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October Update—PAX Unplugged, Spotlights and Conventions!!

Wednesday, October 3, 2018

I just returned from Hurricon in Orlando, Florida. Two weekends earlier found me in the Twin Cities attending SkalCon and in two weeks I'll be on the Gold Coast of Australia attending PaizoCon Asia-Pacific. Lots of travel, but after this I'll only have two shows left in 2018. Around this travel, I'm still focused on catching up on the backlog of tasks and looking forward to convention planning for 2019. Paizo organized play is still on target to attend Origins, Gen Con, and PAX Unplugged 2019 in force, as well as support the multitude of conventions arranged by local teams.

Some of you noted on Facebook that we've been friends over social media for three years. September 28th marked my three-year anniversary with Paizo. Reflecting over my time spent in the OPC/OPM role, there've been some bumps in the journey, but my net sum is positive. Part of the reason for that involves our community! The past three years offered many chances to hang out with players and volunteers, meet new members of our community, and engage in some positive debate on the future of organized play. You energize me and help me look forward to the next three years. Here's to many more exciting adventures together!

Campaign Coins

While I travelled to Hurricon this past weekend and SkalCon a few weeks ago, I awarded no new campaign coins! One of the criteria used by the team and I when evaluating potential recipients are recommendations. For those individuals that submitted recommendations that haven't been acted on, rest assured I have them in a file and refer to them often.

If you know a deserving member of your community, please email me at organizedplay@paizo.com with their name, location, and the reasons you feel they should be recognized for their service. If you are able, please include what events they may attend in 2018. This is especially helpful if they will be at an event with a member of the organized play team (see further down the blog for that list of events.)

Stars and Novas

A new month brings new GM additions to the 5-star roster. Huge congratulations to all those that achieved their fifth star over the past month!

To achieve this milestone, GMs run 150 games, of which at least 50 must be unique scenarios and 10 special scenarios, as well as run a game for a venture-captain. A conservative estimate of time needed to reach 5-stars is 650 hours! To the GMs listed below, thank you very much for the time and energy you spend running Pathfinder Society games! Kudos on your achievement!

  • Gerard van Konijnenburg
  • Geoffrey Peart
  • Quinn Shannon
  • Alex Bielke
  • Nick Oswald
  • Tristian Sullivan

The organized play team formulated their first draft of the 5-nova qualifications and are soliciting feedback from a variety of sources. We should have an update next month!

Looking forward to Pathfinder Society version 2, I've seen suggestions for using either Glyphs (using the Symbol of the Open Road) or Sigils (using the Sihedrion) for the GM designator. Vote in the poll at the end of this blog

PAX Unplugged

Organized play is coming to PAX Unplugged! Led Venture-Captain Quinn Shannon, a team of volunteer GMs offer up Pathfinder Society, Starfinder Society, and Pathfinder Playtest for attendee enjoyment. We are doing warhorn.net preregistration for the first 4 seats at every table, with seats 5&6 available for signup onsite daily from 8 am. We feel this is the best way for established players to know there is something they can play, but also allows for recruitment onsite. Registration opens October 26th at 10 am Pacific time. Visit Warhorn to register for games.

We also have a Paizo Booth on the floor running demos of Pathfinder Playtest! If you're at the event but not interested in a full game, stop by and try it out. If you are already part of the Playtest, feel free to come by and say hi!

Volunteers who completed the registration form, look for acceptance emails and scenario assignments before I leave for Brisbane mid-October. If you are interested in volunteering, we still have a few spaces available. To sign up, complete this questionnaire.

Convention Listing

Want to attend a convention in the next few months? Check out the list below! The list includes all the event support requests received to date. If you see one missing, ping the organizer and have them submit a request for support or have them email me at organizedplay@paizo.comto discuss their event. All of the conventions on the list maintain some type of web presence, be it website, social media page, or Warhorn listing, so if you are interested in attending in either capacity, check out their websites or contact the local venture-officer for more information!

