James King
United States
North Central Louisiana / No Longer A Resident of the Shreveport/Bossier City Area / Currently I sponsor gaming groups in Monroe & Alexandria, LA.
Louisiana
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As of Saturday, June 26, 2010, the Shreveport Strategy Games Group met for its final meeting at the Johnny's Pizza location at 3915 Gilbert Drive (Madison Park location) in Shreveport. The reason the group is now defunct is because I, the group creator/moderator, had to prepare to relocate. I am no longer living in the Shreveport-Bossier area/region.
After a series of disruptive events in late spring perpetrated by several unscrupulous former group members, ending my run with a newly-rebuilt group was something of an unexpected and serrendipitous accomplishment. After all, in light of my anticipated relocation, I originally thought that it unlikely that it would have been worth the effort to even try to rebuild my group within such a narrow time window. On the other hand, since I'd already advertised my group as meeting through the end of June, I felt compelled to honor that obligation just the same.
Nevertheless, after ending my run in Shreveport, I would feel derelict in duty if I were to fail to pass on to other aspiring private-group organizers what I learned in the process of running my own privately-sponsored game group over the past several years. Perhaps others can learn from both my mistakes and innovations.
Whether you're in your own hometown or now living in an entirely new town or city, if you're thinking of starting your own privately-sponsored gaming group, you would be remiss not to include a paragraph in your game-group-info post to this effect:
Wishing he'd included the following passage in his original game-group-info post, ShreveportLAGamer brainstormed and wrote: Although mine is a privately-sponsored informal gaming group, its membership is open for new regular members. And while we do at times try out and play new games, my group is not about demoing new games. For that reason, we aspire and strive to emphasize friendship and socializing as well as good sportsmanship and fair play in a positive atmosphere.
Reason: If you do not include and emphasize the social aspect of gaming in your game-group-info post, then you definitely leave yourself open and vulnerable to exploitation by those who aren't so scrupulous; don't give a damn about making new friendships; and are attending mostly, if not solely, to try to exploit your group as a their personal game try-out group. If I had only brainstormed that aforementioned passage above much earlier on, I would have saved myself a lot of needless grief, for even before I thought up that passage above, I'd already experienced several blatant episodes of people (many of whom were BGG members) who thought they could use my group as their personal game try-out group. More importantly, like a depth charge, my adding of that aforementioned passage above to my game-group-info post in April 2010 inadvertently served to flush out and raise to the surface several other such perpetrators, group members of mine whom I might not otherwise have suspected of such outright deception.
Even though it was disheartening to learn the truth about those group members' deceit, I suppose it was more upsetting in light of the fact that I was already having to deal with some very grave ongoing family matters during that period; so I was not at all edified by the unexpected series of events which suddenly thrust my weekly game night into disharmony during that difficult time. After all, my game night was for fun and diversion, not disharmony. You can read more about those misadventures later in this thread.
In the meantime, for reference (when reading about my misadventures later in this thread), I'm going to allow my original game-group-info post to resume at this point. However, since my group is now defunct, I removed its final passages about how to join my former group and the driving instructions to its former location. As such, I hope this might serve as a model for others to follow....
