The Ontario Indie RPG Meetup Group is planning a series of linked events at Pandemonium in Toronto, February 15-17.  The plan is to have one table with indie games running all weekend, with (so far) 8 demonstrators running different demos and events.

I hope to run The Big Night (for their kids' room), Sweet Dreams, a/state, Under the Bed, Primetime Adventures, and some Fingerprints playtests.

Anyone else in Eastern Canada and interested in promoting an indie pressence at this con?

Although I won't be able to be there (the Atlantic rather inconveniently being in the way), if there's any help or materials I can offer for a|state, then please just ask. I've got a couple of con adventures and the 20 minutes demo if you'd like them.

Cheers
Malcolm

Toronto in Feb, eh?

How big is the con? It is a 5.5 hour drive from my home in Eastern Ontario (about as East as you can get without being in Quebec)... but I might be able to convince my gaming family to make a pilgrimage out there since we can't ever go to the one in Ottawa (only an hour away, but on a weekend that both my daughters have two Irish Dance competitions every year).

This indie games thing may yet drag me back into the wide world of gamer society...

I've been running a lot of Dogs and Heroquest (non-Gloranthan) lately.  If you need someone to run one of those I'd be up for it.  I imagine I could work something up for a number of other games too, given a bit of lead time.

Do you have in mind 10 minute lightning demos, or longer (4 hours-ish) 'scenarios', or something else; I haven't been to a convention in a long time.

Charles Wotton

February, huh?

I may be able to be there, but I can't yet commit to running anything. I'll see how that goes in the next couple weeks.

Does the con have a website or any such so that I can find details?

Not sure how big the con is.  The website is here, but it's still mostly non-functional. 

CCW, Dogs and Hoeroquest look like the best-known indies among the local Ontario scene, so you could always just show up to play.  If you did want to run something, let me know, and I can include you on the group application. 

Malcolm, I'd love and use any support material you can give me for a|state.  I'd especially love the demo materials you used at GenCon, those were really solid, and what sold me on he game.  (you win this time, Atlantic ... but I've got my eye on you.)

Allan,

May I ask: What is the Ontario Indie RPG Meetup Group?

Sure.  The group is based in York, Ontario through Meetup.com.  It has 17 members, who discuss and play indie rpgs, especially Sorceror, Heroquest, and DitV.  I just joined the group in September when I moved to London, and have yet to meet any of the other members in person.  Erik, the group organizer, is the one putting in the group application to Pandemonium. 

Cool.  Do you know if there is going to be/intending to be any indie sales presence?  I'm a bit green yet to try and pull off a one-man show, especially since I won't have anything new by February, but a weekend to Toronto is much simpler and cheaper all-around than trying to get to anything in the states.

thanks,

James

I'll be trying to sell Sweet Dreams and The Big Night (shiny new color tBN).  That's it for sales presence as far as I know, so it would be great to present more of a range of indies for sale at the table. 

I too am a member of the Ontario Indie-RPG group, mentioned by Allan above.  My intent is to try to supervise (you really can't say run) a table of Capes at least once during the Con as part of our effort. 

One other thing; I'm not sure how any conventions are organized, but are you generally allowed to sell products from the gaming tables, or do you have to have a booth in the "great hall" or equivalent.

I would encourage the designers on the Forge to consider a small "Forge Booth" at this convention.  I think there are some of us here that would be happy to help staff it with you, and I think there is a fair amount of pent up interest in the games you are making here in Ontario.  I'm not sure how these things are arranged, though, so I will simply make it a suggestion.

I haven't been to Panda in years, but unless it's changed, there's a dealer's room set aside for people who want to rent table space and sell their wares. A good portion of the major gaming shops in the GTA attend each year.

Game sessions were generally structured in four-hour time slots, although pick-up games often happened outside of the various games rooms. Erik's idea of getting an indie RPG table is a good one, although I have no idea what the logistics would be to acquire such a thing. I guess all questions like that are best directed to the con organizers.

Chris

Hi all,

I have sent a message off to Eugene Fong Dere. He's co-founder of the Toronto Role-Playing Association, and is organising the D&D tables for Panda. Either he can help get a table set up, or he can point to the people who can.

I'd be happy to be involved in this. I'm pretty new to Indie games and about the only game I know well enough to run is DitV, but if you can't round up enough people, then count me in!

And I have a response!

Eugene says:

"I can arrange for you to have a table at the con, that's no prob.  And would
you be interested in running this under the TRPA banner?"

TRPA banner is fine.

Or something like "TRPA Indie Games" table.

