Good afternoon,
This is the official call for volunteer Game Masters for Pathfinder Society at Gen Con Indy 2008!
Though we haven't yet released all of the information about Pathfinder Society, I can shed some light on how being a Pathfinder Society Game Master will work at Gen Con.
First, it's important for me to reinforce that this post is only for Gen Con. We don't yet have complete information to release for in-store, in-home, or other convention play. We'll have that available by August 1st. So please don't email me or post and ask about anything outside of Gen Con. I can't say just yet.
Our Game Master structure is going to work similarly to other OP programs out there, so if you have experience in the RPGA, say, then a lot of these terms and ideas will be familiar to you. If you have no experience GMing for OP, no problem! It's just like running a game of Pathfinder at home ... only with complete strangers.
Pathfinder Society GMs are required to bring their own materials to run scenarios. This means you'll need to bring battle mats, Flip-Mats, pads of paper, pens & pencils, miniatures or tokens, dice, etc. Basically, bring what you're comfortable using to run a game, though keep it reasonable as we're talking regular circular gaming tables here with up to six players -- space will be at a premium. In turn, players will be required to bring relevant rule books, dice, a miniature or token to represent their character, etc. We will have paper, pens & pencils, and some Flip-Mats available for use at Pathfinder Society HQ, but don't count on us bringing it -- please bring your own.
One of the rules of Pathfinder Society is that you cannot play through a scenario that you've GMed. In order to be sure that you *can* play through all of the scenarios, though, we're going to make them available to the volunteer Gen Con GMs at least two weeks before the show starts. That way you can run "Slot 0" events at home, record the results, and be literally the first players in the world to play a Pathfinder Society Scenario. That's your first perk as a volunteer Gen Con Pathfinder Society GM: you'll be the first. Ever! This system of "Slot 0" is how we'll do things in our OP system: you can play a scenario before you run it, but you can't run a scenario and then play it. Yes, that usually means someone "takes it for the team" and runs a scenario, never able to play. But it does mean that the majority of the Pathfinder Society Game Masters will be able to play through scenarios before shifting to awesome mode and being the best volunteer Game Masters ever.
A Pathfinder Society Scenario is a 4-hour event that takes the players through a small side quest, adventure, mystery, or race to accomplish goals for both the in-game Pathfinder Society and for their selected factions. It's important to note that if you've never GMed a 4-hour event before, you'll need to adapt your thought process on GMing. Players will hit your table in the first five minutes and dice should be rolling and players playing within minutes of your assignments. We'll call out the halfway mark two hours in and then call out when 30 minutes are left. At this point, we'll expect games to be wrapping up. Due to our tight schedule, we can't allow games to exceed the 4-hour mark by more than 15 minutes, so the 30-minutes-to-go mark should signal pencils down, start doing paperwork, start turning in chronicles, and get the players to shuffle out so we can set up the next slot. It's fast-paced, but so are the scenarios!
GMs will track a wide variety of stats and will sign off on a player's chronicle sheet at the end of the scenario to verify treasure found, confirm that the player played the scenario, sign-off on any item trading that occurs at the table, reward faction prestige earned, and so on. Any disputes will be resolved with Pathfinder Society HQ -- Pathfinder Society GMs are there to run the games and give the players the best time possible. Out-of-game drama will be handled by the Pathfinder Society staff.
Below I will detail the reward tiers you can qualify for as a Pathfinder Society Game Master volunteer as they specifically apply to Gen Con. An important note for Tier 1 is that only the first 16 get all of the perks and after that anyone volunteering for Tier 1 gets everything but the hotel room. First come, first served. Please be 100% certain you can make it to Gen Con before volunteering for any tier. Cancellations will create headaches for me and my staff. The rest of the tiers should be self-explanatory.
We need 26 GMs per slot, 2 slots per day, four days of gaming. We also need 2 alternate GMs per slot, 2 slots per day, four days of gaming. No need to specifically volunteer as an alternate or not alternate -- if we can't use you, we'll cut you loose at the start of the slot and you'll get four hours off and still receive your rewards. Our slots are filling up fast, though, so I think we'll need everyone we can get. (Ask your friends to volunteer with you!)
Tier 1: Game Master EIGHT scenarios
You will be GMing during every single slot, morning and afternoon, Thursday through Sunday.
(Slot times are 8am to 12pm and 1pm to 5pm.)
The first *16* volunteers will get 1/4 of a hotel room for FREE. (This means you'll have three roommates in a room with two beds -- to protect ourselves, we can't allow mixed gender rooms and you can't add someone to your room of 4.)
