Gameing in the UK from Dom Twist on 1999-12-19 (Glorantha Digest Vol 07)

From: Dom Twist <thazar_at_globalnet.co.uk>
Date: Sun, 19 Dec 1999 09:35:08 -0000

It does seem that Gaming is dieing the death in the UK. I help (ie throw in comments, ideas from the outside, heckle and generally behave much as I do online) organise a Club in Cornwall. The 'Hardcore' of organisers are late 20's early thirtys types.....but we have plenty of younger members.
I'd guess the average age was 20. Youngest is 14 (and a great roleplayer I'm happy to GM for. Plays a exiled Sword Thane from the GreyDog clan) We did have a bunch of US servicemen as regular players but we recently had something of a revoultion as it was realised that they only wanted to play 'Werewolf' with 20foot high half-bear half alligator things.....and the rest of us wanted to play Call of Cthulhu, RuneQuest, Pendragon, Vampire Dark Ages, Ars Magic, Castle Falkenstein etc etc etc. So we moved venues without telling them, twice. <B-}

But we are rare and I just heard that we're the last club in at least half the County....(think state for US types). Seems to me that White Wolf and Games Workshop have killed the hobby....after trading card games mauled it.

White Wolf were the last great hope.....and although their story telling aims seemed good mostly their games easily devolved into BIG nasty powerfull things eating/killing people.
When I hear descriptions of HeroWars I do get a little worried it might get tied into 'power gaming' but conversly (and with typical perversity) I am also worried it wont be 'sexy' enough to attract the teens Issaries inc will need to fund the large number of source material planned. Systems like Shadowrun and Vampire managed it by having lots of 'cool' stuff and cover art to sell the game. We know the cover art will look good...but will HW pull in the new punters???

Games Workshop have abandoned roleplaying apparantly for Good. A pity. Once apon the time they WERE the UK hobby. They sold me my RQ,CoC, and Traveller stuff.

As a aside a friend of mine is fighting back........if you live in Cornwall a new roleplaying shop opened in Truro this weekend. It stocks all the stuff we know and love. Lots of Wizzards Attic and other game systems and stuff. It will Certainly be stocking HW when it comes out. There is a medium sized game room upstairs and I will be running HW demo sessions once its on sale.
Also the shop owner also happens to own a recreation Iron Age village(et) and we are planning a few Live Actions...some of which will have a Gloranthan Sartarite theme. Tarsh War or Home of the Bold anyone?

[anyone from Issasaries want to pass along details of demo/retailer kits for Hero-wars I'll pass you the owners e-mail,]

The shop opened its doors this Friday ...Key Mews, Truro Cornwall.

DomT