As someone who played in that PtA game, I can say that I really had a wonderful time at Concrete Cow and plan to go to the March one if I can make it!

I won't be able to make it unfortunately but that is a fantastic name for a con. Kudos.
Cheers
Iain

Sorry, I should have said this in the original message. If anyone is planning to come along and run something, let me know and I'll put it on the website. It'll be advertising for both of us!

And if someone wants to come along an try to sell some books, that'll be great too.

Neil

I'd like to, but it might be a bit far to travel for the day. We shall see what march brings! It'd be cool to have the CE there in some capacity though!

So, any of us going to this? Now, I might be able to fly down on the Saturday morning to Birmingham, get the train to MK and then go back home on Sunday. That's a big 'might', but it's a possibility.

Cheers
Malcolm

Contested Ground Studios

It's half an hour from London: I could do this fairly easily.

Graham

MK is easily doable from Brum. So I shall come along.

-Matt

Realms Publishing

And turns out (on my way back from Conception) that MK is only 2 hours from Notts, so I'm hoping to go along, if only to play in the Basingrad PTA game again!

So, do we want a CE presence beyond running some games?

It's a good question. If yourself and Matt are heading along, then it might be worthwhile formalising our presence there and perhaps having a small table with books and so forth. It seems like a pretty relaxed event where people just go to game, so maybe the full tarde stand malarky would eb totally inappropriate. But if the organisers wouldn't mind, maybe a CE table that's open (for example) in the spaces between game slots, at lunchtime and so forth? That means you guys can go along and enjoy playing and running games without a huge time commitment to being on a stand all day (when it isn't really necessary).

Cheers
Malcolm

Contested Ground Studios

Sounds good to me! Over to Neil and Scott - what do you think about that plan? Would it be something that would work at your con?

While we have had stalls before -- Maddison Games and a bring-and-buy -- the focus of the con is definitely gaming. It's small and informal enough that most of the visitors wouldn't really expect stalls. Running demo games or, better, full sessions would probably be the best promotion.

I know a few people at the club have expressed an interest in Cold City, and there seems to be enough love for horror games that Dead of Night would be an easy sell, so I don't anticipate there being a shortage of potential players.

There will be enough free space and tables to allow you to set up whatever you're happiest with you.

Sounds to me like it might benefit from the 1hour taster games approach (much like the Indie Games Track at Conpulsion).

-Matt

Realms Publishing

Maybe that (1 hour tasters) interspersed with a longer game of each of DoN, Cold City, and Covenant at least (Best freinds and Contenders if there's intrest of course)? I say those 3 specifically because, well, if Matt and Andrew are there it makes sense that they run their games and Scott says Cold City has already generated interest.

Try having a dsiplay set up at the rear of your table in the same way that Andrew did at Conceptions and see if you get any sales off of the back of the games that you run. That sounds like the best approach to me anyway.

I'd be quite tempted to come down actually. Need to investigate flights to Birmingham and so forth, but it could be possible.

Cheers
Malcolm

Contested Ground Studios

I've only been to Concrete Cow once and it was a blast. Things to remember are that this is a very small (~30 delegates) Con and it's all about play. Thre are three slot for games and iirc exactly one trader. There are no people there to hang about and socialise, no passing traffic like at Dragonmeet and only one hour between slots to grab food and get ready for the next game.

As such I think one hour taster games are going to fall completely flat. There's just no time for them. There might be people around for 15 minute demos during breaks and if games finish early, but I really don't see it.

This is another Con which very much focuses on play. Bring games to run and expect to play. Plan what you're running over the three slots, but bear in mind that there were way more games available last time that players to fill them.

I would suggest that since Matt and Andrew are going, they ought to run full slot games of Covenant and DoN. Someone ought to run a game of Cold city. This means one CE game being run in each slot. OTOH, with Andrew, Matt, Scott, James, Geoff, Myself and Claire, I think there are enough players to justify two games per slot. I mean, Andrew running a game for the 6 of us who're already converts isn't all that much help!

