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Are there any plans for boons for us GMs who don't attend conventions? Here in North Carolina there are only a few small conventions, and while I do GM at them, so far that has just meant the 3 race boon sheet. It strikes me as odd that I have gotten something for those 4 convention tables, but I've gotten nothing for any of the others. As I've earned 2 stars in the past year, I think I'm a reasonably active GM.
Is it that everyone else has to use conventions to play PFS, and we're just an exception to the rule? Last year we had a visiting V-L, and he told me he was surprised at the number of game store options that we have. There are 4 stores within 20 miles of my house that I know that run weekly PFS events, and I think they cover 5 days of the week. The store I frequent has to limit PFS to 3 tables because of space issues, but has kept up that pace fairly consistently every Friday for almost a year. If not 150 tables, it is pretty close to that many.
From the limited convention experience I have, I knew or had heard of almost everyone there. It is the same group of people who already played PFS at the game stores, just in a different setting. I hope recruitment isn't the motivation because I see more newbies at the stores, or the Teen PFS events I organize, than the conventions I've been to.
Are there any plans change any of this? Is the consensus that things are fine as they are? If there are plans to change things, what are those plans?
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I have been asking this for a LONG time and the general consensus is no.. which is not a favorite answer of mine as others will attest too.
It does not make sense to me that convention goers in this economy get boons and those that do not go but go on a regular basis to game events in their community get just basically nothing but the chronicle sheets everyone else gets with each scenario.
I STILL think that having some boons for those players and GM's that are playing on a regular basis, should get a boon or two a year for being so diligent at least.
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If I remember the reason given for not giving boons for more community oriented DMing was that Paizo doesn't have the IT resources/time to make a system for automatically tying boons to reported games. I accept this as a completely reasonable reason even though I remain very disappointed in it.
I also have come to the perspective that while there is certainly a divide, the PFS community is quality enough to try to ameliorate it by sharing boons as proven by the number and length of boon sharing threads going on. Also PFS is not nearly as bad as some living campaigns about being con-centric.
There are always going to be some people out in the stix who are not able to fully participate in the campaign, but I agree that it is something that the campaign needs to work on.
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It's also that boons are used (among other things) to get people excited about Cons which is a perfectly reasonable way to use them.
However, I don't think that the issue should revolve around what Paizo can do for you, after all game-days are near free entertainment. That in and of itself should be enough. If you have a hankering for some boons but can't make it to a large con (believe me I know how that feels) why not set up a local con yourself? It's really not that hard to do and if the table numbers you quotes are correct you should qualify for the 15 table minimum rule.
To (mis)quote Iron Fist: "be the change you want to see".
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Doug,
If you have that many stores within 20 miles of each other an idea:
Run STORECON; A multi-store, weekend convention. Get the local stores to participate. If PFS covers 5 days of the week make it a week-long convention.
Contact the local GM's from those stores get them on a email or yahoogroups so you can organize. Set up a warhorn page with all the PFS offering and locations. make sure you run a minimum of 15 tables.
Each store would get credited for STORECON on a particular day. You can have a staffer hand out prize support from paizo on the day that store is scheduled to run storecon events and your in business.
Do this twice a year Fall and Sping Storecon and you'll be golden.
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However, I don't think that the issue should revolve around what Paizo can do for you,[...]
+1 that! I got my first con boons last month and can honestly say it was just icing on the epic cake of +1 deliciousness. I ended up giving some away before I even left to those not lucky enough to receive one or the one they wanted. The con was my reason to go to the con. And PFS was my game of choice regardless of boons.
Similarly, I'm going to Gen Con and have no idea what boons will be available and quite honestly I don't much care. I'm going to help out best I can and to have a blast. If I get boons, I get boons. Honestly, with some exceptions, they're not as all that as everyone makes them out to be.
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The thing is that not e everyone can afford to go nor can everyone due to physical disability is able to go there either. Not just those that live out in the sticks so to speak.
While I agree that all boons are not the end all be all sort of thing but some are such as the special racial boons and such. They should be available to everyone at one point. It would be nice for that.
Boons are said to be a way to promote PFS to convention goers. I think that we can think of other ways too.
