Wham-bam player recruitment

NeverCool · 07-19-2006, 07:07 AM

I saw this in action, and I thought it was so incredibly cool that I just had to share it, particularly because a lot of people in here ask how to get more people playing GURPS, or how to find players for their own groups. Please note that it is unlikely to be useful if you're not willing to do the GMing; the way I saw it, it can get players, but not GMs (of course, after a few adventures, one player might be interested in GMing, but that's another ordeal).

The 'incident' occured when I was at one of those semi-trendy cafes with a friend, who is both a real talker and a fellow GM (who always has more games going than I, for reasons that will maybe become clear). We had an overpriced shake and an overpriced coffee, and were sitting around swapping ideas for adventures, worlds and the sort. We got into a minor debate over some detail so insignificant that I have already forgot what it was, and Jonas (my friend) leans back and asks the people at the next 'table' (okay, beanbag chairs and a round log for placing beverages on) for their opinion. Total strangers, but something anyone might do. They answer as best they can, and he asks if they agree, causing a brief debate amongst them. Two minutes later, everything was back to normal.

A coffee and a shake (I like shakes) later, he starts spontaneously chatting with the neighboring 'table', based partly on what they answered, and our two 'tables' 'merge' into one.

Now up till this point, it's all just casual socializing, even if it is a bit 'expansionist'. But the interesting things hapen after this...

Based on the earlier question and some chat about movies, Jonas starts asking "what if" questions to these people. "What if you had to stop a homicidal maniac?" "What if you had to check a crime scene for clues", that kind of stuff. Finally, I realize where he is going, as he asks them "okay, if you were all private investigators...". Basically, he turns the "what if" questions into an improvised game session based on an occult investigation adventure I had myself been a player in once (I did not participate in the cafe, I just watched), complete with "okay, the house looks like this..." and character impersonation. An RPG adventure, just without stats; characters were kinda improvised by saying "okay, you're good at this but bad at that" as events occured. Some of the unwitting players noted it on napkins, some just remembered it.

The thing lasted about 40 minutes. They didn't get through the 'adventure', but when Jonas himself ended it, he invited them to continue "with some stuff I normally use", which I knew to mean GURPS Lite. Three out of five complete strangers became a new gaming group that way.

I don't know how long this 'sudden gaming group' will last, but watching it happen was impressing. If you have a friend like that, or are equally spontaneous, I'd love to hear of any similar experiences. Maybe there is a whole hunting ground out there for the taking :-)

Kyle Aaron · 07-19-2006, 08:53 PM

That's awesome. Jonas is obviously not one of those silly geeks embarassed about his hobby :D

al_kenobi · 07-19-2006, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeverCool

I saw this in action, and I thought it was so incredibly cool that I just had to share it, particularly because a lot of people in here ask how to get more people playing GURPS, or how to find players for their own groups. Please note that it is unlikely to be useful if you're not willing to do the GMing; the way I saw it, it can get players, but not GMs (of course, after a few adventures, one player might be interested in GMing, but that's another ordeal).

*SNIP*

I don't know how long this 'sudden gaming group' will last, but watching it happen was impressing. If you have a friend like that, or are equally spontaneous, I'd love to hear of any similar experiences. Maybe there is a whole hunting ground out there for the taking :-)

That is absolutely amazing!! I wish I could have been there to see it myself!!

BeUrgaust · 07-19-2006, 10:37 PM

OMG!!!!! I've gotta try that sometime, I mean wow! You know I have expanded BS sessions like that before but never thought to twist it to gaming.

NeverCool · 07-20-2006, 08:35 AM

Just talked to him last night. Seems the group is going okay. One ducked out, but two of their friends were curious. Of course, they DO play at a cafe, they DO go real easy on the rules (real minimalistic combat), and they DO include a little alcohol, but still..... Am I a bad person for wanting to strangle this guy and leech his nefarious abilities??

And no, Jonas does not feel geeky (about anything, really). I was actually surprised back in the day when he teamed up with us for GURPSing. Not a jock, not a snob, but definately not the average RPGer either. I should do some psych analysis on him.... Or ask him to teach me (and I shall call him Master)

Mark Skarr · 07-20-2006, 03:34 PM

Closest I've ever come to a situation like that got the cops called on me and my friends. We were talking, over dinner, about the cyberpunk game where they had two bodies chopped up, hiding out in their freezer, and we were trying to figure out what to do with them.

Yep. Not fun trying to explain that to the police. The cops had a huge laugh when they figured out what actually happened. I don't talk about gaming violence in restaurants anymore.

NeverCool · 07-25-2006, 10:21 AM

Been talking to Jonas, about his 'recruiting methods'. He is very amused by the attention; apparently, it is not something he thinks much about. But he agreed to partake in an experiemnt with me. We will see how effectively you can recruit players in different ways, and thus find out how it is possible to go completely Pod People on an area, taking over innocent minds in ways that would make the average doomsday cult drool in envy. I think he is JUST the kind of guy to do this experiment with!

