How would you bring a non-gamer into gaming?

[Breadline]

The Portal games are good, but I don't think they help someone get into gaming. They're too unique an experience, so when someone finishes they have an idea of how Portal works, but are no closer to understanding how gaming works.

I'd suggest either a co-op shooter like L4D2 or Halo 1 (FPS games are surprisingly easy for new people to get into and they show off the medium quite well). Another option if they're a fan of Disney is Kingdom Hearts. Or my top choice, Paper Mario.

 

[Flailing Escapist]

Let's take my dad, for instance. He's almost 50 and while I don't think he hates video games he never really played one either. If I tried (again) to get him into gaming I'd probably have him start with Portal. He's an engineer you see, a christian and the only tv shows he watches are mythbusters (so he can point out when they're wrong), IRT (probably for the drama) and their sort. I dunno, maybe I could get him into Math Blaster if all else fails.

 

[BehattedWanderer]

I've done this, actually. My girlfriend was always on my case about how much time I spent gaming, and about how she had no idea how I could eat up hours at a time with my hobby. So, one time, rather than get frustrated, I told her to join me. We played Lego Indiana Jones, because she loved the movies, and after three hours, she said she'd never chide me for losing track of time again, since she now understood. Between a few of the Lego games, Little Big Planet, and things like Mario Kart, I got her competitive drive up, and she started challenging me more within the medium. She eventually bought a PS3 and some games so that we could play at her place as well, and when she branched into other games she thought she might like, I felt that it was a good thing. She's still not as serious about it as I or my friends are, but she's into it as a casual hobby, picking up a few games here and there.

To get someone in, Co-op is the key. You need to be able to help them and yet challenge them. They probably won't have the eye-thumb reflexes that you'll have, so they'll need some more time to really get into it, practice with it. Remember that learning curves are a little longer for those unused to the way things tend in this industry.

 

[Voulan]

I got my friends interested through Kingdom Hearts. They were all familiar with the Disney worlds and characters, so they got a real nostalgic kick out of it. It also has an engaging story, and therapeutic and simple button-mashing combat, that progressively gets harder.

Either something very simple or very episodic or engaging works, because it's easy to grasp and they want to play more to see the rest of the story.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

At this point I wouldn't, I'd tell them to stay far far away from all this nonsense.

 

[Rastien]

Invite the person over.
Pop in Dark Souls.
Leave for an hour (make up an excuse).
Return to the inevitable carnage.
Laugh long and hard.
(Of course, some might kick ass, but it's not very likely)

I laughed far more then i should of done at this idea. Does that make me evil? D:

Yes, and you should be PROUD of your accomplishments.

Even seasoned gamers have been cracking there teeth and spitting blood at dark souls hehe awesome game though

That's part of the fun, though, isn't it?

The first time i took out the taurus demon i felt like a god. That should put into context how much fun dark souls is

 

[King of Asgaard]

Invite the person over.
Pop in Dark Souls.
Leave for an hour (make up an excuse).
Return to the inevitable carnage.
Laugh long and hard.
(Of course, some might kick ass, but it's not very likely)

I laughed far more then i should of done at this idea. Does that make me evil? D:

Yes, and you should be PROUD of your accomplishments.

Even seasoned gamers have been cracking there teeth and spitting blood at dark souls hehe awesome game though

That's part of the fun, though, isn't it?

The first time i took out the taurus demon i felt like a god. That should put into context how much fun dark souls is

Yet the taurus demon is one of the easiest.
Once you beat Ornstein and Smough, then you'll feel powerful.

 

[Rastien]

Invite the person over.
Pop in Dark Souls.
Leave for an hour (make up an excuse).
Return to the inevitable carnage.
Laugh long and hard.
(Of course, some might kick ass, but it's not very likely)

I laughed far more then i should of done at this idea. Does that make me evil? D:

Yes, and you should be PROUD of your accomplishments.

Even seasoned gamers have been cracking there teeth and spitting blood at dark souls hehe awesome game though

That's part of the fun, though, isn't it?

The first time i took out the taurus demon i felt like a god. That should put into context how much fun dark souls is

Yet the taurus demon is one of the easiest.
Once you beat Ornstein and Smough, then you'll feel powerful.

5 friggin hours on those 2 my god >:C i hated there guts but such a great feeling indeed hehe took out the lightening spear guy first so ended up with fatty boom boom in zerker mode wrecking my head. I did do the weak mans approuch and get the aid of others on it, was still tough

 

[King of Asgaard]

Invite the person over.
Pop in Dark Souls.
Leave for an hour (make up an excuse).
Return to the inevitable carnage.
Laugh long and hard.
(Of course, some might kick ass, but it's not very likely)

I laughed far more then i should of done at this idea. Does that make me evil? D:

Yes, and you should be PROUD of your accomplishments.

Even seasoned gamers have been cracking there teeth and spitting blood at dark souls hehe awesome game though

That's part of the fun, though, isn't it?

The first time i took out the taurus demon i felt like a god. That should put into context how much fun dark souls is

Yet the taurus demon is one of the easiest.
Once you beat Ornstein and Smough, then you'll feel powerful.

5 friggin hours on those 2 my god >:C i hated there guts but such a great feeling indeed hehe took out the lightening spear guy first so ended up with fatty boom boom in zerker mode wrecking my head. I did do the weak mans approuch and get the aid of others on it, was still tough

I've taken them out solo before, no small task. Very satisfying.
But really, there is no "weak man's approach" in Dark Souls, you're either dead or (relatively) alive.

 

[Rastien]

Invite the person over.
Pop in Dark Souls.
Leave for an hour (make up an excuse).
Return to the inevitable carnage.
Laugh long and hard.
(Of course, some might kick ass, but it's not very likely)

I laughed far more then i should of done at this idea. Does that make me evil? D:

Yes, and you should be PROUD of your accomplishments.

Even seasoned gamers have been cracking there teeth and spitting blood at dark souls hehe awesome game though

That's part of the fun, though, isn't it?

The first time i took out the taurus demon i felt like a god. That should put into context how much fun dark souls is

Yet the taurus demon is one of the easiest.
Once you beat Ornstein and Smough, then you'll feel powerful.

5 friggin hours on those 2 my god >:C i hated there guts but such a great feeling indeed hehe took out the lightening spear guy first so ended up with fatty boom boom in zerker mode wrecking my head. I did do the weak mans approuch and get the aid of others on it, was still tough

I've taken them out solo before, no small task. Very satisfying.
But really, there is no "weak man's approach" in Dark Souls, you're either dead or (relatively) alive.

True words /darksouls brofist