You will get a FREE 4-day badge.
You will get a $40 voucher to be spent in the Paizo booth on Sunday of the con only.
Tier 2: Game Master FOUR to SEVEN scenarios
You will get a FREE 4-day badge.
You will get a $5 per slot voucher to be spent in the Paizo booth on Sunday of the con only. (IE, volunteer to GM four slots, and you get $20 -- seven slots and you get $35.)
Tier 3: Game Master TWO or THREE scenarios
You will get a $5 per slot voucher to be spent in the Paizo booth on Sunday of the con only.
You can volunteer for one slot and we'll still love you for it, but there will be no rewards for one slot volunteers.
ONE LAST ITEM: Nick Logue needs five more volunteers to run Paizo's Ascension of the Drow mega event at Gen Con. If you missed out being able to participate in this sold out show, here's a way to be involved! If you don't know, this event will literally change the face of Golarion (the world of the Pathfinder Chronicles campaign setting) as the event will decide which drow house comes out on top in the battle for rulership of the darklands city featured in the Second Darkness Adventure Path. There are no additional perks for volunteering for this event -- just the chance to be involved! The event runs 7pm through 1am on Friday night of the con. The first five to volunteer are in!
Please email me, josh@paizo.com to volunteer as a Game Master or to volunteer to assist the rascal Nick Logue with Ascension of the Drow. You can use this thread to post any questions you might have.
Thanks everyone! It's going to be a great con!
-Joshua J. Frost
Come my pretties! Come by the thousands! And DESPAIR! Pure High-Octane Madness is just an email away!
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Come my pretties! Come by the thousands! And DESPAIR! Pure High-Octane Madness is just an email away!
Already sent Josh my email. I also volunteered to help you out with the Drow. For I am your loyal servant.
And a question about the seminar... will it be conflicting with Pathfinder Chronicles at all? As I want to attend the meeting of Pathfinder minds.
All of our seminars run 5pm to 6pm just across the street from the Pathfinder Society room. Our last slot each day ends at 5pm.
If you get a free badge from Paizo, you'll have to talk to Gen Con about getting reimbursed for your badge since you'll be a GM for us.
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If you get a free badge from Paizo, you'll have to talk to Gen Con about getting reimbursed for your badge since you'll be a GM for us.
Ok, I have an email in. Sounds like fun. I'm really looking forward to the events. I was going to play, but running the games are fun too. I'll be turning back in my tickets to GenCon folks to some spots will open up.
Count me in (see email)
I don't think my seminars conflict with this... I might shoot for the 8 sessions if Nick's slots are all taken.
Chatty
It turns out that if you already have a badge, when I submit you on the GM badge list for Paizo, Gen Con will automatically refund you.
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First, it's important for me to reinforce that this post is only for Gen Con. We don't yet have complete information to release for in-store, in-home, or other convention play. We'll have that available by August 1st. So please don't email me or post and ask about anything outside of Gen Con. I can't say just yet.
Can't wait. Already lined up a store.
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I have experience GMing, but not running pre-made adventures (yeah, I've been flying by the seat of my pants for my entire GMing career). Should I even look into this?
Well you do get the adventures you are running 2 weeks ahead of the show. So you could get a few people together before and run it ahead of time to get a feel for what you are doing. The material you need for a four hour run isn't that much.
I like using pre run adventures. I feel like a director with a script. I help interpret the writers ideas to the players.
I have experience GMing, but not running pre-made adventures (yeah, I've been flying by the seat of my pants for my entire GMing career). Should I even look into this?Well you do get the adventures you are running 2 weeks ahead of the show. So you could get a few people together before and run it ahead of time to get a feel for what you are doing. The material you need for a four hour run isn't that much.
I like using pre run adventures. I feel like a director with a script. I help interpret the writers ideas to the players.
Great analogy Herald! I also dig on running pre-gen adventures at cons. Is good times!
Bump.
Still seeking GMs for all Tiers!
Bump.
Still seeking GMs for all Tiers!
Throw in return airline tickets from Denmark and I'll volunteer for whatever is needed! ;-)
Return ticket from Beijing?
Dear lord I wish I could do this. On the other hand, I'm probably going to be as SIGGRAPH the same week, so its not a total loss.
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I sent my email last week (Volunteered for 4-5 sessions). Just wondering if i would be getting a confirmation or something or if it didn't go through. Dont want to clog up the mailboxes with extra emails. Just wondering if it got through. I did get a confirmation on helping out with Assention of the Drow, just not DMing the other things. Just wondering =) I know people were busy with Origins.
