Need Help Convincing People to play German games

First I'm going to answer a bunch of questions as posted above:

1. Yes I got a Paul Molitor doll, and no it's not for sale unless you're offering me a decent wad of cash for it =)

2. No, I did not manage to convince people to play German games. In fact when I went to the gaming store to purchase Settlers, I was (honest to God) FORCED to buy Compatibility, a game where you try to match what the other person will say. They said if I bought Settlers they would never even try it and would most likely never want to play a board game again. Not that I have anything against Compatibility, it's just that when a person is going to buy something let 'em spend their own money.

So that's the story as it lies. I am highly interested in purchasing Ticket to Ride, Settlers of Catan, Citadels, and Arena Maximus (I'm not sure about Arena Maximus, I'm going to read the review right now).

Basically to get a gist of the argument, I asked everyone if they would be interested in playing Settlers if I bought it. They all moaned and said no. The only response I got was "Why don't you go read Harry Potter? If you want us to play games with you then I want you to read Harry Potter because if I like it you must like it too." (devastation)

Guess I might as well buy the game anyway because when I get married and have kids it will be $40 already spent on the game and not $80 looking for a copy on eBay.

I am thinking about looking into having a game day once a week or something. As for reading Harry Potter it was their way of saying "Just because you like it doesn't mean I do," they didn't really want me to read Harry Potter it was just their way of being sarcastic.

The Geek has some great lists along similar lines, including:

Best Gateway Game?

Games my wife will play

Games that my (non-gamer) family will play

Snoweel's Games for New Gamers

And many many more!!

It's online? Sweet, I'll have to check it out.

Oh and one more thing, for the second time the usage of "Harry Potter" was just an argument, they were using it to prove a point. At no point was it serious. Please read the post above that I wrote if you still don't understand (the one that discusses the argument).

I'm not sure about your family, but it seems they have a bias against German style games. You haven't mentioned why they do. And I think some gamers forget to realize that there are usually reasons for this, ones that you can take advantage of.

Meaning if they like commercial games you can spin that positively.

ie. they say "I like monopoly" - You say, "Settlers is like monopoly, you are trying to gain resources, which are just like properties. You are trying to build your buildings on the best spaces, and even upgrade them, just like going from the small hotels to the big ones."

And if they don't like games because they don't like monopoly you can spin that positevly too.

They say "I hate games because monopoly stinks." You say, "What is it about monopoly you don't like." and when they tell you, you say, "Well that's why this is so different...."

In either case I think the wrong tactic is, "Commercial games suck, play this one because its;
More complicated
Gives you decisions
Allows the use of logic
Mechanics are interesting"

This will only scare many people.

You can't attack people and their beliefs, you have to coax them along.

And you can't be too rabid about it, cuz otherwise you come off sounding "strange" (those really into comic books, star trek etc. come to mind, not bad people, but the impression is often negative to an outsider who "doesn't get it").

Oh, and if they are family, another tactic might be used as a last resort. Guilt.

"It's my birthday, and what I want more than anything else is for us to sit down as a family and give this game a try. If you play through the whole game and you hate it we won't have to play it again..."

Which might leave them suspicous, but if they try it and hate it you are better off then them never being exposed in the first place. Plus you've gotten them to try this one, so that fact leads to them maybe trying another game in the future.

People often point to the games themselves, but there is a psychology that goes along with it too that can't be underestimated. Influencing others goes a long way.

Thanks again.

I can barely get them to sit down and tell me why they like/dislike Monopoly (as a matter of fact they dont like that one, the only one they like a lot if LIFE, which I HATE TO DEATH lol). Here's the breakdown:

Logan is 7. He can learn just about anything once he starts playing it (how? he loves video games and doesn't care how complex they are he learns them)
Miranda is 9. She is the one I can convince to play games sometimes, but she usually will moan her way through it by saying "I didnt really want to play anyway"
Jessica is 12. I'm lucky if I can say a word to her without get a nasty remark. Sometimes when she is in a good mood she will play poker, and she said if I got SoC she might play.... MIGHT

Those are the kids in the family I "live" with, the ones I want to play games with. Being the oldest (14) I would obviously like strategy games more than they would, but I just can't see why they don't.

Lisa is old (did I say that), she will play or do anything to make anyone happy.
Russ is older (I better hurry this up before they see this), he plays Runebound (there's a stretch!) and would play just about anything.

I would use reverse tactics like one of you suggested, but how do I use reverse tactics on the board game LIFE? They like the roll and move games (oh i get it SoC has die rolling...)