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Drunks with cutlasses, parrots and flintlock pistols? Who could vote against them???? Pirates ROCK! They make sea-legs on land look sexy. Add to that a pistol being drunkenly waved around and you've definately got people ducking rather than fighting.
MAybe an entry-fee would work. I'd pay it! Oooh...a cover charge to just come in. Bars and Dance clubs do it all the time. However, many gamers don't have a lot of money to just throw around on such a luxury. And, this would be a luxury. The question is, would be enough of a WANTED thing for people to spend their money on it. Gamers typically save their money to spend it on supplies and conventions and food items when they gather at their respective homes to play. Would they want to spend their money to enter a place like this? All good questions. Thank you very much for the feed back.
This is definately "food" for thought, a very valid point. Hmmm...we would lose money from the idea that customers would just sit for hours and not buy anything. We really do want to have a place like this though. The question is how to make profit and stay afloat. Thank you Sebastian for pointing this out. I knew it would be a good idea to open this discussion.
HOLY COW!! This is alot!! AND, thank you!! Now to try and answer some of these questions. I apolgize for the long post, but I'm still trying to figure out the codes for answering all fancy like. <b>1) How will your core market know you are for gamers?</b> Well, the name of the place for one, but I hesitate to state it here just so we could keep it to ourselves and it won't get stolen. But we would advertise at the Game/Comic stores in the area if they shopowners allowed. <b>2) Apart from food what else do you offer that makes me go to you to game rather than stay home? Will I have to pay for parking etc?</b> Hopefully we would find a location that had plenty of free parking. I, like you, don't want to have to pay for parking. I'm hoping the atmosphere of the place would draw you to game away from home and it would only be a place you'd want to game at once in a while, not all the time. <b>3) What will you do about non gamer people who turn up? Obviously your going to serve them but if they dont feel comfortable they aren't comming back. (Maybe thats what you want in which case no need to worry)</b> It's exactly as you state it. We'll serve the non-gamer, but if they don't like it then that's okay. <b>4) Will you make all of your profit from foodstuffs or could you also sell items such as Dice, Paper, Pencils etc. Maybe even minatures and adventures.</b> What else we might sell other than foodstuffs is still in question. We aren't wanting to cut into the profits of the Game/Comic stores. <b>5) How late will you stay open and on what nights?</b> We would be open most nights, maybe from Tues - Sat, taking Sunday night and Monday off for ourselves. Tues thru Thurs open until 11:00pm and on Fri-Sat open until 1:00am. <b>6) What profit do you need to make to cover overheads and your wages plus any other staff wages plus oncosts. (you probably worked this out already.</b> These particulars we haven't worked out yet. At this time were just trying to see if there is actually a market for such a place. <b>7) What else in your area offers gamers these facilities or similar? </b> There really isn't anything like this in our area. Only the Game/Comic stores. <b>8) How big is the gamer population you are going to serve?</b> I think the gaming population here in Indy is pretty big. The Gaming/Comic stores do very well here. The ideas you presented: <b>1) Music? Perhaps varied in normal hours and atmospheric during game sessions?</b> It would be mostly atmospheric. <b>2) How about a resident DM. Someone experienced who is happy to run games once a week for a core group of players. Maybe SCAP or AOW or maybe Forgotten realms theamed? Then you could have Guest DM's and try to get someone kown locally or, even better, in the industry.</b> This is a wonderful idea and one that we would keep for special occasions, I think. <b>3) You could give some kind of XP award to players who attend to game that they can trade in for a cup of Coffee etc. Like a loyalty scheme.</b> This is a good idea and one worth considering. <b>4) Grid off the tables so the can double as battlemats for those that need them.</b> OH!! EXCELLENT IDEA!!! THANK YOU!! <b>5) Large screen TV to advertise upcomming events (at the cafe), Charge Local gaming stores to advertise on it to bring in revenue. Other times put on screenings of classics like LOTR or Star Wars (might need a licence in the states I don't know). Charge entry... </b> I think the state has laws about this, but again, well worth looking into.
