Pathfinder Society Game Starting! Maple Ridge, BC, Canada

[Avalon9902]

Hey Pathfinders! I am a relatively newbie to running/organizing a Pathfinder Society Game, and Ive recently taken an interest in running a regular game for my area as its sparse in terms of gaming. I'd like to invite anyone in the area who is interested in playing to come out!

Below is the link to my event, its basic at the moment but as I get some interest I can bang out the details and work with people as to what we would all like!

Thanks for your time!

http://paizo.com/pathfinderSociety/events/v5748mkg0a3yd

and the store info

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sector-2814-Comics-Toys/146957801992121?filte r=2

[Avalon9902]

Also who would I contact to request a poster or other kits for the store?

[Michael Brock]

I made my rounds up there in the Vancouver area when I first moved to Seattle. There is a fair amount of game stores up there and the PFS scene could be huge with the right person organizing. I personally met and left my card with 8 different stores in and around Vancouver, Surrey, etc...

Good luck with your endeavors. I fully support BC PFS and hope you get it off the ground and it catches like wildfire.

Send me an email and I will get you hooked up with posters and talk to you about Beginner Box demos and PFS intros.

[Feegle]

If you'd like some advice on getting up and running, then feel free to post any questions you have here - there are a lot of people around the boards who have done exactly that, and can offer advice and suggestions based on their past experiences.

It's not hard work, but there's a lot of it at the beginning. Once you've got a regular crowd coming out, though, things settle down a little bit.

Good luck!

[Avalon9902]

Well, went into store for first Pathfinder Society event, and no one showed. No interest was shown on either Facebook or Twitter, waited around nearly 2 hours incase anyone showed.

Ill give it another shot or two as I have the events planned, but I dont even have interest on the sign up sheet in the store. My friends have asked about it in passing, but to little effect, one of my friends asked if it was happening on Thursday, the day after it was supposed to. I corrected him. It was clear on the sign up sheet and on the social media posts.

Honestly I didnt/don't expect much interest sadly as I am nowhere near the core of Vancouver, nor can I get there on a readily basis.

[Alexander_Damocles]

I've got a good number of friends in the area of Maple Ridge, I've put out the call for pathfinders. If I get any interest, I'll facilitate that contact.

[Avalon9902]

Just a heads up and update, This coming Wednesday, June 13 @ 2pm is the second attempt at holding a Pathfinder Society Session, we will be starting with the intro scenarios, apparently ive been told I have 2 sign ups in store.

[Avalon9902]

Well, Tuesday came and went. Both sign ups were no shows, did not bother to give a heads up, not a single person showed up or expressed interest. I hung around for 2 hours until 4pm.

Suffice it to say, I will be showing up for my last scheduled event, but I do not think I will be attempting to continue this in my area or any other. Hopefully another will attempt it, but I cannot see it happening or taking off in my area, simply not enough interest.

Thanks for the products and support.

[Tierce]

Just my opinion, but I think you might be starting too early for the games. All the PFS games I have participated in/GM'ed were in the evenings. Earliest one to start was 6pm/7pm and we run until 10/11pm

[Michael Brock]

I would love to come up for a weekend event and help out. As Tierce said, I think you will be hard pressed to make PFS take off with a start time of early afternoon on a week day. Most people are in school or working.

[Lamplighter]

We run all of our games 6:30 to 10PM. The afternoon crowd tends to work better for card games and pick-up games, out here at least. I'd also suggest trying an evening slot, like a Monday or whatever night isn't "Magic" or "D&D Encounters" before you throw in the towel.

Also, I've found that you can't leave it to the store to promote the event. Bring people yourself, even if they are your regular gaming group. My first two events were the two guys I'd gamed with for years. Third session had one new player. After 6 months we were running 2 tables, and now 2 years in we run 8-10 tables per week in two locations. It just takes a bit of time, and seeing people playing in the store is the best advertising.

A poster in the store can help attract attention, but don't have the store do sing-ups - make a gmail address and give that out as the contact. You can "sell" the game and help new players better than a busy store clerk who might not even play Pathfinder at all.

There are some great poster blanks that one of the Venture-Captains created here.

Keep the faith, people will come out!

[Avalon9902]

The biggest issue with the later start time is the owner of the store, he doesnt like to stay open any later than 8pm, and quite often closes up between 6-7. Which is why I pushed for a earlier start.

The game is on a day where nothing else is planned, but I am hard pressed to get anyone interested. The one person that IS interested is on a rotating schedule. Whoch doesnt worj sadly.

[Tierce]

My store will still close at the usual time, but the employee's, who are also running games will watch after the players in the store after hours. Not sure your store would be willing to do that, but thats what we do.