Alan

Alan used to based in Leicester but nowadys mostly skulks about in foreign lands, but still represents members in the Leicester area, and also represents many non-D&D game interests.

The 2010 update: I got a job! But it is in Holland. So you might not see too much of me at meets anymore. But I fully intend to continue to lurk and can keep an eye on the many friends I made in this group and input my sage like, occasionally slightly squiffy advice. Not so easy to get rid of this gamer. No siree.

There is all sorts I could have said here, all sorts of thoughts I pondered sharing with you. But I figure you are either reading this having already met me, or you've no idea who I am and are thinking about joining us. Either way I figured I'd save the back story and cut to the chase.

I'll start with the bad, because that is what you really want to know isn't it? I come complete with my own stack of prejudices. I'm perhaps best known for my dislike of dungeons and dragons but that is only because I've done such a stellar job of hiding the rest . I like what I like and I'm comfortable with the reasons why, extended discussions on gaming theory et al is not my bag. I can be pretty judgemental too – I nearly didn't join this group principally on account of it being a 'dungeons and dragons' meetup group.

Onto the good. I did join, I even managed to fit in and not really annoy everyone. Judgemental yes, but I don't let my snap reactions rule me. I like to give people, games and most everything the chance to prove me wrong. I've dabbled in most of the things I've got a dislike for and a couple of them I even really enjoyed – under the right circumstances. So I'm not a gaming bigot. Even better than that I am a passionate supporter of gaming. Not roleplaying, or a specific system or convention, but gaming as a whole. Granted I know more about some bits than others but even if I dislike something deeply, I'll very happily connect a gamer who does to a game or gaming resource that will help them. My over-riding motivator is the greater good of gaming. The way I see it the more gamers there are playing games the better it is for gaming and therefore the better it is for all gamers.

I'm also something of a sucker for the underdog and anything that might normally be on the fringe of gaming – those less visible or well known things. Of course a rubbish game is still a rubbish game but for sure if most people haven't heard of it – that'll get my ears pricking up. At one time or another I've had involvement with most sorts of gaming so you can talk to me about mostly anything and I'll have at least some frame of reference for getting you off in the right direction.

Ultimately not only did I find my way to and into this group, these days I'm an assistant organiser for the group. Technically my area is Leicester as that is where I live (kinda – I'm in an outlying village that barely qualifies as Leicestershire but it is close enough) so if you are in Leicestershire you could do worse than talk to me about what is going on. I'm also the “official” organiser for our monthly board and card game meet (4th Saturday of the month). Now there is a role I fell into but it is not a bad fit in all honesty, and by extension that makes me a good person to talk to about these games us roleplayers tend to enjoy around the edges of our roleplaying. Finally, if you happen to share my fondness for the games less played and want to know about what non-dnd type stuff happens in this group anywhere –not just in Leicestershire- I'm pretty good to talk to about that stuff too.

So there you go, I'm a long way from perfect and I don't expect everyone to like me but I am pretty easy going really and an involved gamer who enjoys enabling other gamers. For anyone who really wants to check credentials I've been a gamer since sometime in high school though I don't remember specifically when I started. At time of publishing that means I've been in the hobby for ~12 years + 1-3 years - my single longest break from the hobby was 6 months and that felt like it might have offed me . I've been to conventions across the lands as an attendee and ref and even contributed a tiny amount to the running of a couple of cons. I've been on both sides of the gm's screen a lot, I've done pre-written settings and material, home-brewed my own, had a few little things published and been involved in the play testing and development of an ennie award nominated roleplaying game. I haven't done it all. I learn more every time I play new things or with new people. And still I love gaming. So go right ahead and tell me about your character – if you happen to buy me a pint along the way, so much the bette