And That Was Worldwide D&D Game Game Day
Topic: RPGs
Yesterday was Worldwide D&D Game Day. Surfing this evening, I've been looking over the blogosphere's thoughts on the various events...
Over at Gleemax, the social networking site under development by WOTC and where I thought I'd find a lot of conversation on the topic, I found exactly one original post on the subject. Mike Lescault shared his thoughts. He "...had a great time checking out the World Wide D&D Game day festivities..." Now, Mike's the the Online Communities Manager for Wizards of the Coast. So, hardly an unbiased opinion - but a good place to start.
Wisdom gleaned during the WWD&DGD is shared over at Scott Oden's blog. Learn from his mistake. Never mix Chili Night and WWD&DGD. As the blogger says, "No good can come of it." Scott's crew ran the Game Day scenario (a day early if I'm reading it right). He details the session where two of his fellow players ran the WOTC pre-gen characters while the remainder rolled up new characters for the module. He describes an exciting and humorous journey through the adventure which succeeded in the event's mission, turning a new player onto gaming. Sounds likes they had a great time.
Loebrich.org reports an exciting run, but it is Bidi's World which documents what I had envisioned WWD&DGD would be - folks sitting down with total strangers for an afternoon of RPGing. Jim, the blogger, observed a few liberties taken with set up yet despite a trend of unfavorable dice rolls, he "had a blast."
Other entries I have read report large crowds and lots of satisfaction with story design. Seems like everybody had a great time with few complaints. So you know I've got some, right?
I didn't have time yesterday to sit in on a game, but I did swing by my local Lone Star Comics to check out what they had cooked up (Disclaimer: I don't like Lone Star Comics - and if you ask me nice I'll tell you why - but they were the only shop participating in the event here in Arlington). Much like Free RPG Day, I'd have never known that WWD&DGD was happening at the store if I hadn't asked.
Entering the store, I saw no signage indicating the event nor did I find any when I walked the shop. It was only when I approached the sales counter that I found a small sign stating that November third is Game Day.
The Central Arlington LSC, which I visited, has a huge game room in the back of the store. When I passed the doorway to that room, I saw a huddle of guys in the back. I asked the clerk at the counter, "Is that your Worldwide DnD Game Day event?"
"Oh yeah," He nods proudly, "They've been going at it for a couple of hours."
I've no doubt the guys playing back there were having a grand old time and I wish that I'd had time to join them, but I think this was another missed opportunity on the part of Buddy Saunders and his crack staff at Lone Star Comics and Science Fiction. From what I gathered on the WOTC website, LSC booked Game Day events for all of its many locations. I can't speak for the other shops, but the Central Arlington seemed to be keeping it a secret. Based on my experience with LSC from Free RPG Day when I visited two of their stores finding the same absence of promotion, this seems to be a trend with the chain.
When you have industry powerhouse WOTC providing such concentrated focus for a segment of your business, why in the world wouldn't you do it up big?
Really, can someone explain that because it just seems ridonkulous if you ask me.
So, how was your Game Day?
Aron Head
www.EvilBastard.net
Posted by Aron Head
at 9:17 PM CDT
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