Free RPG Day

[Harley Stroh]

That's the event in a nutshell, isn't it?

Ah, ok. The website seemed to indicate that there'd be events and prizes for participating and stuff.

A lot depends on the store hosting Free RPG Day. Stores that run games and other cool events tend to do really well. Stores that just hand out the freebies and hope for something cool to happen are often disappointed by the turn out. Publishers can supply the giveaways, but it is up to the store to make the most of Free RPG Day.

//H

[finarvyn]

As an aside, when Joseph sends us to cons we always try to stop by local gaming stores, and we always buy something. I came across a great find when we were travelling back from the D&D experience, an old Warhammer art book that ended up influencing Punjar.

I try to do this as well, even though I'm not sent anywhere by Joseph.

I think that game stores tend not to get a lot of business so when I stop in I try to buy at least one something -- a set of dice or a rulebook or module or something. Many of these stores don't seem to get many customers and I'm afraid that they are all going to be gobbled up by major bookstore chains, and when that happens then pretty much the only stuff you'll be able to buy is 4E. I think that would be sad.

[Roman]

If I might ask ...

I AM going to Games Day after doing a charity walk/run, but if all the copies are gone, will the starter adventure later be available online in PDF format, say through RPGNow? I ask because I intend to run a playtest game with local teens. (I'm the Teen Librarian at our library.)

Thanks, and looking forward to reading and running DCC!

Cook,

See if the store is showing up on the Free RPG Day retail locator: http://www.freerpgday.com/stores.htm

If they are, they'll definitely have copies of the release. Not to game the system, but it wouldn't hurt to chat up your FLGS manager and sales staff so they let you have pick of the pile. (Charisma should never be your dump stat. )

//H

[Sizzaxe]

I live in a small town and our FLGS didn't choose to participate. So I'm travelling about 2 and half hours away to a larger metropolitan area to a store that is participating. I "pre-visited" the store, since they didn't know me. Bought some stuff and then and asked about Free RPG day. Talked up DCC RPG and told them I was stoked to get the free module. They were really excited to hear I was coming from over two hours away and said as long as I got here early enough I could choose one item from whatever they had--first come first serve.

Good enough for me! I didn't expect them reserve me one or anything. Last thing they called to me as I left was "See you on the 18th!" Most FLGSs should be pretty happy to just see the business/traffic.

Oh and I also just bought my dice, two sets. Gamestation.net was easy to work with. Note though that Zocchi sets include 3, 5, 14, 16, and 24 siders. They exclude 7 siders and 30 siders. You have to pick them up separately.

New dice even! I mean new like I've never even rolled babies like these before. I feel like a kid again when I got my first 4, 8, 10s, 12 and 20 set way back in '81.

Three cheers for Goodman Games!! Huzzah! Huzzah!! Huzzaaaaahh!!!

[joela]

If I might ask ...

I AM going to Games Day after doing a charity walk/run, but if all the copies are gone, will the starter adventure later be available online in PDF format, say through RPGNow? I ask because I intend to run a playtest game with local teens. (I'm the Teen Librarian at our library.)

Thanks, and looking forward to reading and running DCC!

Same question except I'll be running DCC RPG beta at a quarterly RPG day at a different store (which does not participate in Free RPG Day).

[goodmangames]

A hearty THANK YOU to everyone who supports their local game stores! You wouldn't believe how many dice I own simply because I always buy something when I'm in a game store. Lately it's been Carcassonne expansions...I've got more than I can play at the moment.

The Free RPG Day product will indeed be available for download and print purchase after Free RPG Day. Probably about a week afterward -- I like give the stores a little bit of time to "bask in the exclusivity;" after all, they did spend money to promote the event.

And finally, sizzaxe -- wow! Awesome story. Thanks for supporting stores that support Free RPG Day. And I'm glad you bought the funky dice. Your "new dice like back when you were kid" is exactly how I feel every time I pick up a d7. I love that feeling!

[joela]

A hearty THANK YOU to everyone who supports their local game stores! You wouldn't believe how many dice I own simply because I always buy something when I'm in a game store. Lately it's been Carcassonne expansions...I've got more than I can play at the moment.

The Free RPG Day product will indeed be available for download and print purchase after Free RPG Day. Probably about a week afterward -- I like give the stores a little bit of time to "bask in the exclusivity;" after all, they did spend money to promote the event.

And finally, sizzaxe -- wow! Awesome story. Thanks for supporting stores that support Free RPG Day. And I'm glad you bought the funky dice. Your "new dice like back when you were kid" is exactly how I feel every time I pick up a d7. I love that feeling!

Coolio. Thanks, Joseph!

[reverenddak]

Wooh, I'm glad they'll be available. I have a feeling they're going to go quick at my FLGS.

