Just like the title says.   What are places where you game that are not the usual spots such as at a persons house or a game store?

My group used to play at a game store but it became harder and harder to find tables when it was busy (they have a lot of people playing card games.  I get it it makes more money) and the noise got out of control so we needed to find someplace new to game.

We decided on a local grocery store which was nice because it was much closer than the game store and has a better variety of drinks and food.   The store used to have buffets that people could fill up containers and go eat at this section of tables but due to covid they got rid of them.  But the seats are still there.   Put together two tables and got a good bit of gaming space



So what off the walls places have you gamed?

Grocery store tables? Did you get any people asking what you were doing?

As for me, two come to mind:

Sitting around a picnic table at night while camping. Did this with the kids a few times. It's a good place to act stuff out (LARP!!) and the darkness, moonlight, and fire are good mood setters.

In the cabin of a sailboat at dead calm, also at night at anchor.

It's not strange for London, but until Covid I usually gamed at pubs. Playing at home has actually been a post-2020 thing for me. I think the strangest thing was playing at a trendy pub and the waitress trying to sell us vodka shots as we played.

Quote from: rytrasmi on February 23, 2023, 11:41:14 AM
Grocery store tables? Did you get any people asking what you were doing?

As i mentioned people could go there and get food (they have Pizza, Chicken, Sandwiches and other types of food to buy and eat and when did get our dinner from there so it wasn't like we were freeloading.

No one asked what were were doing.  Got a few glances from people but no one ever asked what we were doing.  Of course when you are playing 5e and have the miniatures, books and character sheets out it becomes clear what we are doing

Quote from: GhostNinja on February 23, 2023, 11:53:50 AM

Quote from: rytrasmi on February 23, 2023, 11:41:14 AM
Grocery store tables? Did you get any people asking what you were doing?

As i mentioned people could go there and get food (they have Pizza, Chicken, Sandwiches and other types of food to buy and eat and when did get our dinner from there so it wasn't like we were freeloading.

No one asked what were were doing.  Got a few glances from people but no one ever asked what we were doing.  Of course when you are playing 5e and have the miniatures, books and character sheets out it becomes clear what we are doing

Oh, I wasn't accusing you of malfeasance. I just find that the general public knows very little about TTRPGs. Even when we play at places like board game cafes, we occasionally get people asking what we're doing and they obviously have no clue.

Quote from: rytrasmi on February 23, 2023, 11:58:16 AM

Oh, I wasn't accusing you of malfeasance. I just find that the general public knows very little about TTRPGs. Even when we play at places like board game cafes, we occasionally get people asking what we're doing and they obviously have no clue.

Its cool.  I didnt assume that you were.   As I said we have gotten some looks but no one has ever said anything or asked what were were doing.  Not evemn store staff.

In a pool room, on top of a large pool table.

I ran games at a mall food court for years. It was clean, you could find tables, you could re-charge your phone or laptop, you could get food, there were bathrooms, and afterwards we'd drop down to one of the restaurants and have beers (and sometimes dinner, but mainly beers).

After a few times someone from the mall came over and took a picture of us gaming, for their community PR thing. We used to get people stopping all the time. Made some good connections that way.

The mall was a central location for us. None of us was able to host at home. The game store was filthy, had limited space, no AC and a no-food policy.

Then came the plague, and my gaming went online. If I were to start an in-person game again, I'd go back to the mall.

Quote from: Baron on February 23, 2023, 02:23:50 PM
I ran games at a mall food court for years. It was clean, you could find tables, you could re-charge your phone or laptop, you could get food, there were bathrooms, and afterwards we'd drop down to one of the restaurants and have beers (and sometimes dinner, but mainly beers).

After a few times someone from the mall came over and took a picture of us gaming, for their community PR thing. We used to get people stopping all the time. Made some good connections that way.

The mall was a central location for us. None of us was able to host at home. The game store was filthy, had limited space, no AC and a no-food policy.

Then came the plague, and my gaming went online. If I were to start an in-person game again, I'd go back to the mall.

Very cool story.  There are a couple malls nearby but not as close as to where we are and I am not sure I would be brave enough to play at the mall.

Thanks for sharing

Quote from: Jam The MF on February 23, 2023, 01:56:56 PM
In a pool room, on top of a large pool table.

Very cool.  Pool tables are big so it makes sense.  Did you stand or did you have chairs?  Did they charge you to play there?

Is gaming in a conference room at the office strange? It seemed normal at the time ...

Here is a picture of where we game:

Greetings!

Well, now as a civilian, my gaming is generally located at home, a local game store, and in the past, also at game conventions and hotels. When I was in the Marine Corps, I gamed out in the desert, in hotels, in a Quansun Hut, a Marine Barracks, and onboard a US Navy Amphibious Assault Ship.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Quote from: GhostNinja on February 23, 2023, 06:10:00 PM
Here is a picture of where we game:

Wegmans?

Quote from: Aglondir on February 23, 2023, 07:08:49 PM

Wegmans?

Yep.   The curtain in the back is the now closed Wegmans Pub.  Went there once.  Food was good but overpriced.  Which is probably why they all closed (or at least the ones around me).