#ArctiCon

[revenant-coining]

Hi, can I request some help for coming up with a term?

I need a term for both wanting to be trans to the other gender, but also having an attachment to one's birth gender. It could be described by bigender or cistrans, but I wanted something more specfic. I've been playing around with oritransgender, ori meaning original. I tried a lot of different morphenes and prefixes and this is the closest but I feel like this one isn't quite there. I'd like to ask for help in brainstorming a term.

Thank you! Oh and no flag needed, unless you want to.

here’s some prefixes & words that you could base the name on!

princeps & principis; latin for 1) earliest, original, 2) first, foremost, leading, chief, front, & 3) most necessary

originalis, originalis, & originale; latin for 1) existing at/marking beginning, 2) from which thing derives existence, & 3) original

initialis, initialis, & initiale; latin for 1) initial, original, relating to beginning, & 2) primary

arcticos, arctice, arcticon, arcticus, arctica, & arcticum; latin for initial, that constitutes the beginning (of a syllable, etc.)

primus, prima, & primum; latin for 1) first, foremost/best, chief, principal, 2) nearest/next, & 3) [in primis => especially]

prius; latin for earlier, before, previously, first

archikós (αρχικός); greek for initial, original, primary, primal, originative, initiatory

próta (πρώτα); greek for first, firstly

ur-; a prefix that forms words with the sense of “proto-, primitive, original”.

prot-/proto-; a prefix meaning original, older.

personally, we like primum, prius, archikós, & ur- the best ^^

[skojika]

Plans for Arcticon cosplay! I’ll be vending there per usual, and @darkchrnoangel will be joining me for part of the day as Tamamamo no Mae. #cosplay #cosplaylineup #arcticon #arcticon2020 #mordred #fategrandorder #fateapocrypha https://www.instagram.com/p/B70-SJ8DOJ0/?igshid=1meb41c8cgjsq

[timeaus-passed]

i dont have to watch kids for the next 5 days and can sleep in for 4 of them guys im excited

[thewargameswebsite]

[swipestream]

Create Your Own Games on Demand

  Do you have too many games just collecting dust on your bookshelves?

Is it a struggle to get your players to try something new?

Are you just too busy to finish reading that new tome of a game book?

  You are not alone.

As Convention Coordinator for the Indie Game Developer Network and as a self-published game designer, I travel to monthly conventions to sell and run role-playing games. I’m always asking what games people are playing, running, and are interested in. And, let me tell you, there are plenty of others who feel the same as you. They face the same challenges, the same struggles.

You don’t have to go it alone. 

Together, I think we can build/borrow a system to help solve all of our (current) problems. It won’t cure them overnight, but it will treat the problems and help to create a foundation for other like-minded locals. Together, we can unite to build more than a gaming group. We can create a movement! One to tackle the difficulties of having too many unplayed games, of luring players to try something different, or the reoccurring learning curve of each new game.  First things first, we start by building a community. To meetup and game together, we’ll need a pool of potential players and Game Masters. Thanks to social media, this is surprisingly easy to start, however, difficult to master.

Build a Community?

We need a place for people to gather in order to build interest in our idea—our movement. With the utility of social media, we can easily recruit, message, and share ideas (posts) at times that are convenient for one another. A community can be fostered in something as simple as a Facebook Group. You could start today. Add the people you game with, the people that you know game locally, and the Game Masters that run events at local stores or gaming hangouts. Most game stores have their event schedules posted on a website or community board in their store. Take advantage of these to help you find where people are gaming and who is facilitating these games. Talk to your local game store owners about what you’re working on and who else they think you should talk to. Don’t assume that every game played will be publicly posted. Also, dig around for other local gaming groups on Facebook. Search the name of local game stores for  groups that share their name. Search for groups that prominently state your city, town, or region’s name with the keywords RPG, Tabletop, Geek, or D&D. You may be surprised to find how much is already going on right under your nose.

  How Will This Solve My Problems?

