Our Start up for the PVGG.ORG
Donation protected
Pioneer Valley Gaming Guild
Do you remember when you were fifteen years old? You couldn’t wait for Saturday to finally arrive. You’d show up at your friend’s house with a couple of snacks and a six pack of Dr. Pepper.
Taking your lucky seat; in their basement around that old catering table. How about dropping that Crown Royal bag your dad gave you on the table, and hearing the dice roll inside it? I bet you had a Trapper Keeper filled with characters, not for the school work you should have kept in it?
Aww you can see it so well now. You are sitting in the basement chatting with your pals, waiting for the last person to show so you could start. You know that guy right, the one who was always late, but you forgave him because he brought the Funyuns? From that point on nothing else mattered in the real world. Nothing could be better than that moment.
FLASH FORWARD
You are now older, much older. The kids are grown and out of school, maybe they have even moved out of the house by now. The wife is at work and the Honey Do list is completed. The laughter and the sound of dice have long since faded. While plopping down on the couch channel surfing, you think back to the time when chips, soda, dice, and great friends were only eclipsed by the need for a pencil sharpener. You smile and wonder where the time has gone.
It is now time to embrace your inner Geek once again! Join like-minded middle aged people who long for the thrill of a critical hit or the stigma of a fumble. Let go of the years and embrace the freedom of role playing something that you wish you were, doing things that would be impossible to the normal person.
WE ARE THE P.V.G.G.
Hello, now that we have introduced ourselves we would like your help in the next step of our growth.
We are looking to raise funds so we may either rent a space for a year or put a sizable down payment on a place to buy. We want to open our club up to more people in the Pioneer valley and surrounding areas. Our current place is just too small to support our growth.
We have two goals we are trying to accomplish here.
The first goal is purchace or put a large down payment to rent a place with the option to but so we can have a place where members can gather to game and socialize. The games run from D&D style pen and paper games to board and card games of old and new.
Our second goal is to have a place to produce and sell our logo wear that we have and a place where we can finish up our very first D&D style game. This will include storage for all materials to create and finish up the product in its final stages so we may begin marketing of that box set as well. What is included in the box set you may ask? Well that is still being discussed but we are putting together enough material for a complete game which will include a source manual – the 1st module of the series – character sheets – and dice all packaged in our black box which will have our logo on it. We hope to have everything published and in print by years end 2015.
We also host a 5 day gaming convention every year for folks who become members; we call it Retro-Con. And a new place would help us achieve greater numbers for this.
The Start of a Gaming getaway
Imagine if you will, two friends on their days off sitting in the kitchen. The honey-do lists are done and the wives have cut them loose to do, whatever guys do when not being watched. Conversation over coffee turns to the days of old when a bunch of guys would grab a stack of D&D gaming books, some mismatched dice and a pad of graph paper for mapping. “Remember when everyone would converge upon the friend’s house with the table in the cellar. The game would start Friday night and go nonstop until Sunday afternoon.” “Man we were nerds, weren’t we?”
With a glint in their eyes, devilish grins exchanged and a dramatic pause, the chain of statements that started it all were uttered.
Scott: “You know something, I miss those days. Wouldn’t it be great to do that again?” “We should do that again!”
Bill: “Do you think we could pull off a weekend like that? Where could we set up for three days and not get in trouble with someone’s wife?”
Scott: “I know a place in Maine we could rent off season. I’ll call to see if the house is available and how much.” Fifteen minutes later. “The house is available and at a real cheap price. Who could we get to go?”
Bill: “It wouldn’t be any problem for me to write a scenario to run. I’ll start calling guys we used to game with, you do the same. Let’s see if we can make this happen.”
Forty-five minutes later a house was secured, transportation arranged and a tentative menu for the five intrepid gamers was set. In a short 40 days the first gathering for “Retro-Con”, (As we call it), was held.
We had such a great time; none of us could stop talking about it. All of us decided we had to get others interested in the gaming weekend. Year two, there were nine of us. Year three there were eleven in attendance.
It has been six years of Retro-Con since that day in the kitchen. Last year we had fifteen gamers across three tables for five days. Can’t wait for next year!
Where Our Logo Came From
By Bill Robitaille
As we stood on the front porch during a break from the noise, alcohol and potential carpal tunnel caused by rolling countless dice a fluttering catches our attention. On a whim I brought the Jolly Rodger to fly outside the rental house that was our home for the duration of the first Retro-Con. After a puff on his cigarette and a pull from his beer bottle Scott turns to me and says “Hey Bill, we should have a flag or standard of our own.” I answered “That would be pretty cool.”
The discussion ended there and we went back to our noise, alcohol and gaming. However the seed was planted. Germination of that seed began to sprout a few weeks later as I was working in the garage. While moving things about I came across the Jolly Rodger folded on a shelf. Remembering a brief comment made on a porch weeks ago, a smile crept onto my face. My thought process quickly turned to the following.
