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I want to start running Starfinder Society games but I have a number of questions.
Firstly, I've tried to join NWPFS a couple times and haven't been able to join that forum. Everyone I've talked to says that's the first place I should go if I want to run Society, but I can't access it.
Secondly, what I really want to do is more like an "open table" concept than fully public games. I'm hoping to build a community of new gamers out of people in my neighborhood, not just attract people who already play Starfinder and know the scenarios and have all the books. This year I introduced a group of people to RPGs, and since we played at a bar we got a lot of attention from people in the neighborhood. That campaign ended and to replace it I want to run Starfinder, and I've had lots of positive interest. Because of how many players I expect to have coming through week after week, I wanted to use the Society framework to track everyone, but it's not very accessible to new or casual players - my target audience - if they have to buy a Core Rulebook and carry their chronicle sheets around.
I thought about just pretending it's a private game, and handling everything that way, but since it'll be in a public place with the ability to walk in off the street and into a seat, I wasn't sure if that was allowed. It's also in a bar, which I wasn't sure if I could do either.
Anyway, how do I make this game happen?
I want to hit the following points:
-Game at this bar because it is a neighborhood gathering place
-Accessible to new players without requiring $50 and a login just to sit down
-Able to keep track of characters across multiple scenarios and groups
-Easy structure (SFS scenarios, as opposed to homebrew or APs)
If I can get these it's a bonus:
-Players can take their characters to other SFS tables
-Develop more regular players to play APs
I feel like I'm rambling, but I'm just not sure if I'm interpreting the rules of Society right or not since I don't know anyone to talk to.
TLDR: I want to run a game at a bar for whoever shows up in order to create a new community of players out of the disparate people I've run into over the last several months of running games in this neighborhood. Is SFS the right tool for this, and if not, what would work?
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-Players can take their characters to other SFS tables
If you want that it comes with a package deal. The only dealbreaker i see here is not applying chronicles. if people are going to go off to other SFS games they absolutely need a chronicle to be able to say they;ve played the game track their loot and stuff.
If you're the only one checking peoples chronicles well if they lose them thats on them, it won't stop them from playing at your table. Just be sure to keep a very good log of the characters play history in case they suddenly want to shoot over to the next town and play. If you dmed for them you can re create the chronicle sheets. (anyone that denies wanting to do this absolutely will be doing that in 3 months and cause you a headache)
Game at this bar because it is a neighborhood gathering place
Is allowed. You can do SFS games as a full on private in your house thing and its legal. I don't THINK being in a bar would affect the regional support program, but that would be the only possible downside i can see to an exclusionary location. I think half of south Carolina meets in a bar
-Accessible to new players without requiring $50 and a login just to sit down
I believe at one point new players should pick up the core rules "eventually". you're fine sitting down as the new guy without buying anything. Eventually pick up the core rules, 10 bucks as a PDF will do and it doesn't need to be your first night.
-Develop more regular players to play APs
I think even one of the heads of PFS said one of the uses for PFS was scouting for home game material..
I've tried to join NWPFS a couple times and haven't been able to join that forum. Everyone I've talked to says that's the first place I should go if I want to run Society, but I can't access it.
Flat rolling surfaces map should let you get in contact with your closest neighbor or two. Just click on the dots.
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Hopefully numbat can get you squared away with NWPFS.org. It's a little wonky how they have it set up in order to prevent spam bots from registering, but since she hangs with the admin I am sure something will get resolved for you.
That said, I have a regular crew playing on the Eastside (normally at Uncles Redmond but at Zulus in Bothell through December)on Sundays. We are right at enough regulars to run 1.5 tables (1 or 2 tables generally), and could use more folks to regularly get 2 tables going.
Anyway I was in your shoes last year trying to get Starfinder Society games going, starting from scratch. Luckily I ran into some other really great folks who wanted to play and we now have a pretty tight crew playing once or twice a week. It takes time though. Shoot me a PM if you want more info or still need help getting things going where you are at.