A model that I’ve adopted in Northwest Indiana is that of Games on Demand. You may have heard of their work or participated in a game with them at Gencon, Origins, or Pax. Their model consists of several Game Masters, each offering up two or more different games per time slot. Players that attend the event(s), pick from the games offered in a first come, first served basis. They generally select from table tents that give a blurb of each game with a picture. As games are selected, the choices begin to narrow, and focus shifts to filling the games selected.

 To solve your problems, you need to foster an environment that builds demand for new games and that attracts players who want to be involved in those games. 

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To solve your problems, you need to foster an environment that builds demand for new games and that attracts players who want to be involved in those games. The Games on Demand model is attractive to players and Game Masters looking to play and run new games. It has an easy to understand structure that clearly defines what a Game Master needs to prepare for (two different games, two different one shot sessions, expect new players). Not to mention, with other Game Masters sharing games, you can learn more of them without having to read or research them one at a time.

What Do I Need for This to Work?

Game Masters: With the help of another Game Master or two, you could offer up to six different games for a game night. Each Game Master already has games they know how to run and games on their shelf they are just dying to put to good use. Creating a community with game nights and a Games on Demand model provides the opportunity you’ve all been waiting for. Give yourself and other Game Masters the opportunity to share all of the cool games you’ve been collecting.

Public Places to Play: Potential players need to feel safe before they will join you for a game. Playing with strangers can be very intimidating, especially if it is at a private home where you don’t know anyone. Reach out to your local game stores or anywhere else people are gaming in your area (coffee shops, tabletop friendly bars, churches, the local library) and schedule a time for 2-3 free tables. You may be asked to institute a rule that everyone buy their drinks and snacks from the establishment. That’s only fair, besides, you want the opportunity for there to be foot traffic. Shopping customers and regulars can be recruited to play and invited to future events. They may even have friends…

Game Day Events or Meetups: What good is the community if we have nothing to rally around? Create events to attract people in your local area. Ask your friends to share the events with their friends and families. Spread the word on Facebook in your local groups with similar interests. If you have the skills to make a flyer, put some up in your local school and game store bulletin boards. It takes time for people to understand what you’re doing and also to carve out time to attend. Don’t be discouraged! Some people will need time to find themselves in a situation where they are also looking for new people to game with or new games to play. I have had more than one Game Master tell me, “I’ll be there when I’m no longer running two games a week.” That’s fair!

Tales of the 219

My local contingent is called the Tales of the 219. Yep, that’s our area code! Northwest Indiana Story Gamers just didn’t win over the hearts and minds of our founding members.

On January 31st, we mark our one year anniversary of running events at local game stores on a monthly (and more) schedule. Setting out, I found other Game Masters interested in diversifying the games that they play and struggling to find players for their games not named D&D or Pathfinder. Sharing my vision for a more vibrant, inclusive, and variety rich gaming community, I reached out to local game stores. To their surprise, we didn’t want money or to sell attendees something physical. We just wanted to grow the community of role-players in Northwest Indiana, to bridge RPG enthusiasts beyond their favorite game store, gaming group, or routine game of choice.

I remember speaking to Matt and Jared, two of my friends and early adopters of our vision.

“This (Tales of the 219) is probably going to be like four of us running games for each other for a year or two. But, one day, there will be others, and they’ll talk fondly about how they found the Tales of the 219. We’ll be like forefathers that paved the way to make a more vibrant and diverse role-playing game community possible. This will work. We just need to be persistent and deal with the inevitable trying times that will come with the occasional successes.”

I’m happy to inform you that it never did end up being just the four of us playing each others’ games. We’ve hosted events at six different game stores and one local convention for a total of fifteen events in 2018. Attendance varies from 5-15 individuals with an average of 8-9 folks attending per gathering. At our local convention Arcticon, we held eight games seating over 40 players! It’s a good feeling to not only play more games but to help others experience brilliant games they never knew existed. 

 It’s a good feeling to not only play more games but to help others experience brilliant games they never knew existed. 

