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View Full Version : On Nobilis, and the finding of new players



JMobius
2008-05-05, 10:46 AM
So I've recently finished reading through my copy of Nobilis; it cost me a great deal (some will remember), but I find it's worth every penny. This is, quite simply, by far the coolest RPG I've ever been exposed to. The setting is both beautifully unique and mature, and the rules are simple and elegant. I am absolutely dying to play it.

But I have a problem: For the most part (with one exception), my regular RPG group is largely uninterested. Attempts to appeal to the particular interests of each member have been largely ineffective. Thus, given my enthusiasm for the game, trying to force the apathetic remainder into playing is more than likely just a recipe for boredom and sourness.

So I'm contemplating trying to find a secondary group to play with. Easier said than done; my current team consists largely of old friends from college, and now that I've graduated finding new people seems a bit more difficult a task. I know it can be done, though, so I appeal to the wisdom of GITP: How does one go about finding new players and new groups to join, particularly when dealing with a rather niche system?

Thank you. :)

kc0bbq
2008-05-05, 12:33 PM
Finding Nobilis players is like finding Amber DRPG players, or worse, because with Amber you can go to AmberCON or AmberCON North and be totally disappointed and kill yourself.

Your best bet is checking with your local gaming shop to see if they have a bulletin board. Odds are you'll end up with at least some responses from people you won't connect with really well, but it's a good way to find those people who bought a game and want to try it.

Or, as a longer term solution, find a player run convention and volunteer for it, get to know the people who think it's worth their time to get involved. You'll find that the people involved are, by an overwhelming majority, what you are looking for. Sure, like everyone else there will be personality conflicts and whatever else, but you then have a good source of players for anything. *anything*. Battle Cattle? TFOS? Deadlands? 1st Ed Ars Magica? Hoo boy.

If you don't have either near you, well, someone else will have to make suggestions.

RTGoodman
2008-05-05, 01:15 PM
I second the notion of heading to ye olde FLGS and putting up an add at the bulletin board (if they have one). Just say you're looking for a group to play non-D&D/d20 RPGs, and specify you want to run Nobilis. I mean, that should spark some interest, and if you guys get together and don't like it, maybe you could try out other systems and have a whole "non-traditional" gaming group. We tried to do that this semester (my friends and I), but we could never get enough people in one place at one time to do anything.

Also, if you really can't find anyone to play, try Play-by-Post here on the boards. I haven't done it before, but I'd like to start at some point. I remember being intrigued by Nobilis last time you mentioned it, so if I can find more about it and you run it here on the boards, I might be interested. I've been thinking of doing the same with the Wushu System (http://www.bayn.org/wushu/index.html) if I ever get the time.

JMobius
2008-05-05, 02:46 PM
Ohhh, the gaming shop idea is good. Kind of obvious, I suppose, but as much as I love RPGs I'm kind of 'outside the culture'... so, duh, and thank you :)

rtg0922 -- I'm totally going to look and see if I can arrange a play by post game here sooner or later (the book even has a short section on how best to do just that). I'd have to highly recommend it, while every description I read was intriguing, they don't really do it justice. :)

_V_
2008-05-05, 05:22 PM
Try meetup.com - it helped me when my old group dissolved. I got 4 really great players from contacts made there.

_V_

Tellah
2008-05-05, 07:34 PM
I just want to congratulate you on picking up Nobilis, and encourage you to keep trying to get your players into it. It really helps novice players learn to flex their role-playing skills, since the the game is so light on combat. I just got done playing the Power of Rock and Roll in a semester-long game, and if you were anywhere near Pullman, WA, I'd join your game without blinking.

Good luck getting a group together!

JMobius
2008-05-05, 11:28 PM
Thanks _V_, I'll scope it out. :)

Tellah -- http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4288671 >.>