First time going to GenCon- need advice/tips/etc.

FoxWander · Jul 13, 2008

So, events in my life have finally aligned so that I can attend GenCon this year. But, I didn't know it would work out until just recently and so I've missed all the pre-registration deadlines. Not that pre-registering might have mattered anyway since aside from getting into the Con I wouldn't know what I'd like to register for anyway!

To put it mildly- there's A LOT to do at GenCon and I haven't the slightest idea where to start. So I'm asking all the GenCon veterans out there to help me out. I know the basics of Con courtesy and survival- regular bathing, comfortable shoes, good backpack for loot, keep some snacks/water in backpack and that kind of thing, but what about everything else? What are the must-see events? What are the main things to avoid? What are the common noob mistakes? How should I plan out my time? What are the best non-convention events going on? Any and all advice, tips or guidelines to this effect would be most welcome and appreciated. Thanks!

Vyvyan Basterd · Jul 13, 2008

FoxWander said:
I know the basics of Con courtesy and survival- regular bathing...

What more could you possibly need to know if you've already got this down?

My real advice (I apologize if any of the following is dated, it's been a while since I've been able to attend):

1) Do not assume you will have enough time to register for anything once the con starts. You may spend more time in line than having fun. Know when the on-site pickup and registration lines are open and if you can get as much as you can taken care of on Wednesday.

2) If there is something you REALLY want to do and it is sold out, don't be afraid to show up anyway. Those running the event may make more room for you or someone signed up may not show. This probably hols true for all but the virtual dungeon events.

3) Make sure you have some generic tickets. You never know what you'll find, no matter how long you pored through that dang catalog!

Rodrigo Istalindir · Jul 13, 2008

Good advice from Vyvyan Basterd.

Also, check the GenCon forum here for pick-up games by ENWorlders as there are still some that have spots free.

When playing in games, remember that a 'con game is different than your home game. Go with the flow, have fun, and don't get bogged down in the details or get hung up on rulings -- you've only got a few hours, so everyone has to get along to get things done.

If you've got some favorite games, take some time to stop at the publisher's booth in the dealer hall amd talk to them., even if it's just to say 'Hi, I'm really enjoying your game'. Most of these folks aren't in it for the money, they're doing it because they love gaming.

Consider stopping by the ENnie Awards Friday night. It's a good chance to unwind after a couple long days, meet some other ENWorlders and game publishers/writers/artists.

beverson · Jul 13, 2008

FoxWander said:
But, I didn't know it would work out until just recently and so I've missed all the pre-registration deadlines.

Does this statement mean that you don't actually have your 4-day badge (or however many days you plan to attend)? If so, then you'll want to get to the registration area as early as humanly possible, and plan for half of your first day to be spent waiting in line to register just to enter the con! Hopefully it won't take half the day, but plan ahead for it so you won't be upset if it happens, and if it doesn't, then you'll be pleasantly surprised. Badge registration is notoriously slow and always seems to be set up in an area where having long lines is suboptimal. Add to the fact that this year the Dome is unavailable because it's being worked on, so there is less space than previous years.

That said, once you actually have a badge, plan for at least half a day to wander the dealer's floor - it's massive, and you will be in awe the first time you set foot on it.

subbob · Jul 13, 2008

Check Out Gen Con Newbie FAQ

FoxWander said:
Any and all advice, tips or guidelines to this effect would be most welcome and appreciated. Thanks!

First, congrats on being able to attend this year. Like you, my son and I are also going to Gen Con for the first time. As another first, we also attended Origins two weeks ago.

Have you visited the Gen Con community forums?

Someone over there has put together a thread called The UTTER GENCON NEWBIE FAQ that has a lot of suggestions and advice.

From our experience at Gen Con, I'd recommend the following:

Don't overlook generic tickets - they are good to have when you find an unexpected game or open spot at a table
Have some kind of "swag bag" - we used one of those large black bags with a wide shoulder strap that allows good distribution of the weight. It will get heavier over time!
In the bag, consider carrying a refillable water bottle and snacks (energy bars, power bars, luna bars, etc. work well for this)
Pre-generate some characters for any game system you think you might play. For example, if you end up sitting down at a 4E D&D pickup game, it's very frustrating to have to try and create a new character with insufficient time to do so.
Keep a journal or diary. So much will happen during the convention that by the 3rd day you'll be hard pressed to remember what you did on the first day. Even if it's just a short date/time/game I played type entry, you'll have better recollection of what you did.
There's LOTS of gaming opportunities in the exhibit hall. Many vendors have several people on-hand and continuously demo their games. I do not know if Gen Con is the same, these games did not require any tickets and there was plenty to do in the vendor hall.
Cash may give you discounts. I found some vendors would discount their products slightly when paying with cash. If they do not offer, don't hesitate to negotiate for a bargain.

billd91 · Jul 13, 2008

If you want to save food money, bring groceries. Keep them in a cooler that you restock with ice each day from the hotel ice machine or get a room with a mini-fridge. I usually bring lots of sandwich fixings and soda. Obviously, this doesn't work so well if you fly in to Indy...

Having a family, when I went to Gen Con (I haven't in 4-5 years), I would also pack soups, a hot pot, juice boxes, small milk cartons, baby-cut carrots, grapes, and lots of other kid-friendly snackies. One year, back before I had a family but when I would get a hotel room with a bunch of other friends, we actually brought our own mini-microwave and packs of burritos to stash in a cooler packed tightly with ice (because the burritos were supposed to be frozen). Worked out well.

FATDRAGONGAMES · Jul 13, 2008

Just don't over schedule yourself. There is so much to see and do it is very easy to get overwhelmed there.

Mindseye · Jul 13, 2008

FATDRAGONGAMES said:
Just don't over schedule yourself. There is so much to see and do it is very easy to get overwhelmed there.

This is probably the best advice you'll receive!! This will be my 6th (7th?) straight year to attend.........my gaming group is bringing 8 of us from Texas this year!

Although my group has different opinions on scheduling, most of us schedule one event per day. You can absolutely fill the rest of the day with dealer's room demos, pick-up type games, and night time activities. We hit the True Dungeon every year and try to demo or play things that are new or that we're dying to try out.

Make sure and hit some of the nighttime stuff like the Ennies, The Cthulhu Rally, KODT Live Reading and stuff like this. The other thing we do is to break out some games in our hotel lobby after hours.....mostly brainless stuff.

Have fun!

C.W.Richeson · Jul 13, 2008

Eat at least one meal at The Ram, a local restaraunt that maintains a wonderfully geeky atmosphere during the con.

Make a list of people you'd really like to meet and try to make it happen.

Don't burn yourself out too quickly! A little bit of pacing can really help.

FATDRAGONGAMES · Jul 15, 2008

C.W.Richeson said:
Eat at least one meal at The Ram, a local restaraunt that maintains a wonderfully geeky atmosphere during the con.

Aagghhh... I can't believe I forgot to mention the RAM. It is likely the only restaurant I have ever eaten at (or will ever) and was able to see Hawk the Slayer on the big screen.