Museum of Dungeons & Dragons
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Post Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 1:12 pm 
 

I would like to tackle this thing from a different angle. Actually, it has been touched on early but it drifted. In fact, I think the heart of this thread and fundraiser is the real problem. All the other stuff is just stuff. Unfortunately, the OP just missed the point completely when members here and at DF started asking questions. Honestly, questions that should have been answered in-house before anything else moved forward.

The first thing I had a problem with, and I think I mentioned this before, is the feasibility of an actual brick and mortar museum and where do you put it. That location question is much more than that and it really asks a much deeper question. Will anyone come to it? Build it and they will come only works in the movies. In real life you do massive research on location before you build anything. The actual construction part is the easy part. Figuring out if anyone will actaully come is the key. The simple answer to this question in regard to a D&D museum is a flat no. Sorry to those of you who would actually road trip to see the museum, but you are most likely in a huge minority. Certainly not enough to justify a physical building, staff, maintainence costs, etc...

For me, thinking about building a physical and permanent structure ends right there. No freaking way can you justify this idea as it relates to the monetary investment and ongoing costs. Leave the emotion of losing all the old D&D products behind. That is hogwash (yes, I just used that word!). That is just a tool to increase financing.

Now I am not saying the "dream" has to end there. The next logical step, from my point of view, is to forget the pipe dream about an actual D&D museum and move back into reality. Why not a travelling museum? One that would is set up at a few select conventions every year. This elimates the entire funding issue of a physical building. I am absolutely positive that the bigger conventions would work something out. You still need to solicit donations of money and items, but the scale is significantly more workable. The collection could and would grow as the years move on, making the "museum" interesting every year. You could certainly get the big named personalities to donate time and stuff - even if on loan. This is where I would start with my dream of a D&D museum.


And I could've bought these damn modules off the 1$ rack!!!

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Post Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 3:02 pm 
 

dhunton wrote:Loads of hot air...


In the UK, libel is only likely to get followed through if the comments made would tarnish the character of the individual.
I don't think you need worry about anything here making that any worse, so don't get your crack pot lawyer to waste your money. Even if it is from the non-starter IndieGoGo scheme.


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Post Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 3:13 pm 
 

@pipswich - Sorry for taking a big dump on you the other day, calling you an assburger. I was being grumpy and apologize.

  

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Post Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 3:33 pm 
 

danull wrote:Better watch out or the conveniently anonymous / probably fictional attorney will get ya!    


No, I suspect they know this attorney quite well.  In fact, I wouldn't doubt they know several attorneys!   :twisted:   However, based on what we've seen so far, I am under the impression their attorney(s) hasn't given them much or any advice or, if he/she has, it hasn't been the best advice.

I think what is abundantly clear is that very few people here on these forums are going to support these people whether they have done anything illegal or not.  Other contributors to this thread have outlined many of the reasons I'll not repeat.  Furthermore, additional criticism of whoever they are or whatever they are doing is a waste of my time.  But bbarsh asks a key question which could turn this sordid thread into a better discussion.

bbarsh wrote:Why not a travelling museum? One that would is set up at a few select conventions every year. This elimates the entire funding issue of a physical building.


I agree that a brick and mortar approach is not the best approach and a traveling museum or exhibit has better potential.  Quite a few medium-sized and larger cities feature museums or cultural centers that host special exhibits from time to time.  Museums pay to have these exhibits come and showcase their stuff.  The exhibit could be housed in a trailer when it isn't showing.  However, even this has limited potential as I'm not confident the museum in my town would want such an exhibit.  They like dinosaurs and stars and bears, oh my!  But even without that potential income, it would be the kind of thing that could travel to comic and gaming conventions and get attention as bbarsh stated.  And with a lot of luck, you might even find a corporate sponsor.  I just don't see this as a money-maker, but at least with something like this, you would not bleed money nearly as fast.  And, the bottom line is that a responsible/trusted curator/manager would need to be secured, and I doubt any long-time members of this forum are even interested.  I know I'm not.   :?


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Post Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 3:35 pm 
 

zdaddyo wrote:The court case can be found by searching for his name (lastname firstname) at http://apps.leeclerk.org/Crim_defendant_Name_sel.asp

To find out what the meaning of what the judge found is: http://www.avvo.com/legal-guides/ugc/wh ... n-withheld


With Defendant found guilty noted in the details of the first link, and reading the definition of the second link, it pretty much proves that whatever the huntons say can be taken as hogwash.

