Chicago Gameday XVIII Planning Thread: Nov 10th is our date

[Pbartender]

Do you think we need to keep it the same time?

No, not especially... Just curious.

Though it would give breakfast-goers additional shopping/socializing time at the store.

 

[waterdhavian]

Metra's schedule nearest to start time as is...
inbound (To Chicago) 9:37am or 8:37am(early)
outbound (From Chicago) 9:11am

I think that morning folks who rely on the Metra arriving from Chicago are ok, but from farther west they either got to get there much earlier or be late.

How many of us take the Metra? Inbound? or Outbound?
I know in the past I have taken it outbound (from Jefferson Park) and got there with no problem.

 

[Trevalon Moonleirion]

buzz, here's at least some intial stuff for my game--i'm not 100% sure whether I'm going for d20 or Alternity system yet, but i'll make the decision soon.


Raw Recruits
Dark*Matter
GM: Trevalon Moonleirion
For up to 6 players

"You have each had contact with the private organization known as the Hoffmann Institute. Though the average person knows the Institute as merely a nonprofit think tank (as stated in its PR brochures and on its website), you know it as an organization involved in investigating paranormal activities.

A couple days ago, your association with the Institute changed from "passing familiarity" to "new recruit" when you received a summons to a briefing in the Institute's Chicago office. According to the summons, you're expected to meet with Facility Chief R.A. Patterson at 10 o'clock sharp Friday morning. Looks like your plans for a relaxing weekend are out..."

Come join the fun as 6 rookie agents for the Hoffmann Institute explore reports of an alleged poltergeist haunting and become involved in an ever larger conspiracy. No experience with the system is required, and pre-generated characters will be provided. Familiarity with X-Files-esque conspiracy theories always helpful, but certainly not needed.

 

[Mark]

More schedule fiddliness....

Would it be of any use to people to shift the whole schedule back thirty minutes? I.e., go 10-3 and 4-9? Would that still accommodate the Metra? I'm wondering if starting a little later might be easier on folks. E.g., more time for breakfast so we don't need a pastry table.

Thoughts?

So you want to push back the start time one half hour to give people more time for breakfast . . .

I'd imagine it'd get pushed back 30 minutes as well. Heck, even meeting at 9am would probably work, as that's a whole hour.

Do you think we need to keep it the same time?

. . . and then push back breakfast 30 minutes as well?


What is the impetus for the fiddling in the first place? Reminds me of that bit up thread where a table was needed, so I was asked to give up my game but when I suggest a way to give up the table but not the game, suddenly the table is branded as uncomfortable. Then the thing about adding a game/table to accomodate more people but removing enough chairs from all of the games to wind up accomodating less people. Your reasoning seems to be a little off this gameday, Buzzaroo. Have you noticed a bloated zombie hanging about lately?

 

[FCWesel]

Well, if games start at 10:00, you'd want folks to be at the tables, ready to go by 9:50 - 9:55 or so, wouldn't you?

If nothing else, it's more shopping time...

 

[buzz]

What is the impetus for the fiddling in the first place?

To see if it's possible to make Gameday better.

Reminds me of that bit up thread where a table was needed, so I was asked to give up my game but when I suggest a way to give up the table but not the game, suddenly the table is branded as uncomfortable. Then the thing about adding a game/table to accomodate more people but removing enough chairs from all of the games to wind up accomodating less people.

Well, like I said upthread, I was concerned about crowding and the noise level. I was told not to worry about it, so now we're going ahead with more events overall, and we'll see how things work out. It took a few posts to hash it all out. Everyone's input was awesome!

Even with my suggesting a limit of six players per event, we're still at a net increase of available seats. Not to mention, we've almost always had six seats per event, for years now. That some GMs choose to have fewer than six seats is their prerogative. Some games just work better with fewer people.

I know we had an onslaught of attendees last time. We'll see if this Gameday proves as popular. The simple fact is that there is finite number of people we can fit in GP's space, not to mention fit comfortably. I'm obviously willing to try increasing the number of events, but I'm really hoping that we don't start cramming the place so full that everyone's fun suffers.

Your reasoning seems to be a little off this gameday, Buzzaroo. Have you noticed a bloated zombie hanging about lately?

No. I don't usually see you until Gameday.

Zing!

Anyway, I didn't mean more time for the Gameday breakfast, I meant more time in general, i.e., people not having to arrive as early as usual. The people who make the Gameday breakfast obviously have ample time pre-Gameday. My concern was for those who apparently are skipping breakfast in order to show up on time.

(Heck, I know that lots of people have it worse than me, but I'm usually up at 6am in order to make the Gameday breakfast and be at GP in time to prep things a bit. An extra half hour would be good for me, too.)

Not moving the Gameday breakfast up thirty minutes would mean we're allotting two hours for it, which just seems like overkill. 1-1.5 hours should be more than enough.

 

[buzz]

Well, if games start at 10:00, you'd want folks to be at the tables, ready to go by 9:50 - 9:55 or so, wouldn't you?

9:45, technically.

 

[Mark]

No. I don't usually see you until Gameday.

Zing!

Cha-ching!



For the record, I do not think anything should be changed (nor even brought up for discussion) without first clearing it with our host, Curt at Games Plus. The gratis space we receive from them is a huge boon that many game groups around the country would pay good money to have even once per year, let alone three times a year for six years running. What is currently in place (the schedule, organization, allowance of outside prize support, etc.) is as it is because it has been approved by Curt as it now stands.

 

[thalmin]

I'd be careful about changing the lunch times. I know Tom at Sub Express has his lunchtime staff hang around a bit later to accomodate us now, not to mention Games Plus having staff on hand for the shopping break.

 

[buzz]

Metra's schedule nearest to start time as is...
inbound (To Chicago) 9:37am or 8:37am(early)
outbound (From Chicago) 9:11am

Yup, and the latest inbound trains are 8:37pm and 10:37pm. The latest outbound are 9:11pm and 11:11pm.

So, a 10am-9pm schedule seems to work. Those arriving at 9:37am have a slightly bigger window to arrive on time. Those arriving at 9:11am now might have time for a quick breakfast at LePeep*, or even Caribou or Starbucks. Those arriving at 8:37am can arrive fashionably late for Gameday breakfast and still have time to eat and chat. All in all, inbound travelers gain the ability to arrive at 9:37am, which would have put them at least 10 minutes late for their first event under the old schedule, and outbound folk gain some breathing room.

Departure times are 9:11pm (11:11pm worst case) outbound, or 8:32pm and 10:32pm inbound. Inbound folk are kind of inconvenienced if their evening event goes past 8pm, admittedly. Of course, they were facing the same problem before, so I don;t know if this is much of a change.

Metra riders, speak up!

* LePeep does takeout, so one could conceivably call ahead, pick up breakfast, and have 20-30 minutes to eat it.