It's only 2 weeks away. I'm excited after not making it the past 2 years. Share what you're looking forward to, for example:
What's on your event list?
What's on your shopping list?
I'm going to be at Games-on-Demand a lot. I'd probably be there a lot anyways, but by volunteering 16+ hours of my time I got a free badge. I'll probably find some panels to sit in on to round out day time activities. I haven't really thought about what's on my shopping list yet, probably not much, but there's always something.
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I'm very excited. This will be my first time going -- moving it up 2 weeks made a *huge* difference for how it fits into my work schedule.
I'm playing all the specials, and demoing the Card Game during most of the other slots.
One of the things I'm excited about is that my wife will be coming with me. She played a lot of AD&D back in the day, but hadn't felt up to jumping into Pathfinder until very recently.
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I'm very excited. This will be my first time going -- moving it up 2 weeks made a *huge* difference for how it fits into my work schedule.
I'm playing all the specials, and demoing the Card Game during most of the other slots.
One of the things I'm excited about is that my wife will be coming with me. She played a lot of AD&D back in the day, but hadn't felt up to jumping into Pathfinder until very recently.
Awesome that your Mrs is coming with you. Mine got caught by work schedule and can't come this year. She only found out two weeks ago.
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I'm more kinda terrified. I talked myself into being a tier 1 GM this year and there is a metric s!!&-ton of prep work. Especially if you don't own all the maps.
I'm sure you'll do great. I love GM-ing at conventions, it has a whole different vibe than a home game. Not better or worse, just different. Of course for me it's a bit different, I get to run my own show in a way. I'm prepping two games to play, both of which you can count on one hand how many people will be running (probably in the neighborhood of 2).
I've heard it's something like 400 GM's for Pathfinder. Which is amazing and awesome that it's so huge. I'd love to hear how it goes afterwards, I'm guessing it's very different experience from Games-on-Demand.
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I wish it wasn't 10,000 kilometres away in another country :-( I hope everybody going has lots of fun. Post some pics and reviews, please.
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I've GM'd convention before; but I volunteered for all three evening specials + day slots so I have to have 4 games prep'd for my normal schedule + Confirmation and Wounded Wisp. I've never tried prepping 6 scenarios at once before. GAHHHHHHHH!!!!
Edit: And I know I'll do fine; that doesn't stop me from being terrified. :)
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Use to do 8 different scenario preps for Gencon. Not something I would like to do anymore.
I thought they tried to limit the number of preps that GMs had to do by having repeat scenarios for GMs.
Or did you ask for different scenarios for all slots?
(looking foward to returning to the con after a 2 year absence)
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Not going to be able to make it :(
Does Paizo have any exciting announcements it is going to be delivering? They won't be telling us about the next AP, right? that's a bit early...
We are going to be announcing the Adventure Path that follows Hell's Vengeance at the Adventure Path Q & A panel on Friday the 31st.
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We are going to be announcing the Adventure Path that follows Hell's Vengeance at the Adventure Path Q & A panel on Friday the 31st.Not going to be able to make it :(
Does Paizo have any exciting announcements it is going to be delivering? They won't be telling us about the next AP, right? that's a bit early...
:D
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Use to do 8 different scenario preps for Gencon. Not something I would like to do anymore.
I thought they tried to limit the number of preps that GMs had to do by having repeat scenarios for GMs.Or did you ask for different scenarios for all slots?
(looking foward to returning to the con after a 2 year absence)
I slotted myself for three evening specials, then I'm scheduled to run 7-02 the rest of the time. All tier 1 and 2 GMs are also expected to have the Confirmation and Wounded Wisp prepped just in case. If I hadn't slotted all three big evening events I'd probably be less nervous.
Not going to be able to make it :(
Does Paizo have any exciting announcements it is going to be delivering? They won't be telling us about the next AP, right? that's a bit early...
I know it's a very long trip for you, but I'd highly recommend it. Maybe include it as part of a larger trip to the US?
If you're able to deal with large crowds, GenCon should be considered a required pilgrimage to be done at least once in every RPG'ers life. The showroom floor is amazing, the sheer number of events, people walking around in costume and just the general atmosphere. Particularly the atmosphere just outside of the convention center. Downtown Indianapolis isn't particularly huge, so the 50k+ gamers who show up kind of take it over for the weekend. Everywhere you go are fellow gamers. You sit in a restaurant and see other people reading their RPG books, or showing off their latest purchases to friends.
Last time I went, one dinner we sat down and there was a couple at the next table. They had a book we were familiar with sitting on the table, so we asked them if they liked it. They hadn't actually played it yet, so we told them were to go to find a group so they could try it out.
That kind of conversation will never happen randomly at home, but the possibility of it and what it represents for the general atmosphere, it's probably my favorite part of the convention.
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Not going to be able to make it :(
Does Paizo have any exciting announcements it is going to be delivering? They won't be telling us about the next AP, right? that's a bit early...
I know it's a very long trip for you, but I'd highly recommend it. Maybe include it as part of a larger trip to the US?
