Hi everyone in Paizoland, I'm an old gamer, who has decided to make his first journey to the Meca of Gaming.......GenCon. However, I've never been to Indianapolis or GenCon, and I live in Los Angeles, CA. Therefore, I really have no idea of what I'm getting myself into (Besides a real-life adventure!).
I thought the Paizo community might have some good information and tips for a first timer to GenCon (ie I rolled 30 on my Gather Information skil, LOL). Any help concerning best hotel to stay in, nearby restaurants, must play games, beware of ?, and of course, feel free to share any special stories from GenCon past you have attended.
Originally, I was making this quest to meet Paizo's staff and of course the Grand Dungeon Master, Gary Gygax. However, with his sudden passing, I feel even more encouraged to go, although saddened I will never meet him in person. So any information or stories are very appreciated. Thanks!
|
Book your hotel now.
Get as close as you can to the Con.
Make sure you have some good/comfortable walking shoes.
Carry the minimum you can.
Bring something to carry what you buy. Leave space in your luggage or bring another bag/suitcase to bring back your stuff.
Keep some munchies with you and water. Whatever food is available is expensive and just so-so. (If you can, get a cooler and fill it with food when you get there so you don't have to go out every meal.)
Try to plan what you want to do now if you can, so you can get into events. Usually popular ones will be sold out before the Con starts.
Bring your cell and/or camera charger cables. (And laptop if you are bringing one...)
First year? Cool. It will be amazing to you. A few scattered thoughts:
Pack snacks in your backpack. Don't have a backpack? Get one please. Put a spare stick of deodorant/antiperspirant in it. (Do NOT use just deodorant. Really. Please?)
Shower daily. (See above.)
Get a hotel close to the con if possible. You are quite possibly too late for this except that I recommend that you check for rooms. Sometimes stuff reenters the housing block. On Gen Con's site you can find a link to the map of Indianapolis and the nearby hotels, which include the Hyatt, the Embassy Suites and, um, several others that I have gamed in but can't remember. Oh, right, Westin!
Unless you want a special product that's only offered between 10 AM and 11 AM at the Dealer's Room, schedule a game for Thursday morning. There's a sea of geeks outside the doors. Best to go in the afternoon. Or Sunday afternoon when they are closing out stuff and offer real bargains.
Sign up for a couple games and then grab several generic tickets. After Thursday, don't sign up for a game before 10 AM, especially if you plan to be out partying with friends the night before. Run around and find games that you might like to join in the program book and see if the DM will take generic tickets. Most will because gamers try to double book for them and their friends and then plans CHANGE!
There are a metric buttload of good nearby restaurants, and even passable ones. There's even fair to middlin food in the convention center itself during daytime hours. Best method to find food? Exit convention center facing the new hotel and the Westin. Turn right. Go down two streets. Go left or right. Lots o'restaurants. My favorites include Alcatraz, Bucca di Beppo, PF Chang's, the Ram, Rock Bottom and many, many more.
See the Art Gallery!
Have some emergency cash that you don't spend in the dealers room just in case you need a trip to the airport and your charge card stops working due to aforementioned dealer's room. Ahem.
Bring a camera.
Read the program book. Good stuff.
Go in on Thursday for the swag bags at the entrance where you buy the badges. I always get something good.
There's more, but I'll let someone else chime in.
I'll give my two copper on this subject, as last year was my first year as well.
Get bottled water - the Indianapolis tap water is vile (at least to my tastes). Water, not soda or anything sweet. Avoid any snack that needs to be refrigerated.
Don't overload your schedule. Last year, I only planned maybe a couple of things, the rest of my time was spent wandering the convention (and healing from my surgery, but that's a separate story).
Deodorant/antiperspirant, shower daily. Not that I'll think you'll have a problem with this, but there seems to be many gamers that did. Hot, humid August weather is not the time to re-enact earlier hygiene practices. Blech.
Extra bag and/or luggage. You may need it, depending on your swag haul (though they did offer shipping services).
Backpack. To carry water and snacks and swag in. Get a comfy one you won't mind having on your back for hours on end.
Get a map of downtown Indianapolis (most hotels have these). Some events are in completely separate hotels some blocks from each other.
You might want to pack a clothespin for your nose. Just in case.
