Calling for Volunteers!

At the same time?!

At the same con anyway. If you do it at the same slot you're just talking to yourself.

Wait... How is that different from normal?

Wait... How is that different from normal?

I have a rule I never talk to myself however if they want to while away the hours with the NPCs...

Wait... How is that different from normal?

You wind up injected with fewer tranq darts when you do it at a convention as opposed to the bus stop.

Ok Signed up for 7 slots at GenCon....

Signed up for the 3 overnight slots at PaizoCon

Signed up for 5 slots -- 3 overnights -- at GenCon (with a possible 'flex' to 7 if lodging falls through).

However, I didn't see the notice about the shirts changing when I filled out the form, should I re-submit the form with the shirt size selections?

Submitted... please, no 1am t7-11 scenarios this time...

In skimming over the initial questionnaires, I notice something. There are a number of people who volunteer for a specific number of slots, say five, and then only provide exactly that number of available slots to assign. Let me reminder you the less flexible you are with your availability, the less likely we can accommodate your preferences. While we try our best to honor your requests, none of the items in your questionnaire are guaranteed. If the needs of the convention are such that we need you to do something out side of your preferences, we may ask you to do so. Often we will send an email to you in advance to see if you can accommodate something alternative, sometimes we may not. We are all volunteers in together and only through cooperation will Gen Con be successful.

Explore! Report! Cooperate!

In skimming over the initial questionnaires, I notice something. There are a number of people who volunteer for a specific number of slots, say five, and then only provide exactly that number of available slots to assign. Let me reminder you the less flexible you are with your availability, the less likely we can accommodate your preferences. While we try our best to honor your requests, none of the items in your questionnaire are guaranteed. If the needs of the convention are such that we need you to do something out side of your preferences, we may ask you to do so. Often we will send an email to you in advance to see if you can accommodate something alternative, sometimes we may not. We are all volunteers in together and only through cooperation will Gen Con be successful.

Explore! Report! Cooperate!

I was planning on volunteering for GenCon this year but this is a deal breaker.

There are easily hundreds of other things to do at GenCon and schedules to coordinate with friends.

A commitment to help out for x number of non-specific slots that can be changed at any time without notice or approval is totally unacceptable from my perspective.

Maybe I'm misreading your statement but that level of flexibility seems unreasonable to ask for.

In skimming over the initial questionnaires, I notice something. There are a number of people who volunteer for a specific number of slots, say five, and then only provide exactly that number of available slots to assign. Let me reminder you the less flexible you are with your availability, the less likely we can accommodate your preferences. While we try our best to honor your requests, none of the items in your questionnaire are guaranteed. If the needs of the convention are such that we need you to do something out side of your preferences, we may ask you to do so. Often we will send an email to you in advance to see if you can accommodate something alternative, sometimes we may not. We are all volunteers in together and only through cooperation will Gen Con be successful.

Explore! Report! Cooperate!

Right now we are throwing darts at a dimly illuminated dart board. Except for Tonya shedding some light on which night specials are currently planned to run, everything else is a guessing game. GenCon 2019 is also the PFS "Finale" year. I want to make the most of PFS 1.0, playing as much as I can. In that regard, between now and Saturday night at Gen Con, I am planning on playing my ranger as much as I can to get him up to 15th (and 5/6) level. If we knew there were going to be 12-15 tier games offered each block, it would be easier to be more flexible. Right now it's just a guessing game what will be offered when. I really don't want to send you that email asking you to switch block X and Y because Scenario 10-XX is only offered in block X. Unfortunately, without being all knowing, we'll have to make some reasonable guesses.

Here's a question for you Bob. I volunteered for 7 blocks. I cherry picked the 7 blocks so I could give myself a break each day. Should I have instead picked 9 (only reserving the PFS "Finale" which I want to play) and then left a note asking to only GM two blocks per day?

Just My Thoughts

Maybe I'm misreading your statement but that level of flexibility seems unreasonable to ask for.

Yes, you are. I was merely pointing out that the more restricted a person makes their availability, the more difficult it is to meet their request and the more likely they are going to have to flex their preferences. This is no different than it’s been for many years, I’m just saying it on the front end in hopes more people we be less restrictive in their demands. It’s certainly not unreasonable to ask for more than the absolute bare minimum a volunteer is willing to offer. There was a time when all you could really do was volunteer and for how many slots and the OPM would give you whatever schedule they wanted to. We have evolved far beyond that, but not to the point that everyone can have precisely whatever they want. The needs of the show dictate what we have available to assign. If we have fifty people in a slot who will only run SFS and we only have 40 tables of SFS scheduled in that slot, 10 people are gonna have to be flexible and change. That’s the simple truth.

Should I have...

