A Call to Vol II—Gen Con 2018!

Update. All volunteer applicants through today have been notified of their status. We will not be processing any new applicants for a couple of weeks so we can focus on responding to registration.

We will begin distributing volunteer block schedules tonight so watch your inbox. We strongly encourage volunteers to build wishlists. We can obtain an event report based on the wishlists which will help us identify demand and perhaps shift/add tickets before registration goes live on Sunday.

Remember, we have tables held in reserve so we can more quickly add availability to the highest demand tickets. So, if you see something fill up, you may want to check back periodically the first few days after registration opens as more tickets may become available.

Some volunteers have started to see the badge dropped into their Gen Con account. You should receive an email directly from Gen Con when this happens. The rest will be distributed ASAP so watch for it. When that process is complete, we will post a notification so you can alert us if you did not receive it. Please do not send email requests regarding missing badges until we let you know the process is complete. We anticipate having the process complete before registration goes live on Sunday.

Can you elaborate (I'm new) on the wish-list, for what exactly?

I’m not new, and would also like elaboration on the wish-list!

Hmm

It’s how Gen Con manages ticket sales. You build your wish list from the catalog and then when they open registration, you submit your schedule and they process them in order of receipt. In the second they open registration, they receive over 10,000 requests for event tickets. The wish list lets you organize your tickets by preference.

Basically if you are trying to register for any in-demand event tickets , you need to be submitting your wishlist at 12 EST on Sunday or you simply won't get them. Even if you submit then, you might still not get them, depending on your order in the queue after submission and what everyone else submitting chooses.

At this time, all the block schedules have been send out*. If you did not receive one, check your spam folder. All email communication comes from genconleads@gmail.com. It is possible that since these emails go out in bulk, your email filter may tag it as spam. Although, if you have already sent and received email from the address, your email should recognize it and allow delivery. In any case, if you did not receive an email and you had previously confirmed your original invitation email, let us know.

*there are still a few people who either need to confirm their original email invitation or owe us a response to a conflict with their schedule. Those volunteers did not receive a block schedule email.

Aaaaaaaand, I have replied! I shall see everyone there. Thank you Bob!

Just a quick follow up to my previous post. If you are one of those people that is still pending, know that I have a three-day con this weekend starting on Friday. The last day I will be working on Gen Con related volunteer issues will be tomorrow. After that, it'll be next week before I get back to it. So, if you want/need your block schedule to help build your wishlist and book some event tickets, please reply ASAP.

Any idea if we will get our games and tiers before Sunday? I have family and friends wanting to know what I’m running.

Games and tiers? If you are asking about specific scenarios and/or tiers for the specials, no.

As explained in this thread and in the the emails, the scenarios will not be assigned until later in the spring. We don't know how many tables of each scenario will eventually be offered since we are adjusting for ticket sales in real time. If we tried to issue schedules now, it would mean an enormous amount of rework, re-scheduling, re-emailing, re-confirmations, etc after tickets are sold and we had to adjust to the new numbers. We have provided the block schedules so you know which slots you are GMing and which ones you are off. That way you can plan your off-slot events. We apologize if that means you might be playing something you are GMing, but as GMs we know sometimes that happens.

The alternative is to go back to the old system of blindly assigning all our tables ahead of time and if something sells out, so be it and if some tickets go unsold, so be it. We are attempting to react to demand so the maximum number of players can get tickets for what they want and we reduce the occurrence of tables cancelling due to low ticket sales.

Thanks Bahb!

Not wanting to let a chance for a Starfinder special to slip past, I am GMing a table of the Starfinder Special on Saturday.

Anyone want to pre-muster? :)

If you don't mind, please take those types of conversations to a new thread. I would like to keep this thread focused on updates and answering questions about said updates and general informational inquiries. Thx

We are receiving quite a few requests for changes to schedules, especially regarding the specials. Please understand that we are short of GMs at this time so we need as amny as possible running the specials if we have any hopes of not cancelling a large number of tables. The same applies to many other events as well. The coverage of GMs at this time is largely balanced. We simply cannot at this time make many changes to your schedules. If we see an influx of more GMs we can reconsider some changes, in the future. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

All badges have been dropped so check you account. If it’s not there, it’s because the info we have on file for your Gen Con count is erroneous. Verify your account username and email address and email that info to us. Thx

My badge didn't drop, so I sent an email with my info. I'm guessing at this point, I should just buy a badge to make sure I get games tomorrow?

