GCOM Host Services

• Provide a platform to make a difference and impact the hobby.
• Provide a platform and infrastructure to support and grow the gaming hobby and the ability to actively participate in the hobby.
• Provide interactive individualized location page with specific location information, average attendance, games played, game inventory, directions, ranking of games played.
• Provide communications with hobby enthusiasts including over 500 gamers in the email database, event coordinators, publishers, vendors, developers, game masters & industry vendors.
• Provide advertising & communications, via e-mail, provided discussion boards, printed flyers, and via the GCOM website; which shows: locations, dates & times of sessions, games played, game inventories, upcoming special gaming events, interactive event calendar, location news, and opponents wanted page.
• Provide resources such as a games library, event & function resources, prizes, GCOM products & banners, display, registration, electrical & paper supplies.
• Provide advice & support from experienced industry staff, event organization & coordination, and website updating support.
• Member Recognition.
• Event & Product Discounts
• Event & Location insurance
• More services to come

Location Requirements
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1. The interested Host must be a GCOM Supporting Member OR have been recommended by a GCOM Supporting or Patron Member.
2. The location owner must have expressed interest in a Games Club of Maryland Location and be willing to meet all the requirements of a GCOM Location site.
3. The Host must agree to operate the location in a manner that is free from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin.
4. The Host, Co-Host or a designated representative should be willing to complete the following responsibilities.
1. Take attendance at all scheduled gaming sessions.
2. Optionally keep a list of games played.
5. The Host, Co-Host or a designated representative is required to be in attendance at all scheduled gaming sessions.
6. A regular gaming session schedule needs to be determined by the Host or location owner, and this information (see example below) should be posted on the location's webpage at the GCOM website. As much as possible, the Host, Co-Host, or a designated representative should make any schedule changes well in advance, on the website or e-mail the GCOM President or webmaster to make the change.
7. An official Co-Host may be chosen to help share the duties of the Host listed above.

1. Location Name: Reisterstown: Hannah More
2. Host Full Name: Keith Levy
3. Host Email Address: gamesclubofmd@verizon.net
4. Host Phone Number: 443-629-5585
5. Optional Co-Host Information (Full Name, Email Address, Phone Number)
6. Location Address: 12035 Reisterstown Road, Reisterstown, MD 21136
7. Location Phone Number: cell 443-629-5585
8. Directions (GCOM can put your directions on your location page)
9. Game Session Schedule Statement: Sessions every other Friday at 6:30pm
10. Actual Game Session Dates: April 2, April 9, April 16, April 30

Once all the required information for the location listing is received and completed, the GCOM website at http://www.gamesclubofmd.org will be updated within a three to four week time frame. Once the GCOM website is updated with your new location information you will be contacted by the GCOM webmaster with log in information.

You can contact the GCOM Vice President, Jack Ridgeway, at any time with questions, suggestions or concerns.

Location Gathering information

Organized record keeping is a key function and fabric of the existence of a structured club.

Attendance records show that we have real people attending our events.
Names let us track attendance figures accurately and let us know when an attendee is eligible for membership.
Names help host and other attendees know who is at their gaming sessions, how often they attend, and can assist with planning.
Names help gamers find each other.
Names help provide personality and structure to a location and the club.
Attendance is required in order for location to be eligible for GCOM's liability insurance.

Tracking games played helps gamers find places that are playing games they like.
Games played can help you plan for future sessions.
Games Played can track trends what help determine what types of games you may wish to consider added to your inventory.
Attendance along with games played can can help you determine what games to plan to play in the future.
Games played can help determine what is hot.
Games played can help attendees or possible attendee make suggestions for future games to play or buy themselves or at your location.

For these and many other reasons, GCOM requires that GCOM Hosts maintain lists of attendees at all GCOM events, and strongly requests that Hosts record the names of games played at their events.

GCOM Resources
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Discussion Boards : Yahoo Discussion groups

1. All GCOM members: Open to the general public
   gamesclubofmd@yahoogroups.com
   Topics: Discussion on any and all gaming related topics with a heavy focus on GCOM activities.
   All GCOM events are discussed on this group.
   Contact: Group Moderator Rick Bynaker to be added to this discussion group.