What I want to know is how (and whether!) people would like to be kept up to date on this? I am not going to spam the board with constant reports if people do not want them, so please speak up. Also, if people have ideas for experiments we can use, say so. Oh, and generally, if you have any interest at all in this experiemnt, make a brief post (like "yes, please manipulate the general population for my amusement". We will, you know). This way, I/we will know if what we are planning is actually going to be something people care about...

Poonbahbah · 07-26-2006, 01:46 AM

Yes, please manipulate the general population for my amusement. Hope you gain enjoyment form the experiance too.

jacobmuller · 07-27-2006, 06:40 PM

Can he create self-replicating gaming groups? Create a kind of viral/ exponential spread of RPGing? That would be exquisite and deserving of reward.
I wonder if SJG would contribute to the "War-Chest"? Let's face it, if someone out there is creating new gaming groups, that someone if creating a market for SJG - they pay for advertising don't they...

Go Jonas!

NeverCool · 07-27-2006, 07:23 PM

That's actually a pretty cool concept! It will take some effort, but I'm no longer surprised by what this guy does; when you combine the endless possibilities of good roleplaying with the essence of Cool (yes, I am considering Jonas a 'guru'), only Revolution can result.

We were considering a kind of 'franchise' idea, setting up player groups and making them independent. Your 'viral spread' (RPG bio-warfare? Strategic memetics?) is simply the next great step, I guess.

As for SJG, if they are ready to add some financing to the effort, I KNOW things will run rampant. Both Jonas and I have steady but utterly _boring_ jobs, and I am pretty sure neither of us would mind cutting a year out for this, even if it meant living low for a while (I am in graphics development, and he is in PR (surprise!), both nicely paid).

What do the Mighty Ones say? :grin:

Alternately, a GURPS-compatible but independent RPG could be the foundation of the coming RPG epidemic ("I am become Geek, the seducer of worlds!").

I will turn it over with Jonas tomorrow, before our first real field experiment. I'll post the results here.

-
Hmmm.... a GURPS-compatible RPG tailormade for player recruitment and GM training..... yessssss.... the Force is strong with that one.....

07-19-2006, 07:07 AM	#1
NeverCool Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: In a 10 by 10 stone room...	Wham-bam player recruitment I saw this in action, and I thought it was so incredibly cool that I just had to share it, particularly because a lot of people in here ask how to get more people playing GURPS, or how to find players for their own groups. Please note that it is unlikely to be useful if you're not willing to do the GMing; the way I saw it, it can get players, but not GMs (of course, after a few adventures, one player might be interested in GMing, but that's another ordeal). The 'incident' occured when I was at one of those semi-trendy cafes with a friend, who is both a real talker and a fellow GM (who always has more games going than I, for reasons that will maybe become clear). We had an overpriced shake and an overpriced coffee, and were sitting around swapping ideas for adventures, worlds and the sort. We got into a minor debate over some detail so insignificant that I have already forgot what it was, and Jonas (my friend) leans back and asks the people at the next 'table' (okay, beanbag chairs and a round log for placing beverages on) for their opinion. Total strangers, but something anyone might do. They answer as best they can, and he asks if they agree, causing a brief debate amongst them. Two minutes later, everything was back to normal. A coffee and a shake (I like shakes) later, he starts spontaneously chatting with the neighboring 'table', based partly on what they answered, and our two 'tables' 'merge' into one. Now up till this point, it's all just casual socializing, even if it is a bit 'expansionist'. But the interesting things hapen after this... Based on the earlier question and some chat about movies, Jonas starts asking "what if" questions to these people. "What if you had to stop a homicidal maniac?" "What if you had to check a crime scene for clues", that kind of stuff. Finally, I realize where he is going, as he asks them "okay, if you were all private investigators...". Basically, he turns the "what if" questions into an improvised game session based on an occult investigation adventure I had myself been a player in once (I did not participate in the cafe, I just watched), complete with "okay, the house looks like this..." and character impersonation. An RPG adventure, just without stats; characters were kinda improvised by saying "okay, you're good at this but bad at that" as events occured. Some of the unwitting players noted it on napkins, some just remembered it. The thing lasted about 40 minutes. They didn't get through the 'adventure', but when Jonas himself ended it, he invited them to continue "with some stuff I normally use", which I knew to mean GURPS Lite. Three out of five complete strangers became a new gaming group that way. I don't know how long this 'sudden gaming group' will last, but watching it happen was impressing. If you have a friend like that, or are equally spontaneous, I'd love to hear of any similar experiences. Maybe there is a whole hunting ground out there for the taking :-)

07-19-2006, 08:53 PM	#2
Kyle Aaron MIB Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Melbourne, Australia	Re: Wham-bam player recruitment That's awesome. Jonas is obviously not one of those silly geeks embarassed about his hobby :D __________________ My campaigns past, present & future "Kyle's games aren't remotely thespy... I'd say they're more high-minded hack."

