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Games and Gaming: Camp Nerdly

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  1.  # 1
    Clinton, over in the Gencon: 9 Days thread:

    Posted By: Clinton R. Nixon

    Hey, as a side note, the camping thing isreally smart for not-August, not-Indy.Camp Nerdly held the first weekend of October would be so awesomely awesome. Held right before the roller-coaster of GenCon in the middle of Al-Gore's-I-told-you-fucking-so-Heat-Wave-week: well, I agree with Tony.



    Ok. I can't stop thinking about the group-cabin-camp idea. So let's use this thread to make something like that happen, sometime, somewhere. For now, I propose using this thread to suggest a time and a place. Let's get a few of these, and see which, if any, people think they'd be interested in doing. I'll start.

    Dates: Fri Sept 29-Tues Oct 3 or Fri Oct 13-Tues Oct 17th, 2006
    Venue: Prince William Forest group cabins, in Triangle, VA, which I picked mainly because it's near me, but hopefully theoretically possibly for NC-ites or others on this side of the country.

    Rally behind it or suggest another!
    • CommentAuthorClinton
    • CommentTimeAug 23rd 2006
     # 2
    Dave!

    Your idea and location are sound. The days are too long for me: I'd try to do this, the first time, as a Friday-Sunday thing. I think we can get enough campers to fill Camp Orenda (max 60). I'd also go for the later date, just to give us more time to plan. I want families from up and down the coast there! And my dog!
  3.  # 3
    Sounds fun! I'm in, most likely, provided I can drop off my wife in Alexandria with her peeps.

    EDIT: Her peeps are hardcore D&Ders... hmm...
  4.  # 4
    Clinton: I think you're probably right - let's do Friday-Sunday nights (allowing people to stay Sun night too if desired) - 3 nights. I tried calling the camps people there just to get a very preliminary read on whether Orenda's open either weekend, but no answer yet.
    • CommentAuthorFaerieloch
    • CommentTimeAug 23rd 2006
     # 5
    I've camped there before and it's a nice place. However, the first weekend is a friend's wedding celebration, the weekend in-between is Canadian Thanksgiving, and the second weekend Albert and I have opera tickets! It's just a busy time for us. I'll miss all the autumn leaves....

    --Nancy
    •  
      CommentAuthorVaxalon
    • CommentTimeAug 23rd 2006
     # 6
    Dave, put me on your list of interested parties.

    Don't forget to announce it on the DCRPG mailing list.
    •  
      CommentAuthorVaxalon
    • CommentTimeAug 23rd 2006
     # 7
    HEY. This would be PERFECT for a LARP-ish playtest of the Amber rules I'm working up, and it gives me a deadline to bring something playable.
  8.  # 8
    For now, let's hear some other ideas, before we lock down anything in Triangle. I'd hate for someone else to have another great venue that we miss because we all jump too quick on this one. With that in mind, I'm not planning on moving forward with Prince William till at least tomorrow (and only then if its the venue people want && we think we'll have a critical mass of people we want to be with for 3 days). Looking to hear:

    1) other ideas for times & venues

    or

    2) cries of support for any venue that has already been suggested.

    Then, after we know what we want, we'll talk financials, food, games, and all that goodness.
    •  
      CommentAuthorLxndr
    • CommentTimeAug 23rd 2006
     # 9
    Do it in Arizona in, say, January, and it might be a nice reprieve from the winter. Say, the 2nd weekend or so of January?
    •  
      CommentAuthorVaxalon
    • CommentTimeAug 23rd 2006
     # 10
    Holy Airfare, Batman!
    • CommentAuthorClinton
    • CommentTimeAug 23rd 2006 edited
     # 11

    If you look at the downloadable brochure, you'll see we're far, far past possible reservation times. This means we should plan ahead for a spring Camp Nerdly, people!

    •  
      CommentAuthorVaxalon
    • CommentTimeAug 23rd 2006
     # 12
    I'm not usually a camping person. I just don't know campsites in my area. If it's close enough to drive to in one day, I'll try to get there.
  13.  # 13
    Good catch, Clinton.

