RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32
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While my wife and I didn't see many young gamers this year at PaizoCon, we certainly noticed them. We also noticed that there wasn't very much geared towards them specifically. There was the kids track games and a kids board gaming room but not much else, and we sensed that there wasn't anything consistently available for them the do.
We came up with an idea that would be fun and keep something open for gamers younger than 16 throughout the convention. It would require planning and preparation, not to mention volunteers to help man it, which is why I am gauging interest now. If it turns out this is something worth doing, and Paizo gives it their approval, my wife and I would love to start working on putting this together.
We propose setting up a miniature Swallowtail Festival in one of the rooms. It would have games and activities geared towards gamers younger than 16, such as ongoing We Be Goblin games, goblin crafts, and Swallowtail games.
Some of the specific ideas:
Goblin Crafts at Junk Beach
Goblins love junk and they also love to do stuff with that junk. At this station goblin masks, goblin jewelry, and more can be made from a donated collection of crafting supplies and odds and ends. Someone will always be on hand to assist, keep order, and keep any real goblins from stealing the junk.
Old Light
Inspired by a fan suggested game in Wayfinder #7, large foam block made to look like the stone that makes up Old Light are set out for people to build up the landmark tower. Enough sizable blocks are available to build a tower about four to five feet tall. Once built the tower can be torn down by way of a wrecking crane set up next to the build site. This is a bag full of rice suspended by a rope hanging from a pole.
Goblin Tales at Sandpoint Theater
A puppet stage will be set up with puppets available for people to tell goblin tales. At some point a storytelling contest will happen and a prize will be given to the winner.
Goblin Tossing at the Goblin Squash Stables
Goblins have broken into the stables are trying to harm the horses! A board with holes cut out of it is set up with scenery put down in front of it. The holes in the board represent an open door, two windows to the side, and one small window above the door. Scenery would represent the horses and stable. Players need to kick the goblins out of the stables, with points scored according to the hole the goblin flies through. Prizes are awarded for playing.
Game Tables at Rusty Dragon
Two or three game tables will be available for games. The We Be Goblins series will be ran each day, and a table with various other table top games will be available for open games.
Other Ideas
Pathfinder related coloring sheets, goblin raid parade, Squeely Nord nap corner, the possibilities are only limited by what space we can get, how many volunteers sign up, and what can be easily transported to and set up at the space.
So, would there be enough interest in this sort of room at PaizoCon? It would be open from 9am to 6pm Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with rotating volunteers. No children under 8 could be left unattended in the room, as the intention isn't to provide a daycare, but siblings 12 and older would be allowed to accompany younger siblings. We would need to have two to four volunteers in the room at all times, and enough volunteers to rotate through so we didn't have people stuck there the entire convention.
Thoughts? Ideas?
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These ideas are awesome. I'd love to implement them, though there are issues beyond the coolness that I'm not sure Paizo would want to deal with, such as an expanded liability and typically volunteers that work unsupervised with children require background checks and fingerprinting.
Though I don't see why this couldn't be available to the con in general, as I'd like to participate in some of these too.
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RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32
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I do not believe that there would need to be background checks, but I do agree that the volunteers need to be trustworthy.
I most certainly wouldn't turn adults away from the activities, but I probably wouldn't hand them any of the prizes. I want to make a mask, build and destroy a tower, and tell goblin stories as well.
I almost proposed a ball pit, but the transport, set up, and cleaning of ball pits would not be something anyone would want to deal with. Trust me, I worked with one for a year.
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RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32
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The trick is going to be to fund it. I am working on painting up an entire set of Rise of the Runelords miniatures. Maybe once I finish it I should sell the lot. Maybe do a crowdfund project? We'll see. I am sure I can come up with something.
I grew up in an artist community and my father is a local artist where I live, so I have the skills and contacts to put this together in awesome fashion. What I may not have is the funds to purchase the raw materials needed, to pay for transport, or pay for my own trip to PaizoCon next year. I can do it all on the cheap and have an okay looking Sandpoint festival, but my artistic soul would cry and be unhappy. I want this to look as awesome and amazing as I can do it.
For example, if I wanted to be cheap the puppet show stage and the Goblin Squash Stables would be little more than cardboard and curtains painted up to look nice. What I really want to do is is design them to be made out of plywood, have my wife's grandfather build them, and have them painted by my wife and her grandfather. Both would be made to last years, and would be able to collapse down flat for easier transport.
If I can work it out, and find funds, I have some friends who may be able to help me create a bunch of blank, white, 3D goblin masks for people to decorate. No promises on that one though, as I would need to ask around to see if they can actually do it. It could also be really time consuming.
I also have an idea on how to tie it all into a charity event as well, but I going to do more research before pitching that. If I can work out the details, it may allow me to do this whole thing as part of an upcoming school project, which would be pretty great and a huge help in getting my degree.
Perhaps you could look at this as a long term project and aim to have 2-3 of those setups completed by next year, and host it on one day, or a couple hours on each day. That way you could build up interest and support for hosting it longer in future years, with more activities.
Personally, I'd be happy to store anything you wanted to leave here in Seattle for the next year. So that would be one way transport solved at least.
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RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32
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We are working on building a vacuform machine, which we have been wanting to do for a while now for some craft projects he want to do (we kind of take crafting to the extreme.)
If it works out we want to do our best to make plastic masks for the craft table. We thought of doing goblin masks, but Razmir also came to mind.
Anyone have other suggestions for us to try?
Customer Service Manager
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There's a lot of really interesting ideas here, but it sounds a good deal larger than we generally have for 3PP events. Something of this magnitude and targeted towards minors is something that Paizo would need to carefully look at logistics and liability before moving forward, and very likely is something we would need to have Paizo be the organizing party for.
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RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32
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I figured that was going to be the case but didn't want to come right out and make any assumptions or demands upon Paizo.
My wife and I are still willing to volunteer time and resources towards something like this. We don't really do PFS, because there really isn't accessible PFS games in our area, and she is really going to cons just to make sure I don't die of starvation, dehydration, and sleep deprevation. Melina did go to the crafting hour, and loved it, to work on her Mickey Mouse pieces. She wished that there was more of that for her to do and noticed a few bored young ones throughout the convention.
We really can organize and constuct set peieces for a live Swallowtail festival. We talked it through, looked at the work needed, and have a basic plan of what it would take. We are not sure we could afford to do it (it depends on the cost of a few things we haven't priced out yet,) but we know we (or close family members) have the ability to do the work.
At the very least, would a craft station set up for a few hours a day be viable? Something set up for anyone and everyone?
Just off the top of my head I can think of a few projects that would work well. Wire and bead spiders, Birdcruncher crowns, Varisian bracelets, and Golarion themed masks all could be done in 30 minutes to an hour of crafting, even for those new to such projects. I am certain we already have most of the materials in our big bins of supplies we keep accumilating. I know you guys have some amazing crafting talent as well and probably already have ideas of your own.