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Post by shaneymania on May 17, 2017 8:58:51 GMT -5
So, how do we feel about moving from this message board to using Facebook for our group conversations and event planning?
Pros/Cons - discuss!
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captainecho
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Post by captainecho on May 17, 2017 12:25:17 GMT -5
When I first joined up with you guys for our regular gaming adventures, I was completely inexperienced in the hobby as well as the forums people used to communicate. Joining this board was a bit of a barrier to entry. It was not super intuitive or user friendly. And in the 6 years since they haven't really updated this as a forum. If I were coming into the hobby new today, and I joined this forum, I don't know I would have wound up being committed to this hobby as I am now. Our numbers have dwindled. And while this was a hotbed of painting pictures, ideas for campaigns and tournaments, and new player questions 3 years ago, I don't think it fits that description now. Kevin did his best to keep a lot of events going, but we're lucky to get 8 people to a tourney now, and it involved almost full participation from our active members. Without a regular and lively membership, these forums seem very empty. We can go for a week without new posts. Many things are to blame for it, jobs, moving, kids, changing interests. I think this forum has run its course as a useful tool. I don't mean this as a controversial or mean spirited statement, but I think its true.
I think the facebook group is easier to use, gives us broader exposure, and more easily created events pages, etc. I also think we should have a regular meeting on Fridays or some other day, at Gamers Gambit to just get together, paint, and shoot this bull. New potential players rarely walk by or drive by Hobbytown, but Gamers Gambit? you'd have a ton of new people stopping in. A lively community playing guildball, 40k, and Warmachine. And while I was never big into those games, having a variety of players into a variety of system can create a self sustaining feedback loop of participation, new experiences and friends.
We've had some of these conversations in person on and off for the past few months, but I wanted to put it out there on here because this seemed as good a forum/thread as any to make that statement known.
I will, for the summer months in June, and moving forward, be making an effort to show up and paint, or play games at Gambit on Friday nights. Let me know what you guys think?
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captainecho
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Post by captainecho on May 17, 2017 12:30:29 GMT -5
Checking stats, only 24 members have been online this YEAR. since January. ABout 12 have been on here within the past month.
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Sam
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Post by Sam on May 17, 2017 18:05:27 GMT -5
What is the goal? Trying to expand the club? You are going to have to expand the games outside of the niche. I think you guys have been playing a variety lately w bolt action, FOW, armada, xwing. But ya hobbytown hasn't been getting the traffic for gamers. You will see more traffic at gamers gambit but don't forget a lot of it are younger magic players. That's good and bad. Good thing is dedicated magic players have disposable income to get into miniature gaming. Bad thing is it's still mostly card gamers. Card games are still the bread and butter of game stores. However if people are playing awesome painted armies on cool looking playing boards that is what gets people to buy into a game. Regarding Facebook I say go for it. Its hard to find this message board likely costs someone to run it and Facebook now is easier to search for specific groups. When I joined 3-4 years ago I searched for places selling warhammer 40k. I hit up cave comics who still sell some but cut down on gaming space. I hit up hobbytown and got refereed to you guys and that was the only stores at the time in driving distance. Facebook however makes this easier by allowing me to search for say "warhammer 40k gaming club near Danbury". Making finding you guys easier. The only problem is the Facebook page needs content or it will look dead.
So the abridged version Facebook is better for a game club but it's asking someone to do the work on updating a new page. Gamers gambit has new younger players wishing to throw money on overpriced hobby games and is a dedicated game store but hobbytown is awesome. If you want to spend time at gamers gambit meet on one of thier dedicated miniature nights like Thursday. Paint there and converse with the kids. You may even get some unplanned random game time in.
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Post by shaneymania on May 17, 2017 20:54:26 GMT -5
Wow, a lot of points to discuss, and all of them valid.
Let's make one thing clear. I am NOT in favor of packing up the wagons and heading off to Gambitville. I'm fine with trying to play there on Friday's nights, or "after hours" if people are available, but Hobby Town is our home, and I like playing there.
The goal, in my opinion at least, is to attract fresh blood to the group, perhaps selfishly in my case, to make more friends who share the same interests as me. That's it.
Tom makes some very good points - we are struggling to get a handful of people together to get a small tournament. It's nobody's fault, it's simply a case of various life circumstances making things tricky, and that's ok.
Specifically with the forum/Facebook conversation, I will ask - when was the last time you signed up for a new forum? I have no doubt that when it was built, long before I was a club member, it was the best tool for the job. But times have changed, and technology has moved on, along with society - signing up for a new forum with a group of strangers, is just too much of a barrier of entry, especially for younger people.
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captainecho
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Post by captainecho on May 17, 2017 21:05:25 GMT -5
I forgot about "friday night magic" meaning it would be tough to grab a table. I'll head over there to check this weekend.
To answer Sam, my goal is to attract more players. And I know the card crowd may not all be fertile ground, but I think the big appeal of these games is seeing them played, chilling at gambit now and then seems a good way to facilitate that for sure.
I love Craig and robin and want to continue have a events at Hobby Town. But shane is right we need to diversify
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Randy
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Post by Randy on May 18, 2017 11:23:32 GMT -5
I'm not much of a facebook user but that is the way to go. These forums are kind of dead and to get new people to sign up and participate will be tough. So my vote is for facebook.
As for Gamers Gambit, the bulk head of people playing there are magic players. But there are plenty of others who play tabletops and board games. Gamers Gambit is the best place to find new blood so to speak. Vince and I have been playing there on friday nights every so often. Burrows and Badgers, also AWI tabletop. People keep stopping by and asking about the games so eventually you will get new players just by showing up and playing. It does get crowded friday night but the staff are accommodating and will offer to set up a new table if we need it.
I don't want to abandon hobbytown and that is still the place to play FoW, Team Yankee and so on, but it would be good to explore GG once in a while and see if we can draw in new players.
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Sam
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Post by Sam on May 18, 2017 18:44:57 GMT -5
Ya I would continue going to hobbytown sat and sun and do the normal thing. Gamers gambit gets crowded and has thier tournaments those days (and again mostly card games). Thurs I believe is miniature game night. But there is a lot of stuff like heroclix and xwing played there and a dedicated DnD night. However to show you guys how Facebook works hit gamers gambit Facebook site up and go to groups and click the game you are interested in playing and see when the group meets. m.facebook.com/pg/gamersgambitct/groups/?ref=page_internal&mt_nav=1
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Southerncap
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Post by Southerncap on Jun 14, 2017 19:30:18 GMT -5
I'm fully in on splitting time between GG and HT, and I'm definitely all-in on moving to Facebook for coordination. It's just easier to communicate and discuss in real time, add photos, etc. I realize I'm the new guy, and don't have the context of the "way things used to be." Just my two cents.
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