So its 'Read an RPG Book in Public Week' where, as I understand it, you read an RPG book in a public place. Hmmm...
Ok, putting aside the fact that I do this all the time, I live in New York City and very often people try not to look too hard or closely at each other. How can I really spread the word and exalt the benefits of table top gaming?
Here's some ideas...
Discuss an RPG in Public
This I also do all the time, normally on the train ride home from my games or while I'm in a place like a comic book store, anime store or bookstore. Maybe generate some cross genre interest eh? For example, when your in a comic shop, talk about Champions or Mutants & Masterminds.
Where Game Logo T-Shirts to the Game
I usually where a t-shirt to my game sessions appropriate to the genre. For Star Trek I have one or two Trek 'T's, a D&D shirt for Fantasy and an superhero t-shirt to a supers game (luckily I also have all the Mutants & Masterminds shirts - red, green and blue!). Its awesome to see people who normally wouldn't look at you twice try to read a particularly cool gamer 'T'.
Play an RPG in Public
Either at the park, a open or indoor public space or in transit to your designated gaming destination ( on the train or bus for example). Try to focus on the parts of the game that don't involve die rolling if you do happen to play in a moving vehicle. Take my advice, you'll be glad you did.
Lastly...don't just read a game book in public this week, do it all the time. Be friendly and polite, answer questions and try to look presentable, even when wearing a crazy gamer geek t-shirt. Represent out there. Game companies have horrible advertisting and PR departments so they're best public face is us.
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Barking Alien
I'm going to come across as a jerk here, but I did see two different dudes reading rpgs books in public (both 4e PHB) recently and they were more like stereotype ambassadors with the whole Kevin Smith trench coats and fishing hats thing.
ReplyDeleteSometimes stereotypes develop because, well, that is what a good portion of our hobby looks like. I don't care how you dress as long as you can spread the word intelligently.
ReplyDeleteSomewhere out there are ten guys dressed like that who don't even game. What a waste.
Back around '96 or thereabouts, one evening I noticed a group who had settled in on the mezzanine section of the Barnes & Noble where I was working. After listening to them & the crowd around them for a while, I went over to see what they were doing. It turned out they were playing a RPG, no with pencil & paper, but with CARDS. If it hadn't been for the fact I was fired soon after, Magic would have owned me, body & soul:-)
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