What symbolizes gaming to us older guys who usually began with D&D? DRAGONS. Now since it was the skull and crossbones that started this all how can I replicate that basic idea? Next I needed something else that says “We Be Gamers.” In my several decades of gaming there has always been one constant that all gamers gravitate to that screams “I am a Bad Ass and I am going to destroy stuff”, a big honking sharp and pointy Sword. With these pieces firmly in mind I went to the computer to begin designing. After about a fortnight I presented my construction to some of the Board members. It was received extremely well.
So what is the symbolism of the logo? Here in lies the heart and soul of what the PVGG started as and what we hope to hold true to. At least that’s what I was shooting for when the creative juices began to ooze into the dusty labyrinth I call a brain. Overall I began with the skull and crossbones that say, Pirates and all that goes with the image. That means ships on the open sea, buxom wenches, high adventure, sea monsters, swashbucklers and rum by the barrel. Oh did I mention buxom wenches? Well we are nerds at heart and we do obsess on occasion about certain things.
Next the skull has to be that of a Dragon. That can only mean quests to free the fair maiden and the “rewards” that follow. Dungeon crawls to vanquish a terror and looting the lair. Piles of treasure spread before our feet and magical weapons on our hips with spares propped against the wall. Adoration from the town’s folk and followers alike, akin to royalty, will be lavished upon us.
Last but not at all least, is the sword. As part of the crossbones it helps to complete the symbol and ties all the pieces together. Pirates live and die by the sword. Adventurers cannot be adventurers without a trusted blade at their side, passed down from generation to generation. The blade in our logo is a blend of a few sword styles. The sword features the swept tip of a cutlass or scimitar. The middle of the blade is straight like a long sword. The pommel is fashioned similar to a two handed sword, gladius or great sword. Capping it all off is the gem in the hilt. Ok it’s really the copyright symbol but hell it looks good.
Here’s the long and short of it;
Dragons, Pirates and Swords…My fantasies are way better than yours!
So that’s it, we made t-shirts and sweat shirts with our new Logo and the PVGG now has official Logo wear to show off to the envy of all who gaze upon us. Make no mistake about it either, it is Our symbol. That baby really is copyrighted.
To Find out more about the Pioneer Valley Gaming Guild and to View our Bylaws please please visit our site at www.pvgg.org or visit our
Facebook page >>> Facebook link <<<
Do you remember when you were fifteen years old? You couldn’t wait for Saturday to finally arrive. You’d show up at your friend’s house with a couple of snacks and a six pack of Dr. Pepper.
Taking your lucky seat; in their basement around that old catering table. How about dropping that Crown Royal bag your dad gave you on the table, and hearing the dice roll inside it? I bet you had a Trapper Keeper filled with characters, not for the school work you should have kept in it?
Aww you can see it so well now. You are sitting in the basement chatting with your pals, waiting for the last person to show so you could start. You know that guy right, the one who was always late, but you forgave him because he brought the Funyuns? From that point on nothing else mattered in the real world. Nothing could be better than that moment.
FLASH FORWARD
You are now older, much older. The kids are grown and out of school, maybe they have even moved out of the house by now. The wife is at work and the Honey Do list is completed. The laughter and the sound of dice have long since faded. While plopping down on the couch channel surfing, you think back to the time when chips, soda, dice, and great friends were only eclipsed by the need for a pencil sharpener. You smile and wonder where the time has gone.
It is now time to embrace your inner Geek once again! Join like-minded middle aged people who long for the thrill of a critical hit or the stigma of a fumble. Let go of the years and embrace the freedom of role playing something that you wish you were, doing things that would be impossible to the normal person.
WE ARE THE P.V.G.G.
Hello, now that we have introduced ourselves we would like your help in the next step of our growth.
We are looking to raise funds so we may either rent a space for a year or put a sizable down payment on a place to buy. We want to open our club up to more people in the Pioneer valley and surrounding areas. Our current place is just too small to support our growth.
We have two goals we are trying to accomplish here.
The first goal is purchace or put a large down payment to rent a place with the option to but so we can have a place where members can gather to game and socialize. The games run from D&D style pen and paper games to board and card games of old and new.
Our second goal is to have a place to produce and sell our logo wear that we have and a place where we can finish up our very first D&D style game. This will include storage for all materials to create and finish up the product in its final stages so we may begin marketing of that box set as well. What is included in the box set you may ask? Well that is still being discussed but we are putting together enough material for a complete game which will include a source manual – the 1st module of the series – character sheets – and dice all packaged in our black box which will have our logo on it. We hope to have everything published and in print by years end 2015.
We also host a 5 day gaming convention every year for folks who become members; we call it Retro-Con. And a new place would help us achieve greater numbers for this.
