Quote from: RPGPundit;1056444This is all interesting to me in the sense that I think in North America (and maybe England) the vibrancy of local gaming communities seems very dependent on the condition of Local Gaming Stores.

Whereas in places where the hobby emerged without the availability of Local Gaming Stores, the gaming community doesn't depend on them.

Agreed with S'mon here, 'cept my perspective is even stronger as stated below.

The South American continent and the African continent have a Southern culture so any RPGs that grow there is going to be homegrown and based on imports, that's why (I mean hell, you've gone on at length about that partially before, specifically with Uruguay obvs). The USA has a very well-ingrained gaming culture, it is the fatherland for all nerds, even in the UK we do take after the USA in gaming tastes (even if we won't admit it) although it's the other way 'round when it comes to Warhammer since it was born here. Tangentially, they don't have the Games Workshop in Covent Garden anymore -- they've done up the one on Tottenham Court Road though.

Quote from: S'mon;1056451Not in London, no. We typically play in pubs, & the two real gaming stores in all of London are not particularly important. They're not gathering or social spaces. At most they're places where newbies can be told what D&D books to buy.

Maybe in the North where land is cheaper and the bar culture is less conducive to playing games than in southern English pubs, the FLGS may be more important. There is a bit of that in Edinburgh. I might run a D&D game in a Sheffield pub, but any further north (Newcastle/north-east England, Scotland, Northern Ireland) I don't think the culture would be conducive, it's closer to US bar culture.

Pub gaming is generally crap in the UK, it was the #2 biggest reason LDRC did so well (#1 was consistent, regular games). They're noisy, crowded and the people are nosy and are not gamers generally -- and of course, there's booze, which magnifies every other problem ten times over. It's shame because pubs towards Kent and Essex are some of the nicest ones you'll visit, they way they are now is quite close to your traditional D&D tavern 'cept without errant drunken magic missiles. There are board game cafes but they are generally strictly board games (and are usually quite casual -- so I'm told, my only TT hobby is RPGs) are cozy/hipster places than somewhere serious gaming happens. I've already gone over the others potential venues in my previous post but other than that, I'm with you on this one S'mon.

Quote from: everloss;1056501So I guess while the tabletop gaming hobby is active and healthy, it is also changing.

CCGs have always had a weird history. They've been massive money makers but then they have huge fall-offs because they're marketed to kids up to teens. Warhammer has always been fairly consistent, not as much as CCGs but enough to operate dozens of stores and franchise them -- it helps that they're marketed to teens and young adults who actually have the cash to spend.

Quote from: PrometheanVigil;1056514Pub gaming is generally crap in the UK, it was the #2 biggest reason LDRC did so well (#1 was consistent, regular games). They're noisy, crowded and the people are nosy and are not gamers generally

Well, obviously I have the pub give me a dedicated function room for my Meetup, I'm hardly going to be in there gaming alongside the hoi poloi right?

Seriously, many pubs have decent to great function rooms they are happy to let an RPG group book out for free. And even without booking, it's been many years since I've played with nosy drunks looking over my shoulder. Basically there are so many hipsters now, the idea of pub gaming isn't unusual at all. Often when I play on a weekday evening - when I don't book the room out since it's just my group - there are one or two unrelated games going on in the function room, and gamers are the only people there. Usually RPGs not board games, too.

Quote from: S'mon;1056525Well, obviously I have the pub give me a dedicated function room for my Meetup, I'm hardly going to be in there gaming alongside the hoi poloi right?

Seriously, many pubs have decent to great function rooms they are happy to let an RPG group book out for free. And even without booking, it's been many years since I've played with nosy drunks looking over my shoulder. Basically there are so many hipsters now, the idea of pub gaming isn't unusual at all. Often when I play on a weekday evening - when I don't book the room out since it's just my group - there are one or two unrelated games going on in the function room, and gamers are the only people there. Usually RPGs not board games, too.

