Gen Con Indy 2022: Call for Volunteers & Important Dates

I don’t particularly enjoy having it. Better than not going at all however.

I wish I could get there. But I can't.

I will stop monitoring this thread since I will not be GMing and will not be playing any tables with Paizo keeping a mask mandate regardless of what gencon does.

I am greatly saddened and can only pray that people get vaccinated so Covid becomes just another annual shot.

If anyone would like to talk with me, feel free to reach out on Discord or a PM here.

Mark Stratton wrote:

OP at this Gen Con is no different than any prior Gen Con, in that if the rules/procedures/environment aren't to your liking, then you have within your power the ability to stay home. Or, alternatively, you could choose to GM online.

Simple.

Mark, it is not that simple. Your comment only cancels my opinion and feelings.

I’m sorry, Gary, that wasn’t my intention. I was really just trying to point out that in general the choice is always with the individual as

I’m sorry my comments came across in the way they did.

Wanted to verify - for Starfinder or 2nd Ed, there's no exclusive GM boons, just (a lot of) ACP?

Will charity auction boons be the same at the in-person and virtual cons?

Do HQ volunteers also earn AcPs?

Wanted to verify - for Starfinder or 2nd Ed, there's no exclusive GM boons, just (a lot of) ACP?

Will charity auction boons be the same at the in-person and virtual cons?

Correct, and yes, the boons will be available to attendees at both conventions. Any other auction items will likely only be available to attendees of the physical show, as handing them to the winners is much easier than mailing them all out afterwards.

Speaking as someone who has to deal with a sick, infected customer base that doesn't give a rat's butt about my personal health and safety, I'm glad that both Gen Con and Paizo have taken a firm stance on protecting the health of others.

As someone who has had to wear masks for at least forty hours a week on the job, it's frustrating to see some folks go "Oh, everything's 'just fine' remember con crud? remember how it can lay a person out for days? Now add an incredibly lethal pandemic on top of it.. Stop cancelling my views!"

That being said, if I'm *lucky* at this rate I *might* get enough time off of work to help with the online version of Gen Con -- because ain't nobody stepping up to work so-called 'essential' retail gigs at 'essential retail gig' pay rates.

Footing a share of a pandemic-reduced room capacity room is a non-starter on my budget for August.

I'm glad that both Gen Con and Paizo have taken a firm stance on protecting the health of others.

It is interesting to note that a month or so ago, Gen Con's published stance was to leave masking to the individual. I read the rules when I bought my badge and again when I booked my hotel. At some point between then and now, they reverted to a mask mandate position. Given that most public places are relaxing their mask mandates, it is quite possible that Gen Con might change again between now and the actual show. If at the time of the show the city of Indianapolis doesn't have a mask mandate and neither do any of the restaurants or hotels or the mall, it might be meaningless for the actual convention to have one.

However, Paizo said (upthread) they were not planning to change their mask mandate even if Gen Con changes theirs. Though given Paizo's history, it would not surprise me if they changed their position and relaxed their mask mandate after the deadline dates for cancellations at Gen Con.

If the status of masking is a deal-breaker, we should have a fairly clear view of what to expect, though there is a greater than zero chance the rules will change.

Since the masks are probably a deal breaker for some people in either direction I'd imagine consistency would be more important than the "right" answer to a question that relies in no small part on circumstances months in advance.

I will say that the mask and vaccination requirements are what is making it so that I would like to go.

I have been through three in person conventions locally now, all with strict mask and vaccination requirements. It is doable, in my humble opinion, whether it can be a little uncomfortable or not.

I will say that the mask and vaccination requirements are what is making it so that I would like to go.

I have been through three in person conventions locally now, all with strict mask and vaccination requirements. It is doable, in my humble opinion, whether it can be a little uncomfortable or not.

I think phrasing it this way is whats annoying some people. To most people it's a little uncomfortable. To someone with a respiratory condition or to whom a mask is like having an alien face hugger on your face, it's not "a little uncomfortable" it's maddening to the point of being exclusionary. Try imagining the policy was "everyone must have a live tarantula sitting on their head, it's a little uncomfortable but...*"* and you'll get the idea of how some people feel about it.