07-19-2006, 10:37 PM	#4
BeUrgaust Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: OKC,OK, USA, Earth Omicron circa early 21st century	Re: Wham-bam player recruitment OMG!!!!! I've gotta try that sometime, I mean wow! You know I have expanded BS sessions like that before but never thought to twist it to gaming. __________________ Death and dice level all distinction. -- Samuel Foote, The Minor

07-20-2006, 08:35 AM	#5
NeverCool Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: In a 10 by 10 stone room...	Re: Wham-bam player recruitment Just talked to him last night. Seems the group is going okay. One ducked out, but two of their friends were curious. Of course, they DO play at a cafe, they DO go real easy on the rules (real minimalistic combat), and they DO include a little alcohol, but still..... Am I a bad person for wanting to strangle this guy and leech his nefarious abilities?? And no, Jonas does not feel geeky (about anything, really). I was actually surprised back in the day when he teamed up with us for GURPSing. Not a jock, not a snob, but definately not the average RPGer either. I should do some psych analysis on him.... Or ask him to teach me (and I shall call him Master)

07-20-2006, 03:34 PM	#6
Mark Skarr Forum Pervert (If you have to ask . . .) Join Date: Feb 2005	Re: Wham-bam player recruitment Closest I've ever come to a situation like that got the cops called on me and my friends. We were talking, over dinner, about the cyberpunk game where they had two bodies chopped up, hiding out in their freezer, and we were trying to figure out what to do with them. Yep. Not fun trying to explain that to the police. The cops had a huge laugh when they figured out what actually happened. I don't talk about gaming violence in restaurants anymore.

07-25-2006, 10:21 AM	#7
NeverCool Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: In a 10 by 10 stone room...	Re: Wham-bam player recruitment Been talking to Jonas, about his 'recruiting methods'. He is very amused by the attention; apparently, it is not something he thinks much about. But he agreed to partake in an experiemnt with me. We will see how effectively you can recruit players in different ways, and thus find out how it is possible to go completely Pod People on an area, taking over innocent minds in ways that would make the average doomsday cult drool in envy. I think he is JUST the kind of guy to do this experiment with! What I want to know is how (and whether!) people would like to be kept up to date on this? I am not going to spam the board with constant reports if people do not want them, so please speak up. Also, if people have ideas for experiments we can use, say so. Oh, and generally, if you have any interest at all in this experiemnt, make a brief post (like "yes, please manipulate the general population for my amusement". We will, you know). This way, I/we will know if what we are planning is actually going to be something people care about...

07-26-2006, 01:46 AM	#8
Poonbahbah Join Date: Jul 2005	Re: Wham-bam player recruitment Yes, please manipulate the general population for my amusement. Hope you gain enjoyment form the experiance too.

07-27-2006, 06:40 PM	#9
jacobmuller Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 54d39m59sN/5d54m48sW (Northern Ireland)	Re: Wham-bam player recruitment Can he create self-replicating gaming groups? Create a kind of viral/ exponential spread of RPGing? That would be exquisite and deserving of reward. I wonder if SJG would contribute to the "War-Chest"? Let's face it, if someone out there is creating new gaming groups, that someone if creating a market for SJG - they pay for advertising don't they... Go Jonas! __________________ ex ignorantia ad sapientum

07-27-2006, 07:23 PM	#10
NeverCool Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: In a 10 by 10 stone room...	Re: Wham-bam player recruitment That's actually a pretty cool concept! It will take some effort, but I'm no longer surprised by what this guy does; when you combine the endless possibilities of good roleplaying with the essence of Cool (yes, I am considering Jonas a 'guru'), only Revolution can result. We were considering a kind of 'franchise' idea, setting up player groups and making them independent. Your 'viral spread' (RPG bio-warfare? Strategic memetics?) is simply the next great step, I guess. As for SJG, if they are ready to add some financing to the effort, I KNOW things will run rampant. Both Jonas and I have steady but utterly _boring_ jobs, and I am pretty sure neither of us would mind cutting a year out for this, even if it meant living low for a while (I am in graphics development, and he is in PR (surprise!), both nicely paid). What do the Mighty Ones say? :grin: Alternately, a GURPS-compatible but independent RPG could be the foundation of the coming RPG epidemic ("I am become Geek, the seducer of worlds!"). I will turn it over with Jonas tomorrow, before our first real field experiment. I'll post the results here. - Hmmm.... a GURPS-compatible RPG tailormade for player recruitment and GM training..... yessssss.... the Force is strong with that one..... Last edited by NeverCool; 07-27-2006 at 07:40 PM.

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