    "Camping in the individual, family and small group cabins in the A and B Units of Cabin Camp 3 (Camp Orenda) is accepted on a first come, first served basis...
    Reservations are required for Group Cabin Camps 1, 2, 4, 5 and C Unit of Cabin Camp 3."

    I read that to mean there's an outside chance we could do group cabins at A or B in Orenda _without_ massively prior reservations (for some relatively limited group of people - 20 or less?), but I can't get ahold of anyone over there to tell me for sure. Certainly for a large group we would have to stick to their reservation schedule. If interest is that big (or could be that big by spring) then I'm all for that.
    • CommentAuthorFaerieloch
    • CommentTimeAug 23rd 2006
     # 14
    How about May in Yosemite?

    Posted By: VaxalonHoly Airfare, Batman!


    Well, it would be airfare for *you*! Mwahahahaha!!!!! Though I must admit I was thinking the same thing when Prince William Forest was suggested....

    --Nancy
    •  
      CommentAuthorLxndr
    • CommentTimeAug 23rd 2006
     # 15
    Airfare is going to be a problem for someone no matter where we go.
    •  
      CommentAuthorVaxalon
    • CommentTimeAug 23rd 2006
     # 16
    Given the distribution of SG folks (mostly east coast and west coast) I think discussion should break down into Nerd Camp East and Nerd Camp West.
    • CommentAuthorTonyLB
    • CommentTimeAug 23rd 2006
     # 17

    I am totally down with the general idea of nerd camp in my freakin' back yard (no, not literally, but Prince Williams ... I could commute to that camp).

    We'll have much more information when Dave hears back from the folks at the camp. I worry that we're being thrown toward thrashing by the disconnect between internet time and real-world time. But fall, or spring, or both ... I'd be up for that.

  18.  # 18
    Hmm... My primary recomendation (though I'm pretty sure that I couldn't attend a Fall camp thing, though the Spring might be possible) is that it is located in a place that lets people fly in, especially good if this can be done cheaply.

    This, of course, means more than being near somewhere with an airport. What it actually means is that it needs to be somewhere where a number of people who are going to drive can pick people up from the airport. Seems like there's a number of people in NC who would be up for it, but how many people could those people pick up from (say) Raleigh and drive to the camp?

    Because if I lay down the cash for plane tickets, that's pretty much my travel budget right there...

    Thomas
    •  
      CommentAuthorEric Provost
    • CommentTimeAug 23rd 2006 edited
     # 19

    Charlotte NC. That's what you're looking at. It's a major hub for US Air and um... Delta, I think. There's nightly flights in from London and Frankfurt for you crazy overseas folks.

    Now, I don't specificially know about any campsites near Charlotte, but I'll eat an old shoe if there's nothing good nearby.

    -Eric

    edit ps - If this ends up happening in the spring, near Charlotte, Lisa and I are totally in.

  20.  # 20
    Well, I suggested Raleigh (RDU) because Southwest flies through there, and I tend to fly with them because I'm poor and they tend to have excellent prices (especially if I can make my plans far enough in advance).

    Thomas
  21.  # 21

    Check for flights to Charlotte (CLT), Thomas. I can't say for sure, but I'd be willing to be you'll find a real competitive price. If only because they're such a big hub.

    -Eric

    •  
      CommentAuthormisuba
    • CommentTimeAug 23rd 2006
     # 22

    I was already thinking about throwing some sort of conference, if not actual camping, in Portland next October-ish. So we can hit the West Coast angle if the Oaklanders don't have it nailed already.

    •  
      CommentAuthorLxndr
    • CommentTimeAug 23rd 2006
     # 23
    From Phoenix, I can fly to Charlotte cheaper than to Raleigh, on average. Charlotte is apparently a major hub, damn! That's cheaper than, say, Chicago.
    • CommentAuthorClinton
    • CommentTimeAug 23rd 2006
     # 24

    Ok, here's my idea:

    Now: I start a website.

