to start the game.
One way to do this is by translating the game concepts into visually stimulating and memorable instances. Remember, your audience is already at a disadvantage in not understanding your game. Your visual elements should be astoundingly simple, and your storyboard and script should work for the audience, not against.
Complex topics can be explained using simple and relatable examples, but it’s best to relate your examples to the game components and let the game explain itself rather than bringing in more variables for the audience to consider.
Our how-to-play video for Skull King breaks the video into segments like “Overview” or “Setup” to help engage the audience.
2. Simplify and reuse assets
Unlike the rulebook which has ample space to show off game components and explain each card or asset, a how-to-play video is better sticking to a select few to build familiarity with the game components.
For instance, avoid using multiple examples with differing variables in your script and on-screen elements. Let’s take a look:
Example A uses cards 1, 2, and 3 to explain mechanic A.
In the next scene, Example B uses cards 4, 5, and 6 to explain mechanic B.
In these examples, Example B would be improved if it was accomplished by using again cards 1, 2, and 3 instead of introducing new cards needlessly.
Of course it is necessary to introduce new components at times, but for the main gameplay, try to reuse assets the audience is already familiar with to reduce information overload.
Check out our video for Disney Pixar Toy Story Talent Show to see how assets were consistent throughout the how-to-play video.
3. Leave edge cases in the rulebook.
While you might want to squeeze every last detail out of the rulebook and into the how-to-play video… don’t do it! Often it is better to use an on-screen notation to give an edge case rule instead of using narration to do it (unless the edge case rule comes up frequently).
Since your audience is learning how to play your game for the first time, edge case rules apply an extra concept on top of the initial concept they are just learning. An on-screen notation can prompt them to seek the rule book for more information without distracting them from the more common gameplay rules.
Check out the on-screen notation for the first turn edge case in the Back to the Future: Back in Time how-to-play video.
Simplicity promotes understanding
Now that you know the top three things to include in a board game how-to-play video, you can probably think of a time when you’ve watched a video without these elements. Without clarity, simplicity, and concise explanation (leaving edge cases to the rulebook), the audience can finish watching the how-to-play video more confused than before.
Take a look at some of our how-to-play videos with the transcript included so you can see how Lucky Whisker makes board game videos!