Oh well. I know that hardly anyone agrees.
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Well, to be fair some boons do become available for everyone. See Aasimar, Tiefling and Tengu. These were all previous convention boons that recently (Just over 6 months!) got opened to everyone.
Also, I'm sure that besides the technical hurdle Saint Caleth pointed out, there is also the abuse hurdle. There has to be a good balance. If the rewards for GMing are too great, people will abuse the system in order to earn those rewards faster. If the rewards are few or non existent, then people will GM less (e.g. if they removed getting credit for a character when you GM). I think campaign leadership does a good job balancing rewards here.
As for convention GM boons, I still think they are a good idea. Like some of you said, not everyone can afford to go. But I think I am safe to say that of people who DO go the majority are making some kind of sacrifice. I am able to go to GenCon this year, but I am flying in, so that's a few hundred dollars that are NOT trivial to me. I'm sure there is a minority that has little to no effort to go (locals, millionaires...) but even them are giving up their time to GM at a convention instead of playing or visiting other parts of the con, etc... I myself think convention GMs are giving up something extra, and it's nice to get some sort of 'thanks' from Paizo.
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Boons are said to be a way to promote PFS to convention goers. I think that we can think of other ways too.
Oh well. I know that hardly anyone agrees.
I'm sure there are lots of people that agree with you.
Mike has said on numerous ocassions that he is open to suggestions to other things that could work for drawing con attention as the boons (specifically the race ones). So if you have other suggestions, feel free to offer them up.
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The thing is that not e everyone can afford to go nor can everyone due to physical disability is able to go there either. Not just those that live out in the sticks so to speak.
While I agree that all boons are not the end all be all sort of thing but some are such as the special racial boons and such. They should be available to everyone at one point. It would be nice for that.
Boons are said to be a way to promote PFS to convention goers. I think that we can think of other ways too.
Oh well. I know that hardly anyone agrees.
Aside from some sort of --plegia (para,quad etc) I'm not sure of what other physicial disability could completely prevent someone from attending a convention if they really wanted to. Most public facilities have the ways and means to accomodate almost every type of physicial disabilty that is common (uncommon maybe not so much but who knows). sometimes all it takes is just asking the venue if the can accommodate disabilty X and seeing that they way.
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Well, to be fair some boons do become available for everyone. See Aasimar, Tiefling and Tengu. These were all previous convention boons that recently (Just over 6 months!) got opened to everyone.
Also, I'm sure that besides the technical hurdle Saint Caleth pointed out, there is also the abuse hurdle. There has to be a good balance. If the rewards for GMing are too great, people will abuse the system in order to earn those rewards faster. If the rewards are few or non existent, then people will GM less (e.g. if they removed getting credit for a character when you GM). I think campaign leadership does a good job balancing rewards here.
As for convention GM boons, I still think they are a good idea. Like some of you said, not everyone can afford to go. But I think I am safe to say that of people who DO go the majority are making some kind of sacrifice. I am able to go to GenCon this year, but I am flying in, so that's a few hundred dollars that are NOT trivial to me. I'm sure there is a minority that has little to no effort to go (locals, millionaires...) but even them are giving up their time to GM at a convention instead of playing or visiting other parts of the con, etc... I myself think convention GMs are giving up something extra, and it's nice to get some sort of 'thanks' from Paizo.
Oh I do appreciate people that GM at Conventions and such. I do that myself. I GM many and I do mean MANY events during the year too.
I also did not mean to imply that those that GO to conventions are rich by any means... but for the most part those that can't go to conventions can't even afford to give up anything to attend. Not to mention some of the people with disabilities that can't attend at all and can barely attend the local game day events near them if at all. So no I am not trivializing or insulting anyone that attends conventions.. what I am saying is that it would be nice for those that can't go to have a way to get boons that are offered at con's too.|
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Aside from some sort of --plegia (para,quad etc) I'm not sure of what other physicial disability could completely prevent someone from attending a convention if they really wanted to. Most public facilities have the ways and means to accomodate almost every type of physicial disabilty that is common (uncommon maybe not so much but who knows). sometimes all it takes is just asking the venue if the can accommodate disabilty X and seeing that they way.The thing is that not e everyone can afford to go nor can everyone due to physical disability is able to go there either. Not just those that live out in the sticks so to speak.