Convention NameLocationStart Date
Dan's Con of the Vale 19 (2018)Brookfield, WI10/5/2018
Five Nations XLI (2018)Schenectady, NY10/5/2018
NukeCon 2018Omaha, NE10/5/2018
Octogônes 2018Villeurbanne, France10/5/2018
MACE 2018Charlotte, NC10/9/2018
CinCityCon 2018Cincinnati, OH10/12/2018
Conapalooza 2018Kingsport, TN10/12/2018
Crucible 7 (2018)Kissimmee, FL10/12/2018
FlatCon 2018Bloomington, IL10/12/2018
Games +1 2018 Extravaganza (2018)Davenport, IA10/12/2018
Save Against Fear 2018Harrisburg, PA10/12/2018
Viking Con 2018Copenhagen, Denmark10/12/2018
Charity Event for CASA (2018)Colorado Springs, CO10/13/2018
Gameday 10/13 (2018)Austin, TX10/13/2018
Rock-Con 2018Rockford, IL10/18/2018
AVL Scarefest 2018Montreat, NC10/19/2018
GLYPHCon 2018Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 10/19/2018
PaizoCon Asia-Pacific 2018Brisbane, Queensland, Australia10/19/2018
Pathcon 5.0 (2018)Salt Lake City, UT10/19/2018
Gobloween 2018Bloomington, IN10/26/2018
QuestCon Leon18 (2018)Leon, Spain10/26/2018
Snap-Con 2018Cape Girardeau, MO10/26/2018
Tavern Con 2018Bay City, MI10/26/2018
B-CON Herbst (2018)Frankfurt am Main, Hessen, Germany10/27/2018
JenCon Six (2018)Sheffield, England, UK10/27/2018
Midwest GameFest 2018Independence, MO11/1/2018
Carnage 2018Killington, VT11/2/2018
Convention Pathfinder France '18Paris, France11/2/2018
Fallicon 2018Dayton, OH11/2/2018
NekoCon 2018Hampton, VA11/2/2018
Jet City Comic Show 2018Tacoma, WA11/3/2018
Extra Life - Gem State - 2018Boise, ID11/4/2018
GameHole Con VI (2018)Madison, WI11/8/2018
PFS & SFS at Con on the Cob 2018Richfield, OH11/8/2018
Conquest Avalon 2018Sacramento, CA11/9/2018
GameCon XI (2018)Colorado Springs, CO11/10/2018
SP "The Hao Jin Cataclysm" DAU'18 Barcelona, Spain11/23/2018
WinterWolfCon'18Chicago, IL11/23/2018

2018 Organized Play Staff Travel

I've submitted the 2019 travel schedule to the Paizo executive staff, so I should have an updated list of appearances soon. We try to do our annual plan in August, so 2019 is pretty wrapped. Looking forward, if you are an event organizer and want to invite us out at your event in 2020, drop an email to organizedplay@paizo.com before next summer.

If your attending any of the following events, please stop by the booth or organized play room and say hi!

Convention NameLocationStart DateOP Staff
PaizoCon Asia-PacificBrisbane, Australia10/19Tonya
Hal-ConHalifax, Nova Scotia, Canada10/26Linda & Mark Seifter
U-ConAnn Arbor, MI11/9Tonya
PAX UnpluggedPhiladelphia, PA11/30Tonya (+Paizo staffers)

Next week, the team delves into the second installment of the Pathfinder Society version 2 discussion. Topics include chronicle sheets, the prize table model of rewards, and boons.

Until next time—Explore, Report, Cooperate!

Tonya Woldridge

Organized Play Manager

More Paizo Blog.
Tags: Conventions Organized Play Pathfinder Society Starfinder Society
Poll

Which GM designator do you prefer?


This poll closed Dec 5, 2018.

Dates and times displayed above are in the US/Pacific time zone.

Search Thread

Search this Thread:

Grand Lodge 4/5
1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Adventure, Rulebook Subscriber

Huzzah!
Liberty's Edge 3/5 5/5 **** Venture-Captain, Nebraska—Omaha
2 people marked this as a favorite.

Grats to the new 5stars!
Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/55/55/5 **** Venture-Captain, Minnesota
1 person marked this as a favorite.

Congratulations to all the new five stars, especially GM Chie and Magabeus!

