# Any gamers in the Cedar Rapids area?



## El Ravager (Mar 16, 2004)

As the title says, I'm curious if there are any gamers in the Cedar Rapids, IA area.  I used to live there before coming to ISU and one of my friends recently graduated and moved back there.  There used to be a pretty good gaming store, Excalibur Games, there but it closed last year and we have no idea how to find gamers in the area.  

Anyone know if there is any games around there or where to go to find one?


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## evildmguy (Mar 18, 2004)

Greetings!

Hmmm.  I will stay away from talking about Excalibur as it sounds like you knew the owner.  No reason to start something.  

In any event, there are a LOT of games in the CR/IC area.  However, the problem is finding them.  I only ever got one response from ENWorld when I went looking for players.  A friend who is still there took a while to find another game as well using these boards.  

It is almost as if CR doesn't use the web for this purpose!  

There is a gaming group through Cornell.  There is a chapter of RPGA for the CR/IC area as well as the occassional con.  (February?)  I know there are some player registry sites and I thought I saw some people in the CR area listed.  

Otherwise, I am not sure.  I got lucky and worked with a lot of gamers and found a lot of gamers at the Comic Shop.  

Sorry this isn't more helpful.  

edg


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## El Ravager (Mar 19, 2004)

evildmguy said:
			
		

> Greetings!
> 
> Hmmm.  I will stay away from talking about Excalibur as it sounds like you knew the owner.  No reason to start something.




heh, don't worry about starting something.  I knew sorta knew they guy, but not well.  One of my friends did work there for a time and he was far from impressed with how the place was run.  I wouldn't mind hearing your thoughts about it...  Its kinda depressing that a decent sized town like CR doesn't have a FLGS.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Mar 19, 2004)

*Waves to El Rav.*

Hello fellow Cyclone!


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## evildmguy (Mar 19, 2004)

El Ravager said:
			
		

> heh, don't worry about starting something.  I knew sorta knew they guy, but not well.  One of my friends did work there for a time and he was far from impressed with how the place was run.  I wouldn't mind hearing your thoughts about it...  Its kinda depressing that a decent sized town like CR doesn't have a FLGS.




Oh, you have no idea how depressing it was!  I lived there for five and a half years and there was about a year when there were three LGSs, and then we went down to none before Excalibur opened.  (Who did you know that worked there?  I might know them!)  Even then, some days that was disappointing due to the owner.  

My big issue with Justin was that he was not good at customer service.  At times he was okay, I played in a DND game with him (which another friend DMed) and he was at least more personable.  At the store, though, he would forget people's names and try to act like they were best friends and then *HE* would get mad when they brushed him off even though it was obvious he didn't know them!  He yelled at kids who were asking him questions.  In general, he wouldn't help people when they had questions, he was more interested in his own collections.  

In the end, imo, fwiw, Justin wasn't ready to run a business.  He might have been a good worker when he was at M&M (was that the name of it?) but his skills at running a place weren't very good.  Again, fwiw from me.  

Are you gaming now?  What do you play?  DND?  d20?  

Have a good one!  Thanks!

edg


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## evildmguy (Mar 19, 2004)

Isida Kep'Tukari said:
			
		

> *Waves to El Rav.*
> 
> Hello fellow Cyclone!




*Waves to Isida Kep'Tukari and El Rav!*

Hello fellow Cyclones!  

How are things up in Ames?  How is the group going?  If you have posted anything to your Story Hour, which I have enjoyed, I haven't received notice.  I guess I am going to have to go back and check it out!  

Hope you are having fun gaming!  Take care!

edg


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## El Ravager (Mar 19, 2004)

evildmguy said:
			
		

> My big issue with Justin was that he was not good at customer service.  At times he was okay, I played in a DND game with him (which another friend DMed) and he was at least more personable.  At the store, though, he would forget people's names and try to act like they were best friends and then *HE* would get mad when they brushed him off even though it was obvious he didn't know them!  He yelled at kids who were asking him questions.  In general, he wouldn't help people when they had questions, he was more interested in his own collections.
> 
> In the end, imo, fwiw, Justin wasn't ready to run a business.  He might have been a good worker when he was at M&M (was that the name of it?) but his skills at running a place weren't very good.  Again, fwiw from me.
> 
> ...