While I agree that all boons are not the end all be all sort of thing but some are such as the special racial boons and such. They should be available to everyone at one point. It would be nice for that.
Boons are said to be a way to promote PFS to convention goers. I think that we can think of other ways too.
Oh well. I know that hardly anyone agrees.
While most if not all facilities are very accommodating to people with disabilities but not all are taken care of easily though. For instance imagine not having transportation such as a car and having to take the bus but can't walk further then a couple of hundred feet because of the need of a cane and oxygen tank. There are many more similar to that.. the person with a cane can't afford a electric wheel chair or has the strength for a normal wheel chair. Arthritis also prevents things too.
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for the record, we are all already pseudo organized through a facebook page dedicated to this area. between the 3 stores i go to i believe there are games sunday, monday, wednesday, thursday twice (at 2 different stores), and friday. there used to be a store who ran 2-3 slots all day saturday but they were a bit too far away for some people and were a very small store. they went out of business.
but yes there are a lot of places to go around here for gaming, PFS in particular. especially since I DESTROYED* 4th ed D&D at my main store. MUHAHAHA!
i think the idea of a multi-store convention would be neat idea, although i'm not sure the amount of extra work that would put on steve miller.
*and by destroyed i mean i insisted on a table of pathfinder every week, and that basically took over.
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Aside from some sort of --plegia (para,quad etc) I'm not sure of what other physicial disability could completely prevent someone from attending a convention if they really wanted to. Most public facilities have the ways and means to accomodate almost every type of physicial disabilty that is common (uncommon maybe not so much but who knows). sometimes all it takes is just asking the venue if the can accommodate disabilty X and seeing that they way.The thing is that not e everyone can afford to go nor can everyone due to physical disability is able to go there either. Not just those that live out in the sticks so to speak.
While I agree that all boons are not the end all be all sort of thing but some are such as the special racial boons and such. They should be available to everyone at one point. It would be nice for that.
Boons are said to be a way to promote PFS to convention goers. I think that we can think of other ways too.
Oh well. I know that hardly anyone agrees.While most if not all facilities are very accommodating to people with disabilities but not all are taken care of easily though. For instance imagine not having transportation such as a car and having to take the bus but can't walk further then a couple of hundred feet because of the need of a cane and oxygen tank. There are many more similar to that.. the person with a cane can't afford a electric wheel chair or has the strength for a normal wheel chair. Arthritis also prevents things too.
All I can say, from the number of hoverrounds and other various forms of electronic and other travel, people have found ways. If it's a matter of the funds, that is a different matter. But from what I have seen, if there is a will to go, there are people that will find a way.
There are also, medically, some things that can be done with the examples you stated... but here and now isn't the place to get into them.
I think what this whole thread is going to boil down to and someone already pretty much stated it... until we provide Mike a better way to add a hook to large conventions, the boons are going to be the option and (as of right now) any complaining about it isn't going to work.
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Conventions can be with little cost.
A local convention in Indianapolis has 0$ cost for a badge as well as 0$ cost per gaming slot. Of course they also have a donation of 20$ that gives out a free shirt.
If you have 4 game stores that are willing you could have each sponsor something like a VFW or a Hotel Conference Center. A large public library usually has free rooms to book.
Some stores promote a Convention, by helping pay for room rental. If they also sell product they could possibly make money from the effort.
Local conventions are fun, it also is a great way to build a community.
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i think the idea of a multi-store convention would be neat idea, although i'm not sure the amount of extra work that would put on steve miller.
If that isn't considered gaming the system, then I'm up for it. I know I can swing things at Gamer's Armory. I bet the Game Theory or Atomic Empire crowd will be up for it as well. Game Connection might be a bit more difficult, but we can always ask. We might be able to get this done without bothering Steve too much. Or Joe because he's busy finding warm bodies for Con*Temporal.
there used to be a store who ran 2-3 slots all day saturday but they were a bit too far away for some people and were a very small store. they went out of business.