 

2. GCOM Hosts: Open only to current GCOM Location Hosts
   gcom_hosts@yahoogroups.com
   Topics: Discussion on any and all location & GCOM topics.
   Contact: Group Moderator Eric Haas to be added to this discussion group.

 

3. Euro Quest Organizers: Open to Euro Quest Organizers & Volunteers
   euroquestorganizers@yahoogroups.com
   Topics: Euro Quest
   Contact Group Moderator, Normal Rule. to be added to this discussion group.

Use of Gaming Resources
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Furniture

1. canopy
2. card tables (two)

Electrical

1. two extension cords
2. two surge protectors
3. pencil sharpener

Paper

1. flyers
2. manila tab folders
3. hanging folders
4. plastic letter file storage box
5. note pads: large 8 ½” X 11”, small 5”x 8”
6. lined index cards
7. address labels
8. business card stock.
9. clipboards (six)
10. small plastic box (to hold pens and pencils)
11. pencil sharpener
12. plastic in box trays (six)

Display

1. plastic display flyer/magazine racks (four)
2. acrylic sign holders (2 horizontal, 2 vertical, 7 slant)
3. dry erase board with easel & *markers
4. Two GCOM logo banners

Event Registration

1. cash box (two)
   1. one light duty with change compartments
   2. one heady duty for multi purpose valuable storage
2. badge stock
3. badge file box

Food accessories

1. large cooler
2. medium cooler
3. plastic utensils (forks, spoons, knives)

Games Club of Maryland E-mail Lists
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• GCOM uses three e-mail lists.
  Anyone can sign up to be on List one: biweekly e-mail or List two:bi-monthly e-mail.
  List three is for GCOM Supporting & Patron Members only.
• All e-mail Lists are optional.
• GCOM members are automatically added to both e-mail list One and list two unless they request otherwise.
• GCOM Supporting & Patron Members are automatically added to list three unless they request otherwise.
• GCOM membership is not required to be on list One or list Two. All GCOM E-mail is sent using a blind copy of an e-mail group, which does not show individual e-mail addresses.
• E-mail addresses are not forwarded or given to anyone. If you give your permission to release your e-mail address, it will only be released to the one party or person requesting it.

1. Bi-Weekly e-mail or Regular e-mail list
   You will get e-mail about once every other week if you are on this e-mail list. Weekly e-mails are generally targeted towards GCOM members and regional gamers and often contain information of interest to the general gaming public. Since GCOM has over thirty locations in several states, we consider regional gamers to be anyone on the East Coast.

   Bi-Weekly e-mails contain:

   1. Upcoming GCOM gaming sessions schedules
   2. Upcoming regional gaming events
   3. Invitations to special gaming events
   4. Regional gaming convention information
   5. GCOM gaming services
      1. Finding games
      2. Finding places to play
      3. Finding people to play
      4. Obtaining any gaming information
   6. Regional gaming news and information

   All gamers on the bi-weekly e-mail list will automatically be on the bi-monthly e-mail list. (See below.)

    

2. Bi-Monthly e-mail or General e-mail list
   You will recieve e-mail about once every other month if you are on this e-mail list. Bi-monthly e-mails are targeted towards all gamers

   Bi-Monthly e-mail contains:

   1. Convention information
   2. National gaming news and information
   3. Major GCOM events and announcements
   4. Assistance with gaming services for other clubs or gamers
3. Supporting and Patron Member e-mail list
   You will receive e-mails about once per week if you are on this e-mail list. This e-mail list is targeted to GCOM members that wish to have additional knowledge, involvement & opportunity with GCOM and other gaming events.

   Supporting & Patron member e-mail contains:

   1. information to become involved with planning and assisting with GCOM and other gaming events
   2. invitations to GCOM Board meeting
   3. invitations to special events
   4. "insider" and early knowledge of gaming events & happenings
   5. information for election of GCOM Board officers

Location Insurance
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1. Effective May 1st, 2008, all official GCOM Locations are eligible for general liability insurance.