[geordie racer]

Rainy Saturday in Newcastle....Just back from my FLGS, spent the ride back on the Metro grinning after poring over the Adventure Starter - great work chaps, there's a lot of cool and nasty ideas in there and the art/maps look great in print.

[meinvt]

Was there any word on whether these would be available in pdf format? I'd love to check it out, but the closest participating retailer is about a two hour drive each way.

[geordie racer]

Was there any word on whether these would be available in pdf format? I'd love to check it out, but the closest participating retailer is about a two hour drive each way.

upthread:

The Free RPG Day product will indeed be available for download and print purchase after Free RPG Day. Probably about a week afterward -- I like give the stores a little bit of time to "bask in the exclusivity;" after all, they did spend money to promote the event.

[talmor]

Well, I just got back from the game store--picked up the DCC RPG module. Initially they were out, so I was about to head over to a different store, but one of the regulars gave me his copy. He had picked it up "just because" (I think they grabbed one of everything). I told him thanks, then proceeded to spend over $200 in the store on other product.

I think they owe that regular a thanks

Also, I wish my local gaming store had some kind of feedback method so I could tell them this. Seems like the game stores that participate in this are doing HUGE business today, and the ones who aren't--well, that's what happens.

[Dreamslinger]

My FLGS didn't paticipate in Free RPG day. I ended up making trek to a game store a little over an hour away.

I'm glad that I did. The store closest to me kind of focuses on TCGs and Wargames. This store has a much bigger RPG section and the used game section was respectable with a lot of used board games.

No one was running any DCC but my 8 year old son sat in on a Pathfinder game where everyone was playing goblins and had a blast.

[blizack]

My FLGS didn't paticipate in Free RPG day. I ended up making trek to a game store a little over an hour away.

Still a little better than what happened to me, where my local shop was listed as participating on the Free RPG Day website, but when I actually went there this afternoon, they happily told me "no, we're not participating". I even mentioned that they were listed as doing so on the site, and the response was a noncommittal "yeah". Probably the last time I will visit this particular shop, which is a shame as it's the only one in town.

[talmor]

I wish there was a Gaming Store "industry magazine" or something similar, so their could be a source of hard numbers that show what happens when a store does things like Free RPG day and events.

My local gaming store (which I probably will go to a lot less now) has lots of room for games, but has a poor selection and does little, if anything, for the hobby as a whole. No "demo" nights, no Free RPG day, no support for cons, nothing like that. Personally, I'd rather support the tiny store that crams as many books and other products it can onto its shelves, but then eagerly participates in the wider world.

[Dreamslinger]

My FLGS didn't paticipate in Free RPG day. I ended up making trek to a game store a little over an hour away.

I'm glad that I did. The store closest to me kind of focuses on TCGs and Wargames. This store has a much bigger RPG section and the used game section was respectable with a lot of used board games.

No one was running any DCC but my 8 year old son sat in on a Pathfinder game where everyone was playing goblins and had a blast.

I'd like to thank the folks from Fanatical Gamers Society for running all of the games at the store we went to.

[arcadayn]

I went to got pick up a copy of the DCC adventure, and they were out half an hour after the store opened.

Is there going to be a pdf of this made available?

[Sentient Bean]

Thanks for the great game and adventure, Mr Goodman!

I ran free rpg day DCC at my hobby shop Good Games in Sydney, Australia.

I ran my regular group of guys through the 0 level funnel game (using a mobile phone app for the dice as the store did not have Zocchi dice in stock).

We had 7 players with 4 characters each. Wow, what an awesome time we all had.

This was the guys first exposure to the game, the rolling up of the characters put smiles on a lot of faces. Some of the guys were familiar with Appendix N and some were not. It was apparent to us all that the game stands on it's own feet, regardless of how stocked one's dodgy pulp fantasy library is. The flavour and setting of the adventure was great. I'd love to see this plot continue in a set of modules.

We had a few farmers and cutpurses and a gravedigger or two. No dwarves at all, but a few elves and one halfling vagrant. I'd like to see more variation in the list if possible.

I photocopied and blew up the map. I cut out the sections and it worked very nicely. I'll be using 3d terrain or battle maps in future. That being said, the map was great.

It was brilliant to see the change in the players after the first part of the adventure. Wow, the 4th edition DnD "charge straight in - who cares about losing a few HP on a trap when I can use a healing surge" went right out the window. By the 3rd room, he guys were using every trick in the book to stay safe. It really added to the tension and suspension of disbelief... and laughs.

The great thing about the funnel process is that it eases you into this type of play whilst still having consequences. It reminded me of the reason we all took to these sorts of games in the first place: Tragedy and triumph (a good name for a rpg, maybe.. haha).

Suffice to say that we had a blast. We're going to pick it up fortnightly so now I need to find a suitable module or write something up. Any ideas re the dryad?

Thanks again Mr Goodman! Can't wait until Nov!

