Tips and Tricks to Running a Con Game

[Mannahnin]

Always use and provide pregenerated and pre-equipped characters. With rare exceptions, the generation process always takes more time than optimists think. Ideally provide twice as many (or even more*) as the players you expect to have, so everyone has options and if you're playing a combat-heavy session you have spares and can potentially give them a whole new set if they get unlucky and TPK early.

To save even more time, don't hand out the character sheets to be picked from. Players will spend too much time reading over their options. A better option is to give them a list of characters with just the basics like race & class. If it's a more character-centric game having names with portraits is great. I also recommend an in-character quote. A pithy piece of dialogue. One of my favorite convention DMs does this. Has the players pick characters based on a card showing a picture, a quote, and the race & class, so people don't burn a ton of time looking through character sheets in detail. He also has everyone roll a d20 for pick order, again to speed things up and counteract the tendency of some players to be polite and defer and slow down the process.

*(When I last ran B/X at a convention I expected a table of 5-6 players but offered 14 pregen options; 2 of each class).

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

1a. Expect the con to shorten your time slot, 'for reasons'. Have a backup plan.

Even if your slot stays as listed, I'd recommend planning on finishing early. Most people won't complain about having more time in-between con slots so they don't have to rush to their next event. Going over the allotted time on the other hand, can put a squeeze on the players. And not to speak for anyone else, but by the end of a four-hour slot or so, I'm generally ready to be done.

But occasionally, a group will get something stuck in their heads and not let it go. In an AL scenario I ran last fall, the PCs actually tried to shake their patron down - I mean a real "burn their bridges" shakedown. That might be something that could be dealt with in a campaign game, but well beyond the boundaries of the AL structure. For one thing, there will be a limit to how much the PCs can be rewarded in the session - there's only so much juice they can squeeze out of it. And while in a campaign game, their actions might have lost them their patron, I'm not too keen on applying the same consequences in a session where they actually paid money for the tickets. It really was one of the weirdest things I have encountered at a convention.

I hate that behavior. Like, I don't mind a little haggling, especially when there's some good role-playing going on. But when it pushes into tanking the whole adventure because there's no way any NPC wouldn't just tell the PCs "well, good luck with your future endeavors, I'm off to talk to the next band of adventurers that do want to help out," I positively hate it. And as you said, in organized play, there's only so much you are allowed to hand out.

 

[aco175]

One of the things I did when making pregens for the D&D game I ran was to use names that could be both male and female and then I had portrait cards with one of each. Also go wild with the names to make them memorable. I recall Ember the fire mage was one of them.

I was making a 5.5e D&D game for beginners and teens so I just made 2 PCs from the basic classes and had 8 to choose from. I think next year many will just expect the new edition to be the default, so maybe expand the choices.

 

[The Firebird]

Even if your slot stays as listed, I'd recommend planning on finishing early. Most people won't complain about having more time in-between con slots so they don't have to rush to their next event. Going over the allotted time on the other hand, can put a squeeze on the players. And not to speak for anyone else, but by the end of a four-hour slot or so, I'm generally ready to be done.

My least favorite experience as a player is a DM who says "hey, we can go 15 minutes over to finish this, right?" I've got just a bit of time to eat and move on...no I don't have time. When I've experienced this its been at games that were not so great anyway.

 

[erk_fwd]

My least favorite experience as a player is a DM who says "hey, we can go 15 minutes over to finish this, right?" I've got just a bit of time to eat and move on...no I don't have time. When I've experienced this its been at games that were not so great anyway.

This has been my experience as well, it's why I listed running over your scheduled end as the CARDINAL SIN of running a Con Game

The CARDINAL SIN of running tabletop RPGs at a convention is:
Running over your proscribed timeslot
People won’t mind, and will often appreciate, you ending a little bit early.
People will be a bit surprised and maybe a bit disappointed if you end significantly early.
If you go over your timeslot at a convention, people will miss their next event, and they will (probably justly) blame you. Don’t do it.

 

[Koloth]

Another key item: safety tools.
I use a reference to my nation's movie &/or TV ratings for a start. Con play, I use US PG13 or R, by setting.

X-card is easy. Well, usually. I'll come back to it, tho'

Whiile full lines/veils for everone is usually not worth it, if you, as a GM have some, put them out at start of play, and be willing to add them at start if a player needs more, and to tell a player who states a line or veil that would break the adventure that it's not suitable. Refactoring adventures on the fly is beyond many people's skill.
Example of a "you shouldn't play": running alien as a store game, drop in player asked for a line at any gore or body horror; I noted that his line would render the scenario unplayable. he found a seat at an D&D AL table, instead.

The X card has two issues as it was originally defined: it doesn't provide information on what to avoid, and a small few players will abuse it. That original definition is an instant fade to black, no questions asked.
I ask for what the trigger was, so I can avoid it further. This one small change also nerfs the few abusers of it, somewhat.

Also, in con games, be attentive to onlookers complaining about content. Not everyone will play; a few are there to see how it plays, but either couldn't get a seat, or didn't want to play. If you're causing the onlookers to cringe, you may be running a scenario that's not suitable for con play due to subject matter.

