PaizoCon Online Will Be Scheduled For May 26-31

How can we watch the presentations live? Will it be via Know Direction?

I would really like to do the larger specials online...

We will consider this for future online events, but PaizoCon Online 2020 will not be incorporating any specials into the schedule (other than the aforementioned ACS special on Saturday).

Hooray!

This fantastic news! Will you schedule games on a 24-hour cycle or just use Seattle time? The possibilities for 24-hour gaming...

The schedule will be all day with slots starting at 6am(pst), noon, 6pm, and midnight. We aligned our schedule to Paizo's time zone for convenience to coordinate game slots with seminars, and other broadcasts. This should allow anyone in the world to participate in at least one slot per day without too much trouble. A few events might be scheduled for 2-hour slots, but they will still fall within those slot times.

I'm pretty sure the EXTREMELY small amount of time they had to switch their organization from physical to online contributed a lot to them not being able to switch the special...
They also don't know at all how many participants they'll have, nor how many people will propose themselves for GMs and other help.
There's also coordinating all the different online platforms they never touched before, or barely did... And yeah.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS A MIRACLE.

It's awesome, and thank YOU a lot to ALL the Paizo people.

This is very appreciated. :3

(Oh, and now I feel vindicated to have kept my Vacation on these dates. :P )

I'm kind of at 'mind blown' status at the moment.

Still processing.

Was sitting on a week's leave from planning to go to the in-person paizocon, largely because I didn't want to cancel leave while my company was asking people to consider taking it during COVID.

Now... the leave is useful again :D

I assume there'll be a banquet-equivalent stream?

I just want to say thank you to Tonya and the entire Paizo team for making this happen. This is absolutely amazing news!

While I like the idea of an online PaizoCon, I'm wondering about a couple of things:

-What about non-gaming events like panels and Tim Schneider's aforementioned banquet stream?

-There are multiple platforms for online play. For someone like me who has no experience with it can be a bit of a learning curve. Why so many?

Was sitting on a week's leave from planning to go to the in-person paizocon, largely because I didn't want to cancel leave while my company was asking people to consider taking it during COVID.

Now... the leave is useful again :D

I assume there'll be a banquet-equivalent stream?

We'll have more info for you on 1 May, including schedules, so you can plan all your PaizoCon activities!

-There are multiple platforms for online play. For someone like me who has no experience with it can be a bit of a learning curve. Why so many?

Player/GM preference.

-There are multiple platforms for online play. For someone like me who has no experience with it can be a bit of a learning curve. Why so many?

The choice of which VTT to use is the discretion of the GM since they have to manage it. There is a much lower learning curve for players than GMs. So, it would likely be counter-productive to mandate that all GMs use a particular VTT, especially since some GMs pay for a higher level of access with their preferred system and should be able to use all their tools. Also, some VTTs are not free so we do not want to force players to pay to play. By knowing which VTT a GM will be using, players can make that decision for themselves.

Think of it this way. We do not tell a GM that they have to buy Paizo printed maps over hand-drawn, or miniatures over pawns or even candy, etc. The VTT is a tool the GM uses to run their game. If they prefer one over another, they should be allowed to use it. That does mean some players may not select a certain event if the GM will be using a VTT they are not familiar with or do not care for, but that is why most of our schedule is being repeated in an attempt to meet the needs of the widest possible audience.

How can we watch the presentations live? Will it be via Know Direction?

Know Direction will be hosting the Paizo Twitch channel during the panels, and streaming the panels on our Twitch channel as well.

Soluzar wrote:

-There are multiple platforms for online play. For someone like me who has no experience with it can be a bit of a learning curve. Why so many?

The choice of which VTT to use is the discretion of the GM since they have to manage it. There is a much lower learning curve for players than GMs. So, it would likely be counter-productive to mandate that all GMs use a particular VTT, especially since some GMs pay for a higher level of access with their preferred system and should be able to use all their tools. Also, some VTTs are not free so we do not want to force players to pay to play. By knowing which VTT a GM will be using, players can make that decision for themselves.