That was C4 in Mebane. They disappeared before I got a chance to go there. Myles had said good things about it.
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There are also those of us that are from smaller countries. We in Finland have at the most two events in an year that could qualify for a convention status by the 15 tables criterion.
We mostly play at home. Practically no store games, although there have been some tries, and those two RPG conventions.
This kind of reduces the possibility of getting anything convention-specific done, at least not that often. Last year we managed Blood Under Absalom, and that took a lot to get done.
Just a non-USA view into PFS. I actually got interested about the different gaming cultures in different countries. Do people in the USA actually not play home games that much?
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Do people in the USA actually not play home games that much?
I think the answer is, "it depends".
There are, as you've seen in this thread, a fair number of people who play OP campaigns, like PFS, as "home games", because they're interested in participating in the OP program, but can't find a broader / public OP experience in their area. Some of them might well be able to make it to a convention or two a year, but others might never play PFS outside of their "home group". And, that's been true for other, earlier OP campaigns, as well. My suspicion is that these players are a minority of the PFS player base in the U.S., but it may be that there's more of them than we realize (and it's just that they're very quiet).
And, then, there are people who play PFS more-or-less exclusively at public events, but still play home games, as well -- it's just that those home games aren't OP games.
And, then, there's a (probably small) group of people whose only gaming is PFS (or other OP campaigns) in public settings, but they play at a *lot* of public events. I know of a group of friends here in the Chicago area who probably go to at least 2 conventions or public events a month, and play nothing but OP games, all weekend. It probably only works if you're in a relatively densely-populated area, and requires a bit of travel, but it's something that they've done since the days of Living Greyhawk (a campaign which had "regional" adventures, for which you had to travel in order to play adventures from regions other than your own).
(Myself, I'm somewhere between the first and second groups. :-) )
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Well, Minnesota actually has roughly the same amount of citizens as Finland, which I find kind of funny.
But yeah, "home gaming" here doesn't mean that it's the same people all the time, in my city we have more players than would fit in one table of PFS. We just play at the current GM's home most of the time, and there are at least five different people GMing actively, all of them actually players in the other games. And we're getting new players every now and then.
Dunno how off-topic this is getting, though.
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Pathfinder Society Campaign Coordinator
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You know, there is PFS outside of the U.S., where Cons are rare. Then add in high prices for getting there and back as well as hotel prices and some people with lower budgets.
So other ways to get some boons are really cool.
Here are 3 ways currently to obtain boons without attending a convention:
Pathfinder Tales
Holiday Boons
Trade Threads
What other ideas do you have?
As for cons being rare outside the US, I've sent boons to conventions in 16 different countries this year from January through March. Are they really that rare?
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You know, there is PFS outside of the U.S., where Cons are rare. Then add in high prices for getting there and back as well as hotel prices and some people with lower budgets.
So other ways to get some boons are really cool.
Here are 3 ways currently to obtain boons without attending a convention:
Pathfinder Tales
Holiday Boons
Trade ThreadsWhat other ideas do you have?
As for cons being rare outside the US, I've sent boons to conventions in 16 different countries this year from January through March. Are they really that rare?
You can add WarFinder '13 to that list boss (details forthcoming).
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Pathfinder Society Campaign Coordinator
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You can add WarFinder '13 to that list boss (details forthcoming).You know, there is PFS outside of the U.S., where Cons are rare. Then add in high prices for getting there and back as well as hotel prices and some people with lower budgets.
So other ways to get some boons are really cool.
Here are 3 ways currently to obtain boons without attending a convention:
Pathfinder Tales
Holiday Boons
Trade ThreadsWhat other ideas do you have?
As for cons being rare outside the US, I've sent boons to conventions in 16 different countries this year from January through March. Are they really that rare?
That was just January through March. Once June gets here, it will be 23 different countries at minimum.
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Just a non-USA view into PFS. I actually got interested about the different gaming cultures in different countries. Do people in the USA actually not play home games that much?
