Large-scale RPG club - Buidling a healthy club

[Alan]

Hi all,

Irmo's quotes from the German RPG club organizers set me thinking.  They hinted that they thought their club had peaked and was now stagnating.  Whle this may only be one point of view, I think it's a valid concern for any group that wants to have a long life, excite members, and attract new ones.

Many of us believe that system matters when it comes to game design.  I suggest that it also matters when it comes to club design.  If we build a club, what systems can/should we build in to ensure it's future?  Ideally, of course, such systems would be simple and elegant, without large demands on individual organizers.

But I'd like to gather information and techniques first.

- What existing clubs - in any hobby, not just games - have had longevity and dynamic internal activity?  

- What vision or mission do they follow?

- How do they ensure continuity of vision after the foundes move on?

- How do they ensure openness to change and creativity?

- How do they prevent cliquism and tyranny?

- How do they encourage member participation?

[Le Joueur]

Stagnation occurs when creative 'juices' stop flowing.  'Creative types' are great at starting these things, often without a good 'view' of how the 'day to day' operations should go.  They deliver the passion and dedication (until it becomes repetative).

On the other hand, there is another type.  The people who 'keep at it.'  These are the people who put their shoulders to the wheel and make things keep running.  No matter what.

Instead of using a governmental or business model for such a club I'd suggest getting these two types together.  Have the 'creative types' make it, start it, and build it; have the 'keep at it' types 'take the ball and run.'  If you make the creative types deal with the 'day to day' stuff, it will slowly stifle their creativity; if you try to get the 'keep at it' types start it, all you get is another club just like 50 others with no 'creative juices.'

Something like a 'creative committee' to generate and 'spice' things who employ an 'organization' who maintain and support the club.  There has to be some currency to keep the 'creative types' from starting too many or too few 'new initiatives.'  'Creators' vote each other in and out based on unity of vision; 'organizers' hire and fire each other based on commitment and performance.  The 'organizers' hold the purse strings, usually.

Me?  I'm a lot of talk; I belong on the 'creative types' side (I do "maintain and support" for a living and only when paid).

We ran into this exact problem when setting up our second LARP; we had too few 'keep at it' types.

Does that help?

Fang Langford

[Mike Holmes]

IME, there are no "keep at it" types.

The people who keep at something are the ones who are rewarded for it. Anybody will give you free advice (the "creative" type). What you need to have to make it all run well is some sort of payoff. As soon as an organizer of such a club sees other members doing nothing and playing more than he is, that's it for that organizer.

There are some obvious, and inobvious ways around this problem. One obvious way, but possibly not practical is to pay people. Expensive, but usually effective. I'll quit my job today if you can promise me that I'd be paid full time to organize RPG play.

There are other, more creative possibilities, however. Some sort of distributed process. Perhaps a member can't benefit until they've done something for the club? Probably cut down on membership, tho.

Just trying to brainstorm. What other rewards could being an organizer have? Other than the obvious joy of seeing all the nifty play?

Mike

[Irmo]

IME, there are no "keep at it" types.

The people who keep at something are the ones who are rewarded for it. Anybody will give you free advice (the "creative" type). What you need to have to make it all run well is some sort of payoff. As soon as an organizer of such a club sees other members doing nothing and playing more than he is, that's it for that organizer.

I'm not sure. I have to accept your judgement about your fellow countrymen, but I'd personally tend to think that there are idealists out there who, given a cause they deem worthy, will put a lot of energy into making it succeed. Of course, you don't find them in a sixpack at Wal Mart. But I think given how many people accept pretty mediocre payment to be in the gaming business as a writer, there should be people for whom "being a part of it" is all the reward they need. Although, of course, they'll appreciate if people don't make their task unnecessarily hard.