Chicago Gameday XVIII: the aftermath!

[Tofu_Master]

Okay, Ninjacat next time round maybe a sandwhich backup since Mary Jane & her Lifesavers failed their mission! I agree, I'm sure there is a "Best Laid Plans..." joke to be had, but we'll leave it alone. 'till next time...


Also, thanx for lettin' Reid know I was thinkin' of him!

 

[Mark]

I think the new time set-up worked out well.

Were many people late in coming back from lunch? (It did not seem so, but encouraging everyone to hustle back can always help.) Probably an hour is plenty of time to eat and hopefully the store, which is kind enough to give up the space to us for free, did well at the register. There is the concern that if the break is shorter, people shop less at the store and spend the full break time on going to eat. We do not want to become a gameday that gets the free room but costs the store money.

It was surprising how early so many of the games broke up. Were most of the games that were scheduled the type that take only a couple of hours? Maybe slots can be split into Slot1a and Slot1b and Slot2a and Slot2b type offerings if the GMs and players want to try two short games in a row? Our first game wound down on time and the second could have gone an extra hour, though it worked out well enough. Maybe 9:30 am to 2:30 pm then 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm and 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm, where most second slot games are actually from 3:30 pm to 9:30 pm but some can be split?

Primarily, though, we all probably agree we need to begin setting up the games later than we do. It is less likely a game will have to be cancelled or that players will need to drop, or that tables will have trouble filling up, if we have less time between when the games are planned, when the sign ups for seats begins, and when the gameday actually is. Sure there will always be last minute changes/cancelations but the longer between sign up and date, the more that can change. If we do not start the planning for the early 08 gameday until six weeks prior to the date, and we look primarily to the store schedule and the con schedules to determine when it is, we will likely do well filling things up as much as we can. We lost at least some people to WindyCon this time around. If we start the planning thread later, we will probably be more in tune with potential conflicts store-wise, con-wise, and personally, and be able to avoid them more readily.

Further, it might be best to keep it to five or six games per slot at the start and only expand if things fill up. There is nothing wrong with a smaller game (with only a couple/few players), of course, but it might not be fair to the store to block out the whole backroom if we really only need a portion of it. There is a feeling that the store could have put two or three tables to use most of the day that we were not using. The hightop table can be used for a smaller game, or a minis table can be used for a couple of small games, freeing up full-sized RPG game tables for the store to keep open for non-gamedayers. We should keep an eye on usage and shift games and tables around in the last week if our numbers warrant that sort of space reallocation. That would give the store the opportunity to satisfy an addtional number of its customers besides ourselves.

Lastly, we will probably see a continued lull for the next gameday and, if we make sure to schedule enough 4E slots, will likely be packed in June when the new edition is released. And when the new edition is released and third party publishers retool, we will probably see a larger number of companies wanting to do prize giveaways again. We might want to switch back to the schedule that includes some prize time when that happens.

 

[HinterWelt]

Great Game day! Thank you Curt for hosting it and Buzz for organizing. I want to thank the players of my Nebuleon game who made it a lot of fun for me to run. You guys actually got my movie quotes! I feel for Wendy as the highest rolling player at the table despite Mikes best efforts not to jinx her dice. And we all learned an important lesson, standing in the door is the safest place.

I hope all of you that got copies of Nebuleon, Shaolin Squirrel or Squirrels Ahoy dice, or a t-shirt that is too small enjoy them. Tofu Master, you made my day! I love hearing that kind of thing. SA! was a lot of fun for me to write and always a blast to run. Hopefully we will have the Squirrel Attack! the Board Game ready to go early next year.

I will most likely run a Squirrel Attack! game next GD. So far, lots of votes for Shaolin Squirrels and some interest in Squirrels Ahoy. I might be able to run both in one slot if that is o.k. with Buzz. Most of the times the convention runs of SS and SA take about 2-3 hours a piece.

Well, thanks again and hope to see you at the next Gameday.

Bill

 

[FCWesel]

Good post, Mark.

There is the concern that if the break is shorter, people shop less at the store and spend the full break time on going to eat. We do not want to become a gameday that gets the free room but costs the store money.

I have heard this before and I just don't see it being a real issue to be honest. Gamers, as a general rule are one of the most consumer saavy group of customers. We usually know what we want, and when "budgets" are concerned (which they are for everyone these days), we are either going to buy (in which case, nothing is going to stop us from making that purchase) or not going to buy (and nothing would really make us make that purchase).

In short, if there were only 10 minutes of "shopping time" compared to the potential 3 hours (1/2 hour before start, 1 hour lunch, 1 1/2 hours after last event) of shopping time, we as gamer will find a way to spend our money.

As for starting threads later, closer to the actual date, I have been saying that for years. But I do think that Buzz and Curt need to keep the practice of setting up the date when they do, becuase the calander does fill up quickly.

As for the number of tables, I say if we can fill them up, we should. They are going to fill no matter what and if we "call them" ahead of time, fair and square, that's part of a the "first come, first play" set-up that is the Games Plus backroom. After all, there are other days and other events that do exactly the same thing...and even long term games/groups that seem to have a perpetual lock on rooms at other times. Nothing wrong with us dominating the backroom for the ENW Gameday.

 

[Mark]

I have heard this before and I just don't see it being a real issue to be honest. Gamers, as a general rule are one of the most consumer saavy group of customers. We usually know what we want, and when "budgets" are concerned (which they are for everyone these days), we are either going to buy (in which case, nothing is going to stop us from making that purchase) or not going to buy (and nothing would really make us make that purchase).

I think some gamers are savvy consumers in a different way than you put forth. I think we mostly know what we want but also like to look around and absorb what is available at the actual store. Seems like most purchases were made after games broke up at the end of the day and had time to shop rather than during the break. Whatever works and helps the store is best, IMO, since they are the ones sponsoring the event with free game space.