Because of the rainfall just before con, the fecal smell of the sewers was kicking up into the streets for the entire week. Nastier than a urine-tinged Manhattan sirocco any day. It was really something else. Ever see a maggot levitate in a state of sheer, wriggling bliss?
Wow, I'm glad I decided to post this. I would've been blindsided by the lack of hygiene, water, and fecal smell. How Awful! I really appreciate everyone's comments and suggestions so far. A couple of people mentioned about restaurants to eat at near the convention. What about fast food, anything within walking distance? Also, do most or any of the hotels located on the convention housing block shuttle to and from the convention? Is it a must to have either a car or cab or shuttle? It seems many of the close-by hotels are sold out already.
As far as gaming, most people have mentioned not to schedule too many gaming events. Does anyone have any favorite yearly events? Kind of a must see for a GenCon newbie? Are there any cool events or activities not located at the convention worth visiting? Thanks again everyone for helping me with these questions. It is always better having first hand knowlede, but getting the same information from people who have been there is just as good.
I'm probably going to GenCon with my pops for the first time this year and was thinking about creating this thread too! Lotso good info, lady and gents. I hope I can find a place to sleep...My car might just have to do. :P
I'm probably going to GenCon with my pops for the first time this year and was thinking about creating this thread too! Lotso good info, lady and gents. I hope I can find a place to sleep...My car might just have to do. :P
Yeux, if you're seriously considering going, I'd be happy to see about sharing a room. :D
As for events, I recommend IronDM. :D
Director of Game Development
|
Last year I decided to go very late, and as far as lodging goes, it looked like the closest I could get to the Convention Center was staying at a hotel out by the airport. Those places have availability usually until right before the Con. I ended up finding a place that still had available rooms on the UI campus. It was nearly as expensive as the downtown hotels, but only a mile or so from the convention. For the healthy and dedicated, it’s an easy walk. For the drunken and book-laden, it was a $7 cab ride*. The rooms were very nice, the internet fast and the staff was very helpful. In addition, they had a shuttle service running during Con hours.
*
Also, the different cab companies have different starting fares. This amount can vary by $1.50. I found a really cool driver my first day in and got her cell number to call for future rides. Most cabbies will try to give you their number so that you use them, otherwise you get whoever was in the line. If you plan on taking cabs, find someone your comfortable with and call them for any rides you might need.
Thanks again everyone. Hope to see some of you at the con this year. Especially with Paizo's beta book becoming available at the convention first. I will definently be scheduling the IronDM (thanks Lilith). I now have room and rental car. Hoody hoo! All I need to do is register for my events! Also, there is still room at the Adam's Mark hotel (approximately 8 miles from the convention center). It is only $119/per night at the convention rate.
|
One thing I would like to add that you would want to put on your list is a lunch or dinner at the Ram just down the street from the convention center. Great food and fun but a little on the pricy side but worth it. Also plan your budget for the dealer room before you get to the con and stick to it. Wife unit will still not let me live it down from last year. Try different games besides the ones you usually play, this is a great time to get a taste of something new with out the great expense of actually buying all the books to try something and not like it. I will also have the guts to say bring some sanitizing solution for your hands and for the toilet seat and use it often the restrooms can get rough at times. Bring pain reliever, cold medicine, Tums, ECT. Because if you have it and never need it great but if you need it and don't have it things go south quick. If they offer a screening of the new Gamers Dorknes Rising go see it. It is on my must buy list this year for the con. I will also say again to pack light books get heavy after about 3 hours of walking. I did not have a problem with the water but they have water stations setup around so you can refill a water bottle. Most important thing is to have fun and enjoy your self.
Kevin
Along the lines of what bigbubba2 posted, bring Emergen-C or some other vitamin C supplement. "Convention funk" is what happens when you go to a large gathering of people from different parts and all your germs get together and have a party of their own, leading to illness and the yuks when you get back. Avoid it! Take your supplement morning and night and stay hydrated.
Also, some people might have problems with the Indianapolis tap water. It was foul to my taste - you might want to secure bottled water somewhere.
Oh! The bar that bigbubba2 mentioned, The Ram, switches from their sports-focused theme to a gamer-theme. Lots of nifty banners, stand-ups and other cool little details make it a great hang out. Plus, they switch the TVs to the Sci-Fi channel.