I sent my email last week (Volunteered for 4-5 sessions). Just wondering if i would be getting a confirmation or something or if it didn't go through. Dont want to clog up the mailboxes with extra emails. Just wondering if it got through. I did get a confirmation on helping out with Assention of the Drow, just not DMing the other things. Just wondering =) I know people were busy with Origins.
Thanks Erik! Looking forward to working with you my man!
I sent my email last week (Volunteered for 4-5 sessions). Just wondering if i would be getting a confirmation or something or if it didn't go through. Dont want to clog up the mailboxes with extra emails. Just wondering if it got through. I did get a confirmation on helping out with Assention of the Drow, just not DMing the other things. Just wondering =) I know people were busy with Origins.
I was at Origins and unable to process volunteer emails. I intend to be caught back up soon. Stay tuned.
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When and where exactly is GenCon? I've never been, and have never run a OP adventure at a con before, but I've run games at local cons, and I've been running a weekly game for..um...20 years? Yeah, about that.
I had no intention of going to GenCon because I figured I couldn't afford the trip, the hotel, and the con. But if Paizo will pay for a room and a badge (and give me $40 in spending cash!), then hell, why not do it?
Will volunteers get a list of miniatures needed in advance? Because I don't want to bring my whole collection. In fact, a list of all needed stuff would be great.
Maybe I should just email Josh.
That sounds like a wonderful idea. :-) I'm sure I'll get to your email on Monday.
We still need volunteers. Most of our volunteers are signing up for Tier 2, which means we have Tier 1 volunteer slots still available. We'd love to have you GM for us, DeadDM!
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Woot!
Alright Josh, it isn't much because my schedule is pretty full already, but I am in for Tier 3. I'll run one PFS on Thursday afternoon and also run the Friday night Ascension of the Drow special with Nick. I've sent you an email with the details.
I am excited! Thanks for the opportunity!
and I'm looking forward to working with you on AoD Nick! Cheers!
Ron Janik
Friday Night Ascension of the Drow still needs GMs? If yes, I'm in.
You guys know how to get a hold of me.
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A couple of questions for Josh:
How long before & after do volunteers need to set aside?
Will there be Slot 0 runs at GenCon? (say, on Wednesday)
I'm likely to be available to run some Frozen Fingers, but my pre-reg schedule is a little tight to some of your sessions, and I want to play Silken Caravan (as well as the other 2).
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A couple of questions for Josh:
How long before & after do volunteers need to set aside?
Will there be Slot 0 runs at GenCon? (say, on Wednesday)I'm likely to be available to run some Frozen Fingers, but my pre-reg schedule is a little tight to some of your sessions, and I want to play Silken Caravan (as well as the other 2).
Well, I'm sure we can set up online slot 0s as well. Of course, my slot 0 schedule will be tricky since I got a fair number of LFR mods to try and get in, but I'll be more then happy to work at it.
A couple of questions for Josh:
How long before & after do volunteers need to set aside?
Will there be Slot 0 runs at GenCon? (say, on Wednesday)I'm likely to be available to run some Frozen Fingers, but my pre-reg schedule is a little tight to some of your sessions, and I want to play Silken Caravan (as well as the other 2).
Once I have all of the GMs on a list, I'll email everyone about setting up local slot 0s before Gen Con as well as folks getting together to run slots 0s on Wednesday and Wednesday night. Unfortunately, we (Paizo) don't have the time to fully organize the slot 0s, so it'll be up to the GMs to work together to make them happen.
As for your first question, GMs can pretty much run off right as the event ends. We'll be calling for pencils down about 30 mins before the end of the event for paperwork as we need to clear the room and get it set up again either for the next slot or to get the Paizo employees off to their panels (in the case of the afternoon slots). As far as before the slot is concerned, we're going to ask everyone to show at least 15 mins before the slot begins so we can marshal the room before the slot starts.
We still need volunteers. Most of our volunteers are signing up for Tier 2, which means we have Tier 1 volunteer slots still available. We'd love to have you GM for us, DeadDM!Rooms still available?
Yup.
Tier One for me. Mwah-hah-hah! :D
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It will be cool meeting some of the other posters here on the boards. Looking forward to running Ascention of the Drow.
Looking forward to getting the "deets" as well. I've been pooring over my Rules Compendium for a few nights just to get ready. I too would like some notes on what we should bring (other that what is listed above.)
We still need volunteers. Most of our volunteers are signing up for Tier 2, which means we have Tier 1 volunteer slots still available. We'd love to have you GM for us, DeadDM!
Are you looking for volunteers for Gencon UK? because, you know, if you want some tier 1 DMs for that...