I got my badge the same day I confirmed my schedule. That was amazing! Thank you for making this go so much better than last year.

My badge didn't drop, so I sent an email with my info. I'm guessing at this point, I should just buy a badge to make sure I get games tomorrow?

I notified Tonya, but dunno if she'll see it until Monday. If you don't have a badge on your account in the morning, you unfortunately may have to do that. I know there were some volunteers who's info on their questionnaire did not return an account when she tried to drop badges. She has some alternative methods to try and locate the account, but they are less accurate and may require the user to call GC C/S to merge multiple accounts or other such technical difficulties.

The best advice I can give to anyone who may have a badge problem is to email Tonya and CC the genconleads address. Any other communication method increases the likelihood of the notice being missed or not handled as quickly as possible.

Also, be sure you’re looking in the right place. I’ve had a few people who could not find their badge because the Gen Con website is not always user friendly. Under your account, click on My Packets, the badge should be in there

Oh, there it is! Thank you, I definitely did not see it!

Reminder, we still have a need for more qualified GMs for Gen Con. If you are interested in joining our volunteer team, please complete the questionnaire. You can find the link in the body of the original blog post above.

Also, if you are already a GM and are willing to take on more slots, please let us know. We would like to avoid anyone going beyond eight slots as that is an extremely challenging burden (I speak from experience) and while it can be done, shouldn't be done without careful consideration. You will have virtually no time to play or visit the exhibit hall, little time for responsible meals, and probably get even less sleep than the already limited amount that is typical of a Gen Con attendee. But, if that is your thing and you are an experienced GM, drop us an note at genconleads@gmail.com and we'll see what we can do.

Bahb,

I sent in a questionnaire on May 3rd volunteering to run 8 slots but did not get an auto response saying the questionnaire had been received. If there is not an auto response, then this is moot as I can see via the thread here you are pretty busy.

Xathos of Varisia

I didn't get a robo-response after submission.

I got a letter later on asking to confirm my volunteer status.

I sent in a questionnaire...

First, it kinda helps if you tell us who you are. Tracking people by user name can be a challenge. Looking over our data, we have not received any questionnaires from anyone with your user name. So either a different user name was entered in the document, or there was an error submitting the form. If “Xathos of Varisia” is the user name you entered on the form, you’ll need to resubmit the form. If you entered something else, send us an email with your info and we’ll check again.

Generally speaking, we check the questionnaires of new applicants on a weekly basis, but it could be up to two weeks before you will hear from us.

All good! Got it submitted and receipt is confirmed. I am in no rush. I give the finals and grade them this week. By Thursday around 2 PM I should have final grades in and then I will resume a 3 week PFS GM frenzy. Got a week long blackout when I grade AP History essays for a week starting June 3rd.

Curiosity, as this is my first time going to GenCon (let alone GMing there):
--When can we expect to be told which scenarios we are running?
--If the scenario isn't released yet, will we get a heads-up of at least what flip-mats are used?

Well, first question, we get them when we get them. Last year I think it was about 1 month out or so for me. That was including the "new" Starfinder stuff I had to prep and run.

You can check the product announcement/description page for the scenario a lot of times John will post the maps for us there.

Congrats on GMing at GENCON this year! Well come to the "BIG SHOW" or as I like to call it, "The SuperBowl of Gaming!" lol

No pressure or anything, of course!

Seriously, GenCon is one of the bigger RPG conventions out there in the 'traditional' sense (not like say, PAX or such).

There's a lot of blood, sweat, and tears that goes into making the convention and all events within it go off with as little disruption as possible.

Having seen two sides of the beast (organizational/HQ volunteer last year, GM for the Special the year before) I can say that it is an ever-evolving thing that tries to learn from the previous lessons and move forwars -- unlike some other organizations who have remained FIRMLY mired in out-dated paradigms and antiquated means when easier and simpler methods have grown.

Two years ago, I was assigned a Special table less than two weeks before and was able to make a go of it, though I did feel afterwards that I could have done a MUCH better job with more prep time.

This needs to be balanced,of course, with the logistical implications of such a thing -- scenarios don't magically spring into being moments after their announcement. Development time under optimal situations could take as little as weeks... or as long as years depending on what is being developed for scenarios.

Overall, the quality of scenarios in recent years has really improved.

The OrgPlay leadership team does try to get information about maps out as soon as possible, and some VOs even work together at times to put together print run packages to help out with custom maps for a modest investment.