Think of it this way. We do not tell a GM that they have to buy Paizo printed maps over hand-drawn, or miniatures over pawns or even candy, etc. The VTT is a tool the GM uses to run their game. If they prefer one over another, they should be allowed to use it. That does mean some players may not select a certain event if the GM will be using a VTT they are not familiar with or do not care for, but that is why most of our schedule is being repeated in an attempt to meet the needs of the widest possible audience.

Speaking as an interested GM, are tabletops other than those listed ok? I have a foundry setup.

How does one go about expressing interest in GM'ing a scenario or two?

For those that are daunted by the idea of an online Paizocon, there are online tables every day, using a number of platforms.

Personally I would recommend looking for a beginner-friendly game and watching some youtube videos.

Roll20.net is my platform of choice and I think it is moderately easy to get into it, particularly since you do not have to install any software (though if you are using Discord, I highly recommend using that software/app).

...are tabletops other than those listed ok?

Sure. As long as the VTT is an app that the player's can access, it should be fine. We are not endorsing any specific one or ruling any out (AFAIK). Just be aware that if you decide to use a really obscure VTT or one that requires all players to buy the software, it may affect players willing to sign up to play your game.

Note: GMs will need to use Discord as their A/V connection with the players. We have virtual tables set up that will support both audio and video running along side of whatever VTT you chose.

How does one go about expressing interest in GM'ing a scenario or two?

Look upthread...

GM recruitment is going to be handled differently than live PaizoCon, so please do not send emails to the email address above expressing interest.

When the Warhorn is opened up for registration on May 1st, it’ll just be for GMs initially. First, you will register to attend like any Warhorn event. Then you can select whichever games you want to GM from the schedule, first-come, first-serve. Then the GM will complete a short online form to provide us with your data so we can arrange for scenario drops, volunteer rewards, etc. The online form should be ready by the time registration goes live, and we should have approval for our volunteer incentives in the next day or two. The schedule is still being uploaded, so check back periodically. A few days before the event, we will open Warhorn for players to register.

We have a Discord server set up for the for the convention that will go live on Friday, May 1st with sub channels for discussions and digital tables which will be assigned to facilitate gameplay. GMs can select whichever virtual table-top application (VTT) they are most comfortable with and have it listed in the event description so players will know the format ahead of time.

If you have never GMd online before, but want to do so for this event we strongly encourage you to practice a time or two beforehand. If you are a player and this will be your first time experiencing an online event, we encourage you to install the appropriate VTT app in advance and become familiar with its functionality. Everyone being familiar with the app is important for everyone to enjoy themselves.

We will release more information as it becomes available so check back periodically. We also have the PaizoCon channel in Slack available if you have questions.

Since this announcement might tempt some people who have thus far been unsure if they want to dip a toe into the digital realm it seems an excellent time to remind people about the awesome blogs Paizo put out highlighting the options you have in online play and listing a ton of references, guides and resources for players new to joining us in the online region! Hopefully something here helps, everyone is always welcome to reach out to us on the Online region discord server if you need a hand or are confused about something!

Guest Blog: Online Region Resources part 1

Guest Blog: Online Region Resources part 2

Online region discord server

Rich (You can find me as 'Stunt Monkey' on discord!)
VL - Online

I'm absolutely not volutneering him, but my local VC did some "Roll 20 101" sessioons just before and early in a local con that was moved online with about a week's notice. I think it helped people who were new to it quite a bit.

Note: GMs will need to use Discord as their A/V connection with the players. We have virtual tables set up that will support both audio and video running along side of whatever VTT you chose.

Is that a hard and fast rule, I had situations where Discord, or rather some Discord servers made it unable for players to participate, because they could not hear others etc. Sometimes fixing the server location can help, but that will not work here.

What I am asking is, do you mind if players use a plan B, as a google handout?

So someone said something about Warhorn....is there a link for that?

What I am asking is, do you mind if players use a plan B, as a google handout?

Alternatives are being considered, but at the moment, only the official PaizCon Online Discord server is currently approved for use with these events.