   The requirements and qualifications for insurance coverage are as follows:

   1. The location must be approved and sanctioned by Games Club of Maryland as an official GCOM location.
   2. GCOM location gaming sessions must be scheduled and listed on the GCOM website at least one week in advance.
   3. Attendance must be recorded and submitted to the GCOM website or to a member of the GCOM Board. Those not willing to give their identifying information would NOT be covered under the policy.
2. Insurance Coverage is as follows:
   1. General Liability coverage is provided by Nationwide Insurance Company.
      Our General Liability policy coverage will take priority over any homeowners or other insurance polices the owners or property may have in effect.
   2. Questions or claims must be reported to the GCOM President AND to Nationwide Insurance Company at 1-888-508-5622.
   3. Claims are required to be filed by the location Host.
   4. Our account & policy numbers can be obtained by contacting the GCOM President
3. Event Insurance
   The General Liability policy extends to cover GCOM for all official approved and sanctioned events, which include the following three GCOM events as of March 1st, 2010:
   • Game Days
   • GCOM Family Picnic
   • DERail

GCOM website: Hosts Data Entry Steps
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1. Go to the GCOM Website: http://www.gamesclubofmd.org/
2. Click on the "Main Page" link, which takes you to this webpage: http://www.gamesclubofmd.org/home.asp
3. In the left hand menu click on the "Login" link, which takes you to this webpage: http://www.gamesclubofmd.org/Login.asp
4. Type in your User ID and Password in the data entry boxes labeled 'UserID" and "Password".
5. From the "Function" menu, click on the corresponding "Action" link that will allow you to complete that function.

