WarGamer update info:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dated: April 4, 1991
>From : Theresa Verity
Founder & Playtesting Officer
Things that have taken shape in the WarGamers over the past couple of
months:
MEMBERSHIP: We curently have a membership of many individuals and
have an influence over more than 150 more. Membership
drives are taking place locally and in chapters trying to
form in other states and universities.
COMPANY CONTACTS: We still do business with the following companies:
Palladium Books Games Designers' Workshop
FASA Corporation Iron Crown Enterprises
Hero Games Steve Jackson Games
Bard Games
These company contacts in no way control our organization or it's
intentions. All, except one, have donated books to our Archival Tomes
Library. Out of this group we playtest for SJ Games and Iron Crown/
Hero Games, and on rare occasions we have had the ability to do the same
for Bard.
OTHER CONTACTS: Amongst the regular gaming companies we are on the
playtesting list for FTL Software (makes Amiga RP Games). We still
work with two local companies for our members' gaming needs: Koby's
Hobbies & Hallmark Shop and Labyrinth Games. Between both shops we
can usually get anything for our hobbies - and retain a 15-30%
discount on gaming/miniature merchandise. Another shop, The Gold
Dragon of Mobile, Ala., is on the fringe of our main office's area,
and has offered a mail-order service with discounts for members.
NEW CONTACTS BEING FORGED: We have been petitioning Games Workshop,
BTRC, and Accolade Software into looking at us as a playtesting
group - but this is in the infancy stage, no promises. Members in
our home group have mentioned that in the future they would like to
work with: Palladium, GDW & FASA as playtesters, Lion Rampant,
R. Talsorian, and Task Force. Some members have gone so far as to
ask about becoming a node of the RPGA (Officers ask "Why need to?"),
or want to playtest for TSR - I honestly don't think that TSR would
seriously consider us (they got in-house players and the RPGA)...
A SPOT ON THE NET: That's right - as of April 3, 1991 we have a spot
in the BitNet and Internet that is available for questions about us,
and for the companies to communicate more quickly with us (and us with
them). We are connected to the University of West Florida's node
as [email removed] and/or [email removed] for the InterNet.
This address is also where we will be holding a SMALL archive area
(our 'land-lord', UWF, has asked us to NOT set up a discussion area
in our alloted space - as to keep CPU use percentage low)... We
encourage node owners to send what the WarGamers or UWFGamers request
to that location, as that's where the online passive library will be.
Also, this address will be permanent as opposed to my personal account
which is terminated every semester.
REGULAR MEETINGS: We TRY to meet every month, but with as many people as
we try to invite we cannot accomodate them all - so this is what we
have decided to do: The WarGamer officers will meet every two weeks
to discuss new business and such - the meeting minutes are published
in a small leaflet and are distributed to the GMs of the larger games
in the area - the GMs are asked to make this document available to
their gamers in order to tell them what's going on. Our chapters are
notified in a similar way. If you chance by Pensacola one day you
can call us up at one of two numbers (after mid-May) which I will post
in the next couple of weeks - we'd like to let you see what we are
doing in our home area.
TOURNAMENTS: In conjunction with the Labyrinth and the RPG companies we
will be setting up another 3 tourneys for 1991, with the first in May:
Cave Quest II.
PUBLIC OCCASIONS: In 1991 we will be throwing two "Meet the Public"
parties - one in the summer with BBQ anything (BYOB & BYOF - we
supply BBQ sauce, drinks, the lawn and some combustables), and the
other in December, just like last year (which was a huge success).
We publicize the events and advertise them in the local papers & area
TV stations through the public calendars they offer - then have a party.
These functions serve two purposes: 1. to unite the gamers together and
subsequently show us off to prospective members, and 2. Show the
Bible-Toaters that we aren't THAT bad... All of our tourneys and past
parties have been dry - no alcohol at all.
