What's up with GenCon?

devlin1 · May 3, 2016

I'll admit, the AL was a big contributing factor toward my decision to go to Origins instead of Gen Con this year. I didn't know the specifics of the schedule at the time, but the fact that WotC said "If you want to see us or play in a big event, Origins is your best bet" was all that was needed for me to start thinking about passing on Gen Con in favor of Origins. Then when I heard about the D&D Open -- not even knowing what it was, just that it was A Thing -- that pretty much sealed the deal.

I mean, there are other factors. The timing's a little better for my summer schedule. It's cheaper. I've been wanting to go for years. But D&D was the main factor.

skerritthegreen · May 3, 2016

Pauper said:
I appreciated when the Organized Play program considered GenCon to be the 'big show', the highlight of the convention season.

As Dave said we are doing a ton for Gen Con (as I am working on one of the adventures for that will be there today), but if you want the AL's big show, that's at Origins this year.

Pauper · May 3, 2016

Thanks Shawn and Dave for your responses.

I can see where you get your numbers from now, thanks for the clarification. My point of 200 hours of content was based on the link in message #6 going to the GenCon 2015 event schedule, and basically just counting the number of sessions by the length of each session. (All of them were four hours, because the two-hour Oubliette/Dark Rites adventures were run back-to-back in a single slot.) I didn't include the Experience in my count of events, nor as far as I can tell did the schedule include the set-aside area to play DDEX 3-1 pretty much continuously. (It turns out that both the season 2 and season 3 Epics were counted, though the labeling was a bit confusing.) We'll have to see what the schedule looks like for this year's GenCon when it drops on Friday; I may well end up dazzled by the number of options available, we'll see.

Thanks again for the explanations, folks.

--
Pauper

skerritthegreen · May 3, 2016

I'm sure by that math (counting every running of each event as a separate addition to the total) Gen Con sound also have more than 200 hours of content.

RCanine · May 4, 2016

wavester said:
Gen Con 2016 - We have the Season 5 preview (5-1), 6 AL re-runs (Core 1-1, 1-2, 1-3 - HILL 1-1, 1-2, and 1-3), 12 AL premieres (Core 2-1, 2-2, 2-3 - HULB 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 1-S - PHLAN 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 1-S, and HILL 1-S).

I've never seen Core, HILL, HULB and PHLAN in AL adventure codes. Can someone fill me in on what these are?

smerwin29 · May 4, 2016

RCanine said:
I've never seen Core, HILL, HULB and PHLAN in AL adventure codes. Can someone fill me in on what these are?

http://baldmangames.com/2016/04/baldman-games-announces-new-dd-adventurers-league-exclusive-content/

Start there, and let us know if you have more questions.

Thanks!

Shawn

felwred · May 4, 2016

Pauper said:
Thanks Shawn and Dave for your responses.

I can see where you get your numbers from now, thanks for the clarification. My point of 200 hours of content was based on the link in message #6 going to the GenCon 2015 event schedule, and basically just counting the number of sessions by the length of each session. (All of them were four hours, because the two-hour Oubliette/Dark Rites adventures were run back-to-back in a single slot.) I didn't include the Experience in my count of events, nor as far as I can tell did the schedule include the set-aside area to play DDEX 3-1 pretty much continuously. (It turns out that both the season 2 and season 3 Epics were counted, though the labeling was a bit confusing.) We'll have to see what the schedule looks like for this year's GenCon when it drops on Friday; I may well end up dazzled by the number of options available, we'll see.

Thanks again for the explanations, folks.

--
Pauper

It seems I am in the strange place of agreeing with Pauper here

Yes - there will be 200 hours of content. How many hours of content that we couldn't get at our local game shop? That's the point of going to Gencon is to experience things you can't get locally. No epic is a huge miss on AL's part. Baldman's new adventures are a plus and moving the venue was a requirement (many of us would have never done AL again at Gencon if you hadn't moved it after last year's belly-flop.) WOTC is trying to make due with virtually no budget - that's why they wouldn't spend the money to sponsor (Origins is hugely less expensive). Premiers are nice but we'll get access to them via DMsGuild/ our local shops within a few weeks of the con so that isn't a big deal now. Baldman is running, by my count, 3 new adventures that won't be usual local store fare for each tier. That's 9 events, not 200. I'm not even aware of any author only events being announced.

I stopped pathfinder to play 5e and started in AL with 5e. I'm finding myself drawn to do pathfinder at Gencon since AL doesn't appear to be making as much of an effort. Pathfinder will run a 900 person version of an epic with large screen displays, PA systems, etc. AL wrote 9 new adventures over 6 months (some of which are recycled from Origins). Anyone else notice the gap here?

Fred

Tyranthraxus · May 5, 2016

felwred said:
It seems I am in the strange place of agreeing with Pauper here

I stopped pathfinder to play 5e and started in AL with 5e. I'm finding myself drawn to do pathfinder at Gencon since AL doesn't appear to be making as much of an effort. Pathfinder will run a 900 person version of an epic with large screen displays, PA systems, etc. AL wrote 9 new adventures over 6 months (some of which are recycled from Origins). Anyone else notice the gap here?

Fred

Is there any reason why you cant do both? If PFS was still being run locally Id still be playing it. I see far too many people type 'I stopped playing X to play Y' or a variation on that. Im a gamer first and foremost, Im not a D&D gamer or a Pathfinder gamer or a Shadowrun gamer or a Arcanis Gamer or a Dragonstar Gamer. Im a Gamer.

Inxanity · May 5, 2016

smerwin29 said:
http://baldmangames.com/2016/04/baldman-games-announces-new-dd-adventurers-league-exclusive-content/

Start there, and let us know if you have more questions.

Thanks!

Shawn

Any kind of ETA on when these will be hitting DMs Guild?

smerwin29 · May 5, 2016

Inxanity said:
Any kind of ETA on when these will be hitting DMs Guild?

Good question. I do not know with any kind of certainty when that will happen. At the very earliest, I would guess that it would be at least a couple of months after they premiere, but it might be longer if any sort of convention/game day exclusivity is implemented, as with the extra "adaptable" content that goes with the trilogies. I'm sure the Baldman (Dave Christ) has a plan, but I also know that plans are always subject to change.

Thanks!

Shawn

What's up with GenCon?

devlin1

Explorer

skerritthegreen

Explorer

Pauper

That guy, who does that thing.

skerritthegreen

Explorer

RCanine

First Post

smerwin29

Reluctant Time Traveler

felwred

First Post

Tyranthraxus

Explorer

Inxanity

Explorer

smerwin29

Reluctant Time Traveler

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