So, add Contenders, Best Friends and possibly a playtest session at the end? Or a doubling up of the other games. I'm happy to run/organise Umlaut if there's interest.

Heh, sadly I'm not going, although it sounds like a lot of fun I can't justify another con so soon after Conceptions. Wife and kids make it rather difficult for me to get away that often. I hope all of you have fun though!

~Grumbles~

;o)

Rich,

my thought was to split each slot and run a game in each half. Maximum play of new stuff, but easy enough to duck out into other things if you want to play a particular full slot.

-Matt

Realms Publishing

I agree with Rich that running tasters between slots probably won't work. You may have a few takers for fifteen-minute demos in the gaps, though.

If you want to run tasters, one possibility might be to do three of them, back-to-back, in one of the game slots. I don't know about anyone else, but I'd really be interested in playing something like that.

Good ideas.

Oh, and I'm quite happy to not have Best Friends run. Given the interest shown in Cold City and Covenant, you might even want to run something like Conspiracy of Shadows in between them.

I'd love to play Covenant, especially. Andrew's demo whetted my appetite.

Graham

Heh, I'd better finish that Con scenario then...

-Matt

Realms Publishing

Rich speaks the truth. It's a small event (there's a reason why we call it a 'mini-con'!) with about 30 people. There's not much passing trade, as people are in games most of the time.

15 minute demos would work in the gaps between games (about 1 hour). If you want to do longer demos, I think the idea of putting two or three demos into a single three-hour slot is ideal.

The other thing is that last time, we had a surfeit of games: it seemed that just about everyone who turned up was offering a 6-player game! This means that you may not have a full house for every demo session you do.

I'll put some details of your attendance on the Concrete Cow wiki page.

It's great that you're coming! I'm looking forward to seeing you all there.

Neil.

Cheers Neil, I think that swings it towards:

2 short games in a slot (with some gaps, so we can play!)

15 minute demos in between if folk want 'em!

Generally I optimise my demos for three/four players anyway, it works best for the kind of play.

-Matt

Realms Publishing

Well, thanks to the kindness of Mr M Machell and the good offices of British Midland Airlines, I will be attending Concrete Cow!

So, I think I might just have a go at running Cold City. Not sure why, but I feel it might be the game for me.

Cheers
Malc

Contested Ground Studios

I'm really happy to hear that you'll be joining us, Malcom! I never expected someone to come to our little con from so far away. The least we can do in return is make you our guest of honour.

I'm afraid that the takings from the con won't be enough to pay for your travel, but we can certainly offer you free admission and buy your meals and refreshments.

In a wonderful piece of timing I've just had an email from a club member who's heard some of the buzz about Cold City and A/State and was asking for more information. If he can make it to the con it should be his lucky day!

There just aren't enough conventions in the year...

Not only have I offered to run a Savage Worlds 'Low Life' game again (properly this time)...

And not only do I have 3 of my own 'games-in-development' I want to playtest...

And not only do I want to try each of the CE games on offer...

And run one..

But Dave Blewer e-mailed me this morning to say that he would love to come along and run a demo of the pre-publication 'Sundered Skies' for Savage Worlds!

Can someone put an extra 12 hours in the day please?

Hi Scott,

That's really exceptionally kind of you, thanks. But don't feel you need to, I'm delighted just to be coming along and looking forward to running games and meeting everyone. As long as there is a supply of coffee, I'll be a happy camper!

Cheers
Malcolm

Contested Ground Studios

Thank you to all the CC organisers - I had a really good day yesterday! A very well organised and friendly convention indeed, and I will be back next year!

Thanks also to Scott, Rich, Graham, Matt and Claire for a great fun PTA game - I'll be sure to post an actual play for that at some point, unless Scott beats me to it.

And also to the gamers who played in my DoN game. Sorry I killed you James!

I was glad to sacrifice myself to save Great Britain from nuclear annihilation! And for the Acting Prime Minister!

Ex-acting prime minister, surely?