It's opening on May 1st for GMs only, I believe.

It would be so cool if they released the PFS2 level 5-8 scenario so the GMs could run it at PaizoCon.

Begus wrote:

I would really like to do the larger specials online. Pair your VTT with an online chat feature like: Ventrilo, mumble or teamspeak, where folks can be in several channels at once, would make the larger group idea work very well.

For anyone who has played Eve Online and has done large fleet battles knows how this could work very nicely. 100's of players on the same server with multiple voice chats all working together. It would be an amazing experience.

The Online region has a lot of experience running multi-table specials and we definitely share your enthusiasm for them! Typically we have every table on their VTT of choice, then use one central discord server with each group in their own voice channel and we also have a public text chat channel for all the players on the different tables to talk together and one for the GMs (separately) to converse and discuss things or report. The Overseer broadcasts on our Twitch channel so players can be tuned into it and hear announcements when they're live, all at the same time without having to leave and enter different voice chats, as well as see the display for the interactive aspects on the stream, for specials that have them.

It works very well for us, but it sounds like the nature of the special that had been planned for Paizo Con wouldn't have translated as well as the previous ones, plus I can imagine that Paizo want to have the first PF2 special be something truly amazing with a ton of physical stuff that might be hard to replicate online. But never fear, I'm sure it will show up at one of our future cons eventually! :)

I'll second this post as a player and a GM. The Online Region VOs have MTS down to a fine art. I've participated in multiple MTS events with them and they were all well done.

So someone said something about Warhorn....is there a link for that?

It's in the blog post:

GMs can sign up at Warhorn.

Sebastian Hirsch wrote:

What I am asking is, do you mind if players use a plan B, as a google handout?

Alternatives are being considered, but at the moment, only the official PaizCon Online Discord server is currently approved for use with these events.

Alternatives would be appreciated! Discord servers are geographically targeted, so while it's not usually a problem, the fix for latency is "get a server that's closer to you." Hard to do if it's not your server, unfortunately. Furthermore, the vagaries of back-end network connections could render any particular audio solution problematic should a backhaul line get saturated. It's not common, but it's gonna happen for someone.

(We just had this come up for Take Two con. 900ms ping to the Sac. discord server from the east coast despite 50ms ping to our local discord server; we switched to Hangouts and it all started working immediately.)

It would be so cool if they released the PFS2 level 5-8 scenario so the GMs could run it at PaizoCon.

If you are referring to PF2 1-21 "Mistress of the Maze" then I have good news. We have confirmation that the May releases will be available for PaizCon Online. The downside is the earliest we might be able to drop them is late Friday 22 May, though it might not be until Monday 25 May. So, be careful and plan to prep last minute if you register to GM any of the May releases.

Xathos of Varisia wrote:

It would be so cool if they released the PFS2 level 5-8 scenario so the GMs could run it at PaizoCon.

If you are referring to PF2 1-21 "Mistress of the Maze" then I have good news. We have confirmation that the May releases will be available for PaizCon Online. The downside is the earliest we might be able to drop them is late Friday 22 May, though it might not be until Monday 25 May. So, be careful and plan to prep last minute if you register to GM any of the May releases.

This just made my night! Thank you!

While I like the idea of an online PaizoCon, I'm wondering about a couple of things:

-What about non-gaming events like panels and Tim Schneider's aforementioned banquet stream?

-There are multiple platforms for online play. For someone like me who has no experience with it can be a bit of a learning curve. Why so many?

Sol,

I’m a big PF1er here, and someone who volunteers at a discord for Fantasy Grounds instruction called Fantasy Grounds College

We have peeps for Pf2e, Pf1e and SF. Depending on how Paizo and Smiteworks, there is the chance the latter could open up things, so any GM that wants to run a session, and has the standard version of FG, can have people download a demo from Steam or Smitework’s website, and join.

That’s not guaranteed, and we aren’t formally or legally affiliated with Paizo or Smiteworks. Some Fantasy Grounds GM’s have an ultimate edition, so they can host games for anyone that has a demo version.

