Arlington/Marysville WA area

[Spence]

Looking toward post-panic. 

My FLGS closed its doors 3 weeks before C19 hit, so I have found myself without a gaming location.

 

I do have a small group of friends that I game with on an irregular basis, though it looks like we will have the opportunity to game a lot more in the future.  They were owners of the FLGS and as seems to be the case with game shop owners, their free time to game goes down drastically .

 

Normally I have been running games with a horror content using Chaosiums Call of Cthulhu or Pelgranes GUMSHOE. A while back I got Sandy Petersen's Cthulhu Mythos for D&D 5th Edition and have put together a game for after the panic with some friends. 

 

Hero: my rules preference is 4th, 5thR and then a distant 6th.  I have far more resources for 5thR (extra books etc) than the other editions.

 

D&D:  I prefer 5th Ed or even AD&D but just cannot play D&D 3 point whatever (Pathfinder) or D&D 4th.  Worse than GURPs in rulebook tonnage.

 

Call of Cthulhu: I prefer CoC 7th Ed using Down Darker Trails, Pulp Cthulhu.  I can play or run it, but I do not prefer Purest Mode.  I have Achtung! Cthulhu (CoC 7th) and am looking forward to Dark Ages Cthulhu (under whatever title they pick). 

 

GUMSHOE: Fear Itself, Nights Black Agents, Fall of Delta Green and period modes are favorites.  Looking forward to Swords of the Serpentine when it releases.

 

2d20: A newer system that is actually a lot of fun.  The base rule system has been adjusted meet the needs across a wide selection of settings.  Rather than trying to be a "general one size fits all" rule system, the core rules are modified to fit the setting and really handles action well.  I own and have run 2d20 Conan and 2d20 Star Trek Adventures.  I also have 2d20 John Carter of Mars.  I have not been able to run it because it is very setting specific and really needs the players to understand the game world and it is far too much to ask someone to read a 190 page book . 

 

This post is mostly looking to see if there are any Hero types in my area open to a game or two, just chatting or maybe a pint after the panic ends.

 

[Spence]

[grandmastergm]

On 6/3/2020 at 9:40 PM, Spence said:

 

I think a lot of games have moved online due to the coronavirus quarantines.  You should attend  Origins Online as it's free.  I'm running 4 games that weekend.  They're all 6th edition if you don't mind.

 

 

[Spence]

That is why

8 hours ago, grandmastergm said:

 

I think a lot of games have moved online due to the coronavirus quarantines.  You should attend  Origins Online as it's free.  I'm running 4 games that weekend.  They're all 6th edition if you don't mind.

 

 

 

I appreciate the thought, but I have never been able to play a RPG via the computer screen.

 

That is why I was referring to post panic.

 

Right now I'd just like to connect with like minded gamers to talk about what we'd like to do in the near future.

 

 

[Panpiper]

16 hours ago, Spence said:

I have never been able to play a RPG via the computer screen.

 

I've never considered myself much of a 'role' player. I am more of a war gamer, one reason perhaps I so much prefer Hero System over most other RPGs. I am only infrequently "in character" when I play. That said, I have never encountered a gamer who was "more" of a role player, so I wouldn't say I am terrible. All that to say...

 

I have never role played anywhere near to the same degree than I have recently experienced playing a PbP game (Play by Post). I have also found it is both a lot easier to get groups going online with the whole world to draw from than it is to hope for enough player interest in your local meat world. Furthermore, I have discovered that my need for a gaming fix is almost as much assuaged by an online game as it is with tabletop.

 

Rather than resign yourself to living in your local desert, I would strongly advise trying (again maybe) to figure out what it is that causes you to not enjoy online, and see if you can't remedy that somehow. Don't stop looking in the meat world of course, miracles do happen. I buy a lottery ticket too once in a while, but that is not all I do.  😉 

 

On 5/23/2020 at 12:11 PM, Spence said:

My FLGS closed its doors...

 

GS obviously stands for Game Store, but what does the FL stand for?

[Spence]

3 hours ago, Panpiper said:

 

I've never considered myself much of a 'role' player. I am more of a war gamer, one reason perhaps I so much prefer Hero System over most other RPGs. I am only infrequently "in character" when I play. That said, I have never encountered a gamer who was "more" of a role player, so I wouldn't say I am terrible. All that to say...

 

I have never role played anywhere near to the same degree than I have recently experienced playing a PbP game (Play by Post). I have also found it is both a lot easier to get groups going online with the whole world to draw from than it is to hope for enough player interest in your local meat world. Furthermore, I have discovered that my need for a gaming fix is almost as much assuaged by an online game as it is with tabletop.

