Convention Prep - what's on your list?

[MNblockhead]

Con of the North (CotN) starts tomorrow and I'll be staying at the hotel and making a weekend of it. I don't go to gaming conventions other than CotN and this is the first time I'll be staying at the hotel (I live close and in the past would just drive over for a couple games). So, I don't have a con-prep routine or packing list.

For you Con veterans, what are your packing and prep tips?

For me, I'm planning around the following considerations:

A. No air travel, so I don't have to worry about packing light.

B. I'm mostly playing. The only games I'm running are Illimat learn-to-play sessions, so there is very little gaming material I need to pack.

C. I go to play new systems. I'm not playing in any organized play sessions, so I don't have to worry about paper work.

D. The venue has restaurants on site. If that's not enough, I'll have my car, but I don't plan to eat out much. Partly to save money, mostly because my time is tight and the weather will make driving a pain. I'm packing in most of my own snacks and drinks.

So, over all, prep seems pretty straight forward. Beside toiletries and clothing for three days I'm packing:

1. My dice bag and dice. I have a Bag of Superior Sorting, which makes it easy to have all the dice I'll need for any system neatly organized and portable.

2. Phone and battery backup brick.

3. variety of snacks that don't have to be refrigerated (mainly for quick snacks between games or during breaks, I don't like to eat while playing). E.g. tangerines, beef jerky, chips, cheese-meat-cracker packs, puddings, fruit cups, ...

4. soda, energy drinks, water

5. Keurig cups (the hotel has Keurig machines but charge $0.75 for extras, so I'm just bringing a box of them) and my awesome Zojirushi thermos that'll keep coffee hot an entire day

6. A insulated bag for keeping sodas cold.

7. Laptop bag with laptop and accessories. Just in case I want to use it at night in the room. I expect I may never use it. But my work being what it is, I need to have it just in case.

8. Pencil box, lots of pre-sharpened pencils and a sharpener.

9. Clipboard, for character sheets, when table space gets tight.

10. A backpack with a grid-it organizer

That's about it. My schedule is going to be tight so other than Illimat, which I'm running a few sessions of, I'm not bringing any games.

What's on your Con packing list?

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

Paper. Lots of paper. For use in games and out of games, when inspiration strikes and you get cool ideas for your games. I carry spiral bound notebooks, where I can tear pages out and give them to people.

Don't forget an eraser or two to go with the pencils.

Health stuff - wet wipes for sweaty brows and hands, lip balm (aircond dries out the skin), throat/cough lollies (an annoying cough really spoils a game).

 

[Zhaleskra]

Do not leave the hotel by car: you’ll have to park illegally. I learned that last year. Even the overflow fills up fast.

 

[aco175]

I have a con next week, but only going for the day. I was trying to pack as light as possible. I'm only playing D&D so I only need my folder with AL sheets and some dice. I have a little organizational box that fits a few pencils, dice, and a few minis. Not sure if I need the PHB unless I make a caster.

If I was staying over I would also bring a few vitamin pacs, like EmergenC to mix with a water bottle. Good to ward off germs for day 2 and another on day 2 to wake up better if you stayed out late.

 

[MNblockhead]

Paper. Lots of paper. For use in games and out of games, when inspiration strikes and you get cool ideas for your games. I carry spiral bound notebooks, where I can tear pages out and give them to people.

Don't forget an eraser or two to go with the pencils.

Health stuff - wet wipes for sweaty brows and hands, lip balm (aircond dries out the skin), throat/cough lollies (an annoying cough really spoils a game).

Good point. I need to make sure I pack wet wipes and small tissue packets. I always pack mints and throat lozenges and, just in case, DayQuil (cold/flu meds).

For paper I like legal pads. The pages tear out neater and they are less bulky and there is no metal spirals getting in the way when writing.

 

[MNblockhead]

Do not leave the hotel by car: you’ll have to park illegally. I learned that last year. Even the overflow fills up fast.

Yes. Always has been an issue as I didn't stay at the hotel in the past and might only come in for a couple games. Luckily, the Crowne Plaza has valet parking. Makes life much easier. Now that I'm staying at the hotel this year, I'm hoping I'll be able to get a covered spot and just leave it there all weekend.

 

[ccs]

I can't stand traveling heavy to cons.
This is how I do GenCon most years:

{I believe this pic is from 2013}
For the record that's:
1 bag with 7 days clothes & general travel gear + contacts/medications etc
1 clipboard
whatever character sheets I need for any ongoing convention based RPGs I'm in
1 legal pad
1 20ct chessex minis case
my dice (in the Batman mini camera case)
3-5 rule books (varies by year)
1 novel for killing time/standing in line
my coffee cup
cookies - mostly for in the car
phone, (chargers, extra cords - not seen)
1 clothes basket & blanket - used to corral stuff I buy & keep it from rolling about the trunk
Not pictured - a light jacket & a ball cap.

*Some years I'll add 1 or 2 cases of miniatures.
Either Flames of War (WWII), Dark Angels (40k), or both.
Both are in "Ammo Box" transport cases by Battlefoam.

$


**Ooh, look how shiny & new my PF book is in this pic! It don't look like that anymore.

 

[MNblockhead]

This is how I do GenCon most years:

Nice, but what's with the laundry basket? That seems unwieldy.

 

[ccs]

Nice, but what's with the laundry basket? That seems unwieldy.

It stays in the room & gets used to collect the stuff I buy in the dealers room. Keeps things nice & orderly both in the room + on the drive home. Makes it real easy to carry the stuff into the house as well.
Go through Fantasy Flight? Drop the X-wing boosters in the basket when I swing back to the room before dinner.
Buy books at Paizo? Drop 'em in the basket before dinner.
Go minis shopping? Board game shopping? T-shirts? Into the basket before dinner....

Takes up the same space in the trunk of the car as all that stuff loose, just makes it easy to move all at once.

 

[MNblockhead]

It stays in the room & gets used to collect the stuff I buy in the dealers room. Keeps things nice & orderly both in the room + on the drive home. Makes it real easy to carry the stuff into the house as well.
Go through Fantasy Flight? Drop the X-wing boosters in the basket when I swing back to the room before dinner.
Buy books at Paizo? Drop 'em in the basket before dinner.
Go minis shopping? Board game shopping? T-shirts? Into the basket before dinner....

Takes up the same space in the trunk of the car as all that stuff loose, just makes it easy to move all at once.

Makes sense, if you're driving. But even then, I would think something like a collapsible cargo crate with roller-back wheels and handle would be more convenient (e.g. https://www.amazon.com/Office-Depot...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=E8PVZY1RP183SR0G3SPV)