Now I know that's not true at all because I've done the business side of running a club (and mannn, I was naive way back when to how shady people are in venue procurement). You are not finding a function room for free in central London (Z1-2) without heavy stipulations: you have to move on command (no reason needed because you're not paying), you need to make sure everyone is buying profit-margin items (especially booze, also food), you cannot be "loud" or "obnoxious" (that was fun to hear from a middle-aged landlord as a not-even-20yr old back in the day), blah blah blah. And that's if they're even willing to CONSIDER it -- I know some groups have done that mess, it's usually gone left (ED: it always goes left) and they've usually had to move venue at least once. On top of that, function rooms almost always are crap (too small, too old, they have a bar in there, they smell etc...).

In fact, what you're saying sounds kinda suspect. Not in an actual suspect way but in a "I feel like I know what group you're part of".

Quote from: PrometheanVigil;1056533Now I know that's not true at all because I've done the business side of running a club (and mannn, I was naive way back when to how shady people are in venue procurement). You are not finding a function room for free in central London (Z1-2) without heavy stipulations: you have to move on command (no reason needed because you're not paying), you need to make sure everyone is buying profit-margin items (especially booze, also food), you cannot be "loud" or "obnoxious" (that was fun to hear from a middle-aged landlord as a not-even-20yr old back in the day), blah blah blah. And that's if they're even willing to CONSIDER it -- I know some groups have done that mess, it's usually gone left (ED: it always goes left) and they've usually had to move venue at least once. On top of that, function rooms almost always are crap (too small, too old, they have a bar in there, they smell etc...).

In fact, what you're saying sounds kinda suspect. Not in an actual suspect way but in a "I feel like I know what group you're part of".

The pub is in Borough high street, Borough being quite an RPG/D&D Mecca. We occasionally have issues when they get a new landlord but nothing serious. Obviously if there's a big World Cup match on that day we don't play. My Meetup runs Sunday lunchtime when things are nice and quiet. We've never turned up and been kicked out by pub staff, but one time a guy with a Star Wars LARP persuaded us (falsely) that he had booked the room and managed to get us to move upstairs (which was ok). Twice since founding my Meetup at the start of this year when we were booking on days with big football matches I have been required to guarantee a minimum spend and provide credit card details, but I have never had to pay over any money, and don't intend to.

The function room is in a cellar but otherwise pretty nice, and does not smell.

Quote from: S'mon;1056583The pub is in Borough high street, Borough being quite an RPG/D&D Mecca. We occasionally have issues when they get a new landlord but nothing serious. Obviously if there's a big World Cup match on that day we don't play. My Meetup runs Sunday lunchtime when things are nice and quiet. We've never turned up and been kicked out by pub staff, but one time a guy with a Star Wars LARP persuaded us (falsely) that he had booked the room and managed to get us to move upstairs (which was ok). Twice since founding my Meetup at the start of this year when we were booking on days with big football matches I have been required to guarantee a minimum spend and provide credit card details, but I have never had to pay over any money, and don't intend to.

The function room is in a cellar but otherwise pretty nice, and does not smell.

Hah hah, if you mean the London Bridge side of the high street, you did well and may the God-Emperor protect you and your spot. Otherwise... that's not really central London, too suburb-y (and I've done game in Elephant & Castle and that's not really proper central London either). Then again, my members were spoiled from day one because they got to game in Camden Town (and latter Tottenham Court Road) so they had every amenity there for them, hah hah. I used to have to tell them to pick up their Starbucks and Cafe Nero frapp cups, especially when they'd do a snack/drink run for the table!

The fact that you can't play if there's a World Cup match, again, is a reason I just cut pubs and bars straight out of consideration. And I'm sure you know it doesn't matter if you don't intend to spend: as soon as you hand over your details, expect to be charged (even if you're not that booking). And since you're running on the same day I used to host LDRC, if you ever need a suggestion for a place, I can send you a few places you'd probably like (they're room rentals, mind, but nice modern ones).

Quote from: PrometheanVigil;1056689Hah hah, if you mean the London Bridge side of the high street

Yes, it's within the area that got cordoned off after the ISIS terrorist attack; just south of Borough market.

Of course today would be the day (evening) my group got told to leave the cellar because they had it booked out! And no Reserved notices. But we played upstairs at the back ok.

