[Shaphron]

I'm not sure if general Chat is the right place for this, but I'm sure someone will move it if they deem it wrong.

I went to the Chester and Wirral Business Fair today at New Brighton. While there I met a games designer, who lives and works in Chester. We had a really good chat, and I was wondering if anyone at the club would be interested in having him come along and talk about design and games? He didn't know that there was a Chester Games Group, was really interested when I said I went every week, and seemed interested in coming along and chatting, maybe giving a talk to us.

He's done only board games, most of his boards are so lovingly designed that you can put them up on the wall as art, then take them down to play and put them back (he actually sells them framed, as well as normal). Some of his designs are re-imaginings of old classics, like Nine Men's Morris, and some are his own design completely. They're not hobby board games, but I think it would be fascinating and interesting never-the-less.

Obviously, if he did come and give a talk, we probably wouldn't be able to run RPGs that night, and we'd probably have to give him some money for his time, so I've stuck  a poll at the top so we can see if the majority of people would be in favour of his coming and talking. His website address is: www.adrenalinebrush.co.uk.

Shell

[Kamikazegerbil]

[Teflon Billy]

What he said. Lazy I know, but I thought it was put very well   .

[Liebasket]

I think it sounds like a good idea for a one off sure.  But I don't think there's any need to pay him for his time.  Also, no one would be talking for the entire night, so I'm sure there would be time for gaming, RPGs too.

I've occasionally done talks at universities about video game / level design, and I've never asked for, or wanted any money for it myself.  Doing that sort of thing should be more about passing on knowledge, advice and done so freely.

[Gileh]

I would be very interested in this, but can only get to the club from 9:30pm onwards these days.

[paz]

While I could be tempted into going along to a local event/gallery where he was exhibiting, it's not really something I'd be interested in having at the club, I'm afraid.

[metagaia]

To Echo most of the sentiments here, cutting into club funds really seems a no-no, both because we are not saturated at the current time as it is, and also because it's very much an individual thing.

He is welcome to come down and to bring his games down, but I would not want the atmosphere of a formal 'talk'

[Gileh]

*re-reads*

Pay him? No nonono. If he wants to give a talk then he can do to it to make contacts with the local gaming community. We can't support that expense, and we're not getting much out of it. Perhaps it would be better if he keeps us informed of any exhibitions or talks that he has elsewhere, and we might go as a group to it?

[Shaphron]

So everyone is clear on etiquette, It is standard for clubs who ask someone to come along and talk on their speciality to offer some sort of small , token recompense, about £20. not a lot. But this is not something he asked for - it's something we should consider as *normal*. IF we were to ask him to come and talk to us about designing games, WHY should we expect him to do it for free?!?!? He would be doing us a favour by providing us with knowledge we didn't have.

However, it seems like the majority just aren't interested in it, so no worries. But I am deeply shocked that you all seem to think someone should spend their own time to talk about something that has no intrinsic benefit for them to a group of people for their own interest for absolutely nothing in return. Shocked.

[paz]

[Kamikazegerbil]

[Gileh]

I think that he has every right to ask to be paid for his time, but we can't pay him out of club funds because there isn't enough of them (AFAIK) and not enough people in the club would want it. Therefore the only recompense we can offer is that he can make connections with local gamers. If he wants to let us know when his exhibitions are or if someone wants to organise a group trip then that might be better.

[Shaphron]

You all, except Paz (I agree), mentioned club funds as a reason for not wanting him to come. While you did say, Gerbil, that he had a right to be paid, you also said you were not happy with the idea of it cutting into club funds. So, I was replying to that sentiment. As I said, I have no issue with us saying that we wouldn't be interested enough, and that it would cut into RPG time - that's why I mentioned these things in the original post, so people could make a decision based on exactly what would happen if we said yes, I just can't believe that I got sao many people saying that they didn't want the club to have to pay for someone to come out in his personal time and tell them things for our benefit, and not his. So I expressed my shock that people would think that it was fine to say (hypothetically) that he shouldn't be paid should he come.

As to how much club funds there are, I have £50 here at my house which are club funds, which will now be passed over to Robin next monday as he has been ratified as new treasurer, in addition to whatever is in the box. So Gileh is entirely wrong in saying that there isn't enough for a small token payment should we have said yes. And, Gileh, I don't think making connections with local gamers would actually recompence the guy at all. He doesn't have local exhibitions, altough he does go to national ones, so that option is odd too. Just to clarify, he did not ask for the money, we idly spoke of a possibility of him coming to the club should people prove interested, nothing definite was said, and I brought up the subject of money here, not to him.

As there was only 1 person who replied who did not mention some reticence about money coming from club funds, I feel that my generalisation was not overly inaccurate, and worked as an argument. As I have said, it's clear ppl aren't interested, so I'll tell the guy that while he's welcome to come along and play like everyone else, we don't want a talk (I don't think he will come, but it's polite). But I felt (and feel) strongly about "you all" saying that you didn't want to cut into club funds...

[Kamikazegerbil]

Right okay given your thinking I can understand you all. However to clarify my position I'm still not suggesting he come for free (nor am I under the impression he asked us to pay for him to come) but I honestly feel that this is an individual enough thing that it should be paid for by interested parties chipping in (so those not interested but in a small minority wouldn't feel they we're still footing the bill).

I'd rather club funds go to longer term things like tables, lamps, etc. or part bought games that can be bought regularly than one-off things.

I'm aware that the lack of interest renders this point moot but I thought I'd clarify that I wasn't arguing that he shouldn't be paid for his time, just where that payment should come from.

[Teflon Billy]

Spot on. I love this guy!  


Can we drop this now?

Personally I believe that forums are a very, very bad way to have this type of discussion (IMHO).

If there's anything else to say, we're probably far better off having the conversation RL style.

[Shaphron]

Yeah, I was going to drop it there too. Just thought I'd clarify after that last point (the "you all" bit).

Shame people weren't interested, as I think it would have been fun, but I fully understand the not wanting to interrupt the RPGs and other games bit. I was kinda expecting that to be the answer, TBH, but thought I should mention the possibility in case people were interested.

Shell

PS Forums can be a very bad way of having this kind of discussion, depending on how personally people take them. Myself, I don't think that this will affect my RL interactions at all, as it's sometimes hard to get your point across on a forum without being a bit over-the-top, which I understand (and hope others do too!) Given the participants, I think we're OK for that, but in general I agree.