WHAT WE OFFER: One of the largest gaming libraries available for members
to check things out of (2 weeks - also a list of these books is in the
next file called BOOKS|), ability to get into games or find players,
use of discounts at the stores, ability to playtest for some RPG comp-
anies, 4 years of stability and dependability, a small-but-growing
BitNet extention of our library, ability to maybe link up with the
GM network in SJ Games, ability to get copies of SOME out of print books
that the WarGamers have been given the big legal OKAY to copy (for no
profit), ability to have copies of writers & artist submission guidelines
to many RPG companies and their going rates, and many other things in
the works....
FUTURE POSSIBILITIES: (most are top secret - these are the de-classified
plans)
WARGAMERS SPREADING OUT: In the near future people toating the WarGamer
ID card will be getting discounts not only in Mobile and Pensacola, but
maybe elsewhere. Areas targeted are Tampa, Houston, Phoenix, and POSS-
IBLY Detroit... If you know of a company who may want to work with us
(we do not impose anything on these companies and do not interfere with
their business, but they may want to get in on some of our deals) have
them write to my address listed below.
THE UNTITLED: Our magazine will be taking off sometime in October. We
are looking for paying advertisees and some writers. People from the
Net with past writings are encouraged to send a sample of their stories
or gaming ideas to the UWFGAMER address on the net, accompanied with an
address (both Net and Real) and your intentions. At this point the
magazine is planned to be no bigger than Palladium's organ: The Magic
of Palladium (approx 16 pages). We plan for it to cover ALL gaming
aspects of both RP and Strategy (we have an URGENT need for strategist
writers|) gaming. It will start off of a shoe-string budget and the
editor has not been authorized to offer cash as payment of yet, and IF
we DO pay for written articles/stories the cash will be possibly just
2 cents a word (that's about what Challenge offers), but we will NOT
take away your copyrights - it will remain to be YOUR work and not
ours (you let us borrow it for that issue) - not unless you donate the
work will we copyright it under our own group. And NO we really don't
want to call it the UNTITLED, but the other choices have not been
returned on the voting ballot we sent out.
The choices are: The Phaedrian, Role of the Dice, Your Move...,
Gamer's Magazine, Imagi Continuum, RPG'er, and The New Round. PLEASE
vote on what you like|||
AVAILABLITY OF PROOF: I have spoken with some gamers who have never
heard of us (and that's okay), and so I have compiled ALL of the
coorespondance that we have held with all of our sponsoring companies
that spans back about 4 years. Anyone wishing to view this collection
may send SASE ($1.50 postage) and I'll photocopy most of the letters as
proof. Also, if you'd rather, you can call or write the companies that
we claim to be sponsored by and ask about our validity...
SOON TO BE NON-PROFIT: We have applied under the Federal Gov. to be
recognized as a non-profit organization/club devoted to RP and Strategy
Gaming. Donations will become tax deductions for both companies and
individuals who are wishing to donate funds and or materials. We will
let you know when we get our number...
MOVING: The WarGamers office is moving out of my house (as well myself,
I am also moving out) and into a small business building in the
downtown section of Pensacola - right next to a gaming shop. I am
moving into an apartment at the other end of the city. The WarGamer
office address will be available in mid-May - when we move in.
Well, if this file, the archival tomes library (approx. 100 cols wide),
and our resume don't show that we are an agressive and workable group,
I don't know what will... Please remember - we do NOT want to take
over other existing gaming groups or smash them out of existance - we
want to work WITH them as a network of gamers. I hope the size and
ambitions of this group will not scare potential partners away. Please
copy this file and SPREAD it... SPREAD it everywhere... If people are
interested in more info they can write me at my current address:
Theresa Verity or the new one: (after Apr 20, 1991)
[address removed] 130 E. Nine-Mile Rd. Apt 25
[phone removed] (call respectable)
The chapter constitution is being drawn up for the UWF Gamers and
anyone interested in becoming a chapter can have a copy of it. You
will notice that we are not here to take over any established gaming
groups, we are just wanting to set up a large network of gamers -like
the RPGA BUT with less control over other groups. Chapters will enjoy
the full extention of the privilages now held by home members...