Much thanks also to Edward and all the organizers who have put the effort into finding these alternative locations!

I believe that some people love the service and convenience of snack foods available at Denny's...I think we just need to go back to our gaming roots and remember how to snack when gaming at someone's house: Go buy a couple packs of Mountain Dews and some chips, then order pizza! So here are some notes to hopefully ease your minds:

Sylvan Oaks Library: 7-Eleven right across the street, Rite Aid across the street from the 7-Eleven, Costco and Wal-Mart a couple of blocks up the road. In addition, there is a sink, microwave, and refrigerator/freezer in the community room where we will be playing.

Arcade Library: Taco Bell/Pizza Hut Express a few doors down, Little Ceasar's Pizza right across the street. I don't know about internal amenities, but their website says it includes a "kitchen with stove, microwave, and refrigerator".


Another point of concern is the noise level. I can only speak for the Sylvan Oaks Library, since that's the only one I've been to...but the Community Room is separated from the main Library by a wooden door, a foyer, and a set of automatic doors (like at the entrance to a supermarket). You can't really hear much of anything outside of the Library as long as those doors are closed. From the picture on the Arcade Library website, it appears as though the "Meeting Room" is only separated from the main Library by a heavy, wooden door. Hopefully, that is enough to dampen the noise level coming from our group.

All in all, I believe that a change of venue is necessary for us in order to continue the expansion of our group and the furthering the love of the game!

-Luke

Sylvan Oaks Library would be my vote. Their needs to be more games.

Please keep the comments about library vs. Denny's coming in. Also take a second to vote in the poll regarding the same subject matter.

Edward Assistant Organizer

Although I've not been to the meetup lately, I'd suggest the library and have voted accordingly.

Depending on the resources of various gamers and the library, I'd suggest looking into the possibility of using cubical walls and/or some eggcrate foam to dampen down the sound factor, not only to keep the others in the library happy but also possibly as a way to reduce the between-tables noise. More space is good, but if you end up having to scream to be heard over the background noise of the room, the levels will quickly rise to unacceptable.

My Question to the group is why not both?

If Denny's is such a popular choice for gaming why totally quit gaming there? You can limit the # of reservations to a meetup, can you not? I vote 30 people, but hey whatever.

On the other hand you need a space that can hold large groups, with less noise between tables and more elbow room hence the Library, plus refrigerator and choice of fast food nearby FTW. This place should be good for 60 people.

I suggest you try having two meetups a month or alternate it for a few months and see what happens. If one or both of the groups gets to small which I doubt, you can just can one or the other. The different venues and locations will attract certain people and it should all work out for the best.

My Question to the group is why not both?

I suggest you try having two meetups a month or alternate it for a few months and see what happens. If one or both of the groups gets to small which I doubt, you can just can one or the other. The different venues and locations will attract certain people and it should all work out for the best.

I would agree that holding one every other week would work, but would be a significant increase in the organizational effort. Holding one meetup in 2 different locations at the same time probably would not work too cleanly... people need to know where to go when.

Personally, I'd break it out along RPGA/ non-RPGA lines, but I'm admittedly biased and have the point of view that the meetup is more for people to be introduced to the game (and gaming in general) and to find a group. Failing that, to at least have an entertaining afternoon periodically. I'm not a big fan of scheduled planned games that you need to sign up for in advance at a meetup, to me that's a scheduled game and thus is not friendly to the idea of "newbie turns up and wants to learn of the strange D&D gaming world". But that's me, and is apparently not the prevailing opinion.

The Denny vs. library issue has been on the table for a month and a half now. Thank you everyone for your comments and votes. I will keep this open till the October Meetup. AFter this I will close the polls report to everyone by e-mail and take action.

Please keep the comments coming. I report the results and next plan of action by October 18.

Thank You

Edward
Assistant Organizer

I'm a newcomer both to this group and to the world of RPGs in general (in high school I played those messageboard ones, but not the same thing). I live in Midtown and I don't have a car, probably won't for a long, long while. If there's anyone living in Midtown that would want to carpool I could pitch in for gas money or pay in cookies. If not, then I really don't care where we meet as I'd have to commute about an hour or more each way.

Bump.

The poll results on the site clearly show a desire to move, so what's the story with this? Having attended yesterday's meetup, a few things really jumped out at me about the current location:

First off, the side-room at this Denny's was way smaller than I thought it should be. I have played at other restaurants in this chain before, and this was by far the smallest meeting room I've seen. Secondly, the noise level at times was almost intolerable, and having other tables in such close proximity really killed the game atmosphere for me. Third, I realize that restaurants get busy, but the service kinda sucked. I don't say that lightly, either. If a major feature of gaming at Denny's is the access to chow, then I'd have to mark 'em down on that one.

I haven't seen either of the aforementioned libraries, but as long as A) there's plenty of space / decent acoustics B) noise is not an issue for the other library patons and C) we're allowed to eat in the meeting room, then I'd say we should utilize the library. I imagine the parking will be better, as well...

Thoughts?