Continuing his original game-group-info post, ShreveportLAGamer wrote: Participation is open to college-age people and up. Newcomers are welcome to attend and participate. Although mine is a privately-sponsored informal gaming group, its membership is open for new regular members. And while we do at times try out and play new games, my group is not about demoing new games. For that reason, we aspire and strive to emphasize friendship and socializing as well as good sportsmanship and fair play in a positive atmosphere. Although our main game usually doesn't get underway until 7 p.m., I'm usually there around 5 p.m. to set up and be on hand to play some shorter 2-, 3- and 4-player card, tile and board games before the main game of the night. The games that my group plays include many of the top-rated modern/Euro strategy games listed right here on Board Game Geek. My group doesn't play just one type of game. We play a well-rounded variety of modern strategy games, including Euro Games, war games, abstract strategy games, dice games, tile games, card games, and some classic strategy games. We do not, however, play collectible card games (CCGs), collectible miniature games (CMGs) or role-playing games (RPGs). You can get a good idea about the variety of games we play in the next post below which contains links to information, photographs, FAQs, and reviews about them. If you aren't familiar with many or any of the games we play, that's because modern strategy games only really began to catch on a decade ago after the World Wide Web itself caught on and better publicized the existence of this emerging genre of stratgegy games which originated mostly from Germany and Europe. Modern strategy games are sold mostly by online gaming & hobby stores and only during the last few years have more mainstream retailers like Barnes & Noble begun to stock them on their store shelves. Participants in my group aren't expected to learn and memorize a lot of rules. I provide player aids to both make learning new games faster and easier as well as to serve as memory prompters. For the most part, the games are provided by myself, the group moderator & sponsor. If you have some genuine strategy games of your own that you'd like to introduce to us, feel free to come join us, let me know about your games and I'll consider adding them to our play list. If you'd need help in teaching my group how to play your games, I'd also be happy to offer help and/or find player aids and resources to supplement your own. GAME INFO LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT BoardGameGeek.com's Main Webpage http://www.boardgamegeek.com/ "Five Good Qualities of a Good Gamer" Blog Post by Israeli Game Designer Yehuda Berlinger http://jergames.blogspot.com/2004/07/five-qualities-of-good-... Board Game News http://www.boardgamenews.com "Ask Ms. Meeples" Game Group Advice Column by Jennifer "Ms. Meeples" Schlickbernd http://www.boardgamenews.com/index.php/boardgamenews/C154/ Erik Arneson's Board & Card Games Blog http://boardgames.about.com/b/ The Dice Tower Audio & Video Game Reviews http://www.thedicetower.com/thedicetower/index.php The Games Journal http://www.thegamesjournal.com/ "Ethics in Gaming: The Unwritten Rules of the Game" by Yehuda Berlinger http://www.thegamesjournal.com/articles/Ethics1.shtml French Game Designer Bruno Faidutti's Website: http://www.faidutti.com/ Berlinger's Blog Guide to Gaming, Technology, Philosophy & Life by Israeli Game Designer Yehuda Berlinger http://jergames.blogspot.com/ Hiew's Boardgame Blog http://hiewandboardgames.blogspot.com/ Metagames Boardgame News & Reviews Blog http://blog.metagames.co.uk/ Abstract Strategy Games Website http://www.abstractstrategy.com/main.html Guide to the Games of German Game Designer Reiner Knizia http://www.knizia.de/english.htm The Great Games of the Late Sid Sackson Tribute Webpages http://www.webnoir.com/bob/sackson.htm Card Game Rules http://www.pagat.com/ Chess Variants http://www.chessvariants.org/Good gaming, James King Sponsor & Moderator, Shreveport Strategy Games Group Email: shrstrategygames@aol.com
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Jason Quintal
United States
Burlington
Massachusetts
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Re: Shreveport Strategy Games Group Now Meets Fridays & Sundays
I'm Jealous.
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Craig J
United States
East Hampton
Connecticut
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Re: Shreveport Strategy Games Group Now Meets Fridays & Sundays
James, I'm curious... how many players do you usually have attend your game group? According to the Shreveport Strategy Games Group account you established on Yahoo a few months ago, you seem to be the only one...
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShreveportStrategyGamesClub/
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Paul Sauberer
United States
Hendersonville
Tennessee
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Re: Shreveport Strategy Games Group Now Meets Fridays & Sundays
Maybe he is an army of one.
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James King
United States
North Central Louisiana / No Longer A Resident of the Shreveport/Bossier City Area / Currently I sponsor gaming groups in Monroe & Alexandria, LA.
Louisiana
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Re: Yahoo Group As Place Holder for Outreach Only
Festivus wrote:
As my Yahoo Groups profile clearly states, I use that posting strictly as as an outreach place holder to publicize my group, not as as posting forum. For that reason also, I posted my email address there as well so prospective members could follow up accordingly.
While mine is not a large group by any means, I can only accommodate a dozen at best anyway. As it is, I have to be prepared with games whose numbers of players can accommodate the turnout I have.
Since I'm a transplant and not a native of Shreveport, I've had to put some effort into prospecting for non-video & non-CCG gamers.
The Yahoo Groups entry above about the Shreveport Strategy Games Club was my original name for my group; however, I later decided that "club", though a warmer word, suggested more of an association and didn't adequately denote a private sponsorship as the word "group" better conveys. For similar reasons, I also created as an outreach vehicle the posting of http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShreveportStrategyGamesGroup/
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James King
United States
North Central Louisiana / No Longer A Resident of the Shreveport/Bossier City Area / Currently I sponsor gaming groups in Monroe & Alexandria, LA.
Louisiana
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Re: An Army of One?
