You know the scene, you and about 4 or 5 other people are ready to start a convention game, with prizes at stake. You're on time. The GM is half an hour late, hasn't even read the adventure, on top of which, he's game green to the max. (I.E. is barely past the introduction and doesn't even know the mechanics.) Besides which, the con organizers themselves just got the adventure, so they have no idea what's going on.
Annoying, isn't it? So here's my proposal. Please note that the following are for official RPG events at a con.
1. The deadline for volunteer GMs at any convention is one week prior to the convention itself. No volunteer GMs shall be accepted after the deadline.
2. All scenarios will be ready one month prior to the convention. This way they can be vetted and ready for the volunteer GMs.
3. All scenarios will be provided to the volunteer GMs at least 3 days before the convention.
4. All volunteer GMs shall be ready at least one hour prior to the official start of their event.
5. All volunteer GMs shall know the adventure, and shall be tested on said adventure before they will be allowed to run it. The testing to be done prior to the start of the convention. Those who fail the test will forfeit their membership
6. Any volunteer GM who is not ready to run the adventure shall forfeit his membership, and shall be fiscally responsible for any days he attended for free. Or, he shall forfeit any refund that may be due he for volunteering.
7. Anyone who fails to live up to their obligations regarding running an official scenario at a con shall be placed on probation. He shall remain on probation for two official events. Should he live up to his obligations for those two events, then probation shall end. If he fails to live up to his obligations for even one event, he shall be barred from running an official event at that convention.
8. A database of bad GMs is to be established and made available to other event organizers. That way people can know who is on probation with, or barred from GMing at a convention.
Obviously, this is tentative and preliminary. It is intended to be a springboard for courteous discussion.
Yes, it means no more volunteering to GM at the door. Yes, it means taking time out of a busy schedule to learn the adventure. Yes, it means taking time out of a busy schedule to write the adventure. Yes, it means setting up a data base, which can be a royal pain since most database software is written by idiots who think only software engineers use computers.
Yes, it means a big change in how things are done. But, in the long run it will mean better official events at conventions.
Until the changes go through keep this advice in mind.
For Convention Organizers
1. Have volunteer GMs lined up at least a week before the con starts.
2. Have the scenarios ready before the con so your volunteer GMs can learn them before the start of the event. Ready meaning ready to run, at least three days or more before the convention.
3. Establish a firm policy concerning volunteer GMs who are unprepared or late for, or decide they don't feel like runing the scenario anyway. Ouster from the convention in such cases sends the strongest message.
For the Volunteer GMs
1. Know the material. Know it well enough to be able to run the adventure even though your dog ate it.
2. Be ready to run the event, even when your favorite author/game designer/booth babe/long anticipated supplement is signing authographs/demonstrating a new game/going topless/about to sellout and will only be available for the next hour. You make a commitment, you live up to it.
Harsh? Yep. Will it get some people upset? Some people deserve to be upset.
Annoying, isn't it? So here's my proposal. Please note that the following are for official RPG events at a con.
1. The deadline for volunteer GMs at any convention is one week prior to the convention itself. No volunteer GMs shall be accepted after the deadline.
2. All scenarios will be ready one month prior to the convention. This way they can be vetted and ready for the volunteer GMs.
3. All scenarios will be provided to the volunteer GMs at least 3 days before the convention.
4. All volunteer GMs shall be ready at least one hour prior to the official start of their event.
5. All volunteer GMs shall know the adventure, and shall be tested on said adventure before they will be allowed to run it. The testing to be done prior to the start of the convention. Those who fail the test will forfeit their membership
6. Any volunteer GM who is not ready to run the adventure shall forfeit his membership, and shall be fiscally responsible for any days he attended for free. Or, he shall forfeit any refund that may be due he for volunteering.
7. Anyone who fails to live up to their obligations regarding running an official scenario at a con shall be placed on probation. He shall remain on probation for two official events. Should he live up to his obligations for those two events, then probation shall end. If he fails to live up to his obligations for even one event, he shall be barred from running an official event at that convention.
8. A database of bad GMs is to be established and made available to other event organizers. That way people can know who is on probation with, or barred from GMing at a convention.
Obviously, this is tentative and preliminary. It is intended to be a springboard for courteous discussion.
Yes, it means no more volunteering to GM at the door. Yes, it means taking time out of a busy schedule to learn the adventure. Yes, it means taking time out of a busy schedule to write the adventure. Yes, it means setting up a data base, which can be a royal pain since most database software is written by idiots who think only software engineers use computers.
Yes, it means a big change in how things are done. But, in the long run it will mean better official events at conventions.
Until the changes go through keep this advice in mind.
For Convention Organizers
1. Have volunteer GMs lined up at least a week before the con starts.
2. Have the scenarios ready before the con so your volunteer GMs can learn them before the start of the event. Ready meaning ready to run, at least three days or more before the convention.
3. Establish a firm policy concerning volunteer GMs who are unprepared or late for, or decide they don't feel like runing the scenario anyway. Ouster from the convention in such cases sends the strongest message.
For the Volunteer GMs
1. Know the material. Know it well enough to be able to run the adventure even though your dog ate it.
2. Be ready to run the event, even when your favorite author/game designer/booth babe/long anticipated supplement is signing authographs/demonstrating a new game/going topless/about to sellout and will only be available for the next hour. You make a commitment, you live up to it.
Harsh? Yep. Will it get some people upset? Some people deserve to be upset.