D&D General GaryCon Cancelled Because Of Caronavirus Pandemic

Gary Con, which was due to take place this month in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, has been cancelled because of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The convention started in 2008, established by Gary Gygax's son, Luke Gygax, after the D&D Co-reator passed away. Here's the full announcement.

"... our highest priority has to be taking care of people and especially our family. The incredible staff, volunteers, and game masters, Gary Con has been proud to host the celebration of Gary’s life with a continued emphasis on creating fun, friendly and high quality gaming experiences for our attendees. It is with that priority in mind that we have decided, after many hours of internal deliberation and consultation with the Grand Geneva leadership, that we should cancel this year’s event. We decided that the health and well-being of our gaming family comes first. We continued planning and did everything in our power to make Gary Con run as normal, we are convinced that following both government guidance and our own judgement concerning the COVID-19 virus is the best course of action."

Gary Con XII Cancelled Due to the Increased Risks of COVID-19 - GaryCon

As I said yesterday in a post about the public health emergency in Wisconsin, I would be posting an update within the next 24 hours. Gary Con is more than just a gaming convention, it is a celebration of the life and works of my Dad, Gary Gygax, and his love of gaming. The spirit…

garycon.com

The Grand Geneva Resort, which was hosting the event, has allowed the event to be cancelled with no fee. Reservation fees will be refunded soon, and those affected will get a discount in 2021.

 

[Weiley31]

So Planet X games, the group behind Jungle Tomb of The Mummy Queen, an Occurrence at Howling Crater, and the upcoming April 7th kickstarter of Escape from Skullcano Island, the main guy, Levi Combs, said if you purchased a Garycon badge for this year's event, he will give you a free PDF of Jungle Tomb of The Mummy Queen and the initial digital goodies that came with it outta support for the fans of the hobby.
Just gotta DM/contact him. And Levi Combs is a super awesome guy!

https://m.facebook.com/story/graphql_permalink/?graphql_id=UzpfSTE3NzczNTU1NTg5OTE2NzY6Mjk1NzU5Nzc0MDk2NzQ0Ng%3D%3D

 

[EthanSental]

If 20% of the world’s population get Coronavirus, a 3% mortality rate (which is lower than the current mortality rate) would see over 46 million people die from it worldwide. So I’m hoping we don’t see that, but it is definitely possible.

luckily I hope, we won’t see 20% since it’s already slowed in China and only 140k or so people worldwide diagnosed with it.

 

[gyor]

Maybe they can find a way to use GoToMeeting (or similar) for presentations, roundtables, and any special-guest discussions they had planned. It won't "be just like being there" but it's the closest they can get under the circumstances.

GenCon and Origins, could you fit in an extra event or two?

You assume those won't be cancelled as well.

 

[3catcircus]

luckily I hope, we won’t see 20% since it’s already slowed in China and only 140k or so people worldwide diagnosed with it.

140k or so? The true number of infected is likely in the order of tens of millions. This thing has been in the wild since mid-November. Given the quantity of air travel before China locked down, it's already spread across the planet. Any numbers coming out of China are a lie - guaranteed the numbers of infected are not in the 80,000 range as they've reported - they're probably closer to 8 million.

All those people across the planet who had "a really bad flu" through early January who didn't go to hospital? Quite possibly this virus. All of the deaths of the elderly from pneumonia without testing positive for flu through December/January? Quite possibly this virus.
All those people this cold and flu season who got real bad chest colds but tested negative for flu? Quite possibly this virus.

We've already seen 20% or more if that is the case.

The issue isn't getting infected for most people. It's the insanity associated with panic buying. It's the overwhelming of the healthcare system by everyone with the sniffles running to the ER. It's the inconsiderate jerks who are sick not staying home. It's the people who actually have the flu or other serious respiratory issues and need hospitalization who may not get it. It's bringing it home to friends and family who may be more vulnerable.

 

[gyor]

140k or so? The true number of infected is likely in the order of tens of millions. This thing has been in the wild since mid-November. Given the quantity of air travel before China locked down, it's already spread across the planet. Any numbers coming out of China are a lie - guaranteed the numbers of infected are not in the 80,000 range as they've reported - they're probably closer to 8 million.

All those people across the planet who had "a really bad flu" through early January who didn't go to hospital? Quite possibly this virus. All of the deaths of the elderly from pneumonia without testing positive for flu through December/January? Quite possibly this virus.
All those people this cold and flu season who got real bad chest colds but tested negative for flu? Quite possibly this virus.

We've already seen 20% or more if that is the case.

The issue isn't getting infected for most people. It's the insanity associated with panic buying. It's the overwhelming of the healthcare system by everyone with the sniffles running to the ER. It's the inconsiderate jerks who are sick not staying home. It's the people who actually have the flu or other serious respiratory issues and need hospitalization who may not get it. It's bringing it home to friends and family who may be more vulnerable.

10s of millions would have had a death toll in at least the hundreds of thousands at a fatality rare of 2%, so no, your pulling those numbers out of thin air.

 

[3catcircus]

10s of millions would have had a death toll in at least the hundreds of thousands at a fatality rare of 2%, so no, your pulling those numbers out of thin air.

Only if you believe the numbers out of China to start with, which drives the accuracy of subsequent world-wide modeling. Based upon past experience, the numbers coming out of China are not accurate; coupled with their refusal to allow WHO and CDC experts in at the first signs, I doubt the modeling is accurate. There are people who've gotten COVID-19, gotten sick, and subsequently recovered who will never be accounted for in the numbers.

 

[gyor]

Only if you believe the numbers out of China to start with, which drives the accuracy of subsequent world-wide modeling. Based upon past experience, the numbers coming out of China are not accurate; coupled with their refusal to allow WHO and CDC experts in at the first signs, I doubt the modeling is accurate. There are people who've gotten COVID-19, gotten sick, and subsequently recovered who will never be accounted for in the numbers.

You can't know the numbers of unreported so I its all guessing on that front.

 

[Eltab]

You assume those won't be cancelled as well.

With intelligent effective action finally being taken, the situation will be under control by Summer. I expect Origins and GenCon to be fully do-able and the histrionics to be over by then.

 

[Eltab]

The true number of infected is likely in the order of tens of millions. <Snip>

Take a moment and realize that all those ill people you described above survived an encounter with the virus and are now resistant / immune.

Think along these lines:
I will not Fear.
Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings utter annihilation.
I will face my Fear; I will allow it to pass over me and around me and through me.
I will turn the inward eye to discern from whence the Fear has come.
The Fear shall be gone, and I shall remain.

 

[3catcircus]

You can't know the numbers of unreported so I its all guessing on that front.

No, but accurate numbers of those who you do know are infected allows more accurate modeling, which results in more accurate predictions of how many may be infected, what the R0 numbers look like, and what the comorbidity factors may be, which gets you to a more accurate fatality rate.

Look at the comorbidity indicators for influenza - they're practically identical - old age, pulmonary issues, diabetes, heart disease, asthma, HIV...

Beyond the initial infection with no antibodies, the fatality rate for this will likely approach that of the flu over the long term. But we'd be closer in our modeling sooner if China were not given to trying to cover it up until such time that they no longer could.