[tovokas]

I had to work on some things this afternoon, so I couldn't attend the free-rpg festivities at the local gamestore (Wandering Havoc Games), but my wife took my son by to purchase his first set of dice... ahh the memories.

Anyhow, they managed to snag the last free copy of the Adventure Starter available. Thanks to all at Goodman Games for providing such a nice freebie!

[Lennon V. C.]

I did four runs of "The Portal Under the Stars" for a FLGS, The Comic Club Inc.
I did my first run as a 1 on 1 with a friend to prepare. He played 16 characters by himself. 6 died.

At the store I did 3 runs of four people each. All the players seemed to like it. My first group, I believe, grabbed up all the free copies of the module after the demo ended. I had the Beta rule book printed and spiral bound so people could flip through it and some people asked how much it cost and where to get it.

Highlights
!!!!!!!!Spoilers Below!!!!!!
Highlight to read.
3/4 groups had a character die at the front door.

Most heroic Moment: A Zero-level Jester's party barricades the door behind him in the scrying room and he is forces him to face Ssisssuraaaaggg alone with only a dart. He lasts 3 rounds of combat by himself without receiving damage while dishing out damage to Ssisssuraaaaggg every round. His party finally grows a conscious on the 4th round and helps him. Technically he should of died in the forth round (Ssisssuraaaaggg hits for 4 dmg) but I used some Judge intervention and lowered it to 1 behind the screen. I rarely fudge rolls behind the screen.

2 Halfling die from Falling damage.

Ssisssuraaaaggg loses 1d4 intelligence

One character breaks both the scrying mirror and the crystal ball mid flavor text.


ADMIN EDIT: Fixed your link.

[Drew]

I'm stuck in South Korea with nary an RPG store in sight. I did, however, meet some gamers down at the PX foodcourt who were playing Marvel Super Heroes RPG of all things. I might be able to find a group to playtest yet. Here's hoping the adventure appears as a PDF sooner rather than later.

[finarvyn]

I went to got pick up a copy of the DCC adventure, and they were out half an hour after the store opened.

Is there going to be a pdf of this made available?

Keep in mind that there were only a few copies of each item at any given store, so being "out" may have meant that five people all grabbed them.

There will be a PDF released in about a week or so. Joseph wanted to give stores an "exclusive" for a while to promote Free RPG Day.

[finarvyn]

Welcome to the boards. You make some excellent points!

It was brilliant to see the change in the players after the first part of the adventure. Wow, the 4th edition DnD "charge straight in - who cares about losing a few HP on a trap when I can use a healing surge" went right out the window. By the 3rd room, he guys were using every trick in the book to stay safe.

It's always interesting to observe players of later editions of D&D to see how they respond to DCC. Overall they seem to love it, but it does take a while for them to readjust their "power curve" for play.

The great thing about the funnel process is that it eases you into this type of play whilst still having consequences.

Agreed. You can mess up a time or so and not be totally out of the adventure.

[arcadayn]

I went to got pick up a copy of the DCC adventure, and they were out half an hour after the store opened.

Is there going to be a pdf of this made available?

Keep in mind that there were only a few copies of each item at any given store, so being "out" may have meant that five people all grabbed them.

There will be a PDF released in about a week or so. Joseph wanted to give stores an "exclusive" for a while to promote Free RPG Day.

Thanks Marv!

[DCCfan]

I did four runs of "The Portal Under the Stars" for a FLGS, The Comic Club Inc.
I did my first run as a 1 on 1 with a friend to prepare. He played 16 characters by himself. 6 died.

At the store I did 3 runs of four people each. All the players seemed to like it. My first group, I believe, grabbed up all the free copies of the module after the demo ended. I had the Beta rule book printed and spiral bound so people could flip through it and some people asked how much it cost and where to get it.

Highlights
!!!!!!!!Spoilers Below!!!!!!
Highlight to read.
3/4 groups had a character die at the front door.

Most heroic Moment: A Zero-level Jester's party barricades the door behind him in the scrying room and he is forces him to face Ssisssuraaaaggg alone with only a dart. He lasts 3 rounds of combat by himself without receiving damage while dishing out damage to Ssisssuraaaaggg every round. His party finally grows a conscious on the 4th round and helps him. Technically he should of died in the forth round (Ssisssuraaaaggg hits for 4 dmg) but I used some Judge intervention and lowered it to 1 behind the screen. I rarely fudge rolls behind the screen.

2 Halfling die from Falling damage.

Ssisssuraaaaggg loses 1d4 intelligence

One character breaks both the scrying mirror and the crystal ball mid flavor text.

I was one of those players in the first group. It's good to hear that more people tried it out. When I left around two you were still trying to get more people to come out of the store and play. Thanks for coming out and running the game. I've been wanting to try it out for awhile now. I expected more character death but had a good time. Thanks again.


ADMIN EDIT: Fixed the link in the quote.