Finding other gamers

james816

I've recently graduated from college and moved to a new city to work as a teacher. I have a few friends in the area, but none are gamers. Going out to bars and movies is fun, but I really miss having a group of people to game with. I got home today from PAX East, which was a total blast, and I feel like I should make an attempt to meet some local gamers to keep my life from encroaching boredom. Any ideas on where to start?

Edit: I should mention that local game stores are out of the question, since the only one in the city is always empty. It's a miracle it manages to stay in business.

Sipex

Obligatory: meetup.com

L Ron Howard

The/A local hobby store that has such things as meetings and tournaments and the like, would be the first place I'd go.

james816

Bleh, the closest groups that look remotely promising are 60+ miles away. It's a good 30+ miles to the nearest comic/hobby shop as well. Maybe I need to just move to a bigger city.

Edit: Starting a group on meetup.com, here's hoping something productive comes of it!

Double edit: $12+/month really? Maybe I'll just try craigslist.

Sipex

It costs money to use it? Jesus.

Everyone always recommends it in this situation, I've never had to use it myself. Sorry about that, I placed too much faith in the PA crowd.

james816

It only costs money if you're starting a group. Honestly, I'm ready to take my things and move to a bigger city. Boredom is beginning to win the fight for my soul.

Kyougu

Yeah the whole costing to make groups in meetup sucks. I wanted to make a group for wrestling fans to get together and watch PPV's (something I miss doing with friends back home) but the cost kept me from doing it.

You can try local video stores. I used to manage one and we ran pretty good size gaming tournaments all the time.

A Bear

If you don't mind me asking, where in NC are you located? I know of some sort of promising chances in both the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area, and a little in Winston-Salem, but I have to infer that you are somewhere out east or something if you're 30+ miles from most civilization. If you are, then good luck, cause there ain't much out there

james816

Actually, I am in Winston-Salem. Unfortunately moved here FROM Chapel Hill, what a mistake that was. You have any ideas in particular?

Esh

If you really want it, isn't $12 a month a drop in the bucket? Consider it the cost of having fun. We routinely drop more than for 2 hours of a movie or a couple drinks in a bar. I don't see the big issue.

Page-

Are you into any competitive games?

All the big ones have dedicated forums which include area specific threads and groups. If that's your thing at all then it's quite likely you'll find like minded people, and competitive gamers play other games and do other things, often as a group.

james816

Well, it's $19 for one month, $12 per month if you pay for 6 months at one time ($72). I think it makes more sense to first explore alternatives before buying into something that may or may not produce results. I definitely hear you and see your point, but spending money is plan B.

Also, I do enjoy playing SF4 and L4D competitively, but that's not really what I'm looking for. I'd really like to find people who still enjoy old school console games.

admanb

james816 wrote: »

Well, it's $19 for one month, $12 per month if you pay for 6 months at one time ($72). I think it makes more sense to first explore alternatives before buying into something that may or may not produce results. I definitely hear you and see your point, but spending money is plan B.

Can't blame you for that. I think Esh just had the same gut reaction that I did of, "Why would you complain about a highly-praised website trying to make money?"

Judge-Z

james816 wrote: »

Bleh, the closest groups that look remotely promising are 60+ miles away. It's a good 30+ miles to the nearest comic/hobby shop as well. Maybe I need to just move to a bigger city.

Edit: Starting a group on meetup.com, here's hoping something productive comes of it!

Double edit: $12+/month really? Maybe I'll just try craigslist.

How long is the drive to the hobby shop? If it's the only one around, there may be people from your area who shop there, despite the drive. What type of gaming are you wanting to do? If tabletop, Games Workshop and Wizards of the Coast, along with many smaller publishers have store locators - you'll often find some stores you never new existed. It's how I found a local place for Warhammer books. If it's board gaming you want, try a site like board game geek and start a thread in their forums.

I feel your pain. I moved to a new city to be with my wife, near her family and teach, and all my gamer friends are still near my alma mater - but I still make the hour+ drive once a month to game with them, even though closer options surely exist. Unless the 30 miles to the hobby store is through some of the worst traffic in America, it may be worth a shot.

EDIT: There's a place called Top Deck Games in a place called Kernersville, about 15 miles from downtown W-S. That the place you found? No website that I can find.

Facebook group for your area for D&D play. Whopping 5 members, but they might be able to point you in the right direction. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2245024525

I'll stop now, as I'm not sure what games you're interested in.

james816

Sometimes it slips my mind that "gaming" includes tabletop games and the like, but primarily I'm looking to play console games. I'm also into Arkham Horror, but I don't have much experience with other board games or tabletop games. I may still check out the hobby shop you mentioned to see what kind of luck I have there.

Quid

People do post on Craigslist for table top gaming. You could give it a try for this.