Of course, to people worried about their health NOT having a mask is ALSO exclusionary (because the mask is much better at protecting other people than the wearer)

So any policy dealing with that many people in so many square feet of space is going to be exclusionary to someone but both the number and seriousness of the problem seems to be on the side of masking. It does absolutely bite that some people can't go, and it's worse when the policy means YOU** can't go. But it is that big of a deal for some.

*please don't do this. They are notorious for fudging their rolls
**for various values of you

I'm sorry but the whole respiratory issue is a complete and utterly nonsensical excuse. You'd have to be in such a horrendously bad state that you'd couldn't even attend the convention in normally let alone live a normal life. Same goes for sensory issues.

Grumble.... Grumble....

I'm sorry but the whole respiratory issue is a complete and utterly nonsensical excuse. You'd have to be in such a horrendously bad state that you'd couldn't even attend the convention in normally let alone live a normal life. Same goes for sensory issues.

Grumble.... Grumble....

With all due respect, i feel like this is a drastic oversimplification. I think masking should be encouraged, and as a matter of fact I am still wearing mine despite the lifting of the general mandate here, but they are uncomfortable and can definitely feel quite claustrophobic. I spent the better part of 2 years wearing a half face respirator for 12 hours each day, and that was only tolerable due to circumstances and the fact that I could walk out side to breath every few hours.

The point is, it's not for us to judge each others levels of discomfort. If yours is such that wearing a mask is a deal breaker, I'll keep a seat at the table warm for you next year.

I'm sorry but the whole respiratory issue is a complete and utterly nonsensical excuse. You'd have to be in such a horrendously bad state that you'd couldn't even attend the convention in normally let alone live a normal life. Same goes for sensory issues.

Grumble.... Grumble....

Sensory issues?

Alright, everybody here has been respectful, but the discussion about masks has been done to death over the past few years, so I'm formally requesting that it cease here. Our safety requirements are set; you can have whatever opinions you want to have about them, but you won't be changing Paizo's policy.

If you have other questions about volunteering at Gen Con, by all means post here!

Will there be a Demo Team group this year, Alex? I have loved working Demo Team in the past, and wanted to know if this was something I could volunteer for again.

Will there be a Demo Team group this year, Alex? I have loved working Demo Team in the past, and wanted to know if this was something I could volunteer for again.

We will be having demos in the Sagamore, so yes! If there's not a place to mark that on the form, leave a note in the freeform response at the end and I'm sure the committee would be delighted to have you again :)

Swiftbrook wrote:

A few questions.

When are the interactive specials for each system?
Are there going to be tables of 1st edition of Pathfinder?
Are the Macadam games going to be running the Beginner Box?

The interactives will be in the evening slots (8pm-1am) on Friday and Saturday.

There will be 4-5 tables of first edition in each slot.
The Academy games will be using various Bounties and other short content like the Free RPG Day adventures.

From the current event listing on the GenCon site, I can find . . .

Regular games cost $8 each slot
Academy games 2 hours and $2
SF Special: Friday 8:00 pm $12, 33 tables
PF Special: Saturday 8:00 pm, $12

As a sample, here is listings for the Friday 2 pm slot
1 table of PFS(1ed)
1 table of Pathfinder Academy
23 tables of PFS(2nd)
13 tables of SFS

Most of the tables were single tables with five tickets available. I suspect that this is going to be updated before tickets go live but I have no actual intel on that. Well, I have a little intel. Only tier 1-2 of the Pathfinder Special is currently listed and there are only 24 tickets for it.

As a sample, here is listings for the Friday 2 pm slot
1 table of PFS(1ed)
1 table of Pathfinder Academy
23 tables of PFS(2nd)
13 tables of SFS

I suspect that this is going to be updated before tickets go live but I have no actual intel on that.

In looking at the events catalog, non-Paizo events are scheduled in over half of the Sagamore Ballroom. (laser tag, bridge simulators, miniature hobby events, etc)

For comparison, in 2019 there were 80-90 six-person tables per session. So with half the space, 35-40 tables per session is probably the max they can handle. Better than last year with *no* tables, but still pretty slim pickings...