# Gamedays



## takyris (Nov 6, 2003)

Howdy.  First Meta post, I believe.

What's up with the Gamedays?  Who makes them happen?  How are they organized?  Who takes the reins?  Is it kind of a collective "Yeah, sure", or are they decided somehow, like the Olympics?

I'd love to see a Bay Area California Gameday, but, you know, am cosmically unlikely to actually organize one myself.


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## Desdichado (Nov 6, 2003)

takyris said:
			
		

> Howdy.  First Meta post, I believe.



Congrats, I suppose.  Do they say "howdy" in the Bay area?


> _What's up with the Gamedays?_



They're typically pretty fun.


> _Who makes them happen?  _



Some guy with initiative and a little bit of perserverance.  Connections to a venue help big time also.


> _How are they organized?  _



Chicago is typically organized by an open call for games and players, who gradually get matched up until the tables are full.


> _Who takes the reins?  _



Whomever has enough initiative to do so, really.


> _Is it kind of a collective "Yeah, sure", or are they decided somehow, like the Olympics?_



The former, pretty much.


> _I'd love to see a Bay Area California Gameday, but, you know, am cosmically unlikely to actually organize one myself._



Don't hold your breath for one, then, I'm afraid.


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## takyris (Nov 6, 2003)

I don't think "they" say howdy, but I'm something of a verbal chameleon -- or maybe the opposite of a chameleon.  I steal any interesting phrase I see.  And howdy still stands out on the web.  Kinda.  It's more approachable than "Hello", and I can't rip off SHARK with "Greetings!"

I've got zero connections to a big venue.  I'd be great with being one of several people organizing something -- I just know that, while I'd love to see it happen, it ain't happnin' if it's all just me. 

Ah, well.  If other San Francisco or San Jose folks chime in, I'd definitely be up for working on it.  I just have that fourth-grade horror vision of doing the first post and seeing that "27 views, 0 replies" drift slowly down the page over the course of the day...


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## Desdichado (Nov 6, 2003)

d00d, that's what *bump* is for!


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## Mark (Nov 6, 2003)

Will this help...?

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=60698


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## Piratecat (Nov 6, 2003)

Step One: Secretly arrange with some friends to quickly sign up. That way you have momentum!

Step Two: Arrange a venue, and don't post until you do. This can be a game store or someone's house - wherever there is space. Try to find a dot-com-ex-millionaire with extra space.  

Step Three: Post the thread, announcing a specific date at least one month (preferable 6 weeks) out. Request DMs and players. Be humble; just try to fill one game at first, and let others accrue, but don't initially expect multi-person tables. We've had three Boston games with only one game being played.

Step Four: Remember to leave the first post of the thread for editing in schedules. Whore the game day in your sig, and mention it subtlely to other people in your area.

That should do it! We've had some real success in places like Chicago (yay Thalmin of Games Plus! Best store EVER), NC and Boston. Other great game days have gone off as well. All you need is a critical mass of people from your area, and some fun games.


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## Lola (Nov 6, 2003)

And bring your own pencil. I showed up at NC gameday pencil-less, and had to keep swiping Henry's. I know how hard it is to procure a pencil, but I really feel embarrased at my faux pas. Why, it was almost as bad as if I had... _touched someone else's dice_.


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## Piratecat (Nov 6, 2003)

He still mocks you about it in the Moderator's Forum, Lola. He just won't shut up about it. It's amazing. I think you traumatized the poor guy.


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## Lola (Nov 6, 2003)

But, but, but... I only put it between my teeth once! I was really having to contemplate that 5 ft. step, and unthinkingly... 

*_bursts into tears_*


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## thalmin (Nov 6, 2003)

I think the first Chicago game day started with someone (Mark) saying "Wouldn't it be great if the EN Boarders in the Chicago area got together?" or something like that. Soon someone else said "While we're at it, let's play D&D." Before long a site was found and it was organized into time slots, multiple games, and a breakfast get-together.


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## Henry (Nov 6, 2003)

THAT Pencil? It is DEAD to me! *ptui!*

Seriously, Game days are to me one of the three best things that ever came out of Enworld. (I feel like Monty Python's Spanish Inquisition - I keep revising that number.) Joshua's dead on. All it takes is drive - and a preponderance of ENWorlders in your area.

