PFS growing or shrinking in the Southeast US?

[Andrew Roberts]

As another note, the adventure card game does well in Florida

[Doonamis]

As another note,  the adventure card game does well in Florida

On second thought, let's not go there.  Tis a silly place.

[TimD]

A key frame of reference - did you read Foundation or LotR first as a kid.

I'm a sci-fi apostate - I felt Foundation was so badly written I almost gave up on the genre.
Fortunately for the bank accounts of authors of the thousands of sci-fi / fantasy books I own, I then moved on to Heinlein and Foster and became an addict for life.

[pgfrix]

At the risk of being obvious, though, the larger point being that if your entry point to geekery was calibrated to shiny suit-laser zapper normative, you've likely spent years at an RPG table fiddling around with elves and dwarves because that was the normative outgrowth of 'fighting men' historical wargaming.

Arguably, the PFRPG - SFRPG is the first time you've ever really had major market productions of both that are meaningfully popular enough for Rando Joe to actually have a choice between Lego Space and Lego Castle.

It's a great time to be a geek.

[Martian Banshee]

Good People,

I've made a few attempts to join PFS games without success.
The first time was at Game-O-Rama in Atlanta - due to an unexpected DM shortage.
The second was at Chattacon (yep - I'm that guy) where I was ordered out of the gaming area for reasons unknown by an incredibly rude man wearing an embroidered Paizo golf shirt. I suppose I may have been mistaken for somebody's father.
The third is downright infuriating. I RSVP'd on Facebook to a PFS event advertised on Facebook, but when I arrived at Tyche's, I was told that the Facebook RSVPs don't count, that only gapfs.org RSVPs count. Since that time, I've come onto this forum in hopes of finding a seat at an event, without any luck.

See that faulty logic right there? You guys aren't attracting new members (repelling them, in fact) because you make it so damned difficult for new people to join. I've been playing and running games since 1979 - a lot of convention games both for fun and as an official game company rep. You guys have have made your favorite(?) game inaccessible to anybody in the area except yourselves.

[jennoconn]

Good People,

I've made a few attempts to join PFS games without success.  
The first time was at Game-O-Rama in Atlanta - due to an unexpected DM shortage.  
The second was at Chattacon (yep - I'm that guy) where I was ordered out of the gaming area for reasons unknown by an incredibly rude man wearing an embroidered Paizo golf shirt.  I suppose I may have been mistaken for somebody's father.  
The third is downright infuriating.  I RSVP'd on Facebook to a PFS event advertised on Facebook, but when I arrived at Tyche's, I was told that the Facebook RSVPs don't count, that only gapfs.org RSVPs count.  Since that time, I've come onto this forum in hopes of finding a seat at an event, without any luck.

See that faulty logic right there?  You guys aren't attracting new members (repelling them, in fact) because you make it so damned difficult for new people to join.  I've been playing and running games since 1979 - a lot of convention games both for fun and as an official game company rep.  You guys have have made your favorite(?) game inaccessible to anybody in the area except yourselves.

I have to say I had the complete opposite experience. Not only was I welcomed to my first ever RPG game at DragonCon I was encouraged to join any of the local game days. Recently at Momocon they were soo welcoming many DMs had to sit sessions out because their beginners tables didn't form but they didn't want to shut it down in case a group showed up.
 
Everyone has been patient as I learn the game and readily ask anyone who seems interested to join. This has been primarily Manuel's and My Parent's Basement which regularly get people outside the gaming world checking out the table. 

That being said, there have been times I've missed fun opportunities because communications break down before they hit the newbies.

[Tiffany H.]

Good People,

I've made a few attempts to join PFS games without success.  
The first time was at Game-O-Rama in Atlanta - due to an unexpected DM shortage.  
The second was at Chattacon (yep - I'm that guy) where I was ordered out of the gaming area for reasons unknown by an incredibly rude man wearing an embroidered Paizo golf shirt.  I suppose I may have been mistaken for somebody's father.  
The third is downright infuriating.  I RSVP'd on Facebook to a PFS event advertised on Facebook, but when I arrived at Tyche's, I was told that the Facebook RSVPs don't count, that only gapfs.org RSVPs count.  Since that time, I've come onto this forum in hopes of finding a seat at an event, without any luck.

See that faulty logic right there?  You guys aren't attracting new members (repelling them, in fact) because you make it so damned difficult for new people to join.  I've been playing and running games since 1979 - a lot of convention games both for fun and as an official game company rep.  You guys have have made your favorite(?) game inaccessible to anybody in the area except yourselves.

Tiffany here - I'm the lady from Tyche who followed you out to the parking lot, introduced myself, offered you my seat at the gaming table, and gave you the card with the information for this website.

We really like new people here in Athens, we promise - there are several open games in Athens on the Athens Lodge Board right now that you are welcome to join. Please check out our July and August upcoming events.

Glad you found us - hope to see you at a game day soon!

[Martian Banshee]

We really like new people here in Athens, we promise - there are several open games in Athens on the Athens Lodge Board right now that you are welcome to join. Please check out our July and August upcoming events.

Glad you found us - hope to see you at a game day soon!

Thanks Tiffany, I've seen the night time games have open seats, but I teach in Social Circle, and have to leave the house for work about 6:15am. The late hours are incompatible with my work schedule. I'll keep poking around. Your offer at Tyche's was indeed gracious; it's a shame your attitude wasn't reflected by the man sitting next to you who seemed happy and eager to turn me away.

I see two sides to this:

First is the unending shortage of people willing and able to run "newbie friendly" open, introductory games.

Second is the lack of publicity. If you want new people, a RSVP system outside this forum (recruitment games only) would be useful.