    Tomorrow: Someone gives me a logo of an owlbear peeking from behind a tree.

    Oct 13-Oct 15, 2006: a very small Camp Nerdly happens. Limit 20 people, limit to people who drive or ride there. I know that's arbitrary. The Camp Nerdly board forms, consisting of Dave and me and some other people we pick (Dave and I don't know each other, but we will) and we plan for spring.

    Springtime: Camp Nerdly I happens! Limit of either 60 or 100, depending on whether we think we can pull this off. Three days, two nights, with admission of $40-60/person getting you a rack and food for the whole time. Non-gaming relatives welcome, with activities for them.

    There will be sing-alongs.

    I'm very excited about this. If you do not stop me, then this will be stuff that happens, I'm pretty sure.

  25.  # 25
    Hell yes.
  26.  # 26

    Lisa and I sez hellz yes. Also, Lisa sez that she will support the non-gamer yarn-aholics activities. Knitting and cross-stitch and any other crazy needlework will abound.

    Clinton, what are you thinking for locations?

  27.  # 27
    I agree with an early Spring date. That's the only time I could possibly use my vacation days.
    •  
      CommentAuthorRemi
    • CommentTimeAug 23rd 2006
     # 28

    Click for larger version.

    I whipped this up pretty quickly, any suggestions, especially regarding the tree and the type, would be welcome.
  29.  # 29
    I'll pay $75 in the spring if it comes with Remi's Camp Nerdly graphic in yellow ink on a green t-shirt.
    • CommentAuthorKudzu
    • CommentTimeAug 23rd 2006
     # 30
    Posted By: Dave YounceI'll pay $75 in the spring if it comes with Remi's Camp Nerdly graphic in yellow ink on a green t-shirt.


    AT LEAST $75!

    In the Spring (after the January annual vacation refresh).

    Steven
  31.  # 31

    I said to Lisa: Everyone has to get a shirt in this deal, I mean, it's camp!

    Lisa sez to me: Yeah! But the girls have to get a different color than the guys, because it's camp!

    Remi = roxxorz

  32.  # 32
    Jesus, Remi! I want that shirt yesterday.

    There's plenty of campgrounds and such around CLT, but there are no story gamers around Charlotte, which means no airport rides, no houses to flop at, and so forth. We've got concentrations of people in NYC, Raleigh-Durham, DC, SoCal, Chicago, Bay area, not sure where else. We should focus on a location with easy access to support people with cars and stuff. DC seems like a good choice in many ways.
  33.  # 33
    Clinton & I exchanged preliminary ideas last night. Here's the current plan of the Camp Nerdly Steering Committee (subject to minute-to-minute change):

    1) I just got off the phone with Megan at Prince William Forest. We have reserved 2 ten-person cabins for the weekend of October 13-15. I'm just about to fax in the form. This will be Camp Nerdly 0. RAWK!
    2) We use CN0 as a chance to evaluate Prince William Forest as a site for Camp Nerdly 1 in the Springtime.
    3) If we like what we see, we get our ducks in a row & apply way ahead of time for a full camp for a TBD weekend in the Spring (Camp Nerdly 1). We make awesome T-Shirts, plan activities, and pressure someone into getting lifeguard-certified so people can swim in the lake.
    3a) If we decide it's not the place to be, we still do CN1, but someplace else, probably NC.
    • CommentAuthorClinton
    • CommentTimeAug 24th 2006
     # 34

    Remi - holy crap, awesome.

    Dave - holy crap, awesome. This is going to be so much fun.

  35.  # 35
    Okay, CN0 signups are open. Here's how this works:

    1) email me and clinton (dave.younce and crnixon both at gmail, respectively) with your name and how many people you represent. First 20 people to do so get beds. I'm not responsible for anyone over that number who want to come, but camp rules say they can't sleep in our cabins. Quite possibly there are more cabins to rent that people can take on by themselves. We'll cross that bridge if we come to it. It may also be plausible for local people who only want to come during the day on Sat/Sun to do so. We'll see.

