Conventions and Events - Glasgow Indie Gamers meet-up (30 Aug 10)

Posted by: Gregor Hutton On: Sep 1st 2010

Last night Malc, Joe and I went along to the Glasgow Indie Gamers monthly meet in the West End of Glasgow. It was awesome.

There were a lot of people there, they were all very knowledgeable and interested in Indie Games, and everyone was very open to looking through books, talking about games and, importantly, actually playing games.

I ran a game of 3:16 Carnage Amongst The Stars and then played in a Hell For Leather (which Malcolm has put an AP up for already). There were also games of Hell 4 Leather going on and a playtest for Sunshine.

I was hoping to get a game of Mars Colony in but there were so many players that we did a game of Hell For Leather instead. Hopefully I will get another game of MC in soon. (I'd also brought along Breaking The Ice in case we had a lower number of people and we might want games that are good with twos.)

If you are in the Glasgow area you should join the FaceBook group or watch out for it. I'll be back.

It was a really positive and heartfelt meet-up. After my excellent GenCon experience it's really re-inforced my love for the hobby and the people involved in it.

Posted by: Malcolm Craig On: Sep 1st 2010

The meetup certainly represented all that was good in gaming. I'm very grateful to those who gave up their time to take part in my Sunshine playtest. It's immensely gratifying when a bunch of complete strangers (apart from Alex, who I knew already) jump into things like that with enthusiasm and a desire to help.

Right from the start of the evening, people were talking about games, asking about new stuff, and generally engaging with other and with the games. The Hell for Leather target sheet generated interest straight away, even to the extent of an impromptu demonstration of the tower (and a collapse)!

A great time and an event that I'll be certainly making the trip from the Far East for again.

Cheers
Malcolm

Posted by: Andrew Kenrick On: Sep 1st 2010 edited

How did you guys go about organising/finding such an exciting group of players? I had thought of doing similar in Nottingham, until my own group started playing indie games!

Posted by: Malcolm Craig On: Sep 1st 2010

Andrew Kenrick:How did you guys go about organising/finding such an exciting group of players? I had thought of doing similar in Nottingham, until my own group started playing indie games!

I think that Keith, the main organiser for the group, would be best positioned to answer that question. I'll sned him an email and see if he has time to come and give us his thoughts on how the set up and maintain such an event.

Cheers
Malcolm

Posted by: Neil Gow On: Sep 1st 2010

I have to admit my first reaction was official jealousy. I'd be very interested in reading about how this came about.

Posted by: Gregor Hutton On: Sep 1st 2010

Oh, there were over 20 people there and a pretty good selection of Indie Games already there when we arrived (including things like Dresden Files, Swashbucklers of the 7 Skies and Alpha-Omega). The Hillhead Bookclub was an interesting space too, but hopefully Keith can explain how venue and so on came about.

I missed the first meet-up last month as I was in the US.

Posted by: Keith Fyans On: Sep 1st 2010

Hi folks - now where to begin...

I had been in a bit of a gaming drought due to several things happening at once. My partner and I moved into a flat ourselves, and so no more gaming flatmates. Three friends I regularly gamed with moved out of Glasgow (some foreseen, some unforeseen), while another got a new job with shifts when we played. My regular games club had folded due to being screwed over by the Strathy Union Exec. I went along with some other peeps to GUGS but the atmosphere wasn't best for the gaming we wanted to do (ie: not Magic or D&D). At the same time my work became exceptionally busy. In spite of this I was still picking up games, I just wasn't playing them.

Then I finally managed to pick up a copy of Sweet Agatha. I played it with a friend. Then next week played it again. Then we were reading 3:16. Then we were making characters for Solipsist. I wanted more.

I know there are a whole heap of clubs and groups in Glasgow with a whole load of people interested in small-press games, often really keen to try them out but unable to find anyone else to hook up with. I phoned a couple of peeps and after passing the idea past them I created a facebook group, invited everyone I knew who liked RPG's and set a date for a meet-up.

I chose the last Monday of the month because it is a time when pubs are quiet and happy for custom. Hillhead Bookclub was a new pub (wanting customers), near my house and is also close for the majority of early members (we are lazy), is good for transport links (for those who ain't lazy), and had a funky steam-punk-esque aesthetic. I also didn't want to compete with any of the clubs in Glasgow, the idea was to feed into setting up gaming groups and promoting other clubs so we didn't promote it as a gaming club, more an interest group.

I expected the first meet-up to have 6-12 folks. I think it had 22. The second meet-up had ~25 folks over the whole night. Several of our early members are moving to Dundee this month (and plan to start their Dundee Indie Gamers soon after), and we are on the brink of doing a video podcast under the banner "Scottish Indie Gamers".

I'm hoping that GIG ends up as an autonomous group that is able to carry on with folks stepping up with ideas and help as and when required. SIG will be a little more managed, having a podcast and a website with info on all independent shops, companies, writers, sculptors, artists, groups, clubs and the such put in one place.

At the end of the day if it all goes down the pan I'm happy to have got some gaming off the back of it and that other folks have done the same.

Posted by: Joe Prince On: Sep 3rd 2010

Thanks Keith, that's some great info.

Looking forward to the next one - any thoughts on the hot topic yet?

Posted by: Gregor Hutton On: Sep 3rd 2010

Oh, having met up with Pooka this week I offered him a lift to the next one if he's available. I hope that he's able to make it. He'd be great company for the ride through and back, and to game with generally.

Posted by: Keith Fyans On: Sep 3rd 2010

Hi folks, I'm currently playing "the venue game", where I try find a venue where we have a bit more space to ourselves while not loosing too many peeps during the change... I've been told the Drum & Monkey in town is good, but not so hot if you drive; Lauries is a little more out the way, but easy to navigate to as it is beside Glasgow's two main games shops, is a short walk from Central Station & near a carpark; finally the Solid Rock Cafe is actually next door to the station, but has the same parking difficulties for being further in.

I'm taking opinions on these choices before I approach any one venue, but I should know by the end of the weekend and have a post about an event then. I'm looking at the two discussions that have cropped up on the GiG discussions so far for topic: 'How do you run a one-shot?' & 'Gaming Gimmicks and Techniques' come to mind. Also the idea of Genre Emulation has been bobbing about in my mind.

Anyone here hosted/been to any good panel-discussions recently and found a topic we could rip off use?

Posted by: Shaheen On: Jan 31st 2011

Potential topics:

Player-oriented vs. Story-driven plot
How to start up a gaming group
A "How-To" apply gaming skills to a CV (I used to hide the fact that I was a gamer and had no hobbies section on mine)
Gaming vs. Computer Gaming

Hope these give some food for thought

- Shazz