1. Meeting Attendance
   1. Go to the "Meeting Attendance" function and click on the "Add / Edit" link, which takes you to the "Update Meeting Attendance" page.
   2. Click on the drop down arrow, From the "Select a Meeting" drop down menu.
   3. Games Club Locations are listed in alphabetical order, first and then in chronological order, with the most recent dates at the top.
      Select the location and date of the gaming session that you want to enter information for, by clicking on the appropriate entry.
   4. A new update meeting attendance page will appear with three data field boxes.
      On the left side of the page are two data field boxes: 1)'Been To Location Before":and 2) "Did Not Attend Meeting": On the right side of the page is data field box: 3) Attended Meeting
   5. Select members from the alphabetical listing in the appropriate data filed box on the left by clicking on the persons name.
   6. Click on the double arrow pointing towards the data field box labeled "Attended Meeting"
   7. Continue doing this until all persons that attended have been selected and now appear listed in the data field box labeled "Attended Meeting".
   8. Click on the "update attendees" button on the bottom of the screen. This step is very important as it saves your information.
   Add a new person. Step 8 must be completed prior to proceeding with the adding a new person function.
   1. If a person you wish to add is not in either list from the "Been To Location Before" and "Did Not Attend Meeting" data field boxes, click on the add new person button on the bottom of the screen.
   2. This Button takes you to the submit new member info page. Fill in all the information you have from this attendee. This function add the person as a non member only.
   3. Click submit, then click on the "close the window" button.
   4. Repeat steps 1-8 above to add this new person to your attendee list for the appropriate session.
2. Games Played
   1. Go to the second function labeled Meetings and click on the "Games Played" link, which takes you to the "Update games" played page.
   2. Click on the drop down arrow, From the "Select a Meeting" drop down menu.
   3. Games Club Locations are listed in alphabetical order, first and then in chronological order, with the most recent dates at the top.
      Select the location and date of the gaming session that you want to enter information for, by clicking on the appropriate entry.
   4. A new update meeting attendance page will appear with three data field boxes.
      Search box on the top followed by exact and contains buttons.
      A matching games box on the left and a Games Played box on the left.
   5. Type in the name of the game you played in the search box. You can use one word, or part of the title, or the entire Title. It is best to use at least two words, as one word can lead to too many results. You should also use exact button instead of contains when looking for game titles that are often parts of other words like "Ra" and "Go".
   6. Titles that match your search criteria will appear in the "Matching Games" data field box. Select the title you want to add by clicking on it.
   7. Click on the double arrow button pointing to the Games Played box.
   8. Continue steps 5-7 until all the games you played appear in the "Games Played" box.
   9. Click on the "update games" button at the bottom of the screen. This step is very important as it saves your Information.
   10. If a title of a game you played does not have any matches showing from your search criteria, try searching using different word choices that may be part of the title you are searching for.
   11. If you are still unsuccessful in finding you game in the website data base click on the "Email Games Admin about missing game" link at the bottom on the screen. This should connect you with your e-mail servicer and create an e-mail entitled missing game that has Rick Bynakers e-mail address embedded in the send field.
   12. Type in the name and publisher of the game you want added to the website database and send the e-mail to Rick.
   13. Once the title is added Rick will send you an e-mail telling you the task is done. Or he will send you an e-mail telling you the search criteria to use to find the game you are looking for .
3. Game Inventory
   1. Go to the second function labeled "Locations" and click on the "Edit Game Inventory" link, which takes you to the "Update game Inventory" page.
   2. Click on the drop down arrow, from the "Select the location to maintain inventory for" drop down menu.
   3. Games Club Locations are listed in alphabetical order.
      Select the location you want to enter information for, by clicking on the appropriate entry and clicking the next step button.
   4. Step numbers 2 and 3 will now appear on the screen.
      Number 2 shows all the games currently entered for the location you selected.
      Number 3 is a search field to enter the names of games you wish to add.
   5. In the search field box, type in the name of the game you wish to add to your location inventory.
      You can use one word, or part of the title, or the entire Title. It is best to use at least two words, as one word can lead to too many results.
      If you type in the name of a title already entered in your locations inventory, no match will occur, in the search results.
   6. Select the game you wish to add to your location inventory by clicking on the from the drop down of matching titles.
   7. Click on the "Submit game" button.
   8. Click on the "add another game" button to add more games. Otherwise click on the "Return to member menu" Button.
   9. To add more games repeat steps 5-8 above.
   To delete a game from your location's inventory
   1. Go to number 2 which list you locations current inventory.
   2. Select the game you wish to delete from the drop down of current games listed in your inventory.
   3. Click on the delete game button.
4. Location Page Changes
   1. Go to the first function labeled "Locations" and click on the "Edit Information" link, which takes you to the "Edit Location Information" page.
   2. Click on the link to your location from the list of locations shown in chart format.
   3. Enter changes as needed in the appropriate data entry fields.
   4. Click on the save changes button at the top or bottom left to save any changes you entered.
   5. All information entered will appear on your location page.
   6. Information entered into the data field box entitled schedule comments will appear on the twice monthly standard session reminder e-mail to all GCOM members.
   7. Click on Return to Member Menu button or on another link in the left hand frame menu to exit.
5. GCOM Links Page
   1. Go to the "Links" function and click on the "Add" link, which takes you to the "Add a Link" page.
   2. The Add a Link page include functions numbered 1 to 4.
   3. For function #1, type in the full URL or full web address into the data entry box.
   4. For function #2, type in the name of what you want to call the link or website. This is how the link will appear and be listed on the GCOM link page.
   5. For Function #3, type in any additional comments, if needed, to further identify the link. This will also appear on the link page next to the name of the link you used in function #2.
   6. For Function #4, select the type of link you are adding from the drop down menu by clicking on it.
   7. Click on the Submit Link button.
   8. Click on the Add Another Link link in order to add another link.
   9. Repeat steps 3-7 above to add another link.
   10. Click on Return to Member Menu button or on another link in the left hand frame menu to exit.
   To Edit or Delete a link
   1. Go to the "Links" function and click on the "Edit" link, which takes you to the "Edit/Delete Link" page.
   2. From the select link drop down box, select the link you wish to edit or delete by clicking on it.
      All links currently on the GCOM link page are listed in alphabetical order.
   3. Type in any changes or comments to be posted in the appropriate data field boxes.
   4. Click the Save Changes button to save any changes you made.
   5. Click the Delete Link button to delete the link.
   6. Click on the Return to Member Menu button and repeat steps 1-5 to edit or delete another link.

