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A book club but for videogames. Can it be done?

ROMhack

Member
Hi I'm at work and I'm bored. I wonder, has anybody been part of a videogame club before? If not, would you like to be?

The general idea is that it'll be like a book club but with videogames. It'll be run monthly to give people time to play (rpgs might require a longer period). We can use the thread to talk about our experiences.

Games will be voted on in advance from a range of options, nominated by you, the devoted videogame club gamer. You won't be held at gun point to take part, and you don't need even need to finish the game, but you will be part of what I'm sure will soon be the coolest club on the net.

The idea is in the preliminary stage but if enough people show interest then I'm happy putting a pilot one together. I'm particularly interested in suggestions for games (please consider accessibility).

-ROM
 
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ViolentP

Member
Shared, community projects like this are always a good idea. Especially when everyone walks through the door on some common ground. Count me in.
 

DunDunDunpachi

Patient MembeR
I love the idea. I'm a part of some shmup communities that run a "shmup of the month" thing (example) and it's a lot of fun.

I'm not suggesting we do shmups, but rather that the format can work as long as you pick some games everyone has access to. As a suggestion, please include information about how to access the game i.e. if you pick Super Mario Bros 3 please mention all the systems it can be played on so that players can quickly assess whether or not they'll be able to participate.

Do you have some games in mind already ROMhack ROMhack ?
 

Skyr

Member
Good idea! I'm kinda afraid I would not be able to keep up but I would sure try it!
 
Good idea! I'm kinda afraid I would not be able to keep up but I would sure try it!

my concerns exactly.

also, not that i have experience with any bookclubs, but I feel like a good book club has a leader( maybe they rotate? maybe each leader is based off of how much prior experience they have with the game of that month) who comes up with talking points and structure for each week.
 
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ROMhack

Member
I love the idea. I'm a part of some shmup communities that run a "shmup of the month" thing (example) and it's a lot of fun.

I'm not suggesting we do shmups, but rather that the format can work as long as you pick some games everyone has access to. As a suggestion, please include information about how to access the game i.e. if you pick Super Mario Bros 3 please mention all the systems it can be played on so that players can quickly assess whether or not they'll be able to participate.

Do you have some games in mind already ROMhack ROMhack ?

Thanks Dun, I'll look into that. It should help me plan.

I don't have any suggestions myself but I hope we can choose games people will enjoy. I'm thinking bit of variety would be nice so maybe I could organise each session in terms of a different theme/genre. I expect it'll become clearer over time if people are willing to put forward suggestions (hint hint!).

The main thing I hope is that the club ends up being flexible and that people can dip in and out freely.
 
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ROMhack

Member
Good idea! I'm kinda afraid I would not be able to keep up but I would sure try it!

Understandable. It's why I'd like to stress that people don't need to do it every time and that they don't even need to finish a game to take part (nobody ever finishes books at book clubs lol).

my concerns exactly.

also, not that i have experience with any bookclubs, but I feel like a good book club has a leader( maybe they rotate? maybe each leader is based off of how much prior experience they have with the game of that month) who comes up with talking points and structure for each week.

Yeah that could work actually. I just mentioned above about having a certain theme each month so maybe each leader could come up with 5 or so games for us to vote on and then takes it from there with the winner. It's a bit more democratic that way and also gives people a chance to 'share' games they like.
 
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jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
Sounds like a great idea ROMhack ROMhack

Some ideas for choosing games:
  • Make sure that, where possible, the chosen game of the month is available on as many different platforms as possible
  • If possible, pick games that are somewhat older and maybe (for best results) are on sale at the beginning of the month
  • Choosing a niche game is OK, but keep in mind the participation will probably correlate to the chosen game's wide appeal
 
I had this same idea that I shared on a (much) smaller forum, but couldn't get enough people on board. I think it's a good concept to stimulate conversation about games that have seen their release hype-window expire or for games that would never see mainstream exposure..

I'd definitely participate.

Edit:

(please consider accessibility).

I was assuming we'd start with Sekiro. :p
 
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also I wouldnt schedule games on set a time limit like one a month... if you meet once a week, id just try to find good stopping points that are on average roughly 5 hours a week. you need to find a good time commitment that the average person is willing to commit and able to achieve with a regular level of gaming skill. this is going to be a second game for most people who will want to commit most of their weekly hours to other games as well.
 

Frizzie

Banned
I would struggle to commit but just chipping in.

It might be an idea to go niche to try and find games a lot of people HAVEN'T played. Might be more interesting that way?
 
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Skyr

Member
I would struggle to commit but just chipping it.

It might be an idea to go niche to try and find games a lot of people HAVEN'T played. Might be more interesting that way?

I definitely like the idea of non mainstream titles. Maybe even unusual genres. Just games you would never even get the idea to try on your own.
 

ROMhack

Member
also I wouldnt schedule games on set a time limit like one a month... if you meet once a week, id just try to find good stopping points that are on average roughly 5 hours a week. you need to find a good time commitment that the average person is willing to commit and able to achieve with a regular level of gaming skill. this is going to be a second game for most people who will want to commit most of their weekly hours to other games as well.

