Free RPG Day 2019, request for opinions

     So, this year's Free RPG Day was a bit of a bust. I had decided not to run a game and enjoy the Father's Day weekend. My flgs unfortunately was unable to get in on it (apparently it was sold out) and therefore I went to a store that was thirty minutes away, which could have been worse. I had been wanting to have this place as a secondary location for running DCC, so when I got there I asked how they handled people running RPG's. By the way, this is Java Game Haus at 11018 Old St Augustine Rd #103, Jacksonville, FL 32257. For running a game, you pay nothing, get a 20% discount, and recieve one dollar per player. To play, you pay five dollars and get a 15% discount. So what I would like to know is, what are your feelings/opinions on this? I'm torn because not everybody I know has a fiver to toss on playing a game. Does this encourage hot dogging GM's trying to outdo themselves and each other, in order to get players? I could come up with different extremes, but you get the point.

     So for the free part of Saturday, they had a table that I rolled on to determine what I got, and I rolled a one. *Hah* I had a choice between the Pathfinder adventure or a Starfinder die. I chose the die, which you see above hiding behind the D30 I purchased. I asked about the DCC quickstart, and was told they were for the people playing in the adventure/demo later. I would have jumped in on that game, but like I mentioned before I had made other plans. So on one hand I was a bit disappointed to not have it in my hands but then if there were people turning up for a DCC game then I should be alright getting players.

     Which brings me back to you guys, please let me know what you all think of this set up. I am seriously on the fence. Thanks for reading and take care!

I've got my coffee

Here we are, just getting started on this Wednesday. The big move meant a purge of all manner of items I did not need, or could replace. The easy stuff was old posters, notes for games long gone(alright, that last one was a little tough at times) and music/movies. Then there was the books and games. Oh some were easy, as in will I ever play or use this for inspiration. Star Frontiers and Gamma World got donated to a nearby libraries game section. Just stop for a moment, a library had a game section, and it is in active use thanks to the dedication of Jason Paul McCartan of Infinibadger Press. That made it easier to part with those, knowing they would be used by the next generation of gamers. Hmm, I may need to interview Mr McCartan in the near future. Actually, I have started to forget what the rest was, it seemed so long ago. 

So, on to Jacksonville! Apparently known to be a Pathfinder town, which I have nothing against it just puts it in the category of games I would rather play than run. Also, I am not in the market to purchase a new game book, as hard to believe as that sounds. There is a Savage Worlds group here, which gives me hope that I may not be required to do all of the heavy lifting. I might be able to convince folks to try Call of Cthulhu, Cryptworld, Dungeon Crawl Classics, and various retroclones.

  

My little art studio/closet has most of my game library, and below is my bedside bookcase where I have put my Savage Worlds and Goblinoid Games stuff.

Anyone here, or around Jacksonville just let me know. It would be cool if anyone reading this was local to me. Take care and great gaming

Ravenstone Games

Mike Williamson, owner

     Ravenstone Games! My friendly local game store. I have some lovely memories here and felt I should share this place with you all. When I travel, I like to visit game stores local to where I am going. I felt I should cover my local store. Ravenstone has been  a Columbus, Ohio fixture founded by Joe Turner in 1996, starting out in Westerville and eventually moving to it's current location at 1675 Karl Ct. Columbus, Ohio 43229. It later years it gained new owners, but today it is run by Mike Williamson.

     The Pathfinder Society has an active presence, with games happening on Thursday and Saturday and Dungeons and Dragons 4E Mondays and Tuesdays. Apparently someone is running a Dragon Storm game Fridays, which is awesome to see one of the original collectible card/role playing games getting some love. Heroclix games are Thursdays and Star Trek Attack Wing is one Wednesday a month (just started recently). The second Saturday of the month has COGA running miniatures games starting at 10am. Of course they do the Magic pre-releases and will soon be getting into the Friday Night Magic scene.

     The website is not quite up to date, and there is a you tube video if you are so inclined. If you are looking for the latest and they do not have it, he can most likely order it for you.Next time you're in Columbus, get it a look. Take care guys!

DnD Next, eh?

     So on Monday, Wizards announced the are working on the next version of Dungeons and Dragons, and that they will be looking to their fans for some guidance. A move some people see as a misstep, but it worked well for Pathfinder, which most DnD detractors seem to love, so I feel a bit of hypocrisy at work here.  So Wizards would like to create a game that all DnD fans can get behind, which I feel is admirable and may amount to be a herculean task. I hope they pull it off, as I am tired of splintered fan base, and would enjoy playing the game as opposed to feeling I need to defend it.

     I hope they do not go back to vancian magic, as it makes the spell casters essentially one hit wonders. On the subject of modularity that they hope to bring to the game, I wonder if it will be like what Savage Worlds Deluxe brought to that game. In that rule set they give you different ways to deal with damage, for example, there is the traditional and then there is gritty damage which is as it sounds, basically you want to avoid needless combat in that case. Maybe skill lists can be modular, begin the campaign with the question "Are we going to need the full set or just the basic?".

     Of course all of this is pure speculation as nothing specific has been announced from Wizards, just their intentions. I am looking forward to what they have up their sleeves and I pray they are able to bring these seemingly disparate groups under one game. Good luck WotC!! Also, please let me know what you all think, leave me a comment.