The principle of a gaming museum is ok, the concept laid out is entirely uncredable.


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Post Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 3:41 pm 
 

benjoshua wrote:you might even find a corporate sponsor.

Crucial, imho.
Consider GenCon LLC.
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F


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Post Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 8:31 pm 
 

ExTSR wrote:You do not own one of the major Known Collections of the hobby (hi to Strat and Scketre).


So far, this is the most interesting thing said in this thread.  Please, someone elaborate on how one becomes one of the "major known collections".  And what do they have that qualifies?  (Serious, I find that statement interesting and want to pull the thread).

  

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Post Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 8:32 pm 
 

ExTSR wrote:
benjoshua wrote:you might even find a corporate sponsor.

One can talk with Peter if one knows how to approach him.

F

Thats easy - just tell him you're the curator of the Dungeons & Dragons Museum - he's bound to be impressed :D


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Post Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 10:07 pm 
 

150k and a custom-designed building just seems vastly over-ambitious to me as a starting point.

Now, If Lake Geneva or Indianapolis has a sizeable library (ie. available space), you could setup something like the Merrill Collection. (But with better display options; that's the collection's weak point IMO...)  The local municipal government would probably have no issue contributing the library space if it was billed as an additional tourism draw.

The Merril Collection has free admission as part of the city library system, but if necessary the number of RPG pilgrims to either location above would be sufficient to keep the thing going for a modest entrance fee.  There is also a "Friends of the Merril" volunteer organization (site apparently being rebuilt, but some info below) which is in part how they maintain funding and obtain donations from the wider community.  There are even bulletin boards for local conventions, people hosting games, etc.  Very friendly atmosphere.  

http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/merril/
http://friendsmerrilcontest.com/merril-fom/

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Post Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 10:19 pm 
 

ExTSR wrote:
benjoshua wrote:you might even find a corporate sponsor.

Crucial, imho.
Consider GenCon LLC.
One can talk with Peter if one knows how to approach him.

F


Frank,
If I had the time and energy to pursue something like this, I would start there. When I suggested the traveling museum, Gen Con was my first thought. If that is not a viable option, then there really is nowhere else to go. This type of project would have to be at GC to get the exposure and opportunity to generate funding.


And I could've bought these damn modules off the 1$ rack!!!

New modules for your Old School game http://pacesettergames.com/

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Post Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 10:49 pm 
 

O/T
stylean wrote:someone elaborate on how one becomes one of the "major known collections".  And what do they have that qualifies?

Eminently reasonable. I must start by explaining why I have that opinion. ;>

During most of the last 30 years I have served as a game auctioneer. In getting to know the buyers (both regular and sporadic) and their associates, I have seen or heard enough about those superb collections to which I refer. I'm certain that there are many collections I know almost nothing about.

I submit that in view of my experience in the subject, I have a working knowledge base upon which to make such a comment. I apologize if it offends anyone by implied omission.

There are several collectors whose assets are well-known if not infamous. So it's not just MY opinion... tho I'm sure several of us would dicker about rankings in the top 10.

And of course I'd love to hear about anybody's sizeable collection, if it's new to me.

Frank Mentzer

/back to topic pls


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Post Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 12:41 am 
 

ExTSR wrote:O/T
stylean wrote:someone elaborate on how one becomes one of the "major known collections".  And what do they have that qualifies?

Eminently reasonable. I must start by explaining why I have that opinion. ;>

During most of the last 30 years I have served as a game auctioneer. In getting to know the buyers (both regular and sporadic) and their associates, I have seen or heard enough about those superb collections to which I refer. I'm certain that there are many collections I know almost nothing about.

I submit that in view of my experience in the subject, I have a working knowledge base upon which to make such a comment. I apologize if it offends anyone by implied omission.

There are several collectors whose assets are well-known if not infamous. So it's not just MY opinion... tho I'm sure several of us would dicker about rankings in the top 10.

And of course I'd love to hear about anybody's sizeable collection, if it's new to me.

Frank Mentzer

/back to topic pls


What a Cluster-F this has turned into.