Psauberer wrote: Maybe he is an army of one.
Well, in a sense, I as a newcomer to Shreveport did indeed start off as an army of one since I didn't know anybody else in these environs who knew much about or owned any modern-day Euro strategy games.
So I would encourage anybody who's starting his/her own private gaming group to perservere, publicize your group and you'll eventually meet and network with other like-minded persons who share your gaming interests.
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Chuck Pierce
United States
Huntsville
Alabama
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Re: Shreveport Strategy Games Group Now Meets Fridays & Sundays
I' m a Shreveport (Bossier City, actually) escapee, but my parents have retired there (USAF, retired). So, I'll try to look you guys up whenever I come to town.
Being a fan of Railroad Tycoon, I've always wondered if the lower left of the gameboard would get ever get played if a group from Shreveport played the game. 
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James King
United States
North Central Louisiana / No Longer A Resident of the Shreveport/Bossier City Area / Currently I sponsor gaming groups in Monroe & Alexandria, LA.
Louisiana
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Re: Former Shreveport/BC Native & Fan of "Railroad Tycoon"
Oxotnik wrote: I' m a Shreveport (Bossier City, actually) escapee, but my parents have retired there (USAF, retired). So, I'll try to look you guys up whenever I come to town. Being a fan of Railroad Tycoon, I've always wondered if the lower left of the gameboard would get ever get played if a group from Shreveport played the game.
Well, yes, but not to the optimum best that some fan-created game card variants have succeeded in doing by making the Southwest more alluring for development. But I was pleased indeed that Shreveport had been included on the map. 
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Robert Scott
United States
Fort Worth
Texas
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Re: Shreveport Strategy Games Group Meeting Fridays at B & N
Oxotnik wrote: I' m a Shreveport (Bossier City, actually) escapee, but my parents have retired there (USAF, retired). So, I'll try to look you guys up whenever I come to town. Being a fan of Railroad Tycoon, I've always wondered if the lower left of the gameboard would get ever get played if a group from Shreveport played the game.
I too "escaped" the Shreveport/BC area in the late 80's and my hats off to you James if you have been able to start a game group there. I tried for years to get my friends to play wargames, sports games and board games but did not have much luck. The board game choices are much better now. I hope to look your group up also when in town. Good Luck!!
Bob
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James King
United States
North Central Louisiana / No Longer A Resident of the Shreveport/Bossier City Area / Currently I sponsor gaming groups in Monroe & Alexandria, LA.
Louisiana
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Re: Former Shreveport/BC Native & Fan of "Railroad Tycoon"
bobby5960 wrote: Oxotnik wrote: I' m a Shreveport (Bossier City, actually) escapee, but my parents have retired there (USAF, retired). So, I'll try to look you guys up whenever I come to town. Being a fan of Railroad Tycoon, I've always wondered if the lower left of the gameboard would get ever get played if a group from Shreveport played the game. I too "escaped" the Shreveport/BC area in the late 80's and my hats off to you James if you have been able to start a game group there. I tried for years to get my friends to play wargames, sports games and board games but did not have much luck. The board game choices are much better now. I hope to look your group up also when in town. Good Luck!! Bob
Thank you, Bob. Please email me in advance of your trips to Shreveport in the future so that we can choose a game that you haven't played and/or one that you might better be able to teach us from either yours or my own collection.
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Allan Goodall
United States
West Monroe
Louisiana
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Re: Shreveport Strategy Games Group Meets 1st & 2nd Fridays at Johnny's Pizza and 3rd & 4th Fridays at B&N
I'm going to have to see if I can show up to a game night sometime. Unfortunately, I live in West Monroe, which is about 90 minutes east of Shreveport.
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James King
United States
North Central Louisiana / No Longer A Resident of the Shreveport/Bossier City Area / Currently I sponsor gaming groups in Monroe & Alexandria, LA.
Louisiana
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Re: West Monroe Native
agoodall wrote: I'm going to have to see if I can show up to a game night sometime. Unfortunately, I live in West Monroe, which is about 90 minutes east of Shreveport.
We hope nonetheless that you'll be able to join us in the near future. Since I originally hail from Monroe, I know where you're coming from.
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Eddie Bailey
United States
Fairview
Tennessee
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Re: Shreveport Strategy Games Group Meets Weekly on Tuesdays at 7 p.m.
