Of all the things I *could* be going to this summer, but can't leave my tiny girl to go do, it's missing the Endgame Oakland anniversary party this coming weekend that I think I regret most of all -- first, because I dig hanging out with Chris Hanrahan, and second, because Endgame founder Aaron Lawn is parting ways after this celebration.
If you're in the Bay Area, you absolutely have to go. If you haven't been to Endgame before, and don't understand why it's the best game store [that I've experienced] in America, read this. I hit their anniversary party a couple years back, and my wife (a non-gamer) happily spent the entire day hanging out in the store.
Hey everyone, a quick departure from the normal updates you see on our site. I thought it would be fun to hold a small Meet-up during Origins…so let’s do this thing!
Where: Jeni’s Ice Creams 714 N High St.
Right on the corner of Lincoln and High, you can’t miss it (look for the American Gothic mural on the side). About a 10-minute walk north — a half-mile or so.
Smack dab in the middle of the Short North.
Chris Ruggiero and Chris Hanrahan will be there to say “hi!” Fred and Brian can’t make it, but team Chris has it covered. All fans of EndGame, That’s How We Roll, and of course 2d6 in a Random Direction should stop by. See ya there!
Tomorrow is Free RPG Day. Those of you in the Bay Area, might want to drop by Endgame to see what they've got -- I've given Endgame permission (and access) to print up some 5-page previews of Don't Lose Your Mind. Since they're printing this on their dime, supplies may be limited, so don't dawdle if you want a peek. :)
Other retailers reading this blog who are interested in doing something similar, drop me a line and let me know. Endgame's been very good about "pilot programming" some ideas like this for us, and we've been pretty happy with the results so far -- on both ends of the relationship.
On Monday, EndGame sold it's One Hundredth copy of Spirit of the Century. As far as my brief research can tell, it is the single most successful Role-Playing title the store has ever had. (That same evening we sold 101.) Our one little store has managed to move 101 copies of a game I really care about and like. I kinda step back from that and it totally gives me the confirmation that what we are doing has made an impact. Sure, we made some money, and so did Evil Hat in the process. But more than anything, our one store had an impact "for the greater good." We got the word out to 101 people, who in turn, will get the word out to a bunch more. There are hundreds of people touched by this small number, and that is what matters. That's what makes this whole thing worth it to me. Hundreds of people (over time) have had the opportunity to share my friends games due to the relationship that has formed between my store and their company. And maybe that's where this whole thing pays off, ya know?
If you are a small or micro (or, heck, large) game publisher and you are looking into how to get into retail stores, chrishanrahan has lobbed this knowledge-bomb at your CPU. Read it before it EXPLODES!
[1hr 8min] In this episode, Fred Hicks sits down with Chris Hanrahan from 2d6 Feet in a Random Direction to talk about their impressions of the GAMA Trade Show, IPR, "the industry", selling RPGs as a retailer, and a ton of other stuff.
No show notes for the moment! In the interests of putting out something super-current, Fred's skipping that part for now. We're podcasting without a net, baby!
That was a triumph, I'm making a note here, huge success
So I kicked off Endgame's demo series with a bang by running Don't Rest Your Head for four players, in a scenario titled "Beware the Tacks Man" in honor of April 15th. Illustration provided by ursulav's latest painting The Taxman. It went really well (although as always, there are things I can do better next time). One player had played DRYH before, the other three had not, and one of those had been wanting to try it for a very long time.
This was my first time running it; I found the mechanics and setting as pleasing as I'd hoped they would be.
Exhaustion talents were Persuasion, Gunfighting, (something I traded the memory of away), Marine. Madness talents were Not being noticed, Preparedness, Raging strength, (something lost to the mists of time).
The four PCs did not pay their taxes in the Mad City, but they did resurrect their dog, save two children (and not sell them for any of the fine things offered for them in the Bizarre Bazaar, although they sold the girl's tears for beer), save the high school buddy of the soldier, and lost a perfect moment entrusted to them unwisely.
In it, he talks about the history of EndGame (in brief), the upcoming Endgame RPG Demo Series (in specific), and how it's going to all get kicked off with a Don't Rest Your Head game run by none other than Carl Rigney (amberley).
I heartily request all within range to bring the noise and the funk, posthaste!
In other news, whether or not you're on a story-games.com vacation like I am, you really have to go over there today and look at the list of categories.
Ryan Macklin posts actual play from his "Bad Man" scenario for Don't Rest Your Head that he ran at the Endgame minicon. If you like DRYH, it is mandatory reading: http://macklinr.livejournal.com/585412.html