Frank makes some great points.  Basically, that unless you are a part of the "community" you aren't going to accomplish anything.   Just knowing who is IN the community is a good starting place, but it goes deeper than that....you have to not only know but have semi-cordial relationships with certain people or this project is just a joke, sort of like putting the location up for grabs has been.  You guys are not part of the community and never have been, as seen by your ignorance dealing with people on The Acaeum, Dragonsfoot and elsewhere.  At the minimum you needed to be able to pull in certain people that I detailed in an earlier post, and you have not done that, or been forthcoming with your efforts in that regard.

There are several people in the know who could have assisted you but I feel this points to your lack of knowledge and resources that you did not contact these people beforehand.

Please rethink your "business model" and decide if this is something you really want to make a serious effort in accomplishing.  BTW, one of the most important things you can do in your position is fund raising, and that involves a lot of schmoozing, glad handling and above all face to face efforts of getting out into the community.  You have shown yourselves to be woefully inadequate in doing any of these.

Mike b.


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Post Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 4:04 am 
 

bbarsh wrote:That location question is much more than that and it really asks a much deeper question. Will anyone come to it? Build it and they will come only works in the movies. In real life you do massive research on location before you build anything. The actual construction part is the easy part. Figuring out if anyone will actaully come is the key. The simple answer to this question in regard to a D&D museum is a flat no. Sorry to those of you who would actually road trip to see the museum, but you are most likely in a huge minority. Certainly not enough to justify a physical building, staff, maintainence costs, etc...


I agree with Bill on this one.  Even if "D&D" is replaced by "RPG", the number of people who would care is minimal.  The closest comparison I can think of is comics, and while there are a few small comics museums, none are really what one would call thriving, and most have folded/morphed over time.  The number of people who have ever cared about comics is a few orders of magnitude greater than the number who have ever played a RPG.  We don't always see things clearly from our viewpoint, but we're certainly a niche interest.

The targeted approach, traveling to several conventions per year, likely for a couple years, to build interest and talk to fans to figure out where a museum might actually have traffic, makes a lot more sense to me.  It seems harder, takes longer, and isn't as "cool", but in my experience, that tends to describe the inevitable right way to do something.


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Post Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 4:57 pm 
 

Wow, lol.  I went away to exhibit at Wizards in New Orleans and came back to what looks like an implosion here.  Thanks all, for recognizing that providing facts about museum structures does not imply endorsement of this or any particular project.  I don't know any more about this project than any of you do... and obviously quite a bit less than a few of you!  I almost never go over to Dragonsfoot, and I don't feel inclined to do so atm!

Meanwhile, I am sure many of us do hope a d&d/rpg museum does evolve.  I am personally fond of the virtual and/or traveling museum model.  This topic (like some other niche topics) is of global interest, but it is unclear to me that any local audience can sustain admissions sufficient to maintain a brick and mortar museum.  A small climate control storage facility as the centralized location for a virtual museum, and as the origination point for traveling exhibits, would seem more realistic.  

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Post Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 9:15 pm 
 

Just popping in for yet another laugh.  Although it appears that the savvy folks of this forum are already on to this, ahem, *mess*(to be kind), these folks claim to have a $250K gaming library?

Wait, what?

Here's their game library, right from Jim's FB page:

https://www.facebook.com/jhuntonfl/photos_stream


Ummm, yea.

Be afraid, be very afraid.


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Post Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 9:31 pm 
 

bclarkie wrote:Just popping in for yet another laugh.  Although it appears that the savvy folks of this forum are already on to this, ahem, *mess*(to be kind), these folks claim to have a $250K gaming library?

Wait, what?

Here's their game library, right from Jim's FB page:

https://www.facebook.com/jhuntonfl/photos_stream


Ummm, yea.

Be afraid, be very afraid.


Oh yeah.  Hi everyone!


Damn, then I must have a million dollar collection!!! Strat, you're worth what, a billion? Way to go man!!!

Zen

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Post Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 10:40 pm 
 

Oh yeah.  Hi everyone!

"Brians  Alive!" - said in a faux Brian Blessed manner :D

Damn nice to see you're still lurking BC


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Post Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 11:21 pm 
 

bclarkie wrote:Just popping in for yet another laugh.


Great to see you popping in, Brian!


And I could've bought these damn modules off the 1$ rack!!!

New modules for your Old School game http://pacesettergames.com/

Everything Pacesetter at http://pacesettergames.blog.com/

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