Chris was my friend that worked there.  He worked there over a couple of summers.  What you said above was his and my impressions of the store.  It seemed to me that Justin was more interested in creating his own personal stomping ground and his increasing his collection than actually running a business.  He never had in new d20 products I wanted and I ended up buying a few books at Barnes & Noble even though I would have preferred to purchase them at a FLGS.

The gaming scene in Ames is great.  I've gotta say, Mayhem is about the best FLGS you could ask for.  They stock a ton of product for lots of different games, the staff is very good - both friendly and very helpful.  They also are great at getting younger gamers involved.  They respect the younger gamers and keep them active with Yugioh(sp?), Pokemon, MtG nights every week.

As for Cyclones, their game with Georgia the other night was great.  It may not be the NCAA tourney, but its still great to be winning some tournament games.  

Hopefully they will be able to win their next one without the luxury of being at Hilton....


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## evildmguy (Mar 19, 2004)

El Ravager said:
			
		

> Chris was my friend that worked there.  He worked there over a couple of summers.  What you said above was his and my impressions of the store.  It seemed to me that Justin was more interested in creating his own personal stomping ground and his increasing his collection than actually running a business.  He never had in new d20 products I wanted and I ended up buying a few books at Barnes & Noble even though I would have preferred to purchase them at a FLGS.




I think I know this Chris but I could be wrong.  Cool!  

Yes.  No point to keep talking about Justin as I think we agree.  



			
				El Ravager said:
			
		

> The gaming scene in Ames is great.  I've gotta say, Mayhem is about the best FLGS you could ask for.  They stock a ton of product for lots of different games, the staff is very good - both friendly and very helpful.  They also are great at getting younger gamers involved.  They respect the younger gamers and keep them active with Yugioh(sp?), Pokemon, MtG nights every week.




This is how old I am:  When I started school in Ames, Mayhem had been open for maybe three months!  Definitely less than six and I think by a fair amount less than six.  (They couldn't accept credit cards at the time because it took being in business for longer than six months.)  I didn't realize it at the time but I have almost been there from the start, as a customer, with regards to Mayhem.  I like that!    

The one here in DM is awesome!  I love the amount of inventory they stock so I can look at older and other games.  I also think they do a good job of service and having events to get people interested in gaming.  

Is this where you game?  What do you play?  Do you play or DM?  Inquiring minds want to know!  Like mine!   



			
				El Ravager said:
			
		

> As for Cyclones, their game with Georgia the other night was great.  It may not be the NCAA tourney, but its still great to be winning some tournament games.
> 
> Hopefully they will be able to win their next one without the luxury of being at Hilton....




And here is where we will have to digress.  I don't have any idea what sport you are talking about.  I would guess basketball but it is exactly that, a guess.  Not much of a sports fan.  

Have a good one!  Thanks for the reply!  Good discussion!

edg


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## El Ravager (Mar 20, 2004)

evildmguy said:
			
		

> Is this where you game?  What do you play?  Do you play or DM?  Inquiring minds want to know!  Like mine!




I have played Warhammer 40k there a few of times.  I run a DnD game once a week and a play in a game that my friend runs that meets weekly as well.  We play both games in my apartment.    



			
				evildmguy said:
			
		

> And here is where we will have to digress.  I don't have any idea what sport you are talking about.  I would guess basketball but it is exactly that, a guess.  Not much of a sports fan.
> 
> edg




Basketball.  Both the men and women won their game weds.


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## ChromWolf (Apr 15, 2004)

Did anything ever come from this thread?  I've been in Cedar Rapids myself since last May (right around the time when both Excalibur closed, as well as Gecko Comics, or Chameleon Comics, or whatever it was called---the one in Iowa City--closed as well) after moving here from near Madison, WI (HUGE gamer town--Capitol city of the state in which D&D was formed, after all), and have been fairly fruitlessly searching for fellow gamers...  I've love to get back into live, round-the-table gaming, but have had to suplement my gaming vice with play-by-post or IRC gaming.  It's fun, but it just doesn't cut it.