I'd seriously consider organizing an SC Game Day, but between Hand of Evil, one member of my gaming group (who isn't really into games days) and myself, there MIGHT be all of one other person from the Sandlapper State on ENWorld.


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## diaglo (Nov 6, 2003)

Henry said:
			
		

> I'd seriously consider organizing an SC Game Day, but between Hand of Evil, one member of my gaming group (who isn't really into games days) and myself, there MIGHT be all of one other person from the Sandlapper State on ENWorld.





Hotlanta's not that far a drive away. I know about 5 or so ENWorlders i could cram into my pickup truck.


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## garyh (Nov 6, 2003)

takyris, we had a Northern California Gameday over the summer in Sacramento, and even had ENWorlders from the Bay come.  We were trying to get a second gameday this weekend, but lack of interest has pushed it back.  Check the organization thread here:

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=65987

Feel free to hope in on the conversation in that thread.  I for one wouldn't mind driving to the Bay, and we'd talked about rotating the location.


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## Dimwhit (Nov 6, 2003)

So I'm still a little shaky on what a gameday is. Is it just a group of guys (or girls) who don't know each other (other than here on the boards) who pick a city and get together to play for a day?


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## garyh (Nov 6, 2003)

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> So I'm still a little shaky on what a gameday is. Is it just a group of guys (or girls) who don't know each other (other than here on the boards) who pick a city and get together to play for a day?




Basically, yup.  It's also a great way to meet new gamers locally to find regular games.


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## Dimwhit (Nov 6, 2003)

garyh said:
			
		

> Basically, yup. It's also a great way to meet new gamers locally to find regular games.



Thanks.

Now if I thought my wife would let me play more than once per week, I'd organize one and try to find another group to play with...


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## thalmin (Nov 6, 2003)

Dimwhit said:
			
		

> So I'm still a little shaky on what a gameday is. Is it just a group of guys (or girls) who don't know each other (other than here on the boards) who pick a city and get together to play for a day?



YEs, with the following advantages. It gives you a chance to play with strangers, broadening your experiences, but they're NOT STRANGERS. You kinda know them already, but only online. I've enjoyed gaming at the game days far more than playing at any conventions. The atmosphere is more relaxed, and everyone is more friendly.


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## Dimwhit (Nov 7, 2003)

thalmin said:
			
		

> YEs, with the following advantages. It gives you a chance to play with strangers, broadening your experiences, but they're NOT STRANGERS. You kinda know them already, but only online. I've enjoyed gaming at the game days far more than playing at any conventions. The atmophere is more relaxed, and everyone is more friendly.




Cool.

Gameday Boise, here we come!!


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## reapersaurus (Nov 7, 2003)

takyris said:
			
		

> I'd love to see a Bay Area California Gameday, but, you know, am cosmically unlikely to actually organize one myself.



That's pretty ironic, since bloodymage has been asking about Bay Area people who are interested in a GameDay for the past few months in the NorCal GameDay threads...


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## takyris (Nov 8, 2003)

Yeah, just found that one, Reaper-mon, and felt like a doofus. Thanks for pointing it out to the rest of the world. 

Am heading to Norcal thread.

Gameday Ho!

(Um, that was a battle charge, not an accusation or self-identification.  Just in case anyone was wondering.)


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## KidCthulhu (Nov 8, 2003)

If it will help you build enthusiasm, Taykris, Piratecat and I are planning a trip out to the San Jose/Bay area to visit friends some time around the end of the year, or early January. We were saying "Boy, we should get someone to hold a game day to coincide with the visit, so we can meet all the cool Bay area posters."


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## garyh (Nov 8, 2003)

KidCthulhu said:
			
		

> If it will help you build enthusiasm, Taykris, Piratecat and I are planning a trip out to the San Jose/Bay area to visit friends some time around the end of the year, or early January. We were saying "Boy, we should get someone to hold a game day to coincide with the visit, so we can meet all the cool Bay area posters."




That'd be great!  I think having the infamous nautical kitty in town might help give a NorCal gameday the boost it's been lacking.


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## takyris (Nov 8, 2003)

Yes, yes, as a matter of fact, that WOULD make me more likely to actually work on a GameDay. 

Heck, I've never met any of the other RBDMs in person, much less any ENWorlders.  Meeting some of both would be pretty cool.


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