I'm originally from Shreveport, though now in Nashville. I come home once a year or so and I'd love to join your group for a game when I'm there. Are you going to BGG.Con? My wife and I are going, meeting my brother and his wife (also from Shreveport, now in Dallas) - then coming back through S'port for Thanksgiving. Hope we can get in touch. I'd love to get whooped in my home town...I'm tired of getting beat in TN.
Good luck with your group-
PS - I miss Johnny's Pizza! Whenever we come through, we get a few 'Sweeps' and throw 'em in a cooler to bring back to Nashville. Now that I'm thinking of it, please mail me a pizza. I'll pay you in GG!
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James King
United States
North Central Louisiana / No Longer A Resident of the Shreveport/Bossier City Area / Currently I sponsor gaming groups in Monroe & Alexandria, LA.
Louisiana
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Re: Former Shreveport Native
Eddie Bailey (Oinkaphone) wrote: I'm originally from Shreveport, though now in Nashville. I come home once a year or so and I'd love to join your group for a game when I'm there. Are you going to BGG.Con? My wife and I are going, meeting my brother and his wife (also from Shreveport, now in Dallas) - then coming back through S'port for Thanksgiving.
While I won't be able to attend the BGG Con, I hope your schedule will permit you all to be able to attend our game night on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.
Eddie Bailey (Oinkaphone) wrote: Hope we can get in touch. I'd love to get whooped in my home town...I'm tired of getting beat in TN.
If you're a member of the East Tennessee Gamers Group, then no doubt, you've been *whupped* by some of the best. 
Eddie Bailey (Oinkaphone) wrote: Good luck with your group- PS - I miss Johnny's Pizza! Whenever we come through, we get a few 'Sweeps' and throw 'em in a cooler to bring back to Nashville. Now that I'm thinking of it, please mail me a pizza. I'll pay you in GG!
You just can't overnight-ship a Sweep the Kitchen Johnny's Pizza and expect it to live up to your taste buds' best memories of it. Nonetheless, I hope you'll be able to join us for pizza and gaming on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Also, we'll look forward to learning any new games you bring back from the convention that you'd like to teach us and play.
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Christopher M.
United States
Jackson
Mississippi
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Re: Shreveport Strategy Games Group Meets Weekly on Tuesdays at 7 p.m.
Does shreveport have any big weekend gaming events?
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James King
United States
North Central Louisiana / No Longer A Resident of the Shreveport/Bossier City Area / Currently I sponsor gaming groups in Monroe & Alexandria, LA.
Louisiana
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Re: Weekend Gaming Events in Shreveport?
Deaddogdays wrote: Does shreveport have any big weekend gaming events?
As of this writing, other than my own group, I can't vouch for the existence of any other groups who actually play genuine modern/Euro strategy games on weekends or any other day of the week for that matter.
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Joe Andrews
United States
Texarkana
Texas
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Re: Shreveport Strategy Games Group Now Meets Saturdays at 5 p.m.
How far away is Shreveport from Texarkana? On the map it appears to be about 45 minutes....is that about right?
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James King
United States
North Central Louisiana / No Longer A Resident of the Shreveport/Bossier City Area / Currently I sponsor gaming groups in Monroe & Alexandria, LA.
Louisiana
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Re: Shreveport Strategy Games Group Now Meets Saturdays at 5 p.m.
Domino Man wrote: How far away is Shreveport from Texarkana? On the map it appears to be about 45 minutes....is that about right?
Joe, since I've never driven up to Texarkana and thus don't know all the byways and backroads or driving conditions under the best of good- or bad-weather driving conditions, I don't rightly know how long a driving time it takes to get to Shreveport.
Nonetheless, if you aren't already participating in any other gaming group either in or closer to your own area or region, I would hope that the time it takes ya to drive down to Shreveport to join us wouldn't pose any big issue.
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Re: Shreveport Strategy Games Group Meeting Weekly on Saturdays at 5 p.m.
James, you may very well have another transplant to join your group. I am interviewing for a Job in the Shreveport area on the 22nd of June and if everything goes right, I'll be moving down there later this summer. I've got quite a few Euro games and am always willing to learn new ones. Here's hoping. Maybe if enough of us transplants find each other... we can TAKE OVER THE WORLD!!! MUAHAHA!
Ok ok... so we'll start with Bosier City...
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James King
United States
North Central Louisiana / No Longer A Resident of the Shreveport/Bossier City Area / Currently I sponsor gaming groups in Monroe & Alexandria, LA.
