CAR-PGa NEWSLETTER, Vol. 29, No. 2, February 2020

CAR-PGa Chair

An international network of researchers into all aspects of role-playing games

David Millians, Editor

Paideia School, 1509 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia 30307 USA

millians.david@paideiaschool.org

LETTER FROM THE CHAIR

Hi All,

I mentioned last month about the opportunity to give back to the gaming community by adding a Gamers in Need page to our site. The page is now live and I’m pleased to share a success story from one of the GoFundMe crowdsourcing efforts we listed there.

One of our own members, Lou Zucchi, suffered a serious setback when a fire broke out on his property. While no one was hurt, the fire did destroy the garage. The garage was home to Lou’s business and contained boxes of unpunched and out of print games, dice, game magazines and a lifetime of notes and records from Gamescience. I’m pleased to report that the fundraiser exceeded its goal, with $5,285 raised. I’m so happy that the community was able to rally around one of our own.

Unfortunately, Lou isn’t the only one who has suffered a serious setback. From Australia wildfires to escalating healthcare costs to simply trying to educate the public about gaming (like member Hawke Robinson, check out his GoFundMe), there are so many requests that I find it easier to provide a curated list–that’s where our page comes in. I’m hopeful it will expand over time and welcome your suggestions on other fundraisers to add. If you can’t afford to give, please consider sharing the page with your social networks. As new fundraisers are added or removed, I’ll be sure to mention them in this newsletter.

It’s always difficult to ask for the charity of strangers. I’m hopeful with this page we’ve made the process a little less intimidating and, if any of us suffers a major crisis in the future, a resource our members can turn to in their time of need.

Thank you for your attention and support.

Sincerely,

Mike

CAR-PGA Chair

ARTICLES

GURPS Group Brasil

From Omar Diniz

Rafael Rocha, a history teacher in Brazil has a page on Facebook about RPG use in the classroom. It includes a course implementing games in education. It’s in Portuguese and full of good ideas. The full link is https://www.facebook.com/groups/GURPS.BR/permalink/2810498292330045/.

NEW MATERIAL

FROM DAVID MILLIANS

FROM MIKE TRESCA

CONVENTIONS

New listings this month were provided by Paul Cardwell, others are urged to submit information. If you attend a convention, be sure and check the conventions table and let us have a copy of the fliers (or at very least the when, what, where, and contact information) for upcoming conventions available there. CAR-PGa is international, so this includes anywhere in the world.

Dates, precise venue, contacts’ URLs or phone numbers, and other information, where missing from this list, would be particularly appreciated.

“[LARP]” means only LARP events as many RPG cons include at least some LARP, as likewise applies to the mention of specific game systems. The same bracketed information applies as well to game systems when the con will have only those games present.

In an attempt to get more face-to-face meetings of the membership, we list who will be going to what convention, if they will tell us. Get this type of information in at least two months before the convention itself, so we can run it at least once. Support your local cons by helping in the staff. It is a good way to promote RPG and you generally get in free for the brief time spent helping.

A review of any attended convention afterwards for the Newsletter would be appreciated too. These reviews should include demographic data such as attendance, percentage male/female, white/ethnic minorities (or what- ever is the majority/white/others), games in addition to tabletop RPG, and more subjective matters such as unusual events, quality of games and dealers’ room, encouragement of new gamers, and whatever seems worth reporting. We need to work to restore CAR-PGa’s reputation as the media’s go-to on gamer demographics, especially since the media are still citing a study that cut off all those over 35 – at a time when that was the median age of gamers – it is closer to 40 now – which indicates we also need to work on recruiting younger players, although some increase in college age players at conventions has been noted.

Conventions are currently being compiled by archivist Paul Cardwell, 1127 Cedar, Bonham, TX 75418 or plcardwell@gmail.com, so send them there.

February 2020

March 2020

April 2020

May 2020

June 2020

© Copyright 2020 by the Committee for the Advancement of Role-Playing Games (CAR-PGa), ISSN 1071 7129. The CAR-PGa Newsletter is a monthly publication. For more information contact David Millians, Editor, Paideia School, 1509 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia 30307 USA, phone (404) 808-1070, fax (404) 377-3491, e-mail millians.david@paideiaschool.org. Back issues are available. Contributions of material from the membership are urged, and the byline is responsible for content. Deadline is the last weekday of the month, email preferred. Permission is granted to copy anything in the Newsletter, provided we get a credit line in the publication copying it, and it doesn’t have someone else’s copyright on it. Information, including details on joining CAR-PGa, can be obtained on the Internet at car-pga.org.