Advice for a Con n00b

[Dave G]

Well, I know that Gen Con is on everyone's mind right now, but I don't get to attend that one...

However, I get to go to my first gaming convention EVAR! Dragon Con! Three of my friends are going, and I got the finances and vacation times to line up for a change and I get to go along!

So I thought I'd tap everyone's collective experience with Cons past and Present and ask for your advice. Tell me things to do and things to skip, what does a trip to a Con require for it to be a good one? War stories and suggestions welcome!

 

[Heap Thaumaturgist]

My only advice is to avoid the kid's pink Hello Kitty backpack ... it gets done to death.

No 80s headbands.

Wear your most comfortable shoes, with heavy duty work inserts. I wore my favorite boots to Gen Con, and was glad I did. I can stand and walk in those all day, and I was still a little footsore at the end of it all.

Put aside as much cash as you expext to spend. Then put aside 20-30 more and put that somewhere else that you won't lose or drop it. Roll it up tight, put a few rubber-bands around it, and put it in the front pocket with your keys. Don't use it, it's for an emergency. And there will be an emergency. Your wallet WILL get stolen, you WILL lose your backpack, you WILL come across the one-of-a-kind-limited-edition-whoosit on sale for 25 bucks as you're leaving for the day and already spent your wad. Don't touch it until you absolutely have to.

--HT

 

[Painfully]

Mostly this applies to GenCon, but other cons too I suppose.

Scout out a good place to eat lunch AWAY from the convention! Nobody should pay over $2 for a bad hotdog and then have to wash it down with a $2 coke.

Bring some bottled water. Even if you don't like water you do not want to go all day on just soft drinks. And you can refill your bottle at a water fountain for free!

Shopping. Bring an extra bag or leave lots of extra room in the one your bring for the goodies you'll buy in the exhibitor's hall. I prefer a good backpack to keep your hands free--it's better than forgetting to pick up your shopping bag (which BTW looks like everybody else's shopping bag) or having it stolen!

Also on shopping; if you are cash poor, learn the difference between things which will be easily available later at your local stores and things which you'll probably not see except at such a large convention like this one. Buy those hard to find and rare items first!

Cell phones. Keep on vibrate during games and don't answer unless necessary. Time is precious and people shouldn't have to be made to wait when they are paying to play a game, and probably visiting from WAY out of town.

Deodorant. Wear some. 'nuff said.

Good shoes. Unless you are in a wheelchair (hey, can I borrow one anyway?) this is going to be equivalent to an all-day hike. Your bum is gonna get tired too so don't think sitting for a game session is going to make it any easier.

More water. Don't dehydrate.

Wear a watch. Don't be late to your games.

Get a generic ticket or four. Somebody is always late to most games. If they are you can probably get in if you're right there and ON TIME.

Hope this helps. Don't forget the #1 rule is to have fun!

 

[JDragon]

THings to think about....

Are you staying in a hotel or at a friends place?

Is the Con open 24 hours or does it shut down at night?

Food...bring as much food as you can so you can use your money for other things. Include healty things in said food, after a day or so of eating only snack food at the table, or the stuff most Cons pass off as food, your body will hate you.

Drinks...#1 is water, drink as much as is reasonable during the day (not so your running to the bathroom every 10 min) and save the coke, pepsi, etc for the evening/night games when you'll need the caffine.

Deoderent...a must have, this is the single biggest grip my gaming group has about cons, it seems to bring out the people that have no concept of BO. (we have even taken to keeping samples with us to give to really bad offenders)

Sleep... this one can be up in the air depending on how the con is set up, if they shut down at night you got automatic sleep time. Otherwise make some time for it, or at least arrange an extra day off after the con to catch up so your not a zombie a$$hole when you get back to work/home.

This is from personal experience, when I first started going to cons I would only sleep about 8 hours between Friday morning and Monday night with no artifical help other than large amounts of Jolt Soda. BUt by the end I was usless as a player and couldn't remember what I did the last half of the con by the time I got home.

Try to be a respectful gamer and put a good image out for our hobby. I say this because if the event is at a hotel or most of the people attending are staying at one hotel, their will be none gamers there. And remember one of the great parts of our game is its designed to be modified to fit diffrent peoples tastes, you will game with some people that have really weird house rules, etheir go with the flow or move on and make it a better event for all involved.

Gaming supplies... assuming you will have a safe storage area bring anything game related you think you might need, including Magic Cards, board games etc. (these give you something to do as you wait for your next event)

Check out the open gaming areas, try new games, meet new people, see the world

As mentioned above, make sure you have a good time!!

Like your self I have not been to GenCon (not sure when I'll make it) but I have attended Cons for the last 10 years (at least one a year) in two states including Origins in Dallas one of the last years it was still moving around the country.

Let me know if I missed anything.

JDragon

Sorry to drag on their but, this is actually a subject I have some expeience on, and think every gamer should experience at least once. (Cons not my ranting )

 

[Teflon Billy]

Others have mentioned it in passing, but I want to stress it: wash and use deodorant.

This isn't a special dig at you BillyBeanBag...but after you've been to this, your first con, you'll know why I'm on about it

Back me up on this Dr. Midnight.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

TB is right. Trust him on this.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Oh yeah...

1) Don't go alone. Sure, you'll meet a lot of new people with similar interests, but the experience is always better if you go with someone you know.

2) Always have a schedule handy.

3) Try to find out as much about parking, food, and accomodations before you go. Get a map of the area if you're not a native.

 

[Napftor]

How in the name of the gods can gaming take precedence over personal hygiene? How, I ask you?! I've seen this come up before. Please tell me this kind of thing is the exception and not the rule for our fellow gamers.

 

[Teflon Billy]

How in the name of the gods can gaming take precedence over personal hygiene? How, I ask you?! I've seen this come up before. Please tell me this kind of thing is the exception and not the rule for our fellow gamers.

Sorry, no can do (regarding Conventions anyhow)

 

[JDragon]

Napftor,

I would not say its the rule, but it is a major problem at cons. (at least the one I attend every year in the Bay Area, CA)

The cons just seem to draw them out.

It gets even worse once the Con's been going on a couple days and the person has opted not to rent a room, but sleep in their car and are wearing the same thing they had on on Friday. (see this almost every year)

It can totally ruin a game for you if you have to sit next to them and smell them and keep a watch on your stuff to make sure they don't drop their chili dog on your PHB. (happened to a budy of mine)

Now don't get me wrong, I realize we all sweat and their for smell some, but most of us at least try to minimize the effect it has on other people, these people don't.

Sorry to go off here, just one of my biggest issue with cons. (but won't stop me from going)

JDragon