Just so that there is one place where good, unusual gaming is happening all convention long.  And not any little 3' by 3' foot table.

4x8' or nothin'!

Regardless of whether our meetup.com group is the organizational nexus or not (http://roleplayers.meetup.com/261/boards/view/viewthread?thread=1594137) I would like to see a concentration of Indie RPG expertise and enthusiasm in one place.

Blankshield wrote:
Cool.  Do you know if there is going to be/intending to be any indie sales presence?  I'm a bit green yet to try and pull off a one-man show, especially since I won't have anything new by February, but a weekend to Toronto is much simpler and cheaper all-around than trying to get to anything in the states.

thanks,

James

Allan wrote:
The Ontario Indie RPG Meetup Group is planning a series of linked events at Pandemonium in Toronto, February 15-17.  The plan is to have one table with indie games running all weekend, with (so far) 8 demonstrators running different demos and events.

I hope to run The Big Night (for their kids' room), Sweet Dreams, a/state, Under the Bed, Primetime Adventures, and some Fingerprints playtests.

Anyone else in Eastern Canada and interested in promoting an indie pressence at this con?

A [font=Verdana]Cautionary Note[/font] to all and any retailers.

Pandemonium has a VERY uneven history.  Two years ago, the Inn on the Park was jumping.  Last year, out in Scarborough, there was a reduced presence.  You might want to talk numbers with retailers like The Hairy Tarantula (http://www.hairyt.com/) if you want a sense of the dollars available.

A fellow who makes a hand-designed chess-like game and another designer who sells a cool build-your-own-dungeon tile/card game both do a steady business during the con but not a booming one.

Here are the events I have got commitments for:

1. Erik: Donjon
2. Erik: Sorcerer
3. Mark: Dogs in the Vineyard
4. Aaron: Puppetland
5. Steve: [something]
6. Hans: Capes
7. Alan: PTA

All we need is one more and we are set!

The old Panda form asked for the following information. If interested parties could submit a filled-out description to this forum, I will coallate them and present them to Eugene.

Title of Event:
GM:
System:
Duration:
Number of Players:
Experience Required?:
Description:

epweissengruber wrote: Pandemonium has a VERY uneven history.  Two years ago, the Inn on the Park was jumping.  Last year, out in Scarborough, there was a reduced presence.  You might want to talk numbers with retailers like The Hairy Tarantula (http://www.hairyt.com/) if you want a sense of the dollars available.

WalkingDead wrote:

Yes, I often hear from the owner of my local game shop that Panda often isn't worth it from a sales perspective. Still, he goes every year. I think it's just tradition to him now.

Chris

Can any of the posters to this thread rope in one more Indie-gamer to run a 4 hour slot at Panda?

Any other locals interested in running something?

Please post here or at the Indie RPG Group Toronto (http://roleplayers.meetup.com/261)

Sorry everyone, I probably won't be able to make Panda after all.  I'm moving away from Ontario again for sudden personal reasons.  I'll still try to make it if I can, but at this point it looks unlikely, and I don't feel I can take any kind of active organisational role.  Sorry again, I hope this thread can still prove fruitful for others organizing for this con, and promoting an indie presence in Toronto. 

The members of the IndieRPG group will be organizing a table dedicated to independent/experimental/left field games at this year's Panda.

Games that will be run:
Donjon
Sorcerer
Primetime Adventures
Dogs in the Vineyard
Hawkmoon
Puppetland
Burning Wheel
Capes

and ... if I can make the time ... Heroquest

I will be setting up a schedule with the Panda organizers soon so you can sign up.

http://www.realmsquest.org/pandemonium/hindex.html

Well that's a shame.  Hope to see you there anyway.

Allan wrote:
Sorry everyone, I probably won't be able to make Panda after all.  I'm moving away from Ontario again for sudden personal reasons.  I'll still try to make it if I can, but at this point it looks unlikely, and I don't feel I can take any kind of active organisational role.  Sorry again, I hope this thread can still prove fruitful for others organizing for this con, and promoting an indie presence in Toronto. 

Hey Erik !

Might be a good idea to put the Indie Slots up here for the world to see!

Steve.G

A chastened schedule (it should be reflected in the official schedule soon)

DONJON Friday: 7pm to 11pm
DiTV Saturday: 9am to 1 pm
CAPES Saturday 2pm to 6pm
PUPPETLAND Saturday: 7pm to 11pm
SORCERER Saturday: 7pm to 11pm
PRIMETIME ADVENTURES Sunday: 10am to 2pm
BURNING WHEEL Sunday  3pm to 7pm