You should volunteer for whatever you are comfortable doing. I am only saying that the more restrictive someone makes their availability, the more likely it will be we cannot meet the requests. The schedule is not built based on GM demand, it’s built on player/ticket demand so no one, not even Tonya can tell you what the schedule is going to look like or what we will have a need for. That is why we need to be as flexible as possible. We are certainly better now than we were is the days when you could get 10 different scenarios to run in ten slots and have to move from table to table every slot and get your scenarios the weekend before the convention. Volunteers have more control over their schedules than ever before, but we still need to have at least a little flexibility.

Having scheduled myself for GenCon, let me give you two examples from my experience and one hypothetical from scheduling shift work:

1. My first GenCon, I was conservative with what I could do. I think I signed up for 3 or 4 blocks and excluded most of Thursday, every night, and the last block. Later I responded to the demand and requested 8 blocks but forgot to change my exclusions. They sent me a nice e-mail saying that they would like to increase my blocks but couldn't make it work with my exclusions, could I make an adjustments. I replied with corrections and all was good.

2. Last GenCon, I volunteered to 6 blocks and excluded only the overnights. My schedule was fine, and I had open blocks to do other things (I used them to play :X).

3. If I have 3 shifts to cover in a work week and 3 employees, and all 3 ask to work the first shift only, I'm going to have to ask someone(s) to work something different than what they asked. I would usually spread the variance around.

So, as Bob has said a few times, if there's no flexibility between blocks requested and blocks available, you have a chance of being asked to make a change or two (whether that's working a slot you originally requested off if you accept or not getting as many blocks as you asked for if you decline).

I think that the survey is sort of necessarily limiting in how it conveys information. A lot of the folks who are submitting surveys with N blocks available and looking to GM N blocks are probably looking at their schedules, figuring out the maximum number of blocks they can GM, and offering to GM all of them. Which is quite generous! I think we all understand that player need drives GM scheduling, but many of those people might be perfectly fine with an assignment for N-1 blocks or N-2 blocks, since they were viewing this as offering their maximum number of blocks.

It is certainly a good reminder that if people really want to GM a certain number of blocks (such as 7 to get a hotel room), it's a good idea to submit a survey with more than N blocks available to make sure you can get N blocks assigned.

Well its in! 5 slots and I requested to run all three specials.(I know, I'm an idiot!) I have run all the specials at my last two GENCONS, so I didn't want to break tradition.

3 slots for PaizoCon, GenCon remains a question.

I put in for three slots and said I could be available for any afternoon/evening slot and Sunday morning for PFS 1/2 and ACG.

I don't suppose we could know what the highest tier for the SFS special will be? I don't want to get my hopes up too high, only to have them dashed.

I don't suppose we could know what the highest tier for the SFS special will be? I don't want to get my hopes up too high, only to have them dashed.

At this point, we are planning Tier 1-12 for SFS #2-00 and Tier 5-16 for PFS #10-98!

Woot!

I am unfathomably excited at this news. Thank you Tonya! And another thank you to the whole Organized Play team!

I'm really excited about 16 being the cap for #10-98.

I would love to attend Paizocon, but there is no way I can afford the hotel room expense to be able to attend.

Sent in my volunteer survey. Looking forward to the madness.

Does anyone know typically the relative order of the following events (for PaizoCon):

a) Preliminary schedule from OP in response to volunteer sheets
b) close of event submission
c) lottery opening

Obviously since Paizo controls B&C and Organized Play controls A, they probably aren't strictly sequenced, but there's probably a goal?

(Ie depending on my schedule I may want to offer a non-organized play event, but I didn't want to block out time for it in order to give the organizers maximal flexibility)

Just submitted to volunteer for GenCon? Looking forward to it!

I forgot to put in the notes that while I don't have a lot of GMing stars for PFS, I signed up to run PF2 lots because we had a blast playing through Doomsday Dawn (I gmed the whole adventure) and I'm looking forward to the launch of the new edition (whatever it ends up being called).

Since this is my first time volunteering (yay!) can anyone share a sense of when notifications go out about putting a schedule together?

Thanks!

If you are selected as a volunteer, you will receive an email indicating as such sometime next month. Basic block schedules (which slots you will be volunteering) will be distributed in late April/early May, certainly before registration opens on May 19th so you will know which slots you will be off and can buy tickets for games you want to play. The scenario assignments will be distributed later, likely sometime in late June/early July once player demand has influenced ticket sales/availability. The PDFs for the scenarios you are assigned will be added to your download account sometime in July, at least two weeks prior to Gen Con.

If you are selected as a volunteer, you will receive an email indicating as such sometime next month. Basic block schedules (which slots you will be volunteering) will be distributed in late April/early May, certainly before registration opens on May 19th so you will know which slots you will be off and can buy tickets for games you want to play. The scenario assignments will be distributed later, likely sometime in late June/early July once player demand has influenced ticket sales/availability. The PDFs for the scenarios you are assigned will be added to your download account sometime in July, at least two weeks prior to Gen Con.

Great! Thanks, Bob, I appreciate the prompt reply. Looking forward to it!

Bob,

I know I am one of those who selected exactly the number of slots I was hoping to run, in my case 7.

