Chicago Gameday XIX 3/15/08: Planning Thread

[highlight]This thread is for planning purposes only. A separate thread will be created for player sign-up closer to Gameday. A link to that thread will be posted here.[/highlight]

[h1]Gameday XIX Planning[/h1]
This is the planning thread for Chicago Gameday XIX. If you're interested in running an event for Gameday, or just have planning help to offer, this is the thread for you. If you're confused, go here to learn more about Chicago Gameday.

[h2]The Time, The Place, The Basics[/h2]
[highlight]Gameday XIX will be held on Saturday, March 15th. Events start at 9:30am[/highlight]. Gameday XIX will be hosted by Games Plus, a.k.a., Earth's Greatest Game Store™.

Gameday has two event slots that are 4-5 hours each: a morning slot from 9:30am to 2:30pm, and an afternoon slot from 3:30pm to 8:00pm (and beyond). We typically run six events in each slot, with 4-6 players plus GM in each event. [highlight]GMs may request more/fewer seats in their event, but we have found that 4-6 players per event is ideal.[/highlight]

If you do not have an ENWorld Community Supporter account with Private Messaging enabled, please make sure I have your email address. Feel free to email me.

[h2]Submitting and Running an Event[/h2]
[highlight]How do I sign up to run an event?[/highlight]
If you would like to run an event for Gameday XIX, please post a proposal in this thread.

[highlight]What info should I provide as part of my proposal?[/highlight]
At the minimum, we need to know:

• The game system you will be using
• How many players will be accommodated
• A catchy title
• An event "blurb," i.e., a basic summary of your event
• Whether you want to run the event in the morning or the afternoon

Optional, yet helpful info you can provide includes:

• If there is a particular table you would like to use
• Whether your event expects prior experience with the rules
• Whether your event is or isn't suitable for all ages
• Whether pregens will be provided
• Links to said pregens (PDFs, Word files, etc)
• Links to info about the game system
• Links to any other files you'd like to offer potential players
• Any images you might like included in the final event description

[highlight]How long should my event last?[/highlight]
Your event should last at least 4 hours.

If you are running an event in the morning, it should not run longer than 5 hours, as you will be taking time away from the lunch break.

Events run in the afternoon may last longer than 5 hours, but please be respectful of: a) Games Plus hours of operation, and b) the needs of players who may be reliant on the Metra scheudle.

[highlight]When do poeple sign up for my event?[/highlight]
A separate player sign-up thread will be created in a few weeks. You will be notified in advance of the sign-up thread going live.

[highlight]May I screen potential players?[/highlight]
Pre-approval of player sign-ups is not allowed. By volunteering to run an event, you're agreeing to run it for whomever signs up. Thankfully, everyone who comes to Gameday is totally awesome.

[highlight]What if I want or need to cancel my event?[/highlight]
Once the sign-up thread begins, GM volunteers have until one week before Gameday in which they may remove their event from the schedule. After that point, the schedule is set, and you are expected to come ready to run your event, regardless of whether anyone has signed up for it. Barring genuine emergencies, of course.

[highlight]May I run more than one event?[/highlight]
I would ask that people initially refrain from submitting more than one event. I want to give as many people as possible the chance to submit an event before GMs start doubling up. As soon as we see there is room available, GMs can add second events.
Go nuts!

[h2]Current Event Lineup[/h2]
[highlight]Morning: 9:30am - 2:30pm[/highlight]

1. buzz, D&D 3.5/Eberron, "Chimes at Midnight," 5 players
2. Nev the Deranged, 1001 Nights
3. Cerebral Paladin, D&D 3.5, private room
4. Ninjacat, Unisystem, "Best Laid Lines of Demons and Men," 6 players
5. sw3333, Star Wars Saga Edition, "No Child Left Behind," 5 players
6. Dfranco83, Shadowrun 4e
7. Mark, D&D 3.5/d20, "The Taking of Old MacGuffinville!", 5 players, tall table in back

[highlight]Afternoon: 3:30pm - 8:00pm[/highlight]

1. Mark, D&D 3.5, "Wasting Away, Again, in Old MacGuffinville," 5 players, private room
2. Vyvyan Basterd, "Dark Blade Rising," D&D 3.5, 8 players
3. TracerBullet42, Ghostbusters RPG, "ApoKERMIS Now!", 6 players
4. Tim C Koppang, Hero's Banner, 4 players
5. WJMacGuffin, Paranoia XP, "Wireless Memory Downgrade (WMD)," 8 players
6. HinterWelt, Squirrels Ahoy, 5 players
7. ...

[h2]Suggestions[/h2]
If you have suggestions, recommendations, or ideas for enhancing the fun of Gameday, please feel free to post them here and we'll open up discussion.

D&D Slot 2 in the private room, please. 5 seats. Let's call it, "Wasting Away, Again, in Old MacGuffinville." In this scavenger hunt scenario, PCs will be looking for something and, hopefully, finding it!

Hm. I think I'll tentatively snag an early table for some Best Friends.

Boston and DC have game days on the same date. Copycats!

Piratecat said:

Boston and DC have game days on the same date. Copycats!

Click to expand...

Beware the Ides of March!

I'd also like to sign up to run a game. I'm thinking D&D 3.5, perhaps in the morning in the private room? I'll post more details soon.

Hokay, let's jump on the bandwagon now. . .and sort all the pesky details out later.

(What? Isn't that SOP for a GM?)

Okay, due to my COMPLETE AND UTTER *FAIL* last time, I'm offering my Unisystem Supernatural game, "The Best Laid Lines of Demons and Men," again. Buzz, once I've heard back from my players (or if they reply here) I'll let you know if I'm going with that one again. Otherwise, I'll be running a different TV show through the Unisystem game, Mutant X. I'll post summary and details, etc., once I've decided which one I'm going with.

Vyvyan Basterd, Laurie, are you guys gonna make this one? Anybody have a time slot preference (my other returning players, too; I hosed you guys' morning last time, so I'm totally pandering to your requests this time around, really!!!)

Buzz, can I request an afternoon slot for my game, but tentatively hope to switch it to morning if that works better for people who want to play the event (assuming there's still a morning slot open. If the am fills, it's full. No harm, no foul, unless some kind soul takes pity on my players and would be willing to swap at that point. Yes, I'm paranoid after last time and trying to cover all bases possible, heh.)?

Mark, Nev, Cerebral Paladin, Ninjacat... events added.

I'd like an afternoon slot for....

Game #: ApoKERMIS Now!
Ghostbusters RPG
TracerBullet42
[bq][imager]http://gameday.buzzmo.com/images/ghostbusters.jpg[/imager]Long before the rise and fall of the Third Reich, long before the rise and fall of the House of Usher, long before even the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, history and literature both ignored the rise and fall of ancient Lonibabia, the nation that partied itself into oblivion.

But deadly prophecy remains, and fulfillment seems horribly near at hand. Is this the Fall of Civilization? Or can the Ghostbusters gate-crash the world's last bash?

Gee, I hope so!

ApoKERMIS Now is an adventure for up to six busters of ghosts who reign at the Mount Prospect Ghostbusters Station...conveniently located across the street from Games Plus. It uses West End's D6 Ghostbusters system. It is extremely easy to learn, so no experience is necessary. Characters will be created at the beginning of the session if you don't happen to have already made one. (Again, extremely easy.)
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TracerBullet42 said:

I'd like an afternoon slot for....

Game #: ApoKERMIS Now!
Ghostbusters RPG

Click to expand...

Added!