As for the number of tables, I say if we can fill them up, we should. They are going to fill no matter what and if we "call them" ahead of time, fair and square, that's part of a the "first come, first play" set-up that is the Games Plus backroom.

There is a concern that "calling" all of the tables then not actually using them all prevents Games Plus from making the most of their space when it need not be that way. The "first come, first play" policy only holds when there is actual play. We need to be more careful not to bite off more than we can chew.

 

[thalmin]

Hey buzz, want to change the title of the thread to reflect the aftermath discussions?

I think that trying to shorten the break will make it difficult for people to get their food, eat, and get to their afternoon slot on time, especially the GMs who need a bit of time to set up as well. As far as the store is concerned, the timing was fine; sales at the store yesterday were good.

The tabel situation? We want to see the room and all the tables being realisticly used. Room for walk-ins is good, but games that don't get the sign-ups might be due to something other than lack of participants. Sometimes there just isn't enough interest in the game. We need to address when it's time to pull a game from the schedule, and maybe replace it with something else, or maybe just cut back a table.

 

[TracerBullet42]

Sounds like it was a good game day! Wish I could have been there.

It was surprising how early so many of the games broke up.

Well, that's cuz I wasn't there to run overtime!

 

[buzz]

Thanks to everyone!

Okay, now that I've had time to recuperate...

First off, I want to thank everyone in general. Gameday, I think, emphasizes that our hobby, at its core, is about people. Getting together, hanging out, rolling some dice, and having good time.

Thanks to Curt and the staff of Games Plus for once again hosting our little event. Gameday would be nigh-impossible without you guys. Kudos!

Thanks to all of our volunteer GMs: Mark, Ninjacat, Cerebral Paladin, Tekkmage, FCWesel, HinterWelt, Nev the Deranged, Trevalon Moonleirion, Orichalcum, Pbartender, and Yort. Thanks also to Reidzilla and sw3333 for their efforts, even if life got in the way.

Thanks to my Burning Wheel players: Nev the Deranged, Pbartender, GreatLemur, AstroCat, and petenik. I would have liked to have used the rules a little more proficiently than I did, but I think we all had a fun time nonetheless. I look forward to mixing BW with some old school D&D again at future Gamedays.

Thanks to my afternoon Dread gamers: Pbartender, Cerebral Paladin, and GreatLemur. Jenga as a resolution mechanic is just plain AWESOME. I'd love to see this run again, jsut to expose more people to its awesomeness.

In all, while this was not the slam-bang success of XVII, I think we did pretty dang well. We had about 36 people, judging by the sign-up sheet. As far as I could tell, those 36 had rollicking fun in their events. That definitely spells success to me.

Thanks, peeps. See you all in '08!

P.S., photos to come.

 

[buzz]

Hey buzz, want to change the title of the thread to reflect the aftermath discussions?

Done!

 

[buzz]

Mark, some great insight here.

There is the concern that if the break is shorter, people shop less at the store and spend the full break time on going to eat. We do not want to become a gameday that gets the free room but costs the store money.

Absolutely.

However, it should be noted that this Gameday's designated lunch break was the same length that it's been for years: one hour, from 2:30pm to 3:30pm. The only reason I can think that it may have seemed shorter is the absence of the prize drawing, which wouldn't always take up the full thirty minutes for which it was scheduled, and also acted as sort of a "milling about" buffer.

FWIW, in the planning thread I suggested GMs shoot for ending their morning events at 2:00pm, viewing the extra thirty minutes as on overrun buffer (also known as "the Rob zone"). I don't see a problem making that official next time around.

It was surprising how early so many of the games broke up. Were most of the games that were scheduled the type that take only a couple of hours?

Two of the games, It Was A Mutual Decision and Dread, are shorter-form games, so yes. I think that starting an half hour earlier also added to the impression that events were ending sooner than we're used to seeing, though.

I think this did allow some of our Metra riders to catch an earlier train. And, to get back to your point above, it gave people who stuck around more time to shop.

Maybe slots can be split into Slot1a and Slot1b and Slot2a and Slot2b type offerings if the GMs and players want to try two short games in a row?

We've tried mini-sessions before, and I think they only make scheduling more difficult, both for GMs and players. I'd rather err on the side of recommending that GMs plan for occupying four hours of game-time.

Primarily, though, we all probably agree we need to begin setting up the games later than we do.

Keep in mind that this Gameday was somewhat exceptional, in that I was originally going off the assumption that we had Oct 20th as our date. Since I was in organizer mode, I went ahead and started the planning thread regardless. My bad!

That said, I agree that we can trim things down in the future. The only exception I'd like to make is informing people of the date as early as possible. Instead of a planning thread, however, I'll make use of the mailing list and maybe the ENWorld News page for communicating that.

Further, it might be best to keep it to five or six games per slot at the start and only expand if things fill up.

In the planning thread, people wanted the exact opposite!

I agree that it's probably better to go with the usual six events per slot and add on when necessary. I think we're realizing that last Gameday was a bit of a fluke, so it's probably best not to expect 60+ attendees are going to show each time.

However, more than Windycon, I do know that there were a good number of people for whom Oct 20th was a better date. I will definitely do more legwork before announcing any dates the next time around. In general, scheduling past October seems to be bad for most people, both due to holiday commitments and inclement weather.

And when the new edition is released and third party publishers retool, we will probably see a larger number of companies wanting to do prize giveaways again. We might want to switch back to the schedule that includes some prize time when that happens.

I think bringing the prize drawing back every once in a while is a good option. If 4e prompts publishers to make donations, all the better.