    2) we'll make an email list based on the people who respond, and will use that to send out details like final cost when we figure out food & such. Right now I'm sticking with Clinton's guess of $40-60, payable in advance somehow to be determined. We'll continue to use this thread for some announcements, others will come by email to people involved. There may be a website soon. There may be a spreadshirt store with Remi's graphic soon. You'll know when I know.
  36.  # 36

    Despite the awesomeness of it all, Lisa and I put our heads together and figure that we won't really be able to do it. It's only a 50/50 chance she'd be able to get any time off in October and our money is already stretched thin since we've obligated ourselves to MACE in November.

    But, we hope it goes really really well, because we're planning on putting our pennies together to get in on the spring event.

    -Eric

    • CommentAuthorClinton
    • CommentTimeAug 24th 2006
     # 37

    This is moving so fast, I'm a little nauseous! Anyway:

    http://campnerdly.org/

    • CommentAuthorTonyLB
    • CommentTimeAug 24th 2006
     # 38

    That rippling sensation in your stomach is empowerment, man!

    The website looks cool. I'll be glad of the chance to get on the forums, and start talking about gamer-alternate GORP recipes.

    •  
      CommentAuthorDoyce
    • CommentTimeAug 24th 2006
     # 39
    Going to point out now that the 'winter season' goes out to something like End of March, and during that time, looks like a bunch of the cabins are closed.

    Then I will point out that this is bone-achingly awesome, and I will hie myself out of Denver to participate in CN1.
  40.  # 40
    Holy crap! I can drive to this. Wow...I really suck at geography.

    I want to go, but I can't get to the Camp Nerdly forums. How do I create an account?
  41.  # 41
    Clinton does the invites to the Basecamp stuff - so confirm by email if you're going, and sometime when Clinton's not doing his "real" job he'll add you in.

    We're also using Google Spreadsheets to do draft scheduling & meal planning, so use a gmail account if you've got one. (if you dont have such a thing but want one, that's easy too, just whisper/email me)
    • CommentAuthorClinton
    • CommentTimeAug 24th 2006
     # 42

    The "planning forums" are for Dave and I to plan, and the link is there so I don't forget it. If you get assigned a task to do to make everything happen, you'll get added to the forums.

    •  
      CommentAuthorDave Younce
    • CommentTimeAug 24th 2006 edited
     # 43
    I just read this over on the prince william forest site (edit: added link)
    "During the Second World War, the cabin camps were used as a training site by the Office of Strategic Services, a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency and various military special forces units. Cabin Camps 2, 3 and 5 became Area A, where OSS operatives trained for secret missions concerning morale and subversion behind Axis lines. They studied codes, weapons, how to make and disarm booby traps, and how to make parachute jumps from airplanes"

    We're in Camp 3. How cool is that?

    Status:
    thread: 22 hours old
    firefox tabs devoted: 4 (this thread, google spreadsheet, campnerdly.org which is so cool i can't bring myself to close it even though it holds no new information for me, and Clinton's basecamp site for to-dos and such)
    slots taken: 13/20
    Camp Nerdly 0 taking shape: priceless.
  44.  # 44
    That's a crazy bit of history. We'll be walking in the bootsteps of "Wild Bill" Donovan. I volunteer to run some Cold City.
    •  
      CommentAuthorVaxalon
    • CommentTimeAug 24th 2006
     # 45
    Let us know when the schedule is open to start putting up what we want to run.
    • CommentAuthorClinton
    • CommentTimeAug 24th 2006
     # 46

    Fred,

    I will make a web thingy for that, I promise!

    • Clinton
  47.  # 47
    Fred (&others)

    For scheduling - we'll work all that out as time goes on, but you're certainly welcome to put your ideas on the Google spreadsheet for now (which i've given edit priveleges to everyone w/ a google account who's going). Eventually there'll be a better system. Or, people can post here with what they want to run. But the event is still more than a month away, and I don't think there's any particular rush to get that part hammered out.

