Shops with Pay for Play

[GMMichael]

I have yet to see a business that provides you with a game master and TRPG once you enter and pay the hourly fee.

Some close, but not quite, businesses:

• Paintball provides a referee for a fee, and you pay for paint.
• Snakes and Lattes provides a table...I think you rent board games there?
• Collectible card games get you a shot at the prize for your price of admission.
• Escape rooms provide the puzzles and game master, but no RPG.
• Coffee shops provide the games, but no GMs. Pay by beverage.
• Video arcades provide the games and GM/CPU on a sort of gambling basis, but no tables.

Do you know a place where you can rent a GM and RPG for the evening? Would you go if you did?

 

[billd91]

Do you know a place where you can rent a GM and RPG for the evening? Would you go if you did?

I'll preface this by saying that I have gone to gaming clubs at the local student union and conventions where gaming comes relatively close to the GM-for-hire model, though usually not for money. I've gamed in those circumstances reasonably happily. But no, I doubt I'd be interested in renting a GM/RPG for an evening under most circumstances. The limitations of the model, when it comes to scratching my RPG itch, are just too many/great for me to be interested.

 

[Retreater]

My local store would charge a nominal admission to play D&D Encounters. I guess that's similar?

 

[Umbran]

In the sense of "walk in any time, and a GM will be available"? No, I have not seen that.

The owner of one FLGS I know does run D&D for a fee, but it is the "We will run at times X, and if you join us it'll be $N per session". His game store has a parlor/play area, which you can rent out, and for special occasions (like, say, a bachelor party), you can have him put together and run an evening of game for you.

 

[payn]

If I was paying for it, I would expect way more than a home game.

 

[MichaelSomething]

Would Conventions count? You pay a fee to get in and join in the games there...

 

[Maxperson]

I have yet to see a business that provides you with a game master and TRPG once you enter and pay the hourly fee.

Some close, but not quite, businesses:

• Paintball provides a referee for a fee, and you pay for paint.
• Snakes and Lattes provides a table...I think you rent board games there?
• Collectible card games get you a shot at the prize for your price of admission.
• Escape rooms provide the puzzles and game master, but no RPG.
• Coffee shops provide the games, but no GMs. Pay by beverage.
• Video arcades provide the games and GM/CPU on a sort of gambling basis, but no tables.

Do you know a place where you can rent a GM and RPG for the evening? Would you go if you did?

I probably would at least try it out if I didn't have a regular group.

 

[MGibster]

Do you know a place where you can rent a GM and RPG for the evening? Would you go if you did?

My local game store has a summer camp type program for younger people to come in and play some games. I think it's $15 bucks a head per game and it comes with a DM. (I say DM because I think the game is always D&D.) That's about the closest thing I can think of. Would I go to something similar for adults? Probably not. Gaming is a social activity and paying someone to run a game for me seems somewhat sad.

 

[Jmarso]

Main | Designer Dungeons

Welcome to Designer Dungeons, the fantasy and imagination sandbox where creatures roam, parties adventure and you and your friends can fully immerse yourselves.

designerdungeonsboise.com

This is in Boise, Idaho. The owner has the biggest library of gaming books, miniatures, and terrains I have ever seen gathered under one roof. You can rent rooms to run your own games, hire a DM for your group, or play a 'drop in' game with one of their DM's. And because it's billed as a 'premium' DnD experience and you pay to play, problem players are simply not tolerated. It's not very expensive, although that's a subjective thing to say. A four hour 'drop-in' game session runs you $15. Not sure what the rate is for renting a game room for your own game, but split among a table of players it would be negligible. Mood lighting, sound-system tie-ins, and all materials (books, dice, pencils, paper, minis, etc) provided on site.

For the guy who owns it, this is definitely his 'passion project.' He's also a stellar DM.

 

[babi_gog]

Have seen this model in a couple of FLAGS where I used to live, though in the fixed time slot. There are also a few online options for this I've seen as well.