Probably right around after the new year.
Should be 2-4 players.  1 new to roleplaying, 2-3 seasoned vets.  The seasoned vets have experience with White Wolf's stuff, primarily Exalted but plenty of World of Darkness.  None have played Dogs. I sold them on Afraid after months of a lack of interest in Dogs, primarily due to lack of setting interest, or judging morality interest.

I have read the lumpley post, a few AP reports and little things here and there.

Two questions.  Anything that particularly pops out that I should read first?  Also, any good first timer Monsters been created yet?

Second, anyone thought up a good Initiation Conflict parallel, or is Vincent willing to tell us one of his ideas?

Actually, is there any updated playtest document out there? I've been considering trying the game out for about a year now, and I've been using some mechanical bits from it in my DitV games. However, a year ago a lot of issues with the rules were already known, and I've seen some mentions about this or that being completely changed already (e.g. the NPC rules, unclear escalations etc.). It stopped me from playtesting it in the end, as I don't think playing the old version does the author any good.

I strongly encourage everyone to not playtest Afraid if you can help it. Especially if it's because your friends don't want to play Dogs in the Vineyard.

HappyAnarchist! Play a game that's done and fun. You'll burn your friends, and that hurts both you and me.

-Vincent

I was somewhat worried about that.

Maybe I can convince them on Poison'd then.  Any advice for that direction?  I still don't know a whole lot about it, other than that it is about Pirates.

High Plains Drifter meets Reservoir Dogs on a boat.

I'm terrible at telling people what's good about my own games, but if that doesn't grab them, the game probably won't either.

-Vincent