Hmm I'm a bit wary of stopping points because it means people can't play as/when they're able to.

In my head, the idea would work like a LTTP thread where people chip in as and when they want to share thoughts. I agree that there maybe shouldn't be a 'time limit' - maybe people can continue to play the game and comment in the thread but a new one gets made every month. That way each game is a refreshment of the general idea - with a new game each time.

Open to feedback.
 

Domisto

Member
I would be interested to dip in and out of something like this. Things that limit my participation would be platform (I need to get new puters asap and am waiting for next gen to get back into console), and of course time. Monthly sounds good.

You could do a steam group for any games with multiplayer options.

Game wise - maybe not the 80 hour RPGs, avoiding too many hit games would be nice, gotta consider costs too, so maybe games on deals or recent freebies could be highlighted. Changing monthly theme sounds good, I like the rotating leader idea, with ROMhack ROMhack keeping things in check and being default leader when no one else steps up.
 

ROMhack

Member
I definitely like the idea of non mainstream titles. Maybe even unusual genres. Just games you would never even get the idea to try on your own.

I do too. The game I'm playing atm is Killer 7 and I think that would be a great choice.
 
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DunDunDunpachi

Patient MembeR
Thanks Dun, I'll look into that. It should help me plan.

I don't have any suggestions myself but I hope we can choose games people will enjoy. I'm thinking bit of variety would be nice so maybe I could organise each session in terms of a different theme/genre. I expect it'll become clearer over time if people are willing to put forward suggestions (hint hint!).

The main thing I hope is that the club ends up being flexible and that people can dip in and out freely.
I would suggest coming up with some fun challenges/categories for participants.

Obviously, anyone who plays can chime in, but you could dangle some extra carrots like "who can get the highest score?" or "who can beat the game in the fastest time?" for those who want to invest a bit more of their attention into the game. I want to hear about how people overcame difficult levels, how they love the music, how they have been practicing a certain section to increase their score, etc.

Something else to consider would be whether or not the game offers multiplayer. Playing through a Call of Duty game or a Street Fighter game provides the opportunity for GAFers to join one another online, too.

Game variety is important. A variety of ways to play and approach each [time period]'s game is also important.

Some game suggestions that I'd jump in and play with the crew:
aforementioned Super Mario Bros 3 (NES, SNES, GBA, Wii, Wii U, eShop)
Spelunky (PC, PS3, PS4, 360, Vita)
Magical Drop 3 (PC, GameBoy Color, Saturn, Switch, PS4, X1)
Enter the Gungeon (PC, X1, PS4, Switch)
 

Greedings

Member
I definitely like the idea of non mainstream titles. Maybe even unusual genres. Just games you would never even get the idea to try on your own.

I would suggest retro games. They're easily emulated, and so it won't price people out. Asking lots of people to shell out 60$ for a game they're not so interested in will result in a dead club in no time at all.
 

ROMhack

Member
I would suggest retro games. They're easily emulated, and so it won't price people out. Asking lots of people to shell out 60$ for a game they're not so interested in will result in a dead club in no time at all.

I generally think retro or anything below $10 (including on sale). Could/should be a rule I think.
 

Skyr

Member
What about platforms tho? There are quite a few interesting cheap titles on steam that are not available on console.
 

#Phonepunk#

Banned
It’s a good idea. But then I started applying online gaming arguments to a book club

Imagine half the discussion taken up by arguing about what book store was the best way to purchase the book. Or dick measuring contests over different printings. “You have a soft cover version of the book, your opinion is totally invalid” “You read that first edition? I got the newest print, yours is clearly inferior” etc

I don’t see it working too well honestly

At least in a book club you don’t have people demanding Dostoyevsky gets an “easy mode”
 
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Hmm I'm a bit wary of stopping points because it means people can't play as/when they're able to.

In my head, the idea would work like a LTTP thread where people chip in as and when they want to share thoughts. I agree that there maybe shouldn't be a 'time limit' - maybe people can continue to play the game and comment in the thread but a new one gets made every month. That way each game is a refreshment of the general idea - with a new game each time.

Open to feedback.


isnt the point of a book club that there are stopping points and everyone is supposed to get up to that certain point before the next meeting so everyones on the same page discussing things up till that point?

i feel like the more it leans open ended it just becomes like you said a LTTP/impressions thread... where people who arent even playing just chime in and discuss general opinions of the game, even shit slingers who havent even played the game... i mean whats the point of the book club concept if it isnt organized and structured? just make a Lets Play thread (as people have done in the past) and let everyone just come in and say their thoughts on the game. i always find those threads typically die out as you only get members chiming in a bit at the start and then most peopel who are interested have already said their overall opinions and dont have much else to add to the discussion, and the only person posting if the active player updating where they are in the game and what they think. a "book club" concept with continued discussion would require a self contained group structured to come and discuss their thoughts up to that point in the game repeatedly. Anything else just becomes a forum with an impressions thread which isnt much different than whats already established


the other issue is that a book club has alot to discuss where as...youd have to stick to strong narrative games if youd want to be able to keep that similar discussion scenario. sure people can comment on the mechanics and gameplay but theres a lot less interpretation and depth to those things than story.
 