Like, where's this RPGA chapter?  I'd love to get into some Living Force or something, or even run some mods...  Or what about just normal D&D (preferably 3.5)?  There's quite a few posts here, and I'd love to maybe get in some of these supposed games occuring right here in town.  Anyone?


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## ChromWolf (May 2, 2004)

Since auto-notification of responses to threads has been disabled recently, I thought I would bump this thread to see if I could get it seen by a few more people.  While I may have found on game near me, it's a bit of a drive, and I'm still interested in finding what games are going on in or around Cedar Rapids itself.  Anything, anybody?


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## Videssian (May 3, 2004)

ChromWolf said:
			
		

> Since auto-notification of responses to threads has been disabled recently, I thought I would bump this thread to see if I could get it seen by a few more people.  While I may have found on game near me, it's a bit of a drive, and I'm still interested in finding what games are going on in or around Cedar Rapids itself.  Anything, anybody?




Heya!

I'm in Cedar Rapids, and while I'm already in a weekly game here (well, actually two twice-per-month games), and would be amenable to joining an additional game..  If people want to try and figure out something, send me an email at greggm2000 at yahoo dot com, and perhaps something can be worked out.. 

The only place that still carries gaming books in this area is B&N.. (though they don't get stuff right away).. there's also the Hobby Corner in Iowa City (they've gotten stuff quick but d&d for them is only a small part of their business).. i've just tended to order stuff from Amazon..

ttyl,
Videssian


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## Gina (May 5, 2004)

It took me almost two years to find a group to play with here. I ended up finding/being found through RPG Locator, I think.  

If any of you guys decide to start something, I might be interested as well. Of course, I have two small children, so my husband has veto power over forays into the "big city"! We live outside CR.

Gina


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## ChromWolf (May 6, 2004)

I'd say that I'd run a game, but I'm honestly unprepared for it.  I'm updating my homebrew campaign world to be 3.5 compliant, as well as just actually finishing it---the only campaign I ran in it, which was fortunate enough to last for a year and a half, started with only about 1/3 of the deities completed, and not even one whole continent mapped out (where my original plan was to have the whole world, at least on a very general scale, completed--adventuring on one of the three major continents continued even though no mapping had been completed).  And once I get it to a "ready enough" state, I was really only interested in running a Play By Post campaign, where coming up with new material wasn't such a huge issue, and I could take my time.

So, if anyone else is willing to start one, I'll do my best to help out as much as I can, and be a reliable player...


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## Videssian (May 6, 2004)

I know how to DM, but much prefer to be a player.. and I'm a reliable player, as several people here on ENworld know.. 

Anyone?


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## zepherus (May 11, 2004)

*Game in CR*

First, don't let Videssian fool you...he does a good job DM'ing, as well as playing!

I'm in CR, and I do have 1 slot available, however it's not with Videssian and Nail ( frequent posters on ENWorld ). And yes, they play in the same game...which gets _very interesting_...( insert Arte Johnson accent here )!

This particular setting is 3.5 rules, Forgotten Realms setting, currently in the area surrounding Silverymoon. Currently has 5 players, but we could fit a 6th one in ( as my other game with "V" and "N" has ).

This game currently is running around 3rd to 4th level characters, typical party ( ranger, cleric, fighter, rogue and wizard if memory serves me correctly ) and meets every other Wednesday night from 6:00 to roughly 10:00 PM. Psionics are allowed ( although I'm a bit "rusty" ) if that's your thing. I would best describe it as a "laid back" game...not too serious, but definitely not for children.

So, if anyone is interested, drop me a line at "jon at zepherus dot net". Next meeting time is this Wednesday, March 12th, so you can use that to plan a schedule if necessary.


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## Videssian (May 11, 2004)

zepherus said:
			
		

> First, don't let Videssian fool you...he does a good job DM'ing, as well as playing!



Thanks! 



			
				zepherus said:
			
		

> I'm in CR, and I do have 1 slot available, however it's not with Videssian and Nail ( frequent posters on ENWorld ). And yes, they play in the same game...which gets _very interesting_...( insert Arte Johnson accent here )!




