It really depends on a pub I'd say. I've been to pubs where I know I could run a game easily.

Quote from: cnath.rm;662123I heard someone talking about a gaming group who rented an appt, and as I was living in a two bedroom appt at the time I found myself considering the idea.  

If you get 20+ people each chipping in, and get one person willing to clean up and pay bills in exchange for cheap rent, you could end up with a couple of good gaming rooms and a real kitchen for fixing chow.  

You would need a solid group of committed people to make it work, but the idea always appealed to me.

Settembrini, didn't you look into something like that 10 years (or so) ago?


20 years ago I knew a bunch of hard core billiards fans who did something similar. They rented a commercial appartment (there are laws in Germany forbidding the use of living space for commercial or office use so they had to find a place that was declared commercial) and installed 3 or 4 tournament style billiard tables.

A place in the central city that offers space for gaming. Mostly it's Magic cards, the sale of which fund the place. But rpg groups go there, too.

It's just a bunch of tables, the walls are lined with board games, one corner is taken up with the retail counter, cards, a few rpgs like recent editions of D&D, some dice, etc. They sell some snacks as well, for some reason ginger beer is very popular there, vile stuff.

I'd love to be gaming at my own house, but you'll just get more gamers in the central city - where many people work - than in the middle suburbs where I live.

Quote from: Kyle Aaron;662541"I continue to contemplate ways to bring parasitic infestations and diseases more firmly into my games." - a disturbing DM.

Chivalry & Sorcery had rules for that.

I did play at a pub a couple of times. However gamers tend to be cheap here and don't order anything much so the traditional places to allow that gradually decided to kick them out.

We also have a yearly event here, a camping/gaming weekend out in the nature. I detest camping though, so I've never been there, and also I'm worried about things like water damage to my books. But you could do it.

In Japan, apparently it's popular to play in karaoke clubs that have separate, soundproof rooms for groups of patrons. But we don't have those here.

Quote from: AndrewSFTSN;662419As far as I'm concerned, pubs are for drinking rather than RPG's.  Although they can be fun for character creation, but without exception I have had to convince drunks/rubberneckers to leave us alone when doing this.  I can only imagine what it must be like running a full game.

I also tend to swallow my words a bit so might have trouble being heard above background hubbub.

I book private function rooms for the London D&D Meetup - we only play in pubs where they don't charge us for private rooms. I'm not keen on playing in public areas, though in certain pubs the clientele will generally ignore you - City bankers, for instance.
Even in a private room, it can get noisy when there are four games running at once, though - and while I can project my voice fine, my hearing is not brilliant. Playing with a lot of other groups only suits certain sorts of campaign, and benefits a lot from visual aids - minis & battlemats.

Quote from: soviet;662263I spend plenty of time in pubs as it is thanks!

I've got a solid group and we have a couple of houses we can play in, so I already have pretty much the ideal setup. If that fell apart somehow I guess I could find a quiet pub to use, but I can't see any benefit to switching now.

Then stop bending your elbow and start bending your knees, ya lazy bugger.

We do play at people's houses as well, but there's a certain level of trust commitment to that - it requires a reasonably tight group to begin with, because you obviously wouldn't just invite randoms into your house.

Edinburgh has got the Game Hub, which is essentially a cafe by gamers for gamers and anyone who wants some food. But that's only practical with the right combination of local play groups, available space, investor willing to take the risk, and cheap enough property leases. We couldn't do something like that in Aberdeen, it's just too expensive.

Quote from: S'mon;662180I play/GM 4e at the pub - usually we put two or three tables together to have enough space, but I can play with a single coffee table if necessary; people keep stuff on their laps. If table is very small I fold the flip-mat to half size or use the WoTC dungeon tiles.

I actually bought a clipboard specifically for character sheets in places with small tables. Oh, and twatting players for saying daft things.

If you're playing in private areas, moving the furniture like this becomes more practical - we play in public areas (Albeit reserved and out of the main area), so it's a bit less so. The venues wouldn't really mind (As long as we put if back), but the spaces aren't designed for furniture in that sort of configuration.

Quote from: Ladybird;662634Edinburgh has got the Game Hub, which is essentially a cafe by gamers for gamers and anyone who wants some food.

Cool - I'm holidaying with my parents in Edinburgh (my birthplace) for two weeks this August, definitely will be seeking this place out!

Quote from: S'mon;662616I book private function rooms for the London D&D Meetup - we only play in pubs where they don't charge us for private rooms. I'm not keen on playing in public areas, though in certain pubs the clientele will generally ignore you - City bankers, for instance.
Even in a private room, it can get noisy when there are four games running at once, though - and while I can project my voice fine, my hearing is not brilliant. Playing with a lot of other groups only suits certain sorts of campaign, and benefits a lot from visual aids - minis & battlemats.

Have I ever seen you guys upstairs in the quiet room in the Bricklayers Arms, Fitzrovia?

Quote from: AndrewSFTSN;662651Have I ever seen you guys upstairs in the quiet room in the Bricklayers Arms, Fitzrovia?

No - we meet further east, in the City (Counting House, Crosse Keys) or Borough (The Ship):  http://www.meetup.com/London-DnD/
Must be a different group. Funnily enough I work right by the Bricklayers Arms, though! :cool:

I have played in a Student Union Bar and a room above a pub, but most of the games I have played have been at people's houses.

I never got the idea of gaming in a pub or bar; at least, not one that wasn't exclusively geared toward gaming.

Quote from: RPGPundit;662851I never got the idea of gaming in a pub or bar

In London for many people it's that or nothing!
I used to GM at home, but spousal resentment was much reduced when I switched to pub play.

Quote from: S'mon;662856In London for many people it's that or nothing!
I used to GM at home, but spousal resentment was much reduced when I switched to pub play.

Exactly! Most people in London flat-share and even if they do rent/own their own space it is often tiny. I'd love to GM at home too but kids plus partner make it a non-starter (how I'd love my own office space/gaming room!). Most people who game in London that I know do so at pubs, the only downside is the cost. If you are playing fortnightly then that is easy £50 per month including travel and you are only looking at between 4-5 hours of play that is never enough. I think the better option is using a community center and renting space there like this group: http://www.shadow-warriors.co.uk/.

Quote from: S'mon;662653No - we meet further east, in the City (Counting House, Crosse Keys) or Borough (The Ship):  http://www.meetup.com/London-DnD/

I like the Cross Keys.

Interested in that DCC game, though I've never played it...I'll have a look at the site and see if I can come along, maybe.

Quote from: elfandghostExactly! Most people in London flat-share and even if they do rent/own their own space it is often tiny.

I must be lucky-we've never had a shortage of places in flatshares to play in here.  Admittedly, it is often tiny, but you've just got to reframe it as "cosy"!  Also quite good for getting interested flatmates hooked!