>>as soon as you hand over your details, expect to be charged<<

Well I haven't been charged the two times I did give details. My players were really good about spending lots of money to meet the target.

>>if you ever need a suggestion for a place, I can send you a few places you'd probably like (they're room rentals, mind, but nice modern ones)<<

I don't charge for my Meetup so there's no money for renting stuff, but thanks.

Quote from: RPGPundit;1056444This is all interesting to me in the sense that I think in North America (and maybe England) the vibrancy of local gaming communities seems very dependent on the condition of Local Gaming Stores.

Whereas in places where the hobby emerged without the availability of Local Gaming Stores, the gaming community doesn't depend on them.

I think vibrancy is not dependent upon the stores in most places.  North America is a big place, most of which does not have gaming stores, and even more of which doesn't have gaming stores that handle many games.  

Vibrancy is dependent upon local GMs, which can be a crap shoot in any given area.

I live in a tiny little town in central California.  It's one of those places where it seems like everyone HAS played but no one IS playing.  At least as far as RPGs go.  But I might just not be seeing it.

MtG is pretty popular out here, and I think there is a Warhammer 40k community nearby, but it's not really my scene, so u cant tell if it's a big community or a small one.

Quote from: James;1056887I live in a tiny little town in central California.  It's one of those places where it seems like everyone HAS played but no one IS playing.  At least as far as RPGs go.  But I might just not be seeing it.

MtG is pretty popular out here, and I think there is a Warhammer 40k community nearby, but it's not really my scene, so u cant tell if it's a big community or a small one.

Welcome to the RPGsite! As I'm sure you know, we are a lovely bunch here.

With FLGSes disappearing, and D&D becoming mainstream-popular again, I wonder if the nature of how the hobby comes together will change now in North America.

This may not be on topic anymore. But I just wanted to apologize for my post earlier in this thread. I was ranting and probably a little drunk at the time. I appreciate that I didn't get a (in my mind deserved) GTFO response, but instead got some insightful responses.

I strive to be inclusive and open with players in the games I run. Especially since I've started running games on Meetup. Everyone is welcome at my table so far as they are not a**holes to others. I don't think it matters what game you play, the conduct you execute at the table is what matters.

I've always thought that once you buy an RPG book and run it, that RPG no longer belongs to the author; it belongs to the DM and the players at the table. You make the game what you want it to be (not that ACKS makes it hard... you are all correct: there is nothing subversive in the game, if anything ACKS' art is more diverse in terms of gender and ethnicity than many other games out there). I've lost sight of that. I guess my frustration was from other forums basically implying that I'm a nazi for liking a certain game.

But to actually answer the OP...

Gaming in my life has its ups and downs. I've brought D&D to a number of people in my building (running 5E with the Intro to the Borderlands book by Goodman Games). I have a long term ACKS game that has been on hiatus due to distance (and an unwillingness to play online) and I have another long term 5E game that has been interrupted by my vacationing.

I've become an organizer for a local Meetup and I've posted games there that have had very healthy responses. I've been letting my gaming get a little bit out of control, so my current plan is to standardize all my games to one system one campaign and just run that for everyone. Right now, I have about 4 groups with 2-3 committed players each... I'm trying to get that to one group with 12 committed players, instead.

Wish me luck.

Quote from: fixable;1058153I've become an organizer for a local Meetup and I've posted games there that have had very healthy responses. I've been letting my gaming get a little bit out of control, so my current plan is to standardize all my games to one system one campaign and just run that for everyone. Right now, I have about 4 groups with 2-3 committed players each... I'm trying to get that to one group with 12 committed players, instead.

Wish me luck.

Good luck! I definitely found it much easier when I switched from running ca 4 different campaigns with different rulesets, to running the one* campaign (Wilderlands with Stonehell Dungeon) for a bunch of different but overlapping player groups. Using the megadungeon format I don't need players to be committed, either, and scheduling a game as a Meetup event ensures lots of demand.

*OK I do still have a Forgotten Realms PBP on the side.