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Domisto

Member
I've played in retro gaming leagues and multi game contests before as a way to explore different games. What kept people coming back and really trying games they don't normally play was the competitive element at first (even though it was always friendly, helping each other get further or complete games), then later it was more about shooting the breeze with the regulars. Dundun's idea of challenges could play to this nicely. Small challenges and high score attacks to encourage digging a little deeper into games. Maybe a little showing off.
 

jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
I would suggest retro games. They're easily emulated, and so it won't price people out. Asking lots of people to shell out 60$ for a game they're not so interested in will result in a dead club in no time at all.

Retro games would be good, we could all compete on RetroAchievements.org
 

Feeroper

Member
Honestly, I would just have it open to all sorts of games. I see a lot of folks suggesting retro, or indie, or budget, or niche. I like all of those ideas, even having some new-ish titles isn't unreasonable I don't think. Having it as a monthly venture is a good idea and I really like the idea that a thread gets opened and although its month might be up, the conversation can keep going for those who have less time to participate as frequently.
 
I love the idea and I would be onboard. However, the only issue I would see with this is when choosing platform exclusive games for recent consoles some or many people wouldn't have access to it, or wouldn't be able to emulate. This is less of a problem for retro consoles (because of emulation) and multiplats (since you can play them anywhere), so I'm not sure how that would work (ie. people getting mad because they can't participate some month or something). Not sure what the answer for that is. Nevertheless, this would be indeed the coolest club on the net. We need to come up with a name for the club. It has to be epic.
 

ROMhack

Member
ThatStupidLion ThatStupidLion makes some valid points. I think the reality is that I am indeed suggesting a Monthly Let's Play, although there are some key differences:

- It'll be 'hosted' each month by a specific forum member who nominates games for us to choose in advance. We play that game. I'll facilitate stuff to help stay on track.
- Leader posts a nice, informative OP including how to acquire the game and does so in a way that doesn't get them instantly banned.
- Leader suggests extra-curricular activities. It might be a challenge to beat the game in a certain time. It might be to earn certain achievement (e.g. HL2 rocket gnome).
- Leader posts a question/discussion point once a week. This will help the conversation flow and ensure we don't just get posts at the very beginning (though it's inevitable it'll trail off).
- Threads are posted in the community thread. You get a lot less shit-slinging in there compared to the main forum tbh.

That's a rough sketch. Behind all else, it's just a bit of fun for the community. People don't have to take part and I expect many will only choose to if it's a game they actually want to play.

One month we might get 5 posts, the next month we might get 50. We can iterate to improve (I think the main thing is consistency in keeping it going).
 
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ROMhack

Member
I love the idea and I would be onboard. However, the only issue I would see with this is when choosing platform exclusive games for recent consoles some or many people wouldn't have access to it, or wouldn't be able to emulate. This is less of a problem for retro consoles (because of emulation) and multiplats (since you can play them anywhere), so I'm not sure how that would work (ie. people getting mad because they can't participate some month or something). Not sure what the answer for that is. Nevertheless, this would be indeed the coolest club on the net. We need to come up with a name for the club. It has to be epic.

Yeah definitely. Ease of play/access is a big thing for me. I also suspect we'll get more players for retro games.
 
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Hendrick's

If only my penis was as big as my GamerScore!
I'd be down, so long it is on a system I own of course. Also, it would be best to keep it to relatively short experiences.
 
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ROMhack

Member
I'd be down, so long it is on a system I own of course. Also, it would be best to keep it to relatively short experiences.

Yeah I'm leaning towards this idea. Would be less of a commitment, at least initially.
 
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DunDunDunpachi

Patient MembeR
Out of interest, what's your stance on emulation? I think it's the easiest way but I'm open to feedback if it's something you refrain from.
Emulation opens up a lot of options. It should be up to the player to decide how they want to tackle the game. If they go the route of emulation, good on them.
 

jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
Emulation opens up a lot of options. It should be up to the player to decide how they want to tackle the game. If they go the route of emulation, good on them.

Exactly. For example, if the game was Super Mario World - it could be played using the original cartridge on the SNES, on an SNES classic, Super Analogue NT, Retron 5, a number of devices it was remade for including the GBA, Wii, Wii U, in addition to emulation options like Retroarch (which runs on practically anything), RetroAchievements.org, on a cell phone, etc.
 

Kadayi

Banned
Yeah, on a different private gaming forum I'm part of we did a game of the month style affair. For example, we did an XCOM Ironman Impossible challenge (and a few people made it) or The Witcher 3 when it came out. A strat game like XCOM is a good one to go with because a lot of people will have it.
 
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Domisto

Member
Personally i would like to see plenty of PC games in the mix, totally biased because that's where I game at the mo. But also, lower end PC games should be available to most people? Whether using a laptop or something else.

Whatever happens it won't please everyone so try to do something flexible and fun first and foremost.
 

Hendrick's

If only my penis was as big as my GamerScore!
It might not hurt to start collecting platforms available from those that are interested to better tailor the choice of game. I'll list what I currently have available:

Xbox One
PC (lower end)
NES Mini
Android
3DS
 
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