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  Some things I’ve learned so far:

Meetup.com was an excellent tool for engaging and managing a growing role-playing game community. It isn’t anymore. Some Meetup accounts are doing very well and holding strong to the format, but they are mostly groups that have been around for years. All the action is on Facebook these days, even if respondents ARE flaky. If you aren’t familiar with people checking interested instead of going for your events, get used to it. Phone based Facebook users  really gotta dig to find the illusive going option. So, don’t be too hard on those that mark interested. Searching Meetup for other gaming groups in your area can be very useful, though. You can reach out to them and talk about consolidating efforts.

D&D can be a powerful tool for recruiting and finding new players to join your burgeoning RPG community. It can also lead to exactly what you may have been trying to avoid—people only interested in D&D(or Pathfinder). I’ve spoken to a few of the larger role-playing game Meetup leaders about using D&D as a gateway for players. It will inflate your community numbers but may not convert many people over to trying out new games. People like to like D&D in this day and age! Experiment at your own risk.

Going to where the people are is worth it. Finding your people takes good word of mouth, a little luck, or consistency. Hopefully, you can find two of the three! Sometimes, it takes several events at a location to find the people who will become a core part of your new community. Most of us have busy adult lives and might skip a few of these events until it fits nicely in our schedule.

A lot of role-players choose not to be on Facebook or social media in general. Form an email list to keep them in the loop. You may be stunned by how many people that is. I certainly was!

It’s a win-win for game stores, you attract RPG enthusiasts to different stores and show them new games to purchase and run for others. Don’t be afraid to approach them. Also, don’t be surprised at how many still want telephone calls to schedule or are bad at email conversations. I like reaching out with Facebook Messenger as that tool trains businesses to reply timely. It has been very effective, for the most part.

Giving prizes to first time attendees and Game Masters for running games has been far less of an incentive than I had hoped for attracting players. I’m always giving away full games to new players and it doesn’t seem to really sway whether they return or not. Convenience seems to be king.

Building a Community…Online?

Don’t have a game store nearby? Can’t find role-players locally? Have you thought about building an online community or joining something like the Gauntlet? An earlier conception of this idea, this movement, was to build a role-playing game group with a rotating Game Master dynamic. On G+, we called ourselves the Janus GM Project. The members would announce games they wanted to run for the next round of games (like 3 rounds a year) and then we would vote on our favorite titles per Game Master. Each Game Master then knew what game to start reading with months to prepare, read up, or research the game. We’d play each game every other week for a 3-5 session story arc. It was a ton of fun and very effective! We played over twenty-five new games in about two and a half years.

What Are You Really Doing This For?

Maybe, you’re a Game Master overloaded with games that just need to be played. Maybe, you’re a game designer and want to build an audience that will playtest and buy your game(s). Maybe, you are a new player looking for the game that is uniquely your fit, your niche.

Don’t settle for the status quo. Build a Games on Demand community where you live! Grow the community YOU want to be a part of. Build something for the future players of your neighborhood.

I’ll be there for you. Together, we can build a network that communicates and shares best practices. You just need to be persistent and share your love for RPGs with those near you. I believe you can do it, and this is a fun way to grow the hobby we love so dear.

Imagine…Create…Love…

  Special thanks to the crew at the Tales of the 219 (Sout, Matt, Jared, Adrienne, Pedro, Tom), my local game stores (By the Board Games & Entertainment, The Librarium Cafe, Galactic Greg’s, Tenth Planet), and the RPG enthusiasts of the region! Thank you for the added joy to my life!

  I want to know:

How have you brought people together in your local area?

How do you attract new players or sway your gaming group into trying something new?

Where do you game and who else could you invite?

Create Your Own Games on Demand published first on https://medium.com/@ReloadedPCGames

[laguerradearte]

Saturday March 3 in Merrillville,In $10 to get in 2nd con of the year #arcticon #gaming #con #artistalley (at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church - Merrillville, Indiana)

[placiething]

Back from ArctiCon!

