Playing at Game Stores

[Sado]

Whenever I have played, it has always been at someone's house (or in our barracks years ago), never at a game store, although I know many stores have areas set up for gaming. How exactly does that work? Do you have to schedule a game ahead of time? Do you just walk in and ask an employee if it's ok? Do you just sit down and play whenever you feel like it?

 

[Vecnasaurus]

It depends on who runs the place. The best policy is to ask an employee. A lot of places are fine with you just sitting down, but if they get a lot of people in there who want to game, they may have a scheduling system set up. Or if one group has been gaming there for ten years, that group may have automatic sit-down rights, like in the Chinese restauraunt episode of Seinfeld.

 

[DarkKnight27]

I think all of the game stores in my area have a scheduling system of some type. Though you wouldn't know by my lack of finding a game to play there seam to be a lot of gamers around here.

 

[cybertalus]

Varies from store to store. Both the local game stores here have gaming space, and both have certain times that are reserved for specific events. The rest of the time gaming space is on a first-come first-served basis. Neither of the stores here normally charges for use of the space, but I've heard of stores which do.

 

[nyrfherdr]

What said so far is true from my experience as well. (in 3 states)
Ask an employee.
Many of the stores have a schedule posted too. That helps.

It's a decent way to meet new gamers.

Game ON!
Nyrf

 

[Buttercup]

I can only relate my experience. I play in Steve Creech's game at a local game store. Steve runs (at least) three games for them, every other Saturday. A beginner, an intermediate and an advanced game.

We play at a set time, though players seem to come and go. There are two of us who have been with it since the beginning, and another who started with our third or fourth session, I think, who seems to have made a long term committment to it. The rest of the folks might show up for a session or two, and then move on. Or maybe not. You never know when one of the n00bs will decide to stick around. Last session we had two new players. Will they show up next Saturday? We shall see.

I'd imagine it would be difficult for a DM to deal with all the comings and goings--I know it would be for me. But Steve seems to handle it with no trouble.

 

[GlassJaw]

In my experience (your experience may vary), gaming at stores is not ideal. As previously mentioned, the games don't really have the dedication as a home game does. They also seem to attract a younger crowd which has its own set of issues.

Also, gaming stores themselves are hit or miss. I've been in ones that I couldn't wait to leave. Sometimes the clientele leaves something to be desired. If you have a good gaming store in your area, consider it a blessing. They are rare indeed.

 

[cybertalus]

I can only relate my experience. I play in Steve Creech's game at a local game store. Steve runs (at least) three games for them, every other Saturday. A beginner, an intermediate and an advanced game.

We play at a set time, though players seem to come and go. There are two of us who have been with it since the beginning, and another who started with our third or fourth session, I think, who seems to have made a long term committment to it. The rest of the folks might show up for a session or two, and then move on. Or maybe not. You never know when one of the n00bs will decide to stick around. Last session we had two new players. Will they show up next Saturday? We shall see.

I'd imagine it would be difficult for a DM to deal with all the comings and goings--I know it would be for me. But Steve seems to handle it with no trouble.

This sounds a lot like the local gaming club that meets once a week at one of the game stores. The only difference is that we shuffle to new games at the first meeting of every month, though occasionally a game will go long and run for two months.

Still, within this month's game there are only three players (the DM, the guy playing the monk, and me) who've made every session. We've had people join after the first week, others quit before the last week, and some only show up for one session. The DM is great, I'm really enjoying my character, but the amount of player churn within a month of weekly sessions is a bit distracting, especially since a lot of campaigns I've played in would cancel a session if a single player wasn't able to make it.

Though, Sado, before we start to scare you off, I wanna say that games in stores can be fun, and it certainly has the advantage of not burdening anyone with being the host. It's just a slightly different experience than playing in a non public place.

 

[thalmin]

We have a schedule, so you know in advance there is space, and have a number of weekly games going on. But if a table is unscheduled (most nights at least one tabel is unscheduled) it's first come, first served. Some games are open, most rpg's are full.