Car News

On Monday, September 27, 2010 04:26:32 pm Bob Scranton wrote:
> There is a general weakness in the table-top gaming community. This
> fact needs to be addressed and corrected. This weakness comes from
> several fronts.
>
> 1) The wait and see or hope method of attracting new players to table
> top gaming

Iwas unable to find this above posting in my email client archive... Was
it before the switch to googlegroups?

> 2) The cheaper is better ideology
> 3) The protective attitude (note: this is a three fold problem)
> 3a) Game Masters
> 3b) Game Stores
> 3c) Game Manufacturers
> 4) Lack of imagination from GMs
> 5) Computer Gaming
> 6) A general non-desire to try new games
>
> Each of these areas causes a fracture in the community. When we, as a
> community, do not unite to strengthen the whole gaming community, the
> end result is troublesome. We need to formulate an overall plan to
> unify the community. This can be done through several fronts.
>
> 1) Forums

Check.

> 2) Going to schools and talking to administrators and parents alike
> about the benefits of table top gaming and the destructiveness of
> computer gaming (on line and at home game consoles)

Check on speaking with schools and such in the past. Hope to eventually
put together some sort of curricula on RPGing similar to what I did back
in the 80's.

While I agree (and have seen the studies) that computer gaming _can_ be
destructive, I think we should be careful about saying that _all_
computer games are harmful, especially when used in a social (for
example LAN party) setting, or with other more socially interactive
settings, and more cooperative environments, then there are the VR and
other benefits for the disabled.

> 3) Crafting exciting and unique events

Ideas on unique?

> 4) Support of the branches of gaming. The branches of gaming are 1)
> in game store gaming 2) gaming at game days 3) gaming at conventions
When you said branches of gaming I thought you actually meant:
RPGing, LARPing, Wargaming, Video RPGing. Did you mean venue? What do
you mean by "gaming at game days", is that gaming at home and such? Does
gaming at libraries lump together with "game store gaming".

> 5) Attitude adjustment
> 6) Clean and well dressed appearance
> 7) Bad Breath
> 8) Letter writing
> 9) Positive attitude about all games
>
> In this thread I will discuss the belief that cheaper is better. Part
> I discussed the wait and see method
>
>
> There is in this nation and, frankly, around the world a belief that
> cost is linked to value. For ease of discussion I will contain my
> analysis and discussion to the United States and its societies. We
> can see the belief that money is linked to value clearly if we
> analyze Wal- Mart. However, as this is a multifaceted issue, this
> analysis will not be complete. It will be more for illustration
> purposes.
>
> People in the U.S., in large amounts, shop at Wal-Mart.
<snip>

Personally I've boycotted them since 2002, but that's just myself, my
immediate family, and many other relatives since, and a few friends
now.. :-)
The rest of the section I've snipped for brevity, though I understand
the stand point of those who make such arguments, as a an entrepreneur,
strategic and discerning overseas out-source-r, retired computer
scientiest, software engineer, open source advocate, and semi-retired
executive, I disagree with some of the core premises of the arguments
made here, or at least the clearly one sided view on commercialism,
capitalism, employers, business goals and strategies, etc., but since
they are so far off topic, as far as debating here, (though maybe not in
the author's overall point attempting to be made), I will just focus on
the more directly list-relevant portions.
</snip>
>
>
> The gamers who look only for cheaper products fail to see that they
> are exchanging savings of money for a lack of game stores. Why? The
> loss of sales to internet sales causes game stores to struggle
> financially, potentially even causing closure of brick and mortar
> stores. Now, the gamers have cheap product but no where to play. This
> is ok if they are satisfied with only having the same people with
> which to play.

I am curious, how do you draw the conclusion that the closure of brick
and mortar game stores leads to gamers not having anyone to play with?
My personal experience has bee that though I have posted at game stores
since the 1980's and continue to do so, most of my (better) gamers have
responded to posts at libraries, used book stores, coffee shops, and
more recently online, only a very small percentage have actually been
from the game store postings relative to the others, at least that
gamers that I allowed to join our groups after an interview process that
is.

>
> However, there are problems with this. Game stores act as avenues for
> sales for games.

Agreed.

> The salesmen at the stores introduce people to games
> that they may not know.

Indeed!

> The players playing at the stores introduce
> people to games they may not know.

Varies wildly.

> The lay-out and the look and feel
> of the game store is conducive to people being desirous of
> experimenting.

That definitely depends on the store, whether it is a "mom and pop shop"
which do, or a chain/franchise, which tend to stick with more formulaic
methodologies.

> They will experiment by purchasing a game with which
> they may not be familiar.