I would like to agree with Vedic that you do bring up very valid points that should and would be considered. However, I'd like to point out that the shop wouldn't be open in the mornings as "coffee-drinkers" would not be our target clientel. We would be targeting gamers specifically, so the hours would be later afternoon to later evening, longer hours on Saturday/Sunday. I've seen the Game/Comic stores that offer their spaces for gaming. Those areas are usually small and cramped and can only handle one to two groups at a time. We would be supplying a larger area for more than one group. Also, where we wouldn't be offering the sale of gaming books and supplies, we would be offering a larger variety of beverages and foods to consume while playing or just talking. We wouldn't be looking for the "take-out" consumer, but for those gamers who wanted to sit somewhere and enjoy a gaming atmosphere without the criticism or eye-balling of non-gamers as was stated in a previous post by Dryder. This shop would be tailored to the comfort and pleasure of gaming, rather than the promotion and retail of gaming.
My husband (VedicCold) and I live in the Indy area and we came up with a business idea. However, we need feedback as to whether said idea is something GAMERS would be interested in. IDEA: Take the idea of a Coffee/Soda shop and add the fact that it would be GAMER specific. IE: A mix of different size tables, comfortable seating, both of which could be moved about at will as needed. It would have a counter that sells beverages from water to the most caffeinated Energy drink available and a variety of snacks and perhaps hot foods of the finger variety and various desserts. There would be mood music played, but not so loud as to interfere with conversations and some reading material available of the Gaming nature. The premise would be that generally this place would be where Gamers and Gaming groups could meet to simply relax and talk, discuss and debate ideas. I realize that this is exactly what the Messageboards provide, but sometimes it's nice to physically "see" and "talk" with a real person. It would be a neutral place where people could meet for the first time to discuss the idea of becoming a gaming group or joining an already established group. Perhaps one or two days a week would be established for actual PLAY. A certain number of groups signing up for that day to guarantee a table and seating (which would be limited, but not so cramped as say a comic book or gaming store). Of course the snack counter would be open for business. This one or two nights a week would take the burden off gamers to "host" a game at their homes all the time. NOW:
I thank you all in advance!!
((Oshun and her friend Sunny (Freedom Paladin/Favored Soul)are now in the employ of Lavinia Vanderboren. Their task is to track down Lavinia's brother, Vanthis...this is what happened when they finally encountered him. I've been encouraged to write more and not leave this as a cliff hanger, but we'll see. Mwahahahahaaa!!)) “This is what you deserve for messing with my sister, you THUGS! Oh and say hello to Penkus’ ghost for me” Oshun peered up at the shadowy figure of Vanthis Vanderboren where he stood looking over the rim of the hatch and tunnel that led down to where she stood, mouth agape. Her mouth remained that way as he slammed the hatch shut and the sound of heavy rocks being slid over it echoed down to them. After a moment she turned to Sunny, her companion and blinked. “He’s kidding right? Thugs? Us?” She looked back up into the darkness. “Of all the nerve!” Sunny stared at her, blinking, incredulous. Of all the things to complain about, the blue swashbuckler could only focus on the name calling. With a deep breath and sigh, Oshun began swinging the sunrod this way and that, illuminating the small ten by ten room they were in and the only exit that led into a dark hallway. “Well then, let’s find our way out of here. Surely, if this is an abandoned smugglers hideout, they’d have had other ways in and out then this.” Her hand gestured angrily to the five by five tunnel that led upward and the pile of rope on the floor that used to be how one would climb up. She began moving down the narrow hallway, sunrod held aloft, Sunny following behind, muttering quietly, “Presumably.” Oshun only responded by heatedly whispering, “Thugs!” They turned to the right and emerged into a larger room, but before Sunny could get a good look into it, Oshun rounded on her, “And I liked that fellow Shefton, even though he tricked us. Give him a bath and that half-elf wouldn’ta been half bad lookin’ He said I looked like a Sea-Elf.” “Tricked or not, Shefton now lies dead above, backstabbed by Vanthis and is no good to anyone anymore.” Sunny pointed past Oshun into the darkness of the room. Oshun turned slowly and muttered, “F@*!,” and quickly pulled the two kukri from their scabbards. Shambling toward them were three figures. Judging by their rotting clothes and adornments they could only be the remains of the smugglers that used the tunnels so long ago. Their mouths opened slowly and then kept opening, much wider then any normal human jaw would be capable. One whispered hoarsely with what was left of it’s throat. “Huuungrrry….” From behind Oshun, Sunny whispered, “Ravenous Zombies…..they’re disease ridden, don’t let them bite you.” “You can count on that.” Then Oshun leapt to meet the first one, Devious and Vicious flashing in the light of the sunrod that now lay on the floor. Sunny quickly followed, her hammer arcing out and down at the first zombie head to come close to her. The sounds of battle echoed through the moisture rotted tunnels of the smugglers den of Parrot Island, falling on more ears of the hungry dead.
