Creating quick-start scenarios

[Green]

It was once suggested to me in another thread that I make sample scenarios that really highlight my game Kathanaksaya.  I tried thinking of one, but I never got very far.  How do you go about creating scenarios as an introduction to a game?  What sorts of things should you be sure to include?  What sorts of things should be left out?  What types of scenarios (genre, style, what have you) are best for introducing people to your game?

[timfire]

Are you talking about an abbreviated demo or an adventure that's included in the main text?

[Green]

I'm leaning toward a demo.

[GregS]

One of my favorite systems for demoing rpgs was implemented by Dream Pod 9.  They took an 11x17 piece of paper, filled it double sided with everything you needed for the quick play demo, and then distributed it ad nausium.  

On one side they printed the scenario itself and on the other the rules.  And while I was not impressed with the actual scenario they included (it was crap), the idea was sound and I will be duplicating it for my quick play.

There are a lot of advantages to this method...and I think, in the long run, it'll be a lot more effective than posting a chapter on my website or trying to distribute expensive "pay to play" demo materials.

The problem I ran into when planning mine, much as I'm sure DP9 did, was coming up with a scenario that included the essence of the game but could be conveyed with little backstory and in 1 page.  Once you get past that, tho, I think it works well.

[LordSmerf]

Greg,

11x17?  That is an awfully large piece of paper...  Did the fold it in half to present a kind of two page 8.5x11 "booklet"?

Thomas