Graham Charlton 02/02/2012 11:51:43

I am putting together an FAQ for the website. It'll contain a mixture of information about the club and information about using the website.

So... what should I put in it? What questions do you think need answering? What did you struggle to understand when you joined the club? And likewise, what bits of the website did you find confusing?

Emma Hawkins (02/02/2012 12:14:47)

What to do when you first attend other than stand by the door trying not to look too uncomfortable and lost........ who you should find.... who your 'mentor' for the night could be etc :P

A guide of how club nights run, at least a loose one, again tis not complicated but can only make people more comfortable knowing partially what to expect.

A, will i have something to do, if i do not sign up to anything section....

Oooooo answering who (i assume anyone, never tried) can post pictures in the gallery, as more of those would be cool.

I am sure ill think of more soon :)

 

Alexander Hay (02/02/2012 12:51:24)

Which member brings in the best array of sweets/crisps?

Which table is most likely to have a 47 minute argument about who gets a magic ring?

Why does no one spontaneously undertake to play the piano and initiate a Cockney Knees-Up? (Don't look at me - I'm a harpischord kinda man...)

When the bar opens, is it because The Stars are Right?

Am I the only one who's disturbed to note we meet up in a nursery school venue every Thursday?

What is the emergency procedure if someone tries to play a game of FATAL?

Can we pay our membership dues in kind with livestock?

Does the web site work on BBC Micro?

If Tomb of Horrors is ever played as an adventure, can we use real chickens?

Graham Charlton (03/02/2012 18:03:52)

All fine questions.

Any more?

Nick Hughes (03/02/2012 19:35:01)

What kind of games are played at FGC?

Do you allow under 18's to join?

Does the club have any games themselves?

Do you attend conventions?

Do I have to bring my own game?

Do I have to book in advance before I turn up?

How much does membership cost?

How much do I pay when I attend?

Does that surly git behind the bar hate me in particular or is he like that with everyone?

What are the public transport links?

Can I bring my own food and drinks?

Is there parking and if so, is it free?

Do you have club tournaments?

Is there anyone at the club who I speak to the first time I attend in order to introduce myself?

Are you part of the RPGA network or any other gaming networks?

Alex Dickinson (13/02/2012 02:15:22)

How about encouraging people to read up on logical fallacies before posting on the forum:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logical_fallacy

Information good, inflammation bad.

David Clarke (13/02/2012 08:42:51)

Given that playing is a social interact. How about offering a mentor to visitors? Someone to help the newbe into the club.

Ian Pearson (13/02/2012 10:05:39)

As I’ve said on many occasions, I don’t really want to formalise anything. We are NOT a rules and regulations heavy club. We turn up, play games, have a drink and enjoy ourselves.

This clearly works, just look at the numbers we have been getting :0)

There is an informal meeting system in place. When new people arrive without warning, then it’s up to senior club members to explain the rules we do have and find out what their gaming interests are.

Then they show them around and get them into a game by introducing them to the other players.

I do this when I’m there, but others do step in when I’m not.

The KEY thing though, is at the end of the evening to ask them how things went. Did they enjoy it, did anything go wrong, did we meet their expectations and most importantly, will they be back.

If they come back, we satisfy the whole point of having the club in the first place.

Having said all that we probably need a page on the site saying that newbies when they arrive should introduce themselves to the club officers.

A ‘New Players Click here’ link etc, with the current list of club officers and maybe some pictures for ID purposes .........

Nick Hughes (13/02/2012 12:30:04)

Ian does a great job, and so do other people (Clair is fantastic at the job but she hasn't been around for some time) but if one or two key people are absent, we don't want to end up like one of those clubs where most members are in their little groups and grunt at newcomers.

I agree with David:  It's not just the first night that's important for newbies, to be frank, it's the first 3 months where players bed in.  It takes that amount of time to meet enough people where you're not dependent on the club chairman to help you get in a game.

It's something that every established member of the club should be doing and it doesn't need rules to make it happen.  At the next AGM, I think this point about helping people get established in the club needs to be addressed just to remind people that this club is a gaming community, not just a bunch of games on tables where never the twain shall meet.

Graham Charlton (16/02/2012 14:03:33)

First draft of the FAQ is up. You'll find a link right from the front page of the website.

What questions are we missing?

Nick Hughes (16/02/2012 14:37:23)

Is there any way to stop Nick and Gary bickering on the forums? 

Oh chortle. 