Thank you very much Mothman, any input is valuable. I was thinking that she would probably have to do the berry staining thing. As for the classes, our DM Vedic has graciously decided to let us make Gestalt (Unearthed Arcana) characters since there will only be the three of us playing. He decided it would be easier that way instead of him also playing an NPC to balance us out. I and one of the other players frequently play Gestalt within Vedic's games and it works out nicely. They aren't overly powerful and there are many times when being Gestalt has no advantage whatsoever. He ran us through the "Red Hand of Doom" adventure and it ROCKED!! I played a Spellscale Gestalt of Freedom Paladin/War Mage and my friend played a Spellscale Gestalt of Sorceror/Rogue. They were brother and sister. It worked out beautifully. Then we moved to the Maure Castle and got our rumps handed to us. Very humiliating. Okay, I'm rambling. Thanks again Mothman!!
Introducing Oshun Bleu At the end of the world there lies a sprawling city whose shores and inner reaches are bathed by the waves of Jeklea Bay. That city is called Sasserine. Thousands of people live here divided among seven districts. Some never leave the Districts they call home. Some don’t care to know their neighbors, either because they view them as lessers or as rivals. Others see Sasserine as a whole and know that each part needs the other to thrive. In the Azure District lives one that dreams of the day that all of Sasserine and perhaps even distant parts of the world know her name. She is Oshun Bleu. Oshun’s father, Darmeth Mariner, belonged to Finback Whaling, leaving the city for long periods on the Wave Dancer, a ship and crew known for its success in bringing home holds full of bounty. One stormy season Darmeth courted a young woman by the name of Sermione. She said yes when he asked her to marry him, for he was young and strong with the smell of the sea in his hair and eyes the color of the clear sky, who told tales of his battles when the Sea Princes were overthrown. Within the year she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and Darmeth named her Oshun Bleu, for he loved the waters that he made his living from. However, Sermione grew jealous of the sea for it took Darmeth away from her arms for days on end, leaving her alone to tend their energetic child. As time flowed by, Oshun’s mother let her heart wander and when Darmeth returned from another voyage he found that Sermione had left. He came home to find his old friend Maklash Gristwhistle, leader of the Dredgers Guild, tending the toddling Oshun with his unending mirth and watchful eyes. Darmeth’s heart did not hurt for long, for he had his little girl and within her eyes he always saw the ocean. Years marched on and Oshun grew tall and lean. She spent as much time on the ships with her father as she did running the streets of Sasserine. She climbed the nets and masts as if born to it and swam the waters as gracefully as any mermaid. While on land, she visited Maklash to share her stories and the new bawdy songs she had learned from the other sailors. Oshun learned the skills of acquiring things without being caught, sneaking into private places to watch how other folks lived and relished life. Above all else, though, she loved her Father. She took up the practice of staining her skin blue and had darker tattoos applied to her face, arms, hands and legs, taking great pride in the slowly expanding art upon her skin. Her dark hair also showed the sheen of blue and was often braided in intricate styles and beaded with shaped glass from the sea. Darmeth smiled with pride on his daughter and her shoulders always squared as she stood taller by his side. Then, hard times fell upon them. Not more than three months prior to this very date, her Father met with an accident while whaling, losing the lower half of his right leg. She nursed him back to health and Maklash visited often to bolster Darmeth’s spirits. Now he works with the office of the Whaling company, waiting and watching out the window for his daughter to visit and tell him her tales. Oshun’s heart is heavy for her Father, knowing that he would rather be on a ship, plying the water with the sea breeze in his face, battling the elements. She has vowed to him more than once that one day she will find fortune and she will have a ship of her own. Then she and her Father can leave Sasserine, sail over the world and see places that they’ve only ever dreamed of. She knows that her day will come and her name will be sung in new tales of seafaring adventure.
WOOT!! Extra XP points!! Rockin'. Hey all, I'm Oshun Bleu. I'll be playing the Rogue/Swashbuckler. However, I need to decide which will start first...the Rogue or the Swashbuckler? Hmmm..decisions decisions. I also need to figure out how to keep her skin stained blue. Tattoos are easy, as is dying the hair, but how to keep the all over stain. Any advice would be WONderful! |