D&D Encounters: Admission charge or free?

[hutchback]

Let me ask... who is running the game?

In the cases of my FLGS, that would be me. I am not employed by the shop and am only compensated with the materials provided by WoTC.

I know that this is the same for my other not so local yet still friendly game shop. It is just some customers who are running the adventures.

I felt that this was in part, what WoTC wanted. More people making the leap from Player to DM.

As far as charging to play, I can't say if it against the rules of WoTC, but it certainly seems contrary to the spirit of what they are trying to acheive.

In the clubs that I have played, the sale of snacks and soda alone seems to be a decent revenue stream. Let alone dice, miniatures, etc.

 

[Insight]

I would never pay a fee just to participate, but I always make a point to buy something when I attend these sorts of things. I want to show the FLGS that hosting these events is good for their bottom line and to encourage more of it in the future.

 

[Shroomy]

The FLGS that I frequent doesn't charge for Gameday, D&D Encounters, or other LFR events, and they don't charge for letting you use their space but I did notice something weird the other day. Someone is charging $1 to teach and run Pathfinder games on Saturdays at the store; while the DM is using the space, I'm not sure if they are directly affiliated with the store or the Pathfinder Society. I just noticed the flyer and thought it was pretty counterproductive thing to do.

 

[N0Man]

I would never pay a fee just to participate, but I always make a point to buy something when I attend these sorts of things. I want to show the FLGS that hosting these events is good for their bottom line and to encourage more of it in the future.

I feel exactly the same way. I bought my original 4E PHB, MM, and DMG set from the FLGS in the town I used to live in, at a substantially higher price from the Amazon cost, to help support them and for thanks for letting me play in their store.

Being charged admission to a store gives me far less psychological incentive to thank them by way of purchasing their wares.

 

[N0Man]

As was said earlier in the thread, if a store is charging for a game day or encounters, you should report them to WotC. They definitely are not supposed to be charging for these free events. I would report the store to WotC and let the store know that they have been reported. Maybe they will get their act together next time if they are even allowed to participate again.

Who from WotC would I contact about this?

 

[Dragonblade]

MY FLGS is charging a dollar to play in one of the Encounters sessions, but they are upfront that this money goes directly to the DMs as a thank you.

I don't have a problem with that.

 

[SteveC]

The main game store in my area has been in business since 1981. They have run the gamut of options for the playing area.

Initially the gaming area was in the store (in the back of a indoor mini-mall at the time). Gaming was free, was there was a very limited area and it was limited in time (typically after store hours, or when an employee was staying late for the game). As the store got larger and moved around the mall, the kept the old space and used it as a "game club." Sometimes they charged entrance fees, sometimes they had monthly memberships. The store never really lacked for players.

Today they are in a different location down the street. The "game club" is still separate, although attached to the store. The gaming is free (except for some events with some associated charges such as booster events).

I think the owner would agree that the ideal method is to have a no charge club. However, he would also agree that different areas have different challenges and there is no one right way to do this.

I think that's a very good point, and something to always think about. A store in an expensive, high rent location is in a much different situation from one out in the burbs.

My group has discussed this in the past (that is, paying for a space) and we would gladly pay a reasonable rate, either by the session or monthly for gaming space if it went along with a more comfortable environment or the possibility of checking out minis, tiles and so forth. I don't know if that would be feasible for most FLGS, but I'll pay for comfort now that I'm in a position to do so.

--Steve

 

[CharlesRyan]

Hi, all--

I think we can all agree that the golden ideal is that all OP events are run for free, and lots of people turn out for them, and then they all spend a lot of money in the shop and make the effort worthwhile for the retailer. Everyone has fun, the retailer makes a living, and we all expand our gaming horizons.

Unfortunately, that's not always the way things work. There are a lot of costs associated with maintaining OP space--not just rent, but especially the staff cost for the extended hours (most OP takes place into the evenings, when the shop would probably otherwise be closed).

As the guy responsible for wrangling D&D Encounters and WWDDGD events in the UK, I would love it if every retailer ran these as free events--but I respect the fact that every shop faces its own unique situation, has its own OP policy and strategies, and manages a unique relationship with its local player community. The decision on whether to charge is up to the retailer.

In the case of the original post, $5 seems pretty steep to me--high enough to be prohibitive (as it proved in the case of the poster). In this situation, my advice would be to point that out to the retailer.

But I would also urge anyone who is provided, by their FLGS, with a nice space and great opportunities to try new games and meet new gamers, to recognise that that has value and is a cost to the retailer, and not be too stingy with the odd OP fee.

 

[S'mon]

I'm kinda amazed that any UK games shops have regular gaming on site; ground rents here are so outrageous (we have around 1/10 the shop floor space by population that the US does) that I'm very surprised any can afford it. Most public non-University games clubs in the UK seem to meet in pubs, certainly my local London D&D Meetup does. The Ship Inn in Borough is good to us and we get their function room Sat + Sun every week.

Edit: I think there's a big difference between a $1-$2 dollar nominal charge, and a $5 charge. $5 for 1 hour's play seems clearly excessive, for the time played that's more than a movie.

 

[Insight]

Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) was created in 1974 by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and is the grandfather of all roleplaying games (RPGs). The game of D&D involves a group of players, one of whom is the Dungeon Master (DM), going through an adventure in a fantasy world. It is the DM's responsibility to not only referee the rules of the game, but to bring the adventure to life through vivid descriptions and exciting encounters.

Thanks, Captain Nonsequitur