Games Club of Maryland Standards
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1. Purpose of Games Club of Maryland.
   Reprinted from the GCOM By-laws Article II
   The purpose of GCOM shall be:
   1. To have fun, learn, share, grow, and play.
   2. To provide open gaming environments for the general public throughout the State of Maryland and beyond.
   3. To provide services for and to promote the playing of games of all kinds, including but not limited to the following: board games, card games, role-playing games, and miniatures games.
   4. To promote the games hobby by providing a communication network for gaming enthusiasts, sponsoring and supporting events, and raising public awareness of the hobby.
   5. GCOM shall be operated in a manner that is free from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

2. What Games Club of Maryland does.
   Reprinted from the GCOM website main entry front page.
   1. We play games.
   2. Our main goal is to have fun.
   3. We welcome all gamers from novice to experienced.
   4. We play games of all kinds, but mostly board games and card games.
   5. We are flexible and easy to get along with.
   6. We have members of all ages and from various gaming and non-gaming backgrounds.
   7. We promote a positive mental attitude, good sportsmanship, fair play, flexibility, open mindedness, patience and communication.
   8. We provide many games, but also ask that members bring their favorites to share with the group.
   9. We are always willing to teach and learn new games.
   10. We are here to help share & grow the hobby of gaming.
   11. We learn, share, grow, compete, and bond with others.

3. Games Club Of Maryland's slogan is:
   Have Fun, Learn, Share, Grow, Play.

   GCOM Member Standards

4. GCOM expects all members and attendees to behavior in accordance with the standards set in accordance with items A, B, and C printed above. These standards have been in existence, and have been available to the general public via the GCOM website, since the formation of the GCOM Board of Directors in 2002.
5. Members are expected to follow any and all guidelines set by GCOM Hosts. Co-hosts, and GCOM Event Directors, official organizers and Game Masters.
6. Members not willing to follow guidelines set by any GCOM personnel listed above are expected to NOT participate in that GCOM activity.

   GCOM Host Standards/Event Director Standards

7. Hosts may request assistance from the GCOM Board of Directors at any time on any of the items listed below.
8. Over and above those standards already put into place by Games Club of Maryland, GCOM Hosts have the right and responsibility to set and/or clarify behavior standards they feel is appropriate for their location.
9. Hosts are expected to communicate acceptable and unacceptable behaviors to attendees at their location if they expect any additional standards to be followed.
10. Hosts are expected to give verbal and/or written notice to attendees of any unacceptable behaviors.
11. Hosts that have attendees that are experiencing behavior issues may consult with any member of the GCOM Board of Directors for assistance, advice and/or direction.
12. Hosts are expected to inform the GCOM President of any attendee they intend to take further action with. Further actions may include, but are not limited to:
    1. Formal removal and ban of the attendee from that location, resulting in that attendee no longer be permitted at that location.
    2. Formal removal and ban of the attendee from several locations, resulting in that attendee no longer be permitted at those locations. Requires consent from affected Hosts.
    3. Formal removal and ban of the attendee from that event.
    4. Formal request for further disciplinary action by the Games Club of Maryland Board of Directors.

    GCOM Board Standards

13. The GCOM Board will back the decisions of their Hosts, Event Personnel, and Game Masters.
14. The GCOM Board reserves the right to protect its members, standards and reputation from any attendees that are in violation of the standards set above or by GCOM personnel.
15. The GCOM Board reserves the right to restrict, prohibit, or delay attendance of GCOM membership to anyone determined to be in violation of the standards set above or by GCOM personnel. Any person restricted, prohibited, or delayed from membership or event attendance will be entitled to a refund of the current year's GCOM membership and/or event registration for any official GCOM Event. As of March 1st, 2010, official GCOM events include: Game Days, GCOM Family Picnic, and DERail.
16. The GCOM Board will make a minimum of three attempts to resolve attendee behavior issues prior to any attendee limitation decisions.