I would assume that most players in the USA play real campaigns if they are able to have a consistent home group. That is what I did when I was back home. I would assume that OP games only are predominant where there is a thin or inconstant population of gamers since its strength is that it is not a full campaign and you can pop in and out whenever you need to.
I also want to say that PFS is really great about trying to expand beyond the US. As someone who is hopefully going to be living in abroad for the next several years I was happy to see the number of VCs springing up aroun the world. Although it seems that the only boon supported events in the Asia/Pacific region are in Australia (I'm really thankful for the strong PFS presence there so I can have some online gaming in a reasonably close time zone), but hopefully with the new VC in Singapore that can open up a little bit.
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I just sent boons to Singapore this week for a game day coming up in a few weeks. I'm hoping I'm able to send boons to our new VC in China in the next few months. And, there are future plans for Japan when a current VC moves there in late 2013 or early 2014.
Sweet, I live close enough to Chongqing (That's where the VC is, right?) to get there for a weekend. Very exciting to be potentially able to actually get to fully participate in the campaign for once.
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That was C4 in Mebane. They disappeared before I got a chance to go there. Myles had said good things about it.
yes i went there every weekend for about 8 weeks or so. it was 29 miles from my house but worth it since it was 2-3 slots at once.
it was run by very friendly and helpful people, but their issue was the store was literally the size of my living room, in a very obscure location. i saw myles there a few times before he left, but i think it was primarily me and eric h. who went there regularly. (eric is how i found out about it)
Venture-Captain, North Carolina—Central Region
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i think the idea of a multi-store convention would be neat idea, although i'm not sure the amount of extra work that would put on steve miller.If that isn't considered gaming the system, then I'm up for it. I know I can swing things at Gamer's Armory. I bet the Game Theory or Atomic Empire crowd will be up for it as well. Game Connection might be a bit more difficult, but we can always ask. We might be able to get this done without bothering Steve too much. Or Joe because he's busy finding warm bodies for Con*Temporal.
I didn't even realize there were that many FLGSs in that area. *sigh* Why does Greensboro have to have such a dearth of them?
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You know, there is PFS outside of the U.S., where Cons are rare. Then add in high prices for getting there and back as well as hotel prices and some people with lower budgets.
So other ways to get some boons are really cool.
Here are 3 ways currently to obtain boons without attending a convention:
Pathfinder Tales
Holiday Boons
Trade ThreadsWhat other ideas do you have?
As for cons being rare outside the US, I've sent boons to conventions in 16 different countries this year from January through March. Are they really that rare?
Pathfinder Tales are bought not rewards.
Holiday Boons are available to everyone, again not a reward.Trade threads, you have to have one to trade it.
For dedicated GMs that can not go to conventions, there are no real rewards. I think that is what the OP is talking about. I feel the same way. For those GMs (like me) that can not go to conventions we get nothing besides the joy of running at our weekly events. Where if someone only goes to conventions and runs 1 table, they get special boons. We as normal local GMs are doing more for the campaign then the convention only GM, but get less for it.
Sending out boons to GMs that are constantly running would be nice, or even making them available for VOs to hand out. It would help encourage more players to GM. Right now there is no real incentive to GM for most people.
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For dedicated GMs that can not go to conventions, there are no real rewards. I think that is what the OP is talking about. I feel the same way. For those GMs (like me) that can not go to conventions we get nothing besides the joy of running at our weekly events...
... It would help encourage more players to GM. Right now there is no real incentive to GM for most people.
This is not entirely true. Currently, there is an exclusive scenario every season that can only be GMed by 4+ star GMs and VOs. I myself do consider that a reward, and am actually sad I can't run those myself (YET! 1 game away from 3rd star). Some may say being able to just run more games is not a reward, but for me it definitely is. I mean, Day of the Demon sounds AWESOME and I wish I could run it, but I'll have to wait for a year.
Heck, the star system itself is a "reward" of its own kind, although I'm sure the value of that is variable depending on the person. For me, I like it fine. For others, they may not care.
If by "real" rewards you mean physical goods (boons, shirts, etc...) then maybe, but I don't think that would be the main driver for GMs. If anyone is GMing only (or motivated by) to get swag, then I think they are doing it for the wrong reasons.
