Not sure if the store nearest me participates, but the next closest- again, in the next county- probably does. They hosted an ENWorld day a few years ago.
But one-shots don’t really appeal.
When you give up on RPGs because you hate the system.
Not sure if the store nearest me participates, but the next closest- again, in the next county- probably does. They hosted an ENWorld day a few years ago.
But one-shots don’t really appeal.
Michael Silverbane
Adventurer
A little of-topic, but this seems like it could be a mistake. It is pretty well known that as we get older, our friend circles will naturally shrink, due to diverging circumstances, deaths, etc.
Meeting new people and making them into friends is something that we need to actively pursue in order to maintain a healthy connection to the outside world. GMing for strangers is an excellent way to do that, and also allows you to be a good ambassador for your preferred gaming system(s).
Blue
Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal
That sounds awesome. I've been in groups where multiple people would DM, but it was serially - one would run a campaign for a few years, then someone else might step up, etc.
The closest I had was one where the DM of many years was also the host where he ran a large number of campaigns in the same world, and depending on the mix of players that made a session we'd play the campaign that had those players in it. He DMed multiple times a week in the same world, I think it was only his weekend group that had multiple parties, but there were effects from every group on the world.
One problem is we'd tell stories of the campaigns to the players who weren't part of it, and they'd want to get in, so they'd end up bringing in a character and then we'd end up starting a new party for when they weren't around again...
I agree! For most people, that’s a great way to broaden the horizons.
This is true, too. My circle of friends has decreased precipitously over the past few months: I recently had a bit of a blowup with my game group...who effectively stopped gaming in 2015. Sure, there were Fantasy & sci-fi boardgames that were being played, but as fun as those were, it’s not role-playing. So for me, they’re more of a change of pace thing. For them, too...between poker nights. Poker’s a great game, but it’s not my game.*
I ain’t mad at ‘em, but they also made certain decisions about lines of communication that I didn’t care for. They pretty much ignored my position, so I walked.
But I’ve been an introverted renaissance man my whole life. I have plenty of things to do.
Back to strangers...
Given the paucity of local game stores, I’d probably have to host. I’m perfectly set up to do so, but I am somewhat uncomfortable inviting 3-8 unknown persons into my house just to enjoy one of my hobbies. There are other factors as well.
So...just not a viable option at this point.
* most of them are pretty good at it, too. They go to casinos effectively for free because they win enough at the tables. I can only finish up on the night by getting slightly drunk, which, apparently, utterly destroys their ability to read me. But my health and well-being take priority over beating them at their own game.
innerdude
Legend
I don't know if there's a "system" out there that I'd refuse to play in, depending on how it was presented to me.
There are, however, campaign settings that I wouldn't play in, just because I have no interest in them. For example, even if I thought the Rifts (trademarked copyrighted please don't sue us, Kevin Siembieda) rules system was actually any good (which I don't), I'd never play it simply because I have zero, zilch, nada interest in the Rifts setting. Even when they announced they were going to do a Rifts setting for Savage Worlds (my current favorite system), it didn't move the needle in the least.
Other settings I'd almost certainly refuse to play in, based on lack of appeal:
There are, however, campaign settings that I wouldn't play in, just because I have no interest in them. For example, even if I thought the Rifts (trademarked copyrighted please don't sue us, Kevin Siembieda) rules system was actually any good (which I don't), I'd never play it simply because I have zero, zilch, nada interest in the Rifts setting. Even when they announced they were going to do a Rifts setting for Savage Worlds (my current favorite system), it didn't move the needle in the least.
Other settings I'd almost certainly refuse to play in, based on lack of appeal:
- Gamma World
- Planescape (have never liked "planehopping" as a trope in D&D, ever).
- World of Darkness . . . this one is funny, though, because if you just took the base concept (vying factions within a vampire secret society) and stripped out all of the ridiculous White Wolf metaplot, it might actually interest me.
- Dark Sun, though this one is more 50/50. If the GM REALLY presented it well, I might consider it.
- Superheroes generally. I'm just not a comic book guy. I'm just not into the 9 different variations of the X-Men universe continuity, or whatever it is. This one is again more 50/50 though, if the GM REALLY presented it well.
Expanding on this a bit...
I remember there was a time when “hosting” didn’t necessarily mean “at your house”. A good pizza parlor or neighborhood burger joint would work just as well. But those places are disappearing too.
Most of the pizza places around me are delivery only. Of the two that aren’t, one has max seating of 4 per booth, because booths are all they have. The other would work, but it’s small AND popular, so you’d be rolling the dice every time you went that you’d be able to find enough contiguous seating.
And pretty much the same story exists with burger joints etc.
Except BBQ places. They still have all the features that would make for a decent place to host a game...but they have the obvious drawback of BBQ sauce.
MarkB
Legend
I've had a couple like that. HeroQuest/Glorantha - maybe it was because I was first exposed to it at a gaming convention that was heavily promoting it, so 90% of the participants were years-long hardcore fans, but I found it very unapproachable - lots of deep cultural lore, and an expectation almost that you would play your cultural/tribal traits first, and your character a distant second.
I never could get the hang of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay either. The classes felt super-specific, and rather straitjacketing. And again, the combination of race and class felt like it dictated the character to a larger degree than I was comfortable with.
aramis erak
Legend
There are also mall community rooms and similar.
Most Safeway stores have a seating area near the hot foods.
Market of Choice likewise keeps seating near the cafe.
So, ask your local shopping center - there will often be a restriction on outside food, but that's the same for most restaurants.
No nearby malls other than strip malls. Our malls- even in the bigger cities to which my community is a suburb- have been closing due to the loss of anchor stores. The closest one- in another city- doesn’t have public seating areas with table except at the food court. The next closest one is in a neighborhood that has gone so far downhill that my friends on the police force let me know they regularly post sharpshooters on the roof.
No Safeways, either. Though there are grocery stores with seating areas, the seats & tables in most of them are attached to the floors. Hardly ideal.
Basically, if I want to game off-premises anywhere nearby, room rental fees will be involved.
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