Good morning, everyone! We got home late from ArctiCon (year 6) last night and what a spectacular time we had! Met a lot of interesting people and, by the end of the night, we managed to sell an entire tote of glassware!! What a great way to start the con season!

[gamecentricradio-blog]

2015 ArctiCon Write Up

Written by: Josh Leep, guest photographer/writer Edited by: Jade Greenberg, copy editor and media relations coordinator Published by Game Centric Radio

To say geekery galore was found this past Saturday (March 7, 2015) at Valparaiso University during the fifth annual ArctiCon would be a vast understatement. This annual convention is a gaming staple in Porter County, Indiana, that celebrates mostly table-top role-playing games, strategy games, trading card games, and—now—cosplay. However, one or two video game and manga booths—along with places to buy other “geek”-themed merchandise, such as stickers and tee-shirts, were there to indulge those who enjoy a well-rounded pop culture experience at a convention.

This was probably the smallest convention that I have been to yet. The entire Con was set up in what appeared to be a small ballroom in Harre Union on the Valparaiso University campus. To be honest, I wasn’t sure how to feel about this at first. I asked myself “This is it? No other rooms?” However, as I began listening to the stories of some of the vendors and the staff and watched the ways in which the attendees interacted I began to understand why this works to its advantage.

The first booth my esteemed colleague and Game Centric Radio Host Mike and I visited was that of Placie Thing Studio – an art studio located in Chesterton, IN run by Ruth Johnson and Devon Hogan. The artistic mediums of choice for Hogan and Johnson include exceptionally precise glass etching and vibrant water color painting.

“Ruth got me into glass etching,” Hogan said. “I came over to her house one day and discovered that she already had all of the necessary materials to do it. I gave it a try and ended up loving it.”

According to Johnson, it was her father who had procured all of these tools and taught her how to use them. In order to procure the glass they need for their craft, Hogan and Johnson frequently recycle their own glass in addition to going to thrift stores to see what kinds of unique glassware they have on hand. Johnson and Hogan were presenting their first set of paintings at ArctiCon this year, though it was not their first year with a sales both at the Con. Similar to how Hogan got into glass etching, she also got into water color painting through Johnson—whose father had taught and encouraged her to do this art form. Both Johnson and Hogan agreed that they both prefer water color over any other form of painting because it is more manageable and easier to correct if a mistake is made.

“We both support one another,” Johnson said. “I wouldn’t be doing all of this if Devon weren’t pushing me along and I think the same goes the other way around as well.” Placie Thing Studio’s public Facebook page can be found here.

Later on, Mike and I wandered over to the booth of FeralHive Terrain–a local company run and operated primarily by Greg Ferell that builds custom war gaming terrain. This work was some of the most detailed scenery and terrain I have ever laid eyes upon. When Ferell said it was primarily made from cardboard and Styrofoam that he gets at liquor, hardware, and grocery stores, I nearly required a forklift to get my jaw off the floor. I was stunned at how much Ferell was able to do with such basic materials.

When asked how he began his craft Ferell explained, “I got started building war gaming terrain with my friends in high school, but I was into it long before that. I grew up with sci-fi and fantasy. When I was a kid I loved stuff like Star Wars and my mom would build me scenery from the movies. To me they were just like the toys they were selling on TV, if not better.”

Ferell only just went full-time making war gaming terrain near the end of this past August after many years of teaching art in the Gary, IN, public school system. While his students would be doing their assignments, Ferell would be making these terrains. The kids were impressed with his work and encouraged him to go full time at it. Ferell is grateful for this because even though the ball is just getting rolling he now gets to do what he loves for a living.

Currently, Ferell sells his terrains primarily on eBay, but he is looking into expanding his reach by selling on Etsy, where he might find more of the kinds of clientele who are in the market for what he provides. FeralHive Terrain’s Facebook page can be found here.

Finally, Mike and I spoke with the head honcho of ArctiCon: Carl Canabas III. Though this was Canabas’s third year running ArctiCon, he has been running gaming conventions since the ’80s. Being an avid table-top gamer himself, being able to run such a convention is an absolute joy for Canabas.

