Currently I'm debating on if I want to go to this or not. Money isn't really the problem but time off is. I have thought of attending either this con or GenCon. The problem with GenCon is the date which is just before DragonCon, which I attend every year without exception. I'm coming from the Washington DC area so I'll have to fly out there. I am extremely active in the local PFS and I have played a majority of the scenarios out there, all of the specials except Shadows Under Absolom and did Bonekeep 1 and 2 last weekend. The new special might be interesting but Paizo chickened out and left out the seeker tier which hasn't happened in a while. I know there will be a new special and some of the new season scenarios. Is there anything else to draw me out there?
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Justin has it - it's the people. The Paizo staff of course, but just hanging out with the biggest fans in the Paizo-verse is incredible. The atmosphere is incredibly uplifting, joyful, and fun.
From a pure 'facts' basis:
- About 50/50 you'll get a game with a Paizo Staff or special guest (as long as you participate in the game lottery)
- PFS play - never better: all the GMs are dedicated, and 90% of the players are veterans who know the world and their characters well.
- Every current season scenario
- Banquet - great experience
- Seminars - ask the questions you've always wanted answered
- Seattle is fun to visit
PaizoCon is no where near as crazy as GenCon. Everyone I know who goes to GenCon leaves exhausted. Everyone I know who goes to PaizoCon leaves jazzed up. Even the Australians still recovering from jet lag.
Oh - and definitely stay through Sunday night. That's the absolute best time of the Con.
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Well, not sure your chances are 50/50 for getting a game with Paizo folks or a special guest, but they are HUGELY better than at a larger convention (i.e. Gen Con).
You get to meet a lot of great folks ... and be sure to keep an eye out for the Goblin Brain thread from Majuba if he does it again this year. Post quickly and you will not be sorry. :)
The game lottery has a lot to offer, but there is a good amount of "off the books" gaming as well, be it pick up games or those planned well in advance.
And yes, do book your flight to leave on Monday. The extra day is worth it from both the enjoyment factor of hanging out and playing games with folks post event as well as not getting caught up in all the people heading to the airport on Sunday.
I am really wishing I was able to go out to Seattle this year ... :(
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Don't take this the wrong way, but selling someone on this, or on Gen Con, I think, but especially Paizocon, does the event a disservice. People attend from all over the world because they *WANT* to be there. Most of them are there to make the event as great a time for themselves and everyone else as it possibly can be. They want to attend the banquet with its updates and the seminars, and play PFS with people they have either only met online or met at previous paizocons and possibly only see once a year.
It is a party, a celebration, a unique moment in time that will never be again, no matter if you return to Paizocon the next year.
So, if this doesn't describe you, you should definitely save your time off for something that makes you feel this way. Life is short, for all of us.
I live nearly ten times closer to GenCon than I do to PaizoCon, and I still would opt for the latter, Every. Single. Time.
I missed it last year and was miserable reading the board posts from everyone who was there. Which is why I did everything I could to make it this year.
I am really wishing I was able to go out to Seattle this year ... :(
Z, you suck. :-P
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I'm sad that this will probably be my last PaizoCon. I'm going to be moving out of easy driving distance (I'm tempted to do a 2-3 day drive for it anyway, but...). What's more, I'm going to be making a whole lot less money next year, so won't be able to justify doing it.
It was a lot of fun last year. The extreme noise in the PFS room was the biggest downside, but still I fondly remember the PFS games I played.
Re: the lottery, I don't know if I was especially lucky, but last year I was able to get into two "celebrity" games, one run by Logan Bonner (a fun and wacky game based on the concept from the movie Groundhog Day), one run by Christina Stiles.
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I attend both Gen Con and PaizoCon every year. They have VERY different vibes, mostly due to size. Gen Con is impressive and wonderful and just non-stop all the time. Paizocon is much more laid-back and intimate. It's like if you invited an entire game company over for the weekend to do some casual gaming and all your friends showed up too.
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RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32
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PFS play - never better: all the GMs are dedicated, and 90% of the players are veterans who know the world and their characters well.
Every current season scenario
Banquet - great experience
Seminars - ask the questions you've always wanted answered
I agree with all of this except the PFS bit. For example, last year it was, without a doubt, the worst PFS I have ever played. One good game (and as it turned out, the guy who ran it became a local VC), two terrible ones, and I bailed on the fourth.
Both of the terrible games were GM issues. One basically decided to run us at a higher tier for no reason and wasnt clear about it until after people died. The other was just, all around, terrible GMing. The whole thing was filled with traps, but the DC to find and disable the traps was super low. So low that PCs could not fail when rolling a 1. But he made us roll for every square...we did that for two hours.
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I had a very good PFS experience last year. Four games, three different GMs -- and the repeat GM was excellent. Did a great job playing the NPCs, had a great sense of humor without turning the scenarios into silly parodies, knew the scenarios inside out and kept things moving, and was attentive to the players.
The other two GMs were good as well.
Experiences vary, I guess.
The only real complaint I had was how loud it was in the PFS room.
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Is there anything else to draw me out there?
Even if you don't get into the scheduled PFS games there are a host of non-PFS games that are worth entering the lottery for, and there are plenty of pickup games with other people. Sunday afternoon last year saw me play The Green Market before running You Only Die Twice. You get to run into all sorts of people and have a great time no matter what you do. I personally prioritize this over Gen Con despite never having attended the latter. I will one year at some point, but PaizoCon is my yearly standard.
People attend from all over the world because they *WANT* to be there. Most of them are there to make the event as great a time for themselves and everyone else as it possibly can be. They want to attend the banquet with its updates and the seminars, and play PFS with people they have either only met online or met at previous paizocons and possibly only see once a year.
It is a party, a celebration, a unique moment in time that will never be again, no matter if you return to Paizocon the next year.
So, if this doesn't describe you, you should definitely save your time off for something that makes you feel this way. Life is short, for all of us.
You are very wise.
PaizoCon is for expressing your Passion about the game, the setting, and the people.
I'll be there. You'll have a chance to see me.
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