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Let's play a game!

We can't announce what we're working on yet, so without spoiling anything specifically--

Comment if you know what kind of things are in the two blurred photos, and how many you recognize specifically.

Like this: "I know what these are, and I recognize one for sure!"

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The Fourth Place (For Us)

The Fourth Place has been on my mind for years now. Now it’s a small business, dedicated to the idea of creating spaces where geeks can feel at home, and everyone can share our cool toys.

You probably have a Third Place-- That’s a name for the next place, after home and work, where each of us spends the most time and feels the most comfortable. The name also takes inspiration from Jack Kirby’s Fourth World, from the idea of the world of Faerie as a Fourth Realm (after Earth, Heaven, and Hell), and of course from my belief that it should be just as fun to take Fourth Place in a game as First. (Okay, maybe as fun as Second.)

The Fourth Place was always going to be my attempt to create a special space for us. The goal, in everything we do, will be to re-create that amazing feeling we get when we get our friends together and focus on the things we love, or the intense feeling we get at conventions, but without the drop once we have to go home. Along the way, I want to make more people welcome, and feeling familiar with the things we love, so there are more of us to share with.

You may have noticed how, to steal another gaming metaphor, I’m keeping my cards close to my vest about exactly what I’m working on here.

I still don’t want to give it away until there is something to show you, but I can say this:

First: I’m hard at work on The Fourth Place’s first project (or product) now. I’ve been working on the graphic design and social media stuff you’re aware of, but there’s more to this iceberg than you can see yet. In the next couple of weeks, I should have a prototype of sorts ready to test, demo, photograph, and ultimately, to re-work.

Second: That first thing isn’t a brick and mortar location, it’s not a new game, and it’s not a comic book. It will be something you can buy, to help create a kind of distributed Fourth Place.

Third: There will be a Kickstarter for this first thing, when it’s ready. There will be something substantial to buy, with options for both individuals and businesses, as well as some smaller ways to support us and get in on the action.

Fourth: Finally-- this first thing I keep talking about won’t be the last. It probably won’t surprise you by now to find out that I have four distinct phases in mind for this business, each building on the last, and ultimately doing even more to create the kind of spaces I love.

As someone wise on the Internet once said, probably mangled a bit by me: “Be the insane wizard you want to see in the world.” Thanks for your support. I can’t wait to show you what I’m working on!

— Ian Struckhoff, founder