There usually needs to be some tie-in, a setting, a system, the artwork,
a keyword, or a referral (some of which you mentioned).

> They will purchase a game that they may
> never have thought of purchasing. This occurs simply by immersing
> people in the game store atmosphere.

That is certainly hoped by some game stores, but not necessarily a
given.

>
> Thus, sales of games occurs. This may not be the game that a group
> normally plays but it is a sale non-the-less. This means that a game
> company makes money and stays in business.

Depending on their business model and management of course... ;-)

> This means that the game
> store stays open.

Ditto ;-)

> Sales are paramount to keeping the gaming industry
> viable. When sales drop, game stores close, games are not made, and
> players loose a place to play.

Or they become creative in finding ways to "get their fix", creating
their own game systems, trying "open" systems from online community
contributions, etc.

> They should desire to have this place
> to play as it increases sales for game companies, potentially causing
> new games to be produced, this can include expansions for games that
> the gamers play. If there are not enough sales of a particular brand
> or product, that product will go out of print. Thus, every gamer,
> regardless of the sale should desire for game stores to stay open.
>
> In order for them to stay open, and for game companies

Don't ignore individual and community-based game producers though...

> to continue
> producing games, the players must participate in this system by
> purchasing their games from the place that provides them a place to
> play--the game store.

I still must be coming from a very different perspective and experience
of in-store gaming. I have never enjoyed in store gaming, they tend to
be less comfortable, noisy, restrictive hours and space, etc.

> If they do not do this, but instead purchase
> products based solely on cost, then more often than not, the game
> store will either go out of business or alter its line of products to
> match the sales that are made at that store. I have heard of game
> stores converting into hobby stores that carry models instead of
> minis, puzzles instead of RPGs, and radio controlled cars instead of
> board games.

Yes, see it all the time.

>
> An avenue to generate new players has closed shut

Has it though? How much of the encouragement for someone who has never
RPG'd before actually comes from the store, versus a friend introducing
them to gaming? I have seen people who have read a book or seen a movie
on a particular genre, seek out something in that area, but usually not
consider an RPG unless someone has introduced them to what exactly and
RPG is. It seems, but I do not know for a fact so this is just
additional anecdotal-based view point combined with some basic
industries sales numbers, that most now (well except past 2 years) seem
to seek out computer-based, board-based, or card-based games, having
either no awareness, or a negative (false) awareness about "RPGs" in
general.

> at this point as a
> result of the mentality that cheaper is better. Cheaper is not
> better. Cheaper is short sighted, base, and low class. The poor, the
> indigent, the feeble minded, the low-class look to the pocket book
> not the venue.

No merit to being frugal eh? ;-)

> Gamers join in a symbiotic relationship with game
> stores.

Certainly, as do all business ventures of any significance.

> They work in tandem to maintain an atmosphere that is
> conducive to all forms of gaming, whether it is new games or places
> to play (thus generate new players),

I am curious, how much research has been done to determine if game
stores offering game space/time attracts new gamers ,versus just
provides a venue for the already "converted"?

> every participant must work in
> unison to keep the doors open and the manufacturers producing if we
> are to have new blood entering into the halls of gaming.

There is always just being a strongly community active proponent and
vocal activist for RPGing in all areas of one's community near and far
to be considered as well. Limiting to just game stores tends to be
"preaching to the choir", I am reminded of Commodore's pitching Amiga's
mostly only in their Commodore and Amiga magazines, with a similar
result. It would be more effective at attracting new participants from
verticals that are normally considered inherently unrelated to the RPG
industry, may total tangentials such as the medical industry, or
construction, or aeronautics. I am just throwing those out there
randomly. ;-)

> I look out
> and see a graying population befuddled at the loss of places to
> play, but they are happy. At least they saved a dollar.

An interesting perspective and possible explanation of one possible
variable contributing to the many changes we have been observing.
Thanks for the posting!
--
------
-Hawke
http://www.rpgresearch.com
The mission: A large scale, long term, multi-variable, triple-blind
research
study on the therapeutic aspects of role playing gaming. The purpose
is to determine the causal characteristics of role playing games, rather
than relying on correlative data as other studies have done in the past.
(509) 481-5437
RPG Research Project beginning in 2003 and continuing.
Retired Computer Scientist.
Recreation Therapist & Research Scientist (in training).
Role Playing Gamer since 1979.
Game Master since 1984.
"Holistic medicine treats the person rather than the disease,
its concern lies with the 'whole person' and with permitting
individuals to assume self-responsibility for their own health.
Whereas illness is the sole concern of 'traditional medicine',
holistic 'well medicine' deals with wellness and health promotion"

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