    I'll admit, I'm hoping for:
    the Prince's Kingdom
    Cold City
    Agon?
    the Sith-al-Hiri Roach
    maybe some TSOY

    And you know there's going to be Jungle Speed.
    •  
      CommentAuthorAndy
    • CommentTimeAug 25th 2006
     # 48
    Jungle Speed

    We must be careful and temper the Jungle Speed with more gaming, else it turn into "Camp Jungle Speed and Sprinkings of Gaming".

    -Andy
  49.  # 49
    We'll just work it in as a substitute resolution system somewhere.

    Maybe this is a discussion worth having. Is it 'dangerous' to bring non-RPGS? Do they have an advantage natural-selection-wise over our chosen hobby? If so, is that inherently bad? Why would we, a bunch of gamers, possibly prefer that? Seems like there's a whole set of philosophical topics worth discussing there.

    Or, y'know, we could just ignore the issue and tell people to bring only RPGs.
  50.  # 50
    I think board games are great, especially board games "non-gamers" will play and enjoy. Somebody bring UNO, for God's sake.

    That said I'll gladly run Cold City at some point, or my TSOY Aztec gods throw-down.

    We should think about phsyical accomodation - *where* will we be playing - are there tables and chairs? The floor? A gigantic stump in the forest?
    •  
      CommentAuthorVaxalon
    • CommentTimeAug 25th 2006
     # 51
    My Amber game is turning out to be tableless
  52.  # 52
    Good point, Jason. Maybe I'll sneak in apples to apples, settlers, once upon a time, uno, and some others just in case.

    tableless is good. but for the other games:

    Inside the 2 cabins are 10 beds, and basically nothing else. So there's floorspace there, and, uh, bedspace...

    Each cabin is said to have a picnic table, but obviously we can't even sit 20 people at 2 picnic tables - nevertheless, during the day, that's available.

    I have at least one folding square card table and a couple of folding chairs which I can probably get to the site with little difficulty. Maybe we'll encourage people (driving) who have those fold-up camp chairs to bring them. I can almost certainly borrow at least one more (larger) folding table, but would have trouble transporting it.

    If we find a gigantic stump in the forest, I vote we should absolutely play there.
    •  
      CommentAuthorVaxalon
    • CommentTimeAug 25th 2006
     # 53
    Hehe.

    We have a big banquet table (you know, the kind they keep folded up in the basements of churches). Maybe we'll rent a van.
  54.  # 54
    I can bring four nice folding chairs. We should also think about light if there is no power.
    •  
      CommentAuthorVaxalon
    • CommentTimeAug 25th 2006
     # 55
    Indeed, though campfirelight offers some interesting restraints on play that would be interesting to explore.
  56.  # 56
    Put me down tentatively, please. My wife is going to Leaf the weekend before so I should be okay to attend. However, I've not discussed it with her.
  57.  # 57
    Spoke to NPS. Here's the dealio:

    In the cabins themselves, there are lights and a ceiling fan, but no electrical outlets. There are electrical outlets in the bathrooms for razors & such.

    In each cabin area, there is also a 'lodge' with better electrical outlets, and usually 2 long tables and 1 square table, and some chairs. We can't reserve the lodge - it's open to whoever else we're sharing the cabin camp with. I still think we should bring a few chairs & another table to be sure.

    There's no fire circle in the cabin camp itself, just the little charcoal grills, but we do have access to a big stone-lined fire circle about 150 yards away with benches. They don't provide firewood - there are rules on gathering little bits of dead wood from around the area, but I think if we wanted Campfire Sing-along Play by Firelight Night we'd probably want to plan on bringing some firewood ourselves, too.

    Mark, just you? When you're sure, send an email to Clinton & I (your spot isn't secure until you do so), and go to http://campnerdly.org and join the email list there, too. Thanks!
    •  
      CommentAuthorAndy
    • CommentTimeAug 25th 2006
     # 58
    Is the Lodge open all night?

    -Andy
  59.  # 59
    I got the impression it's supposed to close at "quiet time" which begins at 10 pm.
  60.  # 60
    a few things:

    so i signed up for the mailing list, that has secured my spot? i'm right in that assumption?

