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Hey everyone--I'm a new Pathfinder player--I've been working on the Beginner Box with my kids as a GM, and will be playing some PFS stuff here real soon. My question is, as an Indy resident, and first time GenCon attendee, how long of a pass should I plan on getting? I'm only about 35 minutes from downtown, and can park for free near the Convention Center due to my job. Is it worth getting the 4-day pass? I've never been before and don't know if I'll get my money's worth out of the 4-day. What should I expect? Thanks for any help.
It really depends on what and how much you want to do.
I've gone 6 years in a row, but I don't really do much actual gaming there. I can game any day of the week at home, some I'm more interested in everything else.
I'm mostly interested in cruising the dealer hall, and checking out all there is to see. Seeing and meeting a lot of really interesting people.
For me a 1 day badge works fine, and I have 30 extra dollars to spend. 2 days has worked fine for me. I'm bored on day 3. So I usually get a 1 day and hang out another half day in the perimeter.
If I went to Gencon to actually game 4 day would be the only way to go. Also if money is no concern you might as well kick in for the 4 day.
Gencon is not just inside the dealer hall, but spills out into the streets all around. I always spent a lot of time outside and in the pubs, no badge required.
If you only go one day it probably should be Saturday. Because of the costume contest you have the highest percentage of attendees dressed up.
Also keep in mind that official convention events run 24 hours a day. 1 day at Gencon can be like 3 days anywhere else.
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Thanks for all the info, guys. I'd love to save some money and get the cheaper pass, but for $30 more it will be awfully convenient to be able to split my time up over 4 days. I don't know how much gaming I'll be doing, either, but I want to make sure I have the time to see everything in case I get sucked into some good games. Since this is my first Con, I'll just bite the bullet and hopefully learn everything I can for next year.
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Just doing a walkthrough of the dealer's room will take anywhere from 2-4 hours, depending on how much you stop to look at different booths in depth.
Game slots are usually 4 hours long, so you're looking at about 3 - 4 slots in a normal person's day at Gen Con.
Seminars and other events can vary in length.
Not all the celebrities will be available every day for autographs, so if that's on your agenda you want to check the days for each celebrity's availability and plan accordingly.
If you're looking to do more than a single day's worth of activities, then I'd just go ahead and spring for the 4-day.
Calvert, I'm a Indy local, and I can guarantee the extra $30 is well worth it. As previously mentioned, the dealer's room is an experience by itself, especially if you've never seen so much gaming goodness under one roof.
Plus, don't forget that a lot of the seminars are free, there's a miniature paint-n-take that's free, and many manufacturers run demo games in the dealer's area.
Heck, I'll have a seven-week-old infant at home, and I'm still getting the 4-day pass. And that's not because I'll be using it as an excuse to get extra sleep. The flexibility of going home when I get tired and showing up when I want is nice.
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Again, thanks for all the advice. I've gone ahead and gotten the 4-day badge, and even bought some tickets for a couple games, one on Thursday night, and one on Sunday morning. I guess that way I can take my kids on Friday or Saturday, and still be there on Sunday to try and score some cheap stuff. I'm sure my plans will be broken down even further as I discover more and more to do. Thanks again, I'm looking forward to it!
The Zombie Walk is Friday night. The costume parade is Saturday afternoon. Both have been highlights for my own kids.