The collective factor: (Not a safety tool)
Conventions axiomatically have a large attendance. You should remember that players are going to have a harder time than normal understanding you, and you them, due to the background noise.
Misperceptions in con play can result in unintended offense being taken. Practice GMing with significant background noise. Don't rely upon careful wordings.

Comment on 'Safety Tools' aka X-Card etc.
Such a thing is nice for a casual game at your local FLGS or your house. It becomes far more complicated at a con. People can have over $1000 invested in sitting at your con game table. I have been surprised several times at how far some folks will travel to participate in a 'regional' or even 'local' con. Even if the table price for your game is free, it really isn't after factoring in travel, lodging, food and time. There are only so many time slots at a con. Several people chose to spend one to sit at your table. Allowing one person to play an X-card and alter the game experience for 3+ other paying players is a hard ask. Same for 'audience' members. Ask about the issue, in private if needed. Remember your time window. Limit the discussion to a minute or two. If the item in question is important to the plot, the X-card player has a choice - withdraw or just deal with it(maybe taking a 5 minute con-suite break while IT is played through with the rest of the players). Have a backup plan(yes, its a theme) for either choice. Alternative player if early enough and one is available or playing it out short one party member(You have a plan for a less then full table, correct?).

Addition to my original list:
#15 Discuss and clear with con officials the 'rating' for your game. Ask to be in a private or semi-private room if needed and possible. Include rating info in your con guide blurb.

 

[erk_fwd]

Comment on 'Safety Tools' aka X-Card etc.
Such a thing is nice for a casual game at your local FLGS or your house. It becomes far more complicated at a con. People can have over $1000 invested in sitting at your con game table. I have been surprised several times at how far some folks will travel to participate in a 'regional' or even 'local' con. Even if the table price for your game is free, it really isn't after factoring in travel, lodging, food and time. There are only so many time slots at a con. Several people chose to spend one to sit at your table. Allowing one person to play an X-card and alter the game experience for 3+ other paying players is a hard ask. Same for 'audience' members. Ask about the issue, in private if needed. Remember your time window. Limit the discussion to a minute or two. If the item in question is important to the plot, the X-card player has a choice - withdraw or just deal with it(maybe taking a 5 minute con-suite break while IT is played through with the rest of the players). Have a backup plan(yes, its a theme) for either choice. Alternative player if early enough and one is available or playing it out short one party member(You have a plan for a less then full table, correct?).

That's definitely a take I've not heard before regarding the X Card. I'm confused by your meaning:

In your example, is that person who plays the X Card not also a paying player? Who decides what's important to the plot?

Have you had an experience like this? I'm having a hard time imagining a player X Carding a topic so vital to the story being told at the table that it can't be pivoted or modified slightly to make everyone comfortable.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

My least favorite experience as a player is a DM who says "hey, we can go 15 minutes over to finish this, right?" I've got just a bit of time to eat and move on...no I don't have time. When I've experienced this its been at games that were not so great anyway.

Ugh, yeah. Also when it's 10pm and we've been playing for four hours already, I am going to be tired and ready to go back to my hotel room.

That's definitely a take I've not heard before regarding the X Card. I'm confused by your meaning:

In your example, is that person who plays the X Card not also a paying player? Who decides what's important to the plot?

Have you had an experience like this? I'm having a hard time imagining a player X Carding a topic so vital to the story being told at the table that it can't be pivoted or modified slightly to make everyone comfortable.

I feel hard-pressed to think of a scenario where, I don't know, clowns or spiders are required to be there. Like, fine, it's a bunch of Shakespearean actors now, or these Drow are really into lizards.

 

[erk_fwd]

I feel hard-pressed to think of a scenario where, I don't know, clowns or spiders are required to be there. Like, fine, it's a bunch of Shakespearean actors now, or these Drow are really into lizards.

I agree. I've definitely had people X Card more abstract concepts (I don't want vast open water in the game, I don't want pregnancy in the game), but at worst I've just called a 5 minute break and swapped out an element or two while keeping the main thrust of the game.

I can understand if you're running a game of Vampire, and you have a player X Card vampires that there could be an issue. But I haven't seen any players averse to vampires sign up for a game called Vampire.

 

[Gorgon Zee]

Allowing one person to play an X-card and alter the game experience for 3+ other paying players is a hard ask.

All the players alter the game experience for the other players. That's sort of the point of roleplaying games! All the X-card does is make it low-friction to signify that altering the experience will be really important for one person's enjoyment.

Ask about the issue, in private if needed. Remember your time window. Limit the discussion to a minute or two.

The usual use of the X-card is without discussion. When it is used, the GM modifies the scene immediately and with no discussion. It is very, very fast.

If the item in question is important to the plot, the X-card player has a choice

Actually no, the X-card player has done all they need to. It's up to the GM from that point on. And I'll be really blunt here -- if a GM cannot replace any element of their game, and did not identify that element in your game description, they are not a good GM and need to learn that skill. Not just for X-card issues -- they should be able to swap out any element for any reason.

Most of the time the GM action is really simple. You close the scene and fade up on the next scene. Or stop describing a scene in detail.

But the onus is on the GM alone. Not on the user of the card.