Louisiana
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Re: Shreveport Strategy Games Group Meeting Weekly on Saturdays at 5 p.m.
Escher26 wrote: James, you may very well have another transplant to join your group. I am interviewing for a Job in the Shreveport area on the 22nd of June and if everything goes right, I'll be moving down there later this summer. I've got quite a few Euro games and am always willing to learn new ones. Here's hoping. Maybe if enough of us transplants find each other... we can TAKE OVER THE WORLD!!! MUAHAHA! Ok ok... so we'll start with Bossier City...
Well, since we haven't exactly completed our conquest of the natives of Shreveport just yet, Bossier City will have to remain on the backburner
(I nonetheless leave my business cards promoting my gaming group at a Bossier City gaming shop just the same.)
Good luck in your job interview!
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Eddie Bailey
United States
Fairview
Tennessee
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Re: Shreveport Strategy Games Group Meeting Weekly on Saturdays at 5 p.m.
I'll be home to Shreveport for Christmas and hope to make one of your group's meetings. I remember Excalibur (or something like that) on King's Hwy or 70th...where is the game store in Bossier?
Thanks-
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James King
United States
North Central Louisiana / No Longer A Resident of the Shreveport/Bossier City Area / Currently I sponsor gaming groups in Monroe & Alexandria, LA.
Louisiana
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Re: Shreveport Strategy Games Group Meeting Weekly on Saturdays at 5 p.m.
Oinkaphone wrote: I'll be home to Shreveport for Christmas and hope to make one of your group's meetings. I remember Excalibur (or something like that) on King's Hwy or 70th...where is the game store in Bossier?
A few years ago, Dragon's Lair moved to an Old Benton Road strip-mall shopping center located between Texas Street and Highway 3132 in Bossier City. However, Dragon's Lair no longer sells strategy or Euro games of any sort and only deals in CMGs (collectible miniature games) & CCGs (collectible card games).
The Legends game store on Mansfield Road closed sometime around mid- to late 2008.
My strategy games group meets weekly Saturdays at 5 p.m. on the center tables of Johnny's Pizza (Madison Park location) on Gilbert Drive.
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Re: Shreveport Strategy Games Group Meeting Weekly on Saturdays at 5 p.m.
So....
No gaming stores carrying Euro / Strategy board games in the S/BC area? Guess it's online or Dallas for me then... 
It's certainly going to be an interesting move if it happens... Seattle is quite a bit different than Shreveport climate-wise. But I've lived in Marshall, TX during the summer before and am used to dealing with it. I've watched Shreveport revitalize since the mid 80s when you couldn't have paid me enough to move there. Now, I'm really hoping I get this job as I'm kinda looking forward to it.
-Rob
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James King
United States
North Central Louisiana / No Longer A Resident of the Shreveport/Bossier City Area / Currently I sponsor gaming groups in Monroe & Alexandria, LA.
Louisiana
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Re: Shreveport Strategy Games Group Meeting Weekly on Saturdays at 5 p.m.
Rob (Escher26) wrote: So.... No gaming stores carrying Euro/Strategy board games in the S/BC area?
At less than MSRP (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price)? No, but to the best of my knowledge, there never has any such pure strategy-game store here offering prices remotely comparable to those of the best online game stores. Even Excalibur doesn't offer any appreciable discount on the limited amount of modern strategy & Euro games they carry. Their prices are more in line with MSRP as many such stores are.
Rob (Escher26) wrote: Guess it's online or Dallas for me then...
I don't know of any local or regional Shangri-La of game stores (no, not even in the Dallas region). And the bricks-and-mortar stores of the best online game stores are nowhere near either Louisiana or Texas.
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Nicholas Watkins
United States
Marshall
Texas
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Re: Shreveport Strategy Games Group Meeting Weekly on Saturdays at 5 p.m.
Hello James
My name is Nicholas Watkins. I am a Shreveport/Bossier native. I recently got real big into board games, have been scouring BGG for what to buy. I would like to come out to the Board game night if you have room. I can also bring at least 1 other, 2 more often than not.. My background is heavy RPG related, and Ameritrash games mostly. I have been looking at getting into all types of gaming though.
For gaming background my first non-family board game was Twilight Imperium, followed by Arkham Horror. I play the occasional game of starcraft and trivia based games with my roommates and would like to branch out.
I'm 25 and have good hygiene! It's a plus!
Call me or text me at 318-286-2531.
E-mail me at nicholas.watkins.1984@gmail.com
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