the future of the game is yours

[alsih2o]

i keep reading in these "celebrity x games!" threads that these are the people who will save our image or renew interest. i think this is lazy and wishful.

do it yourself.

1. start a "clean-a-highway" from your local gameshop.(this has been used by everyone from parrotheads to the k.k.k.)

2. make paper mache' monsters at a local elementary.(there are a few good books on this)

3. start a creative writing group at your local high school.(schools are always looking for volunteers for anything vaguely academic)

4. don't hide your gamer status

5. teach someone younger than you to play (someone did it for you)

6. join a local improv group. slowly explain the game as an exercise

7. game in public once or twice, most libraries allow it, so do some coffeshops, and even bars!

8. talk to people from their point of interest..dinosaurs, sculpting, history, writing...

9. leave the con site with people respecting us as a group.

10. support and link to your favorite website.

do not wait to be rescued by someone finally making a cool movie or a famous gamer or some elses sudden realization. our image is largely in our control, realize it and act like it.

sorry if this is rantish, but it has to be said(and repeated)

 

[Henry]

I wholeheartedly agree. I do several of these things now (and could do more).

But would it change the game image beyond a local level? Not realistically.

Activism - the best activity for everything from Religion to Gaming!

 

[alsih2o]

But would it change the game image beyond a local level? Not realistically.

YES!!, if changed locally by you, and me, and frond backside, and wicht, and p-kitty, and shark, and herald, and josh dyal, and, and , and , and...it is now not local anymore.

when the con-affected see it, when the schools see it, when other businesses see it, it will change, all change begins locally.

11. newspapers love human interest stories, your local gaming shop and your game group are a great human insterest story, contact them and they will come.

 

[Wicht]

do not wait to be rescued by someone finally making a cool movie or a famous gamer or some elses sudden realization. our image is largely in our control, realize it and act like it.

Well said.

 

[Desdichado]

Frond Backside... I like that!

 

[Storminator]

11. newspapers love human interest stories, your local gaming shop and your game group are a great human insterest story, contact them and they will come.

My FLGS was in the local paper. They have an discount program for kids with A's on their report cards, and kids with F's can't participate in the in-store events. One of the managers has arranged tutoring for students to keep their grades up.

The store used to be the site of a bible study group, and an old attendy-turned-reporter stopped in out of nostalgia and saw some tutoring sessions in progress. Wrote a whole piece on the store.

Pretty cool.

PS

 

[alsih2o]

Frond Backside... I like that!

furn and i seem to have built an entire relationship based on poking each other sarcastically, one of the first people to really make me feel at home here(blame him!), so i feel i can bust at him

tell 'em all about it storminator! preach, preach!

12. when someone points out that 'the game' is evil, stop and think, can they be swayed by a peaceable argument? if not, walk away, don't make it worse

 

[Dr Midnight]

alsih2o, I salute you. I do so much complaining about the state of gaming's reputation. I never really thought to put together a bunch of great ideas like this. I'm going to try to follow a number of your directives.

Terrific thread, my friend.

 

[jester47]

I like talking about celebrities that game not because I think they will save "our" image (whatever that is) but rather that it is interesting to think about how games have influenced their approach to what they do and how they deal with people.

Aaron.

 

[alsih2o]

I like talking about celebrities that game not because I think they will save "our" image (whatever that is) but rather that it is interesting to think about how games have influenced their approach to what they do and how they deal with people.

Aaron.

i have no problem with this, actually i have no problem with almost any facet of the celeb factor, i just want people to think about the image of the games in terms of their own actions, not the actions of others.

13. present a game you think will interest someone else as a gift