I think it's fine, and thanks for doing that Graham but I have just one observation.  I think the answers to the first question about what kind of games are played is too detailed.  It mentions what games are popular right now and in the recent past but tastes and games change so it would probably be better to describe what games are played in broad categories rather than naming specific ones.  Also there's some jargon with "Euro-mediums" and "Ameritrash" which is fine if you know what they mean but to an occasional boardgamer like me they mean nothing.  To a newbie, I think it's important to avoid jargon and getting specific about games so the club's broad remit to play and encourage all types of gaming isn't compromised.

But other than that, it's fine.  Peace and love, dudes.

Alan Beaumont (16/02/2012 16:33:21)

Public transport wise, the 221 bus passes about 3 minutes away (where Argyle Rd cosses Chanctonbury Way - N20)  as it plies its way between Wood Green and Edgware, via North Finchley. It is the easiest way for me to get in direct from work in Wood Green if I have to work late on a Thursday.

Graham Charlton (16/02/2012 16:39:49)

Nick - I half agree with you, but I also think the specifics are good. The majority of people that turn up will be familiar with the jargon, at least regarding the bit of the hobby they are close too. But I think there needs to be something else in there, prior to the jargon, that explains things a bit more simply to newbies.

I'll have a think about the wording of that.

Alan - Thanks, will add that.

Gary Yam (16/02/2012 16:50:49)

Ok, only looking at this from the perspective of someone outside the club:

Drinks - should be purchased from the bar

Bar - is only opened at whimsy as a favour

I can see how a newcomer might not understand how that works from the description.

 

Tables - tables and chairs are taken out/put away by members. Tables should be lifted at all time and not dragged or pushed along the floor.

RPG Battlemats - Do not use paper towels from the kitchen or toilets to clean mats.

Graham - can't spell Finchleians.

Nick Hughes (16/02/2012 17:02:19)

Ah, I was forgetting the 900 rules of Geoff.

Graham Charlton (16/02/2012 17:05:35)

I think if we list the 900 rules of Geoff we'll scare people off, and most of them are too specific to bother adding to the FAQ. I will add something about putting the tables away at the end of the evening since that's valid every week. I won't bother with Geoff's paper towel rationing.

I'll have a think about rewording the drinks section, Gary's right that it's not 100% clear.

Nick Hughes (16/02/2012 19:16:45)

Just thinking about it, but I think there should be something in the FAQs along the lines of "do you play new or a large variety of games or do you focus on a core of favourites?".  Traditionally the club is up for practically anything (heck, it even put up with playing "Save The President" about 3 times) but does have some favourites that keep recurring.  Slipping in a mention for the Showcase Night could help.

Ben Gander (18/02/2012 10:45:11)

Lock the (actual) FAQ thread so no comments can be added?

Graham Charlton (18/02/2012 22:33:17)

Alas only threads can be locked at the moment, not stories. I'll bug Rich about it.

Richard Fisher (18/02/2012 23:35:05)

Stories can be locked. Alas, the FAQ is a section for some reason...

Graham Charlton (19/02/2012 09:38:02)

Ah ok. I'll move it when I'm bored.

Graham Charlton (20/02/2012 15:09:53)

FAQ has been changed from a Section to a Story and has been locked. If you want to comment on the FAQ either post here or send me a private message.

Mentioned putting tables away at the end of the evening.

Removed all the jargon from the first item in the FAQ to make it more newbie friendly, but kept the details of what's currently hot in a post further down. I'll be sure to change it if club focus drifts dramatically.

Slight rewording to the bar rules.

Fixed a few typos.

Added a link to Leisure Games.

Alex Dickinson (10/03/2012 01:30:14)

Excellent work with the FAQ Graham, many thanks & good idea.

... and if we were to now *print some copies out and hand them to newcomers who might not have checked out the website* then that would also serve to prove false the bizarre assertion made on this forum a few months ago that we gamers were somehow mentally incapable of achieving such a feat...

And on a related note does the website now have a script to automatically delete any exchange comprised of a post by Gary that's immediately followed by one from Nick? I'm sure I saw one a few hours ago and it's gone already! Shame, I personaly find them quite amusing ;-p

Richard Fisher (10/03/2012 18:31:50)

does the website now have a script to automatically delete any exchange comprised of a post by Gary that's immediately followed by one from Nick?

No.

Nick Hughes (10/03/2012 20:07:40)

Ah, you've been caught out there, Alex.  You see, those posts were part of the calender event for the 1st "Crime Pays", not a forum post, and once that date has passed, the whole section is deleted.

Richard Fisher (10/03/2012 20:42:22)

You can still view old calendar entries by clicking the 'previous' link at the top of the page, should you ever want to.