Regardless where you go for VTTs, there are wikis and resources out there to help you use and play these programs.

Glad to see Paizocon back!

<3 Y'all outdid yourselves ^_^

stay safe, stay home, stay gaming #paizocononline2020

Soluzar wrote:

-There are multiple platforms for online play. For someone like me who has no experience with it can be a bit of a learning curve. Why so many?

The choice of which VTT to use is the discretion of the GM since they have to manage it. There is a much lower learning curve for players than GMs. So, it would likely be counter-productive to mandate that all GMs use a particular VTT, especially since some GMs pay for a higher level of access with their preferred system and should be able to use all their tools. Also, some VTTs are not free so we do not want to force players to pay to play. By knowing which VTT a GM will be using, players can make that decision for themselves.

Think of it this way. We do not tell a GM that they have to buy Paizo printed maps over hand-drawn, or miniatures over pawns or even candy, etc. The VTT is a tool the GM uses to run their game. If they prefer one over another, they should be allowed to use it. That does mean some players may not select a certain event if the GM will be using a VTT they are not familiar with or do not care for, but that is why most of our schedule is being repeated in an attempt to meet the needs of the widest possible audience.

I am happy to hear this, since my VTTs tend to be seriously low tech. Discord for voice and dice rolls plus Google Slides for maps. I could make up a Roll 20 table for this since it is the big show, but I might stress out about it!

QUERY: If we are doing a special event, do we need to coordinate the time with you in advance? Are you going to have a lottery for author tables or is it first come first serve?

QUERY: If we are doing a special event, do we need to coordinate the time with you in advance? Are you going to have a lottery for author tables or is it first come first serve?

We are taking special events already scheduled at PaizoCon 2020. Those folks received an email noting the move online. We will work to get that information from them and get their events on the schedule.

There won't be a lottery this year. Logistics weren't in our favor. All tables will be first registered, first sat.

There won't be a lottery this year. Logistics weren't in our favor. All tables will be first registered, first sat.

Okay, that works fine too!

ADA & Warhorn

Hey Gnome, it's me, Hmm. I know it's stressful not to be able to sign up for things directly because the program is not ADA-compliant. But maybe we can still help. Can I or someone else help you get signed up for the things you want?

Xathos of Varisia wrote:

It would be so cool if they released the PFS2 level 5-8 scenario so the GMs could run it at PaizoCon.

If you are referring to PF2 1-21 "Mistress of the Maze" then I have good news. We have confirmation that the May releases will be available for PaizCon Online. The downside is the earliest we might be able to drop them is late Friday 22 May, though it might not be until Monday 25 May. So, be careful and plan to prep last minute if you register to GM any of the May releases.

I can do that. I have done that. I will do that. Sign me up for running that scenario at least twice!

Cool can't wait to watch or part of it.

I will be more than happy to run a PFS2 special at PaizoCon 2020 should you have it.

As I understand everything will be running on Central European Time or else you'll have to talk to my barrister. The Obnoxious Colonial Timezones Act clearly says in Article 2.3 that "Unwashed Washingtonian Rebels and their Hessian Allies running online gaming conventions in lieu of physical ones" must conform to running them in hours approachable to Refined Continentals. Toodle pip!

I'm a nearly complete newbie when it comes to Pathfinder Society -- I have an Organized Play number from playing in the first season of the Adventure Card Game campaign, and I registered a few PF2 characters for fun, but I've never played in any Organized Play game.

1) Is there anything else I need to do to get ready?
2) What should I be looking for once registration is open?

On the plus side, our PF2 home game started off on Roll20 back in October, and we've switched to Fantasy Grounds a few months ago, so I know both systems moderately well. :-)

Excited to see this is happening!

Super hype! Best birthday announcement ever! Can't wait

I will be more than happy to run a PFS2 special at PaizoCon 2020 should you have it.

As stated up-thread, we will not be offering any RPG specials at PaizoCon Online 2020

Tonya Woldridge wrote:

There won't be a lottery this year. Logistics weren't in our favor. All tables will be first registered, first sat.