 

Rather than resign yourself to living in your local desert, I would strongly advise trying (again maybe) to figure out what it is that causes you to not enjoy online, and see if you can't remedy that somehow. Don't stop looking in the meat world of course, miracles do happen. I buy a lottery ticket too once in a while, but that is not all I do.  😉

 

It looks like I gave false impressions.  I tend to forget sometimes that terms have shifted over the years

 

I am not one of the "first person" in character role players.  I was never able to do that well, I am more of a third person narrator.  Which is why I tend to use narrative even though it is not what comes to mind for most people.  Sorry about being misleading.

 

The reason I cannot GM remotely is you really can't see the players body language.  For me a primary key to running is real time adjustments of the story based on the player reactions.  I can't do that watching a thumbnail of each player on my screen.

 

I do have people nearby to roleplay with, but many of them are "old" like me, or have family that fall into the "at risk" category.  While I have been going in to work everyday, some of them have not.  Many of them teleworked even before C19.  But I have been staying away from them because we have a constant turnover of personnel traveling in the US and overseas and I'd rather not share anything I might come across. 

 

Most of the gamers I know also are having higher demands of family time and it would be nice to find more players with kids in the same age groupings.  I don't have any kids myself but I have started looking into RPG's suitable for short people.  Who knows?

 

I started this thread to see if I could find other nearby gamers of similar interest to expand the loose group of table top gamers up here.  

 

3 hours ago, Panpiper said:

GS obviously stands for Game Store, but what does the FL stand for?

 

Friendly Local Game Store. 

What I still consider the heart of the hobby.   Far more people learn to game RPG's by example than by themselves and a colorful product on the shelf tends to say "buy me" to a non-gamer far more than over the internet.  Sadly too many people do not realize that FLGS's are to gaming what pubs are to sports and restaurants are to dinner.   You can do all of those activities far cheaper yourself at home, but you will not have the atmosphere and social interaction.   It is like watching my MLS team.  I do watch the game on TV if I have to, but watching the game at the stadium or in my local pub is far more fun because I am watching it with a crowd of fans.    The same with gaming, I can run a game on the dining room table and have fun.  But I can have a incredible time running the same game at a FLGS with all the regular players plus one or two new people trying it out. 

 

If you have a FLGS make a point of supporting it.  Buy something there, even if it is just a soda.  I made it a point of buying at least one thing a month.  Sadly too many people want to use the a GS's tables and space but not spend money there.  But I guess that is the world.....

[tunglashr]

On 6/6/2020 at 12:33 PM, Spence said:

Friendly Local Game Store. 

What I still consider the heart of the hobby.   Far more people learn to game RPG's by example than by themselves and a colorful product on the shelf tends to say "buy me" to a non-gamer far more than over the internet.  Sadly too many people do not realize that FLGS's are to gaming what pubs are to sports and restaurants are to dinner.   You can do all of those activities far cheaper yourself at home, but you will not have the atmosphere and social interaction.   It is like watching my MLS team.  I do watch the game on TV if I have to, but watching the game at the stadium or in my local pub is far more fun because I am watching it with a crowd of fans.    The same with gaming, I can run a game on the dining room table and have fun.  But I can have a incredible time running the same game at a FLGS with all the regular players plus one or two new people trying it out. 

 

If you have a FLGS make a point of supporting it.  Buy something there, even if it is just a soda.  I made it a point of buying at least one thing a month.  Sadly too many people want to use the a GS's tables and space but not spend money there.  But I guess that is the world.....

 

Hey Spence, long time, no see! Too bad you are so far north, we down in south Seattle still play Hero and some of the other games you list. Love that you made mention of FLGS, for I have one myself. And I do mean that in the literal sense, in that I am the owner. I left tech behind for the wonderful world of retail, and just in time for a giant global crisis, no less!

 

Anyway, if you are ever going to be in Seattle, or if you wanted to game once a month or something like that, where it might be worthwhile, I would love to host/run/play in a game with you. Its been forever.

[Spence]

1 hour ago, tunglashr said:

 

Hey Spence, long time, no see! Too bad you are so far north, we down in south Seattle still play Hero and some of the other games you list. Love that you made mention of FLGS, for I have one myself. And I do mean that in the literal sense, in that I am the owner. I left tech behind for the wonderful world of retail, and just in time for a giant global crisis, no less!

 

Anyway, if you are ever going to be in Seattle, or if you wanted to game once a month or something like that, where it might be worthwhile, I would love to host/run/play in a game with you. Its been forever.