“I love playing games like D&D, Pathfinder, Vampire, etc.,” Canabas said. “There is a lot of socialization involved while also getting everyone to use their imaginations. I’ve even gotten my kids and grandkids into it and they absolutely love it.”

Canabas is enthusiastic about ArctiCon, in particular, because “it has a very relaxed community atmosphere to it. There are many games for everyone to try. There is no cut throat vibe like at other conventions I have run because everyone here just wants to play games and have a good time with new people they haven’t met before.”

Canabas was also pleased about being able to hold ArctiCon at Valparaiso University again this year. He explained, “There is a lot more space to do things and spread out a little bit. The ballroom here is a lot better looking than some of the places we have held the convention in the past. Holding it here also adds to the community angle because it’s somewhere accessible to everyone in the area. It also helps that this time around everyone has a place to park.”

I had an absolutely wonderful time at ArctiCon. Everyone there had so much heart and passion for what they do that I couldn’t help but feel touched. It was absolutely heartwarming to listen to the vendors and staff be so enthusiastic. Although it is a smaller convention, ArctiCon is a great way to try some new games or to play games you already know with new people. It doesn’t take long to feel the sense of community that ArctiCon brings. I cannot recommend this convention enough for next year.

[skojika]

At Arcticon today with @darkchrnoangel ~ I’m Fiore and she’s Eruru. Stop by and see us at our booth! #cosplay #cosplaygirl #arcticon #arcticon2019 #fiore #starocean #starocean5 #staroceanintegrityandfaithlessness #videogames #staroceananamnesis #eruru #utawarerumono https://www.instagram.com/p/BuOrtHbjsso/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=19c5ad8g0d4sz

[skojika]

Tentative plans for Arcticon! I still haven’t recurled the wig but she needs another con lol. Also, hats #cosplaygirl #cosplay #cosplaylineup #fiore #starocean #starocean5 #staroceanintegrityandfaithlessness #arcticon #arcticon2019 https://www.instagram.com/p/Bt_S1o6Dv5v/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1tq5k3lmsr41f

[timeaus-passed]

She enjoys watching me make things

[timeaus-passed]

Hhhhhhh

@im-taako-you-know-from-tv

Nnmmmmno

[skojika]

Kimetsu chibis are finally finished! Nezuko made a solo debut back at Ramencon last year, and Tanjiro and Zenitsu joined her at Arcticon early this year. Excited to finally have time to get them all together! Full size clean available for download on my Patreon- Kojika bookmarks and buttons available on my Etsy- SanzakiKojika #kimetsunoyaiba #demonslayer #chibi #etsy #patreon #art #fanart #nezuko #tanjiro #zenitsu #inosuke #giyuu #tanjiroukamado #zenitsuagatsuma #inosukehashibira #giyuutomioka https://www.instagram.com/p/B_s7sN9D1Sm/?igshid=oltordoxvpw8

[skojika]

Getting our Fate on at Arcticon today! Mordred is me Tamamo is @darkchrnoangel #cosplay #cosplaygirl #fategrandorder #fateapocrypha #mordred #tamamonomae #tamamo https://www.instagram.com/p/B9KCU4VD4lv/?igshid=z86iq6exv2c5

[skojika]

Tentative C2E2 plans. I’ll be at Arcticon that Sat, and only going Sunday for sure. Considering Friday still, since I have a 3day badge. #cosplay #cosplaygirl #cosplaylineup #c2e2 #c2e22020 #nierautomata #2b #msmarvel #marvel #videogames #comics https://www.instagram.com/p/B76sA1cjrAL/?igshid=xpuzytt788xe

[skojika]

Yesterday I reached my 50k! Still working on Dragon Pillars: Earth and Wind, but close to the end. Hoping to have it ready to print for Arcticon next year #nanowrimo2019 #nanowrimo #amwriting #author #indieauthor #fantasy #novel https://www.instagram.com/p/B5YAgS1DiG6/?igshid=dbi8ohjxuuyp