Okay, that works fine too!

Laarafel wrote:

ADA & Warhorn

Hey Gnome, it's me, Hmm. I know it's stressful not to be able to sign up for things directly because the program is not ADA-compliant. But maybe we can still help. Can I or someone else help you get signed up for the things you want?

It's not stressful, Hmm, it's irritating; it's aggravating and annoyingly predictable. Hell, that's why I was able to predict that this would happen months before it did happen and told people connected to Paizo to not use Warhorn in relationship to events like a Con or this would invariable occur. It was just a matter of time before someone took the time to stand up and say no more; I won't be a 2nd class citizen.

And, no, we have a stay at home order in effect and Tonya made it very clear in her post to you that it is first come first sat, which means that if you can't use Warhorn to get yourself seated at a table or anything else at this Con then too bad for you.

1) Is there anything else I need to do to get ready?

If you have not yet done so, you should read the Guide for organized play and become familiar with the unique rules that apply. There aren't a whole lot, but a few you will want to know about.

Sounds like you are already familiar with Roll20 and you have already registered some characters so you've got a good handle on it so far. If you have time between now and PaizoCon Online, you might want to check into playing a game of two to get comfortable with the nuances of OP. One-off and local games are often more flexible with their time. We will have hard slot times for our event so the GM will need to keep the pace moving forward and might not have as much time to devote to answering a lot of questions outside the scope of the game materials.

2) What should I be looking for once registration is open?

You will want to register in Warhorn as an attendee prior to our open registration for events. When we open the schedule for player signups, just select the games you want to play. Fairly simple. It will probably be a good idea to look over the schedule a couple of days in advance and decide what is most important to you. Remember, it will be first-come, first-serve registrations just like most conventions, so focus on the events you are most interested and signup quickly.

If you have more specific questions, don't hesitate to ask.

Explore! Report! Cooperate!

It's not stressful, Hmm, it's irritating; it's aggravating and annoyingly predictable. Hell, that's why I was able to predict that this would happen months before it did happen and told people connected to Paizo to not use Warhorn in relationship to events like a Con or this would invariable occur. It was just a matter of time before someone took the time to stand up and say no more; I won't be a 2nd class citizen.

As I said the last time we talked, go looking for a fight and you are likely to find one.

Sign me up for running that scenario at least twice!

Thank you for the offer, but we are not taking GM registrations through the message boards. Please watch for GM registrations to open on May 1st and select your events from the available schedule.

Laarafel wrote:

It's not stressful, Hmm, it's irritating; it's aggravating and annoyingly predictable. Hell, that's why I was able to predict that this would happen months before it did happen and told people connected to Paizo to not use Warhorn in relationship to events like a Con or this would invariable occur. It was just a matter of time before someone took the time to stand up and say no more; I won't be a 2nd class citizen.

As I said the last time we talked, go looking for a fight and you are likely to find one.

I don't recall ever talking to you but whatever. I didn't ask for this fight. You are suggesting that I, not Paizo, did something illegal and untoward. Let me be perfectly clear, I've done nothing wrong; Paizo is currently in violation of federal civil rights statutes, two of them to be specific: The Americans with Disabilities Act and the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, by partnering with entities that are not compliant with these Acts.

So, what you are claiming is that, because I expect a company to abide by federal civil rights laws I'm picking a fight and, therefore, deserve to be treated poorly.... Interesting way reframing discrimination into... more discrimination.

I don't recall ever talking to you but whatever. I didn't ask for this fight. You are suggesting that I, not Paizo, did something illegal and untoward.

You are mistaken.

Laarafel wrote:

I don't recall ever talking to you but whatever. I didn't ask for this fight. You are suggesting that I, not Paizo, did something illegal and untoward.

You are mistaken.

I'm confused. Are you calling me a liar because I don't remember ever talking to you or because you think that I did something illegal? Please explain instead of being obtuse.

Looking at the discussion so far, that appears to be unproductive and a waste of time. I wish you luck in achieving your goals.