Hmm
Scarab Sages 5/5 5/5 *** Venture-Captain, Netherlands
2 people marked this as a favorite.

Wooohoooo! Go Gerard!
4/5 5/5
2 people marked this as a favorite.

Congrats to my fellow new 5-stars GMs!
Scarab Sages 5/5 5/5 *** Venture-Captain, Netherlands
2 people marked this as a favorite.

Look at that shiney row next to your name!
Silver Crusade 4/5 5/55/55/5 RPG Superstar 2013 Top 8
1 person marked this as a favorite.

Congratulations everybody! Though I thought Geoffrey Peart earned his 5th star in August.

Also, the survey doesn't seem to be working for me (it just reloads this page). I'm using Chrome if that matters.
2/5 *
1 person marked this as a favorite.

Congrats Geoffrey!
5/5
Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Is there a volunteer matrix for Pax Unplugged? I looked at the registration page but I didn't see anything.
Sovereign Court 4/5 * Organized Play Manager
Michael Eshleman wrote:

Congratulations everybody! Though I thought Geoffrey Peart earned his 5th star in August.

Also, the survey doesn't seem to be working for me (it just reloads this page). I'm using Chrome if that matters.

Geoffrey did earn it in Aug. His name was resubmitted in Sept and I didn't catch the duplication until after I sent the blog over.

My links are working and I'm in chrome. Here is the direct url for you to try: PAX Unplugged Questionnaire

Soluzar wrote:
Is there a volunteer matrix for Pax Unplugged? I looked at the registration page but I didn't see anything.

It isn't a matrix, it is a paragraph about half way down. Given the scope of this event, we are doing things a bit different.

Available volunteer positions include Demo GMs in the Paizo booth and Society GMs in the Organized Play room.
4/5 ****

I'm also in chrome, clicking the survey just makes the page reload slowly.

Your direct URL gives a 404: Page not found error.
Silver Crusade 4/5 5/55/55/5
Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Maps, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

I couldn't get the survey to show up either at first. Had to load up a different browser -- might be something cookie-related.

Congratulations to the new 5-stars! Wheee!
Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/55/55/5 **** Venture-Captain, Minnesota

I found that if I opened the survey up in a new tab, I could click through.

Hmm
4/5 ****

New Tab instead opens a copy of another paizo.com page that I have open.
Silver Crusade 4/5 *** Venture-Captain, South Carolina—Greenville

N.B.: MACE in Charlotte is *November* 9-11.
Sovereign Court 4/5 5/55/55/55/5 ***** Venture-Captain, North Carolina—Central Region
Sam Sampson wrote:
N.B.: MACE in Charlotte is *November* 9-11.

This was an error on my part when submitting the event support request. I have sent in a correction.

Good catch though!
Sovereign Court 4/5 * Organized Play Manager
Sam Sampson wrote:
N.B.: MACE in Charlotte is *November* 9-11.

The organizer needs to send me an email or get their RVC to update the date in the event support request sheet. I only copy/paste what I'm sent.

@Tonya: Does your text mean that there isn't Card Game being offered at PAX Unplugged? I just wanted to clarify.

Also, I think GeekGirlCon is missing in the convention list, so I'll go ping the organizer about it.
Sovereign Court 4/5 * Organized Play Manager
Jonathan Ng wrote:

@Tonya: Does your text mean that there isn't Card Game being offered at PAX Unplugged? I just wanted to clarify.

Also, I think GeekGirlCon is missing in the convention list, so I'll go ping the organizer about it.

We have a table set aside, some people that know the card game will be there, and I'm packing a box of S&S for use, but it is an "ad hoc" kind of event. Ie, show up and we will figure out what we want to play from there.

Dark Archive 5/5

Hey folks,

Have selections been made for Pax-Unplugged? Was just wondering when we would be informed so I can begin prep in the desire to create an amazing experience for our players.
Dark Archive 4/5 *

Scenario signups are in 2 days, so I'm planning to sign up for all slots to play and adjust once I have a GM schedule, dropping the tables in the slots I am running - Warhorn is good like that.
1/5 *
Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

Time to keep hitting Refresh on the Warhorn until it's open. :P
Dark Archive 4/5 *

Any idea when this will happen? I need to get back to work, but don't want to miss out on tables because they fill before I check back.

