I have tentatively dipped my toe in the water, inspired by the stalwart efforts of those who do this sort of thing across the pond, and am floating the idea of a new convention sometime in 2010, provisionally titled HumberCon, from the area where I live. There seems precious little going on in the area at present; my library poster has attracted no replies at all, and the FLGS, such as it is, sells mostly card trading games and Warhammer. They told me when I tried to get a poster put up there that all they sell of D&D is a dribble of 4e stuff. There is a local games club but they run 3.5e - I have plans on that front, however.
Hull's geographical position is such that there are few large towns until one gets to York, Sheffield and - a bit further afield - Leeds. But I'm sure that at some point there must have been gamers around, who have now become dormant. And the two kids who have tried my Training Dungeon seem to enjoy the rules-lite game that is Old School (and the fun of whacking things with axes).
So, being faced with the prospect of travelling long distances for the chance of a game, I thought that someone ought to be trying to organise something more local. That someone is now me. I've not committed to anything concrete until I get a better idea of the level of local interest. I know next to nothing of the mechanics of this, or how to go about it. I've got feelers out to Brit gamers elsewhere in the country who might know a thing or two about getting this sort of thing off the ground.
So if anyone out there knows any Brit contacts in the north of England who might be interested in either getting involved in the organisation or gaming or DMing at the Con, please let me know.
At the bottom of all this is just an Old Schooler who wants a game!
Good luck from across the pond!
ReplyDeleteI used to live in Howden (not too far from Hull) but have moved to Hebden Bridge now, unfortunatly there is also a lack of players in the immediate area here too.
ReplyDeleteHowden - I would have got in my car and driven down for a game.
ReplyDeleteOne of the reasons why I'm running the poll is that I want to know if I'm being unreasonable in thinking that an hour is perhaps a little too far to travel to get to a game. If you factor in the return journey and the horrifically high cost of petrol in the UK, distance really becomes a factor in deciding how local a local games group really is.
I sympathise if you're having as much trouble as I am in finding players. I've put a poster up in the library twice and it's been removed both times by the parish council, no reason given. I can honestly say that I'd have better luck trying to bribe my son's classmates to try the game and hoping that the enjoyment factor keeps them interested.
Well if you are up for a game, I have emailed a couple of my old group to see if they would meet up in Howden for a game (my mum still lives there), got an affirmative from one not heard back from the other yet though. So that is two willing participants obviously subject to dates as we all have jobs and families to wrestle with.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what they would be up for playing but the last thing we did was 3.5 edition D&D.
Chris
Chris - I've heard bad things about 3.5e, mostly about these strange things called feats and the length of time it takes to generate a character. I'm wholly unfamiliar with the game mechanics, having always played 1e. Nevertheless, I'm always up for a game, and I may be able to bring a guy I have contacted through UK Roleplayers and who currently goes to Humberside Wargamers Club (where he says there is a heavily house-ruled 1e game going on).
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of wrestling with the family - shades of Kent Walton and World of Sport (ooh, showing my age there). Big Daddy Grognard?