I do want to say that if I am needed, I will step-up.

Also, I got an excellent slot in the housing lottery so don't plan on needing the room. (and I might be looking for roommates(s) to offset some costs).

Where should I send this information as I know here is not the preferred place? The genconleads@gmail.com email?

Thanks in advance Bob for all the hard work you and the other leads will be putting in to make this GenCon yet another success! It will be tough with the end of PFS 1.0 and the beginning of PFS 2.0.

If you need to make changes to your questionnaire, send an email to the genconleads@gmail.com address. Thx

We are beginning to process the questionnaires already submitted. Some programs are filling up quickly so if you are interested in HQ or Demos, you'll want to get your form submitted ASAP. Once those programs are filled the option will be removed from the questionnaire to avoid confusion.

Question: Understanding that we won't know assigned blocks until April, I had indicated availability for the GenCon Friday night block, but had submitted my questionnaire before the specials schedule was announced. Knowing now that Friday night will be SFS 2-00, is the expectation that the whole ballroom will be used, or is there a possibility of a few tables in the corner doing PFS1-2/PACG? I'm not an SFS GM and am trying to determine if I should email GenConLeads and shift that availability to a different block (or remove it entirely).

Does anyone know typically the relative order of the following events (for PaizoCon):

a) Preliminary schedule from OP in response to volunteer sheets
b) close of event submission
c) lottery opening

Obviously since Paizo controls B&C and Organized Play controls A, they probably aren't strictly sequenced, but there's probably a goal?

(Ie depending on my schedule I may want to offer a non-organized play event, but I didn't want to block out time for it in order to give the organizers maximal flexibility)

I'm working with the convention organizing committee on the final org play schedule. As soon as that is done, volunteer acceptance letters are issued. This should happen at least 2 weeks before event submission closes and well before the lottery.

Question: Understanding that we won't know assigned blocks until April, I had indicated availability for the GenCon Friday night block, but had submitted my questionnaire before the specials schedule was announced. Knowing now that Friday night will be SFS 2-00, is the expectation that the whole ballroom will be used, or is there a possibility of a few tables in the corner doing PFS1-2/PACG? I'm not an SFS GM and am trying to determine if I should email GenConLeads and shift that availability to a different block (or remove it entirely).

The drafted schedule includes tables for all systems each block, though other systems will be limited during the interactives.

Probably a bit late to the game, but I've submitted, offering to volunteer any slot, with 7 offerings, for both Gencon and Origins. Fingers crossed they can just squeeze me in somewhere! Otherwise I don't know if I can afford both... or one lol

Please note that almost every year we are looking for Gen Con volunteers right up to the show so it is almost never “too late” to submit a questionnaire.

I was wondering when the acceptance letters will be sent out and I kinda want to know so I can start looking for a flight thanks

Soon(tm). If your application was rejected, you've already been notified. For everyone else, it takes time to place you in the "best" available position in the schedule. You shouldn't wait to book your travel plans.

Reminder. For those listing hotel room mates, please contact those mates and make sure they are actually going to attend Gen Con and that they want to room with you. We are receiving a lot of requests for people who have not volunteered or are not attending Gen Con this year. Don't assume that someone is attending because you roomed with them in the past.

Additionally, be sure to confirm they are also requesting you as a room mate. We are receiving a lot of mismatch lists. If you request someone and they request someone else, someone is not going to get what they requested.

We still have plenty of openings for volunteers. We often get asked "are you still taking volunteers?" We take volunteers right up to the event itself, though the later it gets, the less flexibility we have to accommodate special requests so submit your questionnaire soon rather than later.

The initial round of volunteer notifications will be distributed next week. In order to complete the acceptance process, you must confirm receipt of the email you receive.

If I volunteered for gencon when would I know if I’m excepted

Looks like a wave of letters has gone out for GenCon.

I received my email last night. 6 slots of 2E and the SFS special.

Looking forward to Gen Con.

Demo team again, woo!

First year volunteering and it looks like I'm gm'ing every evening special. Jumping right in the deep end :)

All email notifications for Gen Con volunteers have been distributed. If you received one, please read it carefully and reply as instructed

If you did not receive one it is because either there is a problem with your questionnaire which you should be aware of or we did not receive your questionnaire and you'll need to complete another one.

5x PFS2, PFS1 Special. SFS Special.

Looks like fun!

Well that ain’t so bad.

I will be GMing a table of the Grinder er... the Finale. :)

I'm doing 7 tables for the first time, all 1E.

It seemed like an appropriate way to say goodbye to the old system. (Though I'm sure we will be keeping it alive locally for years to come.)

I'm doing 7 tables for the first time, all 1E.

It seemed like an appropriate way to say goodbye to the old system. (Though I'm sure we will be keeping it alive locally for years to come.)

Did you limit the system you were willing to run? I only limited demos (sorry Kate) because I did the Starfinder demo in the Sag and was exhausted. Still had a bunch of fun.