Welcome Guide
This is a short guide for newcomers on what to expect at an Edinburgh Indie Gamers meet. It goes over information on the kinds of games we run, the running order of events, and describes the general tone we try to achieve.
We ask that, where possible, people indicate on Discord whether or not they are attending an event. This lets us plan for numbers more accurately. Given space limitations at the venue, we may have to start capping attendees if it gets too busy.
If you have any questions about the events, feel free to ask one of the organisers and we will help as best we can!
Abide By the Code of Conduct
We require that all our members read and abide by our Code of Conduct in all of the club’s spaces, both online and in-person. The Code of Conduct can be found on our website.
In order to gain full access to the Discord server, members will have to confirm that they have read and accepted our Code of Conduct.
Club Discord Server
Discord is the Club’s main on-line space. Member use this space to chat, organise private games, or even play on-line. Information and updates about future events are also posted on Discord.
Coming Along for the First Time
We are a welcome and inclusive group, but we know coming along for the first time can be daunting. If you have any additional needs, or would like a buddy to meet you to help you come along and enjoy yourself, please reach out to the Admin Team. You can find more information on how to reach us via our Contact page.
The Kind of Games We Play
As the name suggests, we are an Indie Games Club, and our events are story games meetups.
Indie Games
These are small press role-playing games, so not the ones that would be published by large commercial publishers. There are already a lot of spaces where those kinds of games are predominantly offered, so we spotlight a different selection instead.
If you want to get more into the jargon, then the kinds of games we play include narrative games, Nordic-style games, diceless games, GMful and GMless games, PbTA games, et cetera. If none of these terms mean anything to you, that’s fine too. There’s no need to overthink this.
Story Games
These are games that are about collaborating to tell a story, as opposed to tactical wargames or the like. This is a wide brief, and covers a large number of games.
Some examples of games that have run at the club in the past are Decaying Orbit, Dream Askew, For the Queen, Good Society, Monster of the Week, and Wanderhome. If you’re still curious, and if you want to see detailed examples of how story games differ from other games, you could look up playthroughs or actual plays of these games on-line. But if you’re not familiar with this, then that’s okay too.
We don’t presume any degree of familiarity with tabletop role-playing, indie games, or any specific games.
Additionally, many members of the club playtest their own games here as well! So you might end up playing something unique devised by a member of the club.
The Running Order
The event starts at 6:00 pm. Member of the Admin Team will be present at the start of the event to welcome attendees, and will introduce themselves to participants. Feel free to speak to them over the course of the evening if you need help with anything.
The first half-hour is the arrival time for everyone to get food or drinks or just catch up. While we don’t start pitches until half-past, it’s a good idea to arrive on time to make sure everything runs smoothly.
As people arrive and as the events get started, members of the admin team will introduce themselves. If you have any issues, concerns, or questions, feel free to speak to them.
Order of Events
6:00 pm to 6:30 pm: Arrival Time.
6:30 pm: Pitches; games start thereafter.
10:00 pm: Wrap up and close.
During the pitches, people who have brought games to play will pitch the games. They will give a brief description of the game and how many players they can take. You can find more information on this in our guide to facilitating and pitching games.
After everyone who has brought a game has pitched, people will be free to join the various games. We normally give newcomers the first pick of a game of their choice, followed by all returning members. Once everyone has joined a game, the games can start and facilitators at each table take it from there.
Games will run until shortly before 10 pm to allow everyone time to pack up and tidy.
You are welcome to leave at any time. If a game is not working for you, if you have something else come up, or if you are just not feeling it, it’s fine to leave (even if you are the game’s facilitator).
Using the Venue
ShrubHub is a community space who have agreed to let us use their venue, and we want to be gracious guests here. They do let us bring in food and drink from outside, or use their cafe when it is staffed. But they have asked that our members tidy up after themselves when they are finished.
Additionally, Shrub has a Safer Spaces Policy that they require people to abide by when using their space. Our Code of Conduct aligns with it, but it can be helpful to be familiar with it for good measure.
Getting Help
If you need help with anything, if you need to raise any concerns about the event, or if you have any feedback for the Club, please feel free to speak to members of the Admin Team at the event. Alternatively, for more information on how to get in touch with the Club, please see our Contact page.