Scheduling:

This thread is intended to recruit attendees, and set a date for a gathering of gamesmiths (Forge Members) in the Northern Virginia area.  i think the first step is to identify the date when the most people are able to attend.  i propose the weekend of the 26th.  That allows those who went to GenCon to decompress and plenty of time to plan.

Respond with a day of that weekend you would prefer: Friday (Sci-Fi Night), Saturday (party night (or gaming night for many of us)), or Sunday (a “school night”).

Purpose:

We could meet and play some RPGs and socialize, and that would be great.  However comma i'd like to try something different.  We could bring our individual projects and offer each other help.  Or more ambitious yet, start a project with the attendees as the development team.  Then meet again the next month to improve it.  We would still work in some “playtime” as we test our product and socialize as we work. 

Respond with what you would rather do, play existing games or develop new games.

Far Vision:

Imagine if each region had a team, a Smithy (as i like to call it), meeting in person to assist each other and create new games together.  Over time these Smithies could produce great amounts of great games while enhancing the lives of their creators.  Further more, if these teams create under a Creative Commons or other open license, they can build off of each other’s work.  If the Boston Smithy releases a brilliant mechanic, the Kalamazoo Smithy can build a setting for it.  While we can do this via forums, wikis, email and chat, there is no substitute for a handshake and eye to eye contact.  “LoL” in a forum post can’t compare to sharing a belly laugh with friends.  Such matters are best detailed in other threads and once people show an interest.

We'll worry about location when we have a sense for how many people will attend and where they live.

Well, here's the thing:  Putting mechanics out for critique is a pretty scary notion.  Now I have adjusted myself to doing that with one of two possible buffers:  (1) The people involved are friends or (2) It's over the impersonal, lower-risk medium of the internet.

So I want to be the first to stand up and say "Hey, I'm not sure I'm all that comfortable with the notion of dumping my unformed game-thoughts onto a bunch of (at the time) strangers, face to face."

I'd be awful keen to get together and play some games, though.

We can discuss the merits/flaws of meatspace development in another thread.  i don't want to get another lecture on "topicality" from Ron or Clinton!  Where should i start that thread? It is a discussion worth having.  There is a LOT more to this idea than i wanted to express in the paragraph above.

What is your vote on the date?

[font=Verdana]The Score:

Date:
Friday -
Saturday -
Sunday - 1 (Apeiron)

Purpose:
ApartmentCon - 1 (TonyLB)
Smithy - 1 (Apeiron)[/font]

I'm up for anything on a Saturday or Sunday. Friday is too tough for me from the Baltimore area -- rush hour bites.

I prefer an ApartmentCon. It's all about the Actual Play, anyway. If spontaneously we break out into discussion of mechanics, as game designers are wont to do, I'll happily partake, but I prefer to gather, socialize, and get my game on.

Tony and Adam, could you do some recruiting, especially amoung those who attended the previous events?

In a few days we'll have a clear idea of what the day and purpose will be.  If it is ApartmentCon06-08, we can create another thread to discuss who will run what.  i'd prefer to play something that one of the attendees created.

[font=Verdana]The Score:

Date:
Friday -
Saturday - 1 (Adam)
Sunday - 2 (Apeiron, Adam)

Purpose:
ApartmentCon - 1 (TonyLB, Adam)
Smithy - 1 (Apeiron)[/font]

September is better for me than August. I can see if I can pull in a handful of my MD and NoVa friends. Most have very little exposure to indie games (a game or two of MLwM).

No guarantees for August.  If you start planning for September, though, for a saturday night, I'm certain I'd be able to make it.

Definitely apartmentcon rather than smithy.

Scheduling: Saturday's are best for me (I already have a commitment on 8-27), although Friday's are doable.

Purpose: I believe that Adam has added a third purpose, introducing friends to the pleasures indie games. I would prefer actual play, but all are fine with me. For me, playtesting new mechanics is preferable to talking about them.
Whatever purpose(s) is/are chosen, more people improve the result (The last NOVA/DC meet-up there were only 2 people).

Saturdays and Sundays are good for me. A weekday evening after seven could also work out. I won't be able to attend any meetings/gaming until September, I'm afraid.

-- Doug

Ok, lets skip a meeting for August and plan for late Septembuary.

I'll start a new thread.