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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Samurai" data-source="post: 5500690" data-attributes="member: 3850">Well, part of it is also that Portland is a relatively big city compared to rural northern CA.  If you have 5 tables playing Encounters, that right there is more gamers than there are in a 50 mile radius around me.  There are no local conventions because last time the local store tried to organize it, about 10 or 12 people showed up, total.That said, both I and the local store owner have tried to advertise it.  I've asked every gamer I know if they want to play (none do, because it's 4e).  I've posted the game here on Enworld's gamer seeking gamers and tried contacting every Enworlder within 50 miles of me on the list.  The store owner has told every customer about it (routine answer is "maybe I'll check it out..." but they then don't show) and has hung a massive sign advertising Encounters in the window of the store.  Also, it really doesn't sustain itself, since we've had a great deal of turnover in players, and practically no players who are real gamers want to play (this is a very "Pathfinder/3.5 and earlier" town). Players show up 1 week, skip the next, come 1 more week, then maybe once more a few weeks later, etc.  Almost none of them have any 4e books or experience (I've had more players bring 2e PHBs to the game than 4e PHBs, because they heard it was D&D and thought it was the same one they used to play!), most don't even have dice, only 2 have ever had their own characters.  I would feel a bit self-conscious that it was my DMing style/skill that is to blame, except I've been playing and DMing for 31 years, I have a regular group I DM Pathfinder for the last few years that really enjoy the game and my DMing, and all the people that have played Encounters with me say they had fun.  Plus, like I said, many other stores are ending their Encounters programs, we're the last in the area to still keep trying.  Maybe you really need a certain critical mass of avid 4e gamers to make it work.  Bigger cities might be able to keep it going... dropping from 7 tables to 5 doesn't hurt a thing, heck, even dropping from 2 to 1 steady table keeps it going.  But dropping from 5-7 players to 2-3 because that's all there are in a given area that want to play 4e, results in the end of Encounters at the store.</blockquote>

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