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For dedicated GMs that can not go to conventions, there are no real rewards. I think that is what the OP is talking about. I feel the same way. For those GMs (like me) that can not go to conventions we get nothing besides the joy of running at our weekly events...
... It would help encourage more players to GM. Right now there is no real incentive to GM for most people.
This is not entirely true. Currently, there is an exclusive scenario every season that can only be GMed by 4+ star GMs and VOs. I myself do consider that a reward, and am actually sad I can't run those myself (YET! 1 game away from 3rd star). Some may say being able to just run more games is not a reward, but for me it definitely is. I mean, Day of the Demon sounds AWESOME and I wish I could run it, but I'll have to wait for a year.
Heck, the star system itself is a "reward" of its own kind, although I'm sure the value of that is variable depending on the person. For me, I like it fine. For others, they may not care.
If by "real" rewards you mean physical goods (boons, shirts, etc...) then maybe, but I don't think that would be the main driver for GMs. If anyone is GMing only (or motivated by) to get swag, then I think they are doing it for the wrong reasons.
No I don't mean physical goods. I don't consider boons to be physical goods, and I don't want them to make the race boons available outside of conventions either. The 1 scenario a season for 4+ star GMs is a mini reward, as that same scenario is made available the next season to everyone.
Come up with something that recognizes those that GM non stop for their local PFS community. Boons that give extra prestige, access to items, something.
It just seems that convention GMs are valued greater then local GMs, and I feel that is wrong.
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Hello Doug, its Myles. I hope everything is going well down in the Triangle area. I'm sorry to hear that C4 closed. It was a nice little store. I hope that you and your sons are doing well. I hope your son's half orc barbarian hasn't run into any more Gelatenous Cubes!
It sounds like PFS has really expanded since I left at the end of October. June Solar' suggestion of a Store Con sounds like a good idea. I think that both Game Theory and Atomic Empire are both large enough to host a con. From what I understand there is already enough players to support the running of the Specials....Just before I left Steve ran Race for the Rune Carved Key at Game Theory. The stores may very well go for it....its a chance to have a big event at their location. Good for advertising. At least it may be an idea worth bringing up for discussion in the community. which reminds me I have to go bug Joe about GMing at Con Temporal.
Asthyrl, Hello I hope everything is going well. I think, especially if you played at C4, I may very well know you, not your screen name, but you.
Daenoth, I expect that i might know you. If you are whom I think you are, thank you for all of your help at Total Confusion three weekends ago, and Genericon two weekends ago. Both conventions would have been much more difficult for me without your help. Thank you.
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Pathfinder Society Campaign Coordinator
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No I don't mean physical goods. I don't consider boons to be physical goods, and I don't want them to make the race boons available outside of conventions either. The 1 scenario a season for 4+ star GMs is a mini reward, as that same scenario is made available the next season to everyone.
Come up with something that recognizes those that GM non stop for their local PFS community. Boons that give extra prestige, access to items, something.
It just seems that convention GMs are valued greater then local GMs, and I feel that is wrong.
So, if we give boons to GMs that can't make it to conventions but can run regular game days at their FLGS, is that all that is needed to make people happy? If so, then I can definitely look into a program for that.
But, then I think we start getting people that only GM for their home group, and have four stars who advise they GM a good bit and should get the same boons as the store GMs.
Where do we draw the line?
Also, what measurement should we use to determine what GMs that cant make conventions should receive boons? Run a game once a week? Once a month? GMs at conventions are giving Pathfinder and PFS exposure to a lot of players, and some potentially new customers, where GMs at the FLGS may only be giving exposure of our products to the same four players once a month and not bringing in any new customers. Again, where is the line drawn? Because, if I send a boon to a GM that runs a game every week, the GM that runs a game once a month is going to be advising the same thing you are right now.
And how about the GM who runs games online? Do we give them boons also, even though the exposure to new customers is even less than the two above?
Also, if we give the weekly store GM the same boon as conventions, then what do we use to draw people to conventions? And please have more than just a race boon as a suggestion.
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My suggestion is that "service" rewards should not be tied only to the star system for the exact same reason you said above. I think the rewards should be for GMs that promote and grow PFS, not just sit at home with the same 4 people every week.
