[HOE] Best Ways to Help

[Xotzil@aol.com]

At the risk of sounding patronizing (and that is not my intention), might I 
make a suggestion?

Currently, what little we know is that PEG is a one-man operation. There has 
been speculation (and only speculation up to now) that employees who have 
left (for whatever reason) are probably in other situations right now, and 
may not be coming back (although John Hopler posted an official reply to a 
HOE related question one day before Shane mentioned he was the only one left, 
so he may still be on board. I don't know).

With this in mind, though we really want to help, I'm thinking the best way 
to do that is not deluge Shane with offers. He's been pretty straightforward 
in the past when he needs stuff. Let him get some things sorted out first. 
This reversal seemed pretty abrupt, and I'd bet that things are a little 
crazy for him right now. I'm certainly not saying that you shouldn't be 
supportive, I'm just suggesting we give him some air for a little while.

What I'm thinking we CAN do is really simple. Plug the line. Run demos in 
stores. Go to that local con you'd never look twice at and run an adventure 
(we've got a con here that I've generally avoided and I'm going to see if I 
can run an event there). There is a ton of free stuff on the web you can take 
with you and run ("Ticked Off" is probably a great one to start with. I think 
it's on Doc Nukem's site, but, as usual, I don't have the URL 
handy...somebody does, though, I bet), or, failing that, do one of the Dime 
Novels as a one off, then tell them there's fiction in there to explain what 
happens that they didn't see on screen.

If you're not comfortable with running an RPG demo, do RangeWars or run a 
small GRW or Lost Colony tournament. Get people interested in whatever facet 
of the line they might take a shine to. Anything to get them talking.

If we all can get just one more person buying books, or at least interested 
enough to try it, we'll go miles towards helping PEG get back on its feet 
again.

Thanks for the ear, peeps.

Pax.

--Jacques (Chris' friend)