Find Someone Locally or Online to Play Games
What are the chances that you are the only person (outside of your immediate family) within a 10-mile radius who likes to play board games — Eurogames, in particular? Unless you live in the middle of 400 square miles of nothingness, I bet those chances are pretty slim.
So how do you find out where the other gamers in your area are? Here are some suggestions.
- Board Game Geek – Search the regional forums. Search the location of other users. Ask in a forum post of your own.
- MeetUp – Search for a gaming group or start one of your own.
- Facebook – Search for people with similar interests. Post that playing fun board games is an interest of yours. Do the same on any other social networking sites you are part of.
- Twitter – Tweet about games you like and your interest in finding other players locally.
- FLGS (Full/Friendly Local Game Store) – Knowledgeable workers will be able to tell you about the local board gaming landscape.
- Public Library – A library’s meeting room is sometimes used as a gathering place for gamers.
- Church – Perhaps an area church has started a game group or at least hosts a game day/night for local players.
- High School – A school may be another host site, or a gaming club may have been formed by the students.
- YMCA/YWCA – (I have no idea if Ys ever do this.) We often think of the Y as an athletic establishment, but maybe one in your area has incorporated board games too.
- Google Groups – Search the appropriate newsgroups for posts about gamers getting together in your area, or post your own question.
- At Work – Maybe you work somewhere where asking your coworkers or posting a notice on a bulletin board (electronic or otherwise) about board games isn’t considered out of line.
- At Home – Are you on speaking terms with your neighbors? Just ask them flat out.
- FBG – Ask everyone reading this by posting a comment below.
How do you start a conversation about board games?
Assuming you’re especially interested in Eurogames, I’d suggest asking if anyone has heard of The Settlers of Catan. Odds are that, if they’re at all familiar with this genre, their eyes will light up, and you’ll get an enthusiastic, positive response. If Euros aren’t your cup o’ tea, just substitute a representative, popular game in your niche.
So seek and you will find…probably much closer than you first thought.