Anyone else still having difficulty? Pax UnPlugged signups still seem to be locked down.
4/5

Yes, I still show they are locked. I've been hitting refresh for an hour :(
5/55/55/5

Since it sounds like the GM assignments didn't get out yet, I suspect the player sign up will be delayed.
Grand Lodge 2/5

Would greatly appreciate a heads up from organizers about an updated opening of the schedule. Pretty please?
Shadow Lodge 3/5

I'd just ask that they announce both a new day and time, versus opening it without sufficient warning.

An announcement would definitely provide a significant modifier to my initiative roll to start making dinner!
5/55/55/5

Looks like I got an email two hours ago saying that signups were open. I wasn't checking email back then, but there were still plenty of openings for the games I wanted.
Dark Archive 4/5 *

I got my email about 5:30 Est and have signed up to play. I never heard back from the organizers about GMing at all. Should I just sign up for GM slots on warhorn?
Silver Crusade 4/5 5/55/55/5
Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Maps, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

As the one lone GM showing up on the Warhorn, I can tell you that someone else assigned me those slots. So no, I did not pull rank and sign up to GM... and I really have no idea what's going on! I gather that someone else should be assigning GMs to games, though.
Dark Archive 4/5 *

The problem at this point is that most of the reserved seats are taken, so if I get assigned by someone else, I will miss out on scenario(s) I want to play.

Seems reasonable to let people sign themselves up as long as they have already gone through the signup process.
Shadow Lodge 3/5
1 person marked this as a favorite.
Alex Wreschnig wrote:
As the one lone GM showing up on the Warhorn, I can tell you that someone else assigned me those slots. So no, I did not pull rank and sign up to GM... and I really have no idea what's going on! I gather that someone else should be assigning GMs to games, though.

Weird, I would have thought there would be some communication to prospective GM's. I also volunteered to GM and have not heard anything, so I guess this means I to could be assigned to GM a game? Surprise you're GMing every night till midnight! lol

Silver Crusade 4/5 5/55/55/5
Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Maps, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
CigarPete wrote:

The problem at this point is that most of the reserved seats are taken, so if I get assigned by someone else, I will miss out on scenario(s) I want to play.

Seems reasonable to let people sign themselves up as long as they have already gone through the signup process.

The best advice I heard is to sign up for the games you want to play in each slot (such as you can...) and when GM spots are assigned, drop from those tables. It still sucks, but would guarantee you a spot.

Dark Archive 4/5 *

At least you get to play, but there is no consideration for the people who are volunteering to GM for you, which is pretty crappy. Do we know who is the actual organizer for PFS presence a this convention? I wouldn't expect it to be Tonya even if she is attending.
Silver Crusade 4/5

Hey Pete!
I'm organizing the Pathfinder Society Room at PAX Unplugged! I'm currently doing what I can to ensure that everyone can have an enjoyable experience there!

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me at pittpfs@gmail.com, and I will do what I can to get the issues resolved quickly!
Dark Archive 4/5 *
Quinn Shannon wrote:

Hey Pete!

I'm organizing the Pathfinder Society Room at PAX Unplugged! I'm currently doing what I can to ensure that everyone can have an enjoyable experience there!

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me at pittpfs@gmail.com, and I will do what I can to get the issues resolved quickly!

I sent you an email.

Dataphiles 5/55/55/5 Venture-Agent, Netherlands

It might be a tad late but congrats to the 5 star GMs! I was privileged enough to be on the table being run by Alex Bielke for his 5th (along with two RVCs!) and in the same house as Gerard for his 5th (I'm claiming it!) and both of them were awesome!

Congrats to everyone, well deserve and I can't wait the 5th Nova requirement :D
Shadow Lodge 4/5 5/55/55/55/5 ***** Contributor

Somehow I missed this one, too! Congratulations to Quinn and all of the other new 5-star GMs! :)
Silver Crusade 4/5 ***** Venture-Captain, Virginia—Northern Virginia

Thank you all for the Congrats! I am looking forward to Meeting other GMs at PAX Unplugged! Huzzah!
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