Salutations.
I'm starting a new game with five or six players that I met through a web site. While I've talked with them over the phone or via email, I am somewhat cautious and don't wish to have the first few games over my house. To make my life a little more challenging, there's no close game stores where I could maybe rent a table or something.
So, do any of you have some good suggestions or experiences in some neutral sites to game outside of a home or game store?
As someone who's had to get creative with gaming spaces, a couple of ideas come to mind. First off, are there any bookstores of reasonable size near you, particularly one that might have places for people to sit and read? As long as you're not disturbing the public or conflicting with a planned event, you might be able to play there if they've got any tables big enough. My local Barnes & Noble has spots like this, and I know at least one Pathfinder group has met there in the past.
Also, you might have some luck with coffee shops. Probably not a Starbucks (unless it's a larger one with big tables and permissive employees) but an independent coffee shop might have room to run a game as long as, again, you're not disturbing the public and you all occasionally get a drink. I myself have gone this route, and for the most part it's worked out pretty well.
And if you're in a college town of some sort, see if there's a student center that might have open space and will leave you relatively unmolested. The main downside there is that outside of the school year availability is going to be awkward, but since this isn't going to be a long-term location you should be fine. I've also gone this route (and when school was out, that's when we played at the coffee shop) and it's worked out rather well. Alternately, you might be able to make a campus library work but you'd probably have to see if you can get a side-room with a door that you can close to keep from disturbing the patrons.
Libraries aren't bad. Also, I don't know how old you or these people are, but college campus's are also a good place.
Libraries, public or even university, might have study rooms that would work.
It's a long shot, but you could check with a local restaurant and see if they have a banquet room. Restaurants are usually pretty dead during the middle of the week and might not mind you taking up one of their banquet rooms for several hours as long as you buy food or pay rent.
Record stores often have practice spaces for rent for bands and most are desperate for money.
If all else fails, you could always rent a cheap hotel room.
Libraries aren't bad. Also, I don't know how old you or these people are, but college campus's are also a good place.
+1 I've gamed at both libraries and college food courts.
I played a game with a similiar orgin as to yours at a Starbucks...it was not that big...but as someone said previously as long as the employees and manager don't mind it should be ok. A good way to make sure they don't mind is to spend money by the way.
Anyway good luck I hope the new group works out.
You may want to look at restaurants or diners in your area. I first played with my current group in a diner. You may also want to find out if there are any meet up groups (google d&d meetup) in your area and see where they play.
RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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You may want to look at restaurants or diners in your area. I first played with my current group in a diner. You may also want to find out if there are any meet up groups (google d&d meetup) in your area and see where they play.
My first group played at a Dennys. We started at 10 a.m. and played till 10 p.m. We just made sure when the waitresses went off shift they gave us a bill so they could get a tip. Drinks and snacks all day long. Prolly why a couple of the group gained so much weight... Just try to find a diner which is not too crowded and make sure it is alright with the manager.
I have played in the park on a picnic table. Be sure to bring a clipboard to keep papers from flying away.
We have also played at an office at work. One of the players had a key and we would play there on the weekend.
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I would suggest just meeting up initially for a drink and just chatting about gaming. Firstly you can get to know them and filter out anyone who shouts "Danger!!!" and secondly you can establish each other's game styles and see if they will be compatible.
If you plan to do collaborative campaign creation then that again could be done at a pub or bar as just conversation and a few notes.
Hopefully by then you will know the people enough that you could invite them over to yours to play.
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Many libraries have study rooms and conference rooms that are available for free, so long as you book in advance. I'd start by trying that.
Coffee House is the the next best place to meet - just make sure it's a quiet place and not too terribly busy.
Indie Bookstores (do those even exist anymore?) would be my third choice.
Several years ago I ran a game for 7 weeks in a back storage room of a Barnes & Nobels for a friend. He was the assistant manager of the store and they were doing a promotion for 2e. It ran November to mid December.
A couple of the guys from Hill AFB played in the game and I still keep in touch with one of them 12 years after he moved away. He played in my regular game for a few years after the demo game until he did a TDY
in Korea.
Point is Barnes & Nobel was a good place to play.
-Flea
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Another possibility is to get together first at any one of those places only for an hour or two just to have lunch and talk, get to know each other. Your first in-person meeting doesn't have to be a gaming session.
Go to Waffle House for lunch and a conversation; spend an hour-and-a-half at the bookstore or wherever and talk.
Then you guys can see if that location is sufficient for your group or (now that you know them a bit) maybe invite them to your place to host the actual sessions -- or see if any of them want to host (or rotate hosting).
That's what I did here when I moved. I met a Player at a restaurant to have lunch and a conversation -- after the initial e-mail correspondence -- and after lunch we were comfortable inviting each other to our homes.
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There are a couple of bars in my area that seem like they would be amenable. Not too crowded and encourage board game playing, pretty laid back places. We're meeting at one of them for the first time tonight, I'll try and post back and let you know how it went. Of course, depending on the age and inclinations of your players, this may not work for you.
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There are a couple of bars in my area that seem like they would be amenable. Not too crowded and encourage board game playing, pretty laid back places. We're meeting at one of them for the first time tonight, I'll try and post back and let you know how it went. Of course, depending on the age and inclinations of your players, this may not work for you.
For the record, it went well. The main downsides were the noise and poor lighting. Space was an issue -- you probably want to make sure where ever you end up has fairly large tables, and/or that you organize yourselves well. The plus, in addition to just having a place to meet, is the ease of getting drinks and food.