The Start of a Gaming getaway
Imagine if you will, two friends on their days off sitting in the kitchen. The honey-do lists are done and the wives have cut them loose to do, whatever guys do when not being watched. Conversation over coffee turns to the days of old when a bunch of guys would grab a stack of D&D gaming books, some mismatched dice and a pad of graph paper for mapping. “Remember when everyone would converge upon the friend’s house with the table in the cellar. The game would start Friday night and go nonstop until Sunday afternoon.” “Man we were nerds, weren’t we?”
With a glint in their eyes, devilish grins exchanged and a dramatic pause, the chain of statements that started it all were uttered.
Scott: “You know something, I miss those days. Wouldn’t it be great to do that again?” “We should do that again!”
Bill: “Do you think we could pull off a weekend like that? Where could we set up for three days and not get in trouble with someone’s wife?”
Scott: “I know a place in Maine we could rent off season. I’ll call to see if the house is available and how much.” Fifteen minutes later. “The house is available and at a real cheap price. Who could we get to go?”
Bill: “It wouldn’t be any problem for me to write a scenario to run. I’ll start calling guys we used to game with, you do the same. Let’s see if we can make this happen.”
Forty-five minutes later a house was secured, transportation arranged and a tentative menu for the five intrepid gamers was set. In a short 40 days the first gathering for “Retro-Con”, (As we call it), was held.
We had such a great time; none of us could stop talking about it. All of us decided we had to get others interested in the gaming weekend. Year two, there were nine of us. Year three there were eleven in attendance.
It has been six years of Retro-Con since that day in the kitchen. Last year we had fifteen gamers across three tables for five days. Can’t wait for next year!
Where Our Logo Came From
By Bill Robitaille
As we stood on the front porch during a break from the noise, alcohol and potential carpal tunnel caused by rolling countless dice a fluttering catches our attention. On a whim I brought the Jolly Rodger to fly outside the rental house that was our home for the duration of the first Retro-Con. After a puff on his cigarette and a pull from his beer bottle Scott turns to me and says “Hey Bill, we should have a flag or standard of our own.” I answered “That would be pretty cool.”
The discussion ended there and we went back to our noise, alcohol and gaming. However the seed was planted. Germination of that seed began to sprout a few weeks later as I was working in the garage. While moving things about I came across the Jolly Rodger folded on a shelf. Remembering a brief comment made on a porch weeks ago, a smile crept onto my face. My thought process quickly turned to the following.
What symbolizes gaming to us older guys who usually began with D&D? DRAGONS. Now since it was the skull and crossbones that started this all how can I replicate that basic idea? Next I needed something else that says “We Be Gamers.” In my several decades of gaming there has always been one constant that all gamers gravitate to that screams “I am a Bad Ass and I am going to destroy stuff”, a big honking sharp and pointy Sword. With these pieces firmly in mind I went to the computer to begin designing. After about a fortnight I presented my construction to some of the Board members. It was received extremely well.
So what is the symbolism of the logo? Here in lies the heart and soul of what the PVGG started as and what we hope to hold true to. At least that’s what I was shooting for when the creative juices began to ooze into the dusty labyrinth I call a brain. Overall I began with the skull and crossbones that say, Pirates and all that goes with the image. That means ships on the open sea, buxom wenches, high adventure, sea monsters, swashbucklers and rum by the barrel. Oh did I mention buxom wenches? Well we are nerds at heart and we do obsess on occasion about certain things.
Next the skull has to be that of a Dragon. That can only mean quests to free the fair maiden and the “rewards” that follow. Dungeon crawls to vanquish a terror and looting the lair. Piles of treasure spread before our feet and magical weapons on our hips with spares propped against the wall. Adoration from the town’s folk and followers alike, akin to royalty, will be lavished upon us.
Last but not at all least, is the sword. As part of the crossbones it helps to complete the symbol and ties all the pieces together. Pirates live and die by the sword. Adventurers cannot be adventurers without a trusted blade at their side, passed down from generation to generation. The blade in our logo is a blend of a few sword styles. The sword features the swept tip of a cutlass or scimitar. The middle of the blade is straight like a long sword. The pommel is fashioned similar to a two handed sword, gladius or great sword. Capping it all off is the gem in the hilt. Ok it’s really the copyright symbol but hell it looks good.
Here’s the long and short of it;
Dragons, Pirates and Swords…My fantasies are way better than yours!
So that’s it, we made t-shirts and sweat shirts with our new Logo and the PVGG now has official Logo wear to show off to the envy of all who gaze upon us. Make no mistake about it either, it is Our symbol. That baby really is copyrighted.
To Find out more about the Pioneer Valley Gaming Guild and to View our Bylaws please please visit our site at www.pvgg.org or visit our
Facebook page >>> Facebook link <<<
Organizer
Luis Aponte
Organizer
Springfield, MA