 

Hi,

 

It has been a while, I thought you had disappeared into the black hole of the "job"

 

You are now in the game store business?  Outstanding

Where is it at?  What is the name and do you have an online presence as in webstore? 

Inquiring minds want to know

 

I'd be open to a game again. I'd probably lean toward a series of one-shots, maybe? 

I was planning to attend this year at Dragonflight up until they cancelled.  I have put my prepped material on pause until next con. 

It was really disappointing right when I was planning on running con games again. 

 

[tunglashr]

8 minutes ago, Spence said:

 

Hi,

 

It has been a while, I thought you had disappeared into the black hole of the "job"

 

You are now in the game store business?  Outstanding

Where is it at?  What is the name and do you have an online presence as in webstore? 

Inquiring minds want to know

 

I'd be open to a game again. I'd probably lean toward a series of one-shots, maybe? 

I was planning to attend this year at Dragonflight up until they cancelled.  I have put my prepped material on pause until next con. 

It was really disappointing right when I was planning on running con games again. 

 

My store is called Wizards Keep Games, its in Renton. We do have a website, but not a store online for anything other than Magic. I can order product and ship it, but we would have to do it through email or something like that.

 

Its cool that you mentioned Down Darker Trails, the game I am working on is called The West That Wasnt, and it is basically old west X-Files.

 

Im always up for some one-shots. My friends often try to do things every other Sunday, though lately it has been super sparse, obviously.

[Spence]

14 minutes ago, tunglashr said:

My store is called Wizards Keep Games, its in Renton. We do have a website, but not a store online for anything other than Magic. I can order product and ship it, but we would have to do it through email or something like that.

 

Its cool that you mentioned Down Darker Trails, the game I am working on is called The West That Wasnt, and it is basically old west X-Files.

 

Im always up for some one-shots. My friends often try to do things every other Sunday, though lately it has been super sparse, obviously.

 

I'll have to make a point of stopping through soon'ish.  Well, after Seattle is no longer in a red zone.

For me, I am up at 0400 am everyday Mon-Fri for work, so Sunday night is a bit out.  Especially all the way in Renton.  

I'd be open to a Fri or Sat game.  Once things go back to normal I'll be interested.  I did go to Century Link for Sounders games and WKG is not that far.  Hopefully things will be normal by the 2021 season. 

 

For my Horror games, I don't necessarily make them all Mythos.  Gamers tend to be familiar with the Mythos details thanks to CoC, just like most gamers can recite common stat blocks from D&D.  I have been monitoring the Western based RPG's because I love the old western movies.  Not necessarily the ones that try to be realistic, but the old Hollywood ones.  Just enough realism to frame the story. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[tunglashr]

12 hours ago, Spence said:

 

I'll have to make a point of stopping through soon'ish.  Well, after Seattle is no longer in a red zone.

For me, I am up at 0400 am everyday Mon-Fri for work, so Sunday night is a bit out.  Especially all the way in Renton.  

I'd be open to a Fri or Sat game.  Once things go back to normal I'll be interested.  I did go to Century Link for Sounders games and WKG is not that far.  Hopefully things will be normal by the 2021 season. 

 

For my Horror games, I don't necessarily make them all Mythos.  Gamers tend to be familiar with the Mythos details thanks to CoC, just like most gamers can recite common stat blocks from D&D.  I have been monitoring the Western based RPG's because I love the old western movies.  Not necessarily the ones that try to be realistic, but the old Hollywood ones.  Just enough realism to frame the story. 

 

We dont play Sunday night, when we play, its Sunday afternoon. Bruce also works at 5 AM, so that is part of it. We start at either 11 or 12, done by 6 except on rare occasions.

 

 

12 hours ago, Spence said:

 

 

 

 

 

[Spence]

9 hours ago, tunglashr said:

We dont play Sunday night, when we play, its Sunday afternoon. Bruce also works at 5 AM, so that is part of it. We start at either 11 or 12, done by 6 except on rare occasions.

 

That might be doable for me. 

But I do have to wait till things settle down.  Traveling into a "red" zone will put a isolation requirement for work. 

We are already down on staff as it is and while I'd be able to telework, we just don't have full access working remotely. 

[tunglashr]

1 hour ago, Spence said:

 

That might be doable for me. 

But I do have to wait till things settle down.  Traveling into a "red" zone will put a isolation requirement for work. 

We are already down on staff as it is and while I'd be able to telework, we just don't have full access working remotely. 

We arent doing any games now anyway. Hopefully we can get back toward some semblance of normalcy in the next few months.