First Timer Gen Con Question
- Thread starter Angelsboi
- Start date
seankreynolds
Adventurer
Also check out my Gen Con rules/advice/tips page:
http://www.seankreynolds.com/rpgfiles/misc/gencontips.html
As for tickets, they generally go from $2.50 to $5 depending upon the event. A typical D&D session is usually $2.50 unless it's a charity event where the proceeds are donated to a specific charity.
http://www.seankreynolds.com/rpgfiles/misc/gencontips.html
As for tickets, they generally go from $2.50 to $5 depending upon the event. A typical D&D session is usually $2.50 unless it's a charity event where the proceeds are donated to a specific charity.
Re: More questions from a GenCon virgin
Tickets are about $3.00 a game, some are free, some more. The 55 gets you some freebiees, a booket, a badge, into the con, into the dealer room. There are 14 slot or is that 12 now? You do not have to sign up for any event and still have a good time. Pick up games can be found all over the con for almost any type of game.
jaults said:
Tickets are about $3.00 a game, some are free, some more. The 55 gets you some freebiees, a booket, a badge, into the con, into the dealer room. There are 14 slot or is that 12 now? You do not have to sign up for any event and still have a good time. Pick up games can be found all over the con for almost any type of game.
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Barendd Nobeard
Explorer
You really need to get definitive answers from your volunteer coordinator. With the change in GenCon management and location, it's anyone's guess as to what you need to do.Angelsboi said:
But since you are a volunteer for WotC, and they do not run GenCon any longer (they sold the rights to....someone--was it Ryan Dancey & Organized Play?), I would try to get details and get them in writing.
You may well get in free; they (WotC) may have lots of volunteer badges to allocate, so maybe you don't have to pre-register. But some games fill up fast, so you'll probably have to pre-register if you want to get into the "hot" games. If you're not worried about getting into slots for the most popular games, you don't need to worry about pre-registering at all. (Especially since you already have housing covered.)
CaptainCalico
Community Supporter
Angelsboi said:
Information for volunteers can be found here http://www.gencon.com/display.aspx?file=events and here http://www.gencon.com/files/host_policies_indy.pdf but it primarily covers info on how to get reimbursed for running events (16 hours of running gets your badge reimbursed, 32 hours gets your badge and 1/4 the cost of a hotel room.) If you are volunteering for Wizards (which is not the same as volunteering for GenCon) you should get things straight with your contact at Wizards.
You will need to have a badge in order to register for events when that goes online (probably late March), so you want to get things straight before then. The event registration system is new this year, and while it does look slick there will inevitably be quirks. This thread http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=37769 will probably have the latest new once event registration opens, in addition the first post has links to other pages with cool info.
So what does the badge get you?
The $55 badge gets you in the door and to most things that are labeled free. This includes the dealer's room, the art show, costume contest, pick-up games and any free demo games run by the dealer in the dealer's room. There are other free events but (at least in the past) they might require you pre-register in order to hold a space. Most of the games charge an additional price, hence the tickets. I believe this year the base price is $1.50 per 2-hour slot, with most RPGs being 4 hours. Game slots run from 8am to the wee hours of the morning.
My only tip for first timers is:
Do not overbook yourself. Trust me, I've been there. Pick one or two games/events per day and leave the rest open so you can seize unforeseen opportunities as they arise.
der_kluge
Adventurer
Angelsboi, first - look forward to meeting you at GenCon. Drop by the Mystic Eye Games booth and say Hi.
Secondly, some advice.
GenCon is the most fun with friends. So, if you are going alone, plan on dragging some friends along. It's way more fun that way.
Actual organized games that you must pre-register for cost two tickets, (generally). Tickets are $1.50 apiece, unless they've gone up; that's what they were in the past. That's $3.00 per game. But that's for games that actually appear in the book, and unless you pre-register for them, most are full by the time the doors open, because everyone has signed up for them online.
My advice is to not worry about the games so much. You can play games anywhere; for me, the fun is in the seminars and events that you can only get at GenCon. Of course, you can always sign up for really obscure games that no one has ever heard of. Sometimes you find a gem, and other times, we'll let's just say that there's a reason no one has ever heard of them.
Like someone mentioned, everyone runs pick-up games, and I generally only play in pick-up games. These are games that people run for free, just because. You can even just yell out into the hallway "Gonna run a D&D game, come here if you want to play." I did that the first year, and ran a Planescape game with people I grabbed in the hallway.
Don't try to fill out your entire schedule with games and activities. Leave a lot of time open for doing nothing, and devote this time for exploring the booths, and exploring the cons. The vendor floor will suck up mucho time.
As for the vendor floor, the advice given has been good. I would scour the entire floor and take a look at everything that's available. You probably wouldn't want to rush into buying a bunch of stuff on day 1, seeing something later that you really wanted more, and then not being able to afford it, or worse, not having money to eat on. On the other hand, some things sell out, so if you wait too long, you might end up regretting that, too.
Basically, GenCon can be entirely overwhelming, but it's a blast, and I'm sure you'll enjoy it immensely.
Secondly, some advice.
GenCon is the most fun with friends. So, if you are going alone, plan on dragging some friends along. It's way more fun that way.
Actual organized games that you must pre-register for cost two tickets, (generally). Tickets are $1.50 apiece, unless they've gone up; that's what they were in the past. That's $3.00 per game. But that's for games that actually appear in the book, and unless you pre-register for them, most are full by the time the doors open, because everyone has signed up for them online.
My advice is to not worry about the games so much. You can play games anywhere; for me, the fun is in the seminars and events that you can only get at GenCon. Of course, you can always sign up for really obscure games that no one has ever heard of. Sometimes you find a gem, and other times, we'll let's just say that there's a reason no one has ever heard of them.
Like someone mentioned, everyone runs pick-up games, and I generally only play in pick-up games. These are games that people run for free, just because. You can even just yell out into the hallway "Gonna run a D&D game, come here if you want to play." I did that the first year, and ran a Planescape game with people I grabbed in the hallway.
Don't try to fill out your entire schedule with games and activities. Leave a lot of time open for doing nothing, and devote this time for exploring the booths, and exploring the cons. The vendor floor will suck up mucho time.
As for the vendor floor, the advice given has been good. I would scour the entire floor and take a look at everything that's available. You probably wouldn't want to rush into buying a bunch of stuff on day 1, seeing something later that you really wanted more, and then not being able to afford it, or worse, not having money to eat on. On the other hand, some things sell out, so if you wait too long, you might end up regretting that, too.
Basically, GenCon can be entirely overwhelming, but it's a blast, and I'm sure you'll enjoy it immensely.
Barendd Nobeard
Explorer
This is great advice. Last year, I ended up skipping a slot to go shop, because I had overbooked myself. Just two gaming slots could occupy 8 hours a day. With shopping, the art show, the ENnies, eating, etc., inbetween games, you'll be busy! Not to mention, volunteering.CaptainCalico said:
[edit - added last sentence]
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Oh, unless they change things this year, dealer room opens at 10 AM on Thursday there is a mad rush to get in.
The Amine room is always packed.
Your player book, some pencils/pens, note pads, dice, index cards, and water bottle all you need at the gaming table.
Wear comfortable shoes, add stuff to your backpack for easy ID.
Have FUN!
The Amine room is always packed.
Your player book, some pencils/pens, note pads, dice, index cards, and water bottle all you need at the gaming table.
Wear comfortable shoes, add stuff to your backpack for easy ID.
Have FUN!
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