Small Press @ your FLGS

JamesV · September 18, 2007, 02:17:10 PM

My town just isn't big or have a wierd enough gamer base for small press.

Warthur · September 18, 2007, 02:34:24 PM

Gameskeeper in Oxford tend not to stock small press stuff unless people happen to order the games in question through them, in which case they might look into ordering a few extra copies and plonk them on the shelves. They've got REIGN available, for example, I think partially because friends of mine ordered it for me for my birthday through them.

I think they operate on the theory that small press games tend not to be picked up by impulse buyers - they're bought by people who tend to be active online, find out about small press games online, and either order them online or will ask the store owners to order them. Question is, is this theory true?

Koltar · September 18, 2007, 03:05:33 PM

As said in that other thread - I saw some Hinterwelt "Squirrel Attack" books at a Friendly Local game store. Also saw the Ron Edwards booklet/RpG ELFS there.

That store is called YottaQuest. Its on Hamilton Avenue in the Mt. Healthy suburb. (phone number = (513) 923-1985)

The Guy that runs the place is named Mathew Fay. He learned to play D&D while he was in the Navy.

- Ed C.

Gunslinger · September 18, 2007, 04:09:38 PM

Quote from: cmagounGame Masters in Pittsburgh has a bookshelf full of small press stuff. I so want to buy all of the random fantasy RPGs on that shelf.

I'm trying to remember if that's where I bought Hero System.

Out here it's mostly your top tier stuff with their corresponding supplements. On occasion you'll find a couple of oddballs, like Burning Wheel, that get mixed in. I'm usually forced to get most of my purchases off the internet.

Caesar Slaad · September 18, 2007, 04:13:41 PM

My FLGS, as it is, carries only the three W's: WotC, White Wolf, and Warhammer.

arminius · September 18, 2007, 04:21:57 PM

The three stores I frequent, Games of Berkeley, Eudemonia (Berkeley), and Endgame (Oakland) all have small press stuff. My rough impression is that Eudemonia has the least, and of that relatively little Forge-y stuff, but I'm pretty sure I saw Iron Gauntlets there. Endgame tends more Forge-y, especially when it comes to what they display, while GoB is completely eclectic.

Game Kastle in San Jose also had small press/indie stuff when I visited--I remember seeing Hollow Earth Expeditions and Universalis there. If I remember correctly (which I may not), Gamescape San Francisco/San Rafael seemed to have almost exclusively mid-sized publishers and the big guys.

J Arcane · September 18, 2007, 04:22:52 PM

Zilch.

Closest think I've seen to a "small press" game on any game shelf, relative to RPGs anyway, was Kobolds Ate My Baby.

Never seen a Forge game once.

Seanchai · September 18, 2007, 06:21:41 PM

Quote from: HinterWeltI sell directly and through distribution to Attactix. Heather used to be my contact but she moved on to work for Alliance. Generally, a good store to deal with.

Bill

Yeah, Heather got me to buy Squirrel Attack!. I was sad to see her go.

Seanchai

stu2000 · September 18, 2007, 10:03:42 PM

Gamer's Haven in Colorado Springs carries all that stuff and a few things like Burning Wheel and Spirt of the Century. There's one store in town that has a little more variety and about four in town that have less. For a town our size, I guess we're pretty well fixed.

James J Skach · September 19, 2007, 09:48:27 PM

The game store in the Chicago area - OK - the one I think is the store - is Games Plus in Mt Prospect.

Last time I was there (it's a 45 minute drive now, on a good day, from out here in the sticks, so I don't get there much), I got Hinter's Roma Imperious (and played!) and they carry Squirrel Attack!

I was not looking for anything else, but I'd be willing to bet if someone makes it, Games Plus has it, or will. They put these guys who opened a "gaming store" out here in Crystal Lake to shame.

Nicephorus · September 20, 2007, 10:13:18 AM

Quote from: J ArcaneClosest think I've seen to a "small press" game on any game shelf, relative to RPGs anyway, was Kobolds Ate My Baby.

The non-mall, non-comic game store carries a small rack of pamphlet sized games like Kobold Ate My Baby, some from publishers I've never heard of. But I don't remember seeing any other very small publishers. Maybe they figure that people are likely to risk $6 on something they've never heard of but not $25.

jrients · September 20, 2007, 10:38:11 AM

At my local nerdshop I've seen copies of Burning Wheel, the Sorcerer books, and handful of other Forgie stuff. I've not seen representation of non-Forge small press outfits like Flying Mice, PIG, etc. But then, the main reason I go thereis to dumpster dive the used section for cheapass OOP stuff. I probably only noticed BW and Sorcerer because of the "Holy shit! How did this get here?" factor.

joewolz · September 20, 2007, 11:09:07 AM

My game store is Castle Perilous in Carbondale, IL.

They carry most of the publishers here (Hinterwelt for sure, and I swear I saw something from FLying Mice there once) and a few others.

They had Burning Wheel in the used section once for $10. No forgey stuff at all there, and I find the owner actively hostile to them.

Koltar · September 21, 2007, 12:38:52 AM

Quote from: joewolzMy game store is Castle Perilous in Carbondale, IL.

They carry most of the publishers here (Hinterwelt for sure, and I swear I saw something from FLying Mice there once) and a few others.

They had Burning Wheel in the used section once for $10. No forgey stuff at all there, and I find the owner actively hostile to them.

Castle Perilous??

Isn't that the store that Dork Tower is based on??

- Ed C.

Zachary The First · September 21, 2007, 08:31:11 AM

Here, just a little small press (aside from what I bring in/introduced), a decent amount of middle-tier, and zippo on Forge-y stuff.