If you and the others hadn't had those teleports last session, that dragon woulda had some "snacks".. heh heh..  (and, y'know, Dragonomicon DOES have some neat stuff in it!!!)



			
				zepherus said:
			
		

> This game currently is running around 3rd to 4th level characters, typical party ( ranger, cleric, fighter, rogue and wizard if memory serves me correctly ) and meets every other Wednesday night from 6:00 to roughly 10:00 PM. Psionics are allowed ( although I'm a bit "rusty" )



Heh, you'll see just how rusty you are when you DM next session, now that I've converted my psion to ExpPsiH format.. *evil grin*



			
				zepherus said:
			
		

> So, if anyone is interested, drop me a line at "jon at zepherus dot net". Next meeting time is this Wednesday, March 12th, so you can use that to plan a schedule if necessary.



This particular game of Zepherus' runs at the same time as the one that Nail DMs.. if you do want to see what I am like as a player, check out the story hour for Nail's game (http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=43205).. i'll let you guess which PC I am in his game..


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## Zepherus Bane (Jul 16, 2004)

By the way Chromwolf, welcome to Zepherus' non-videssian game.  By the way, I'm the one playing the fighter/sorcerer/cleric in that game.  

Zepherus has been telling me about EN World for a while so I finally created a user today, how appropriate that I chose Zepherus Bane to hopfully denote how my character will foil all your plans Zepherus 

For other Cedar Rapids people, I also run a game on random Saturdays, not very active in the summer but I'm looking for one or two more.  Gina, if you are still looking for a game this might be for you since we don't play all the time (have a game coming up on the 24th of July).

If you are interested, send an email to dm at e2pc dot com.  Most of the characters are around 13th level currently, playing 3.5 rules but I'm nice to the old 2nd ed people out there (I was a late convert).  The plan is to go to Epic level with the campaign.  If anyone joins in you'll start at 13th.

The players are a mix of fairly new and somewhat experienced, mixed gender but one of our two female players left after having a baby a while back.   

Moving on to another subject I noticed in this thread, I agree that I'd like to see a FLGS open back up here in CR.  I've been wondering what thoughts anyone in the area has on whether they would start using one if one was to open.  If anyone from the area is interested, I wanted to do an informal survey and get the answers to a few questions, call it market research or a feasibility study if you will.  I have talked of opening a shop for a while now but obviously would need to hear from the local gamers before giving any more serious thought to the matter.  I've looked in to the distribution and it really is not very good for the core products now that Wizards was purchased by Hasbro (must make a $5000 minimum first order per year to buy direct, $2500 for additional orders).  To go to a distributor the next rung down will get you to $500 minimum orders but you've already lost the ability to compete with Walmart by that time with your cost for a $30 book being around $22.

So, if you are willing to help out here are the questions:


Where do you purchase your D20 materials now?  If more than one place, denote a percentage to each place and/or which types of things from each place.
How much (if any) of a discount off of suggested retail prices do you receive from this(se) place(s)?
Would a 5 or 10 percent discount off of suggested retail price be enough incentive to get you to buy all your books at a FLGS?  I'm assuming a friendly, knowledgeable staff.
What other d20 products besides Wizards of The Coast products do you buy regularly?
If not included previously, where do you buy accessories like dice, hex maps, and miniatures?
Do you also play CCG's like Magic or Star Wars?  
If you play CCG's, would you find a benefit in having a place to buy singles?  If so, which CCG's?
What about comic books?
Would you find it valuable if you could pre-order on a web site and select to either have the product shipped to you on arival or to pick it up at the store?
Would you value the ability to check inventory online before coming to the store?
Would you value the ability to be able to pay on-line and have a book waiting at the counter when you got there?
Optional:  What age group are you in? <20, 20-30, 31-40, 41-50, 50+
Optional:  What's your salary range?  <15000yr, 15001-25000, 25001-35000, 35001-45000, 45001+

Send your answers to dm at e2pc dot com, post them here, or fill out the questionaire online  here.


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## DrSpunj (Oct 14, 2004)

I just found this thread because of the link in *Zepherus Bane*'s sig. I'm a player in *Nail*'s biweekly game and DM my own down in the Coralville area once a month (which *Videssian* plays in).

I don't really have time to participate in any more games (though I'd really like to!  ) but I wanted to post to declare my presence in the area.

Oh, and I just filled out the survey, ZB. 

Thanks.

DrSpunj


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