If you're able to deal with large crowds, GenCon should be considered a required pilgrimage to be done at least once in every RPG'ers life. The showroom floor is amazing, the sheer number of events, people walking around in costume and just the general atmosphere. Particularly the atmosphere just outside of the convention center. Downtown Indianapolis isn't particularly huge, so the 50k+ gamers who show up kind of take it over for the weekend. Everywhere you go are fellow gamers. You sit in a restaurant and see other people reading their RPG books, or showing off their latest purchases to friends.
Last time I went, one dinner we sat down and there was a couple at the next table. They had a book we were familiar with sitting on the table, so we asked them if they liked it. They hadn't actually played it yet, so we told them were to go to find a group so they could try it out.
That kind of conversation will never happen randomly at home, but the possibility of it and what it represents for the general atmosphere, it's probably my favorite part of the convention.
Can't make it because I'll be trekking across the Indian himalaya range during most of August. Not that bad a tradeoff :)
But yeah, getting to a GenCon is certainly on my to-do list. Plan is to eventually clear an entire summer to do all the big cons and travel around some. I'll get there one day.
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Not going to be able to make it :(
Does Paizo have any exciting announcements it is going to be delivering? They won't be telling us about the next AP, right? that's a bit early...
I know it's a very long trip for you, but I'd highly recommend it. Maybe include it as part of a larger trip to the US?
...
Can't make it because I'll be trekking across the Indian himalaya range during most of August. Not that bad a tradeoff :)
But yeah, getting to a GenCon is certainly on my to-do list. Plan is to eventually clear an entire summer to do all the big cons and travel around some. I'll get there one day.
Honestly, I'd rather trek the Himalaya range too; even if I wasn't stressed because that sounds way cool.
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Honestly, I'd rather trek the Himalaya range too; even if I wasn't stressed because that sounds way cool.
Can't make it because I'll be trekking across the Indian himalaya range during most of August. Not that bad a tradeoff :)But yeah, getting to a GenCon is certainly on my to-do list. Plan is to eventually clear an entire summer to do all the big cons and travel around some. I'll get there one day.
I'd choose the Himalaya's as well, but partially cause I've already been to GenCon. :D
Made my to-do list of everything I need to finish before next Wednesday. Not much time left, I'm excited!
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I'm always excited. I never get to go, but I'm excited...
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Okay, I'm still waiting for my hotel information to drop from Paizo; and I know that they're probably waiting for all the room information from the managers at Gen Con. Does anybody remember how late room information was sent out last year? Seven days, man. Come on, please???
To be honest, I have never gotten any room confirmation from anyone but the PFS/volunteer coordinator for my room. Telling me my roommates, etc, but never any numbers etc that you normally get, if you had made the reservation yourself.
Got my GM'ing schedule, now to see what lectures/seminars/panels look interesting to fill some gaps.
Everything on my pre-GenCon to-do list is finally done. Dropped the dog off with friends this evening, went to the print shop and replenished character sheets and other handouts, wrote a new adventure. Less than 12 hours and I'll be on the road. Doing my pre-pack pack, so I can do it again in the morning to hopefully forget as few things as possible.
Hmmm, GenCon is only a 9 hour drive from my house. Maybe next year...
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I had a great time. Most all my time was spent GM'ing.
I had a great conversation with Tracy Hickman. I first met him in 2001 when I was in the Navy, he came on our ship as a VIP. He's always been extremely friendly and generous with his time. In 2012 I helped bring a friend who was dying of cancer to GenCon (his first and only as he died shortly after). Tracy was extremely generous and gracious, so I made a point to stop and thank him. He graced me with a story of the last time he got to play a game with Gary Gygax. So that was pretty cool. If you're ever at GenCon and Dragonlance influenced you at all, I highly recommend stopping at his booth. You don't even have to wait in line to talk to him.
I had dinner at St. Elmo's and it was everything I had hoped it would be. I dropped a pretty penny, but it was worth it.
Met up with an online gaming friend. He didn't attend the convention, but was local, so he'd stop by late in the evening to play board games with our group.
I GM'ed four 4-hour sessions between Mythender and Dark. Every session was good and a lot of fun.
I had a lot of good conversations. In fact, during the drive back on Sunday, I realized I didn't have a single bad conversation. I had a few extremely short interactions with jerks, but they were all short and easily forgettable. All in all, my interactions were all positive. I estimate that I had conversations with roughly 50-60 people and I enjoyed all of them.
I bought a couple posters and several dice, otherwise no games though. That was the one slightly disappointing thing about the convention, there didn't feel like there was any big release. A couple board games were the new "hotness", but nothing really new, big or groundbreaking.
Oh, and I nearly lost my voice by Thursday night. I drank a ton of tea and went through almost whole pack of ricolla.
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Okay, it's the week after Gen Con. Did everybody survive?I think so...but I think it'll be another week before I catch up on my sleep. I had a fabulous time, but I'm sorry I missed running into you (knowingly, at least).
I was at table Black 4 on Thursday and Friday. On table Black 10 Saturday afternoon and evening. I think you would have known it was me cause I was wearing both a Gaymer and an Ally ribbon; so it would have come up in conversation.