Maybe you can work through the VOs to nominate GMs that have been doing just that, not just GMing but promoting it as well. Spending their time at stores and venues. We kinda have that already when we have "X person just got their 3rd/4th star" threads here on the boards, so I would think it would be something similar. The new service coins seem to be similar in intent, but the ability to obtain one seems even harder than con boons (which may be their intended purpose, which is cool as well).
So I'd see something similar to the coins, but with a broader availability.
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Pathfinder Society Campaign Coordinator
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I already work with some VCs and VLs in that regard. And guess what? Most of the GMs that would qualify also GM at conventions.
And yes, the service award cons are supposed to be difficult to obtain. It is for so much more than just GMing games. It is giving back to the game and giving back to the community at the same time. It is making PFS better as a whole, not just GMing games at conventions or local game days.
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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This is not entirely true. Currently, there is an exclusive scenario every season that can only be GMed by 4+ star GMs and VOs. I myself do consider that a reward, and am actually sad I can't run those myself (YET! 1 game away from 3rd star). Some may say being able to just run more games is not a reward, but for me it definitely is. I mean, Day of the Demon sounds AWESOME and I wish I could run it, but I'll have to wait for a year.Agreed, and I'd point out the previous 'super sekret scenarios' have been added later.
Heck, the star system itself is a "reward" of its own kind, although I'm sure the value of that is variable depending on the person. For me, I like it fine. For others, they may not care.
*raises hand* Put me in the 'may not care' crowd. Sure it's a verifiable method of boasting what you do, which isn't
If by "real" rewards you mean physical goods (boons, shirts, etc...) then maybe, but I don't think that would be the main driver for GMs. If anyone is GMing only (or motivated by) to get swag, then I think they are doing it for the wrong reasons.
*nods* Would I like something more than a star for running adventures? Yes please I'll take a kayal PC. :-) Is it the reason I get behind the screen? Nope.I do it to have fun, to let others have fun, and to get together with peers and have a good laugh.
If I don't get more than a chuckle and a feeling of a job well done, I'll be fine.
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No I don't mean physical goods. I don't consider boons to be physical goods, and I don't want them to make the race boons available outside of conventions either. The 1 scenario a season for 4+ star GMs is a mini reward, as that same scenario is made available the next season to everyone.
Come up with something that recognizes those that GM non stop for their local PFS community. Boons that give extra prestige, access to items, something.
It just seems that convention GMs are valued greater then local GMs, and I feel that is wrong.
So, if we give boons to GMs that can't make it to conventions but can run regular game days at their FLGS, is that all that is needed to make people happy? If so, then I can definitely look into a program for that.
But, then I think we start getting people that only GM for their home group, and have four stars who advise they GM a good bit and should get the same boons as the store GMs.
Where do we draw the line?
Also, what measurement should we use to determine what GMs that cant make conventions should receive boons? Run a game once a week? Once a month? GMs at conventions are giving Pathfinder and PFS exposure to a lot of players, and some potentially new customers, where GMs at the FLGS may only be giving exposure of our products to the same four players once a month and not bringing in any new customers. Again, where is the line drawn? Because, if I send a boon to a GM that runs a game every week, the GM that runs a game once a month is going to be advising the same thing you are right now.
And how about the GM who runs games online? Do we give them boons also, even though the exposure to new customers is even less than the two above?
Also, if we give the weekly store GM the same boon as conventions, then what do we use to draw people to conventions? And please have more than just a race boon as a suggestion.
I agree convention boons should be special, and keeping the race boons there is fine.
Here is how I would set up the "GM boon" program.
Give each event type an exposure rating. Private events being on the low end, and conventions being on the high end. (I would lead to private events not even counting since there is essentially no exposure)
When you GM a table you accumulate campaign points based on the exposure rating. The campaign points can be turned in for boons, with different boons having different values.
Some boon ideas:
+1 prestige
Reroll
special item
special consumable
vanity
Stuff like that. Nothing crazy, but fun little stuff.
Feel free to PM if you would care for me to elaborate more.