Well, first question, we get them when we get them. Last year I think it was about 1 month out or so for me. That was including the "new" Starfinder stuff I had to prep and run.

You can check the product announcement/description page for the scenario a lot of times John will post the maps for us there.

Congrats on GMing at GENCON this year! Well come to the "BIG SHOW" or as I like to call it, "The SuperBowl of Gaming!" lol

Thanks!

As a VA, I know I'll have the 9-## scenarios in hand before August 1st. My bigger concern was the flip mats for 10-00, and exactly when we'll be assigned to specific scenarios.

I will try to eagerly be patient.

John Compton usually announces maps fairly far in advance of the GenCon. Last year they were pretty good about getting us scenarios in advance too.

Sigh. I just wish they’d drop the special for PaizoCon!

At least there is only the one new act to prep for those who have already run the previous parts. :)

I'm really wanting to get my hands on the PFS2e rules, the Starfinder Special, and 10-00!

At this time, all new/pending volunteer applicants have been processed and notified. All block schedules have been distributed. All pending issues have been contacted.

Thanks! I got my schedule!

Thanks, I got my 8-block last night. I get seven sessions of 2E and one PFS table on Friday night. I am looking forward to having a great time!

Good news. New volunteers being added to the GM pool will allow us to add some tickets to the catalog an increase some availability for a few PFS events including some of the specials. Overall, we are still short GMs especially for Starfinder where we need some significant increase in number or risk having to cancel some events. It is possible that we may be forced to ask some volunteers to shift their schedules to help us meet demand, but we’re hoping that new volunteers will continue to trickle in such that we won’t have to. Changing schedules is one of our last solutions since most have already made plans based on them.

If any existing, qualified GMs would like to add more slots to their schedule it is certainly appreciated. Just send us an email. Normally we place an 8-block limit on the number of slots you GM, but are willing to break that depending on the volunteer. We still will not break the rule of no more than three consecutive slots. That is challenging enough, so we won’t approve anyone volunteering for four in a row without at least a slot off to get some rest.

Heard more SFS GMs were needed so tossed my hat in the ring.

Does anyone that has (an outside of GM room block) room within a half-mile need a room-mate that is GMing for four slots? Fair share of room would be paid.

I could theoretically squeeze three more slots of GMing onto my schedule... unfortunately the eighth one is just not currently mathematically possible given the current GenCon schedule and personal rest needs.

We have added tickets to many of our events in the Gen Con catalog. If you have a free slot or looking for some more organized play, might want to check it out. We will continue to add more ticket availability as more GMs become available.

Hey Bob,

Any idea as to when we will get our actual game and tier assignments for GENCON? I'm assuming we will need those before you guys drop our scenarios. Also any word on how soon the PF2e NDA and rules packets will drop for us?

We have begun building schedules and will be working on that process over the next week. We hope to have all the schedules distributed to the volunteers by Friday July 6th.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

That will be awesome! Can’t wait to see the scenarios drop!

Hmm

The scenario schedule emails for GMs have been distributed. Please confirm your email ASAP.

As indicated in the email, we intend to drop scenarios early-mid next week. Once we can confirm that all scenario drops have completed, we will update you.

If you have not received your scenarios by CoB on Thursday, 12 July, reply using the schedule email and let us know what is missing. The quicker you notify us, the quicker we can correct the issue.

If any of the scenarios are still in development and need a bit more time before release, we will let you know.

NOTE: If you are an HQ volunteer, you did not receive the email because your block schedule from May is your final schedule so no additional email is necessary.

Received my assignment and confirmed it by email!

Cannot wait to run the SFS special at Tier 5-6.

SFS Special at 3-4 here.

Email replied to with confirmation!

Many, many thanks to the Leads for the schedule!

So, as a reminder, there is a CVS about 3 blocks from the convention center if you want throat lozenges for cheap.... Around 7 dollars or so for 100 if I recall. Oh, and it'll be great seeing folks for the demos!

Personal dear experience says 'do not go cheap' with throat lozenges.

Also, if you're going to that CVS, be SURE to give yourself some extra time, it's not too far away from the State and County buildings, so in addition to the madness that is GenCon, there will be a lot of people shopping there.

I got my e-mail and confirmed it, but I did have a question:

I got my e-mail and confirmed it, but I did have a question:

** spoiler omitted **

Generally speaking, yes this is commonplace.

If you alert the GenCon leads you would like some variety to yer GMing life, they will accommodate you if possible. I am running the same SFS scenario along with every special. That is four scenarios to prep in a very short window of time.