    I for want to do some not-gamey stuff. Hiking, marshmallow roasting, camp stuff. I'm not the only one thinking this am i?

    I would also love to do an arts and crafts segment. I want to show people some DIY bookbinding, and i want to learn something cool and game-usefull from someone else. Anyone in?
    • CommentAuthorClinton
    • CommentTimeAug 25th 2006
     # 61

    Kevin,

    That did not secure your spot. E-mail Dave and I - or shoot an e-mail to the mailing list, as we're both on it - to do that. And, man, awesome!

    •  
      CommentAuthorAndy
    • CommentTimeAug 25th 2006
     # 62
    Hiking is awesome, I'd be up for some. But marshmallows are the loose soft teeth of the devil.
  63.  # 63
    I'm not going to spend a weekend in a cabin in the woods and not get out and enjoy it.
  64.  # 64
    I got jealous of the Boston/NY thing going on with logos & broke out the old heraldry clipart library I paid way too much for:


    or maybe:



    or simply:


    No way would this replace Remi's logo for t-shirts, but maybe it's useful for something else.
  65.  # 65
    Like putting on our shields for the trial by combat.
    •  
      CommentAuthorDave Younce
    • CommentTimeAug 25th 2006 edited
     # 66
    Ahem, don't you mean tabards, Jason?
    Edit: whoops, somehow I read "shirts" instead of "shields". Jason's idea is way cooler than tabards.
    •  
      CommentAuthorHoho
    • CommentTimeAug 25th 2006
     # 67

    Hm.

    When the NJ crew gets together next week we are designing us one of these.

  68.  # 68
    Oh crap, we're getting all medieval on each other now.
    •  
      CommentAuthorMeguey
    • CommentTimeAug 25th 2006
     # 69
    *whimper* I wanna go to Camp Nerdly. :{

    At least we got Jiffy Con rolling.
  70.  # 70
    We wanna come to the springtime camp! I look forward to more info!
    •  
      CommentAuthorThomas D
    • CommentTimeAug 25th 2006
     # 71
    2500 miles away! Why is all the cool stuff always on the East Coast? First Dreamation, then Dexcon, now this...
  72.  # 72
    4 slots left, Meg. We won't even count Tovey...
    •  
      CommentAuthorMeguey
    • CommentTimeAug 26th 2006
     # 73
    It's not workable for us to be at Camp Nerdly 0, but for Camp Nerdly 1, we will come with all the boys! YAY! I'm already thinking we could drive down to NYC and caravan with Luke etc.
  74.  # 74
    Clinton thinks i'm already off the deep end, but i'm jazzed about this and have to share - I just got off the phone with Chessex, and we are getting Go Play dice for Camp Nerdly!

    It'll be this:
    on the '1' side of 'recon' dice:

    I'm ordering 40, everybody gets 2!
  75.  # 75
    Holy crap, you better up that order. What's the per-unit cost? Can they do other die sizes?
    •  
      CommentAuthorAlbert A
    • CommentTimeAug 28th 2006
     # 76
    And what about for those of us unable to make it to CN? :(
  77.  # 77
    They'll do whatever you want for d6s:

    http://www.chessex.com/Dice/Custom_Dice_Home.htm

    per-unit is $.75 for this run. I'm disinclined to up the order - i don't want to cut into the food budget, and its cool that they're a little rare. That said, you could probably call Joe at Chessex today and tell him you want the same thing Dave wanted and how many you want.
  78.  # 78
    Albert - you'll just have to find somebody who went and get them to gamble it with you!
  79.  # 79
    Fantastic. Thanks, Dave, I may do just that.
    •  
      CommentAuthorMeguey
    • CommentTimeAug 28th 2006
     # 80
    Hey, it could be like a token from each camp! So, that green d6 for Camp Nerdly 0, another shade or color for the spring Camp Nerdly 1, then another color next year....come to Camp Nerdly! Collect the whole set!

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