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Please add more sessions of Passing the Torch Part 1 and Part 2 for Gen Con 2019...
I got tickets for Part 2 but not for Part 1 and they sold out in minutes if not seconds. Obviously it is popular so if the powers that be read this, please consider adding some more sessions of these scenarios.
Thanks!
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Please add more sessions of Passing the Torch Part 1 and Part 2 for Gen Con 2019...
I got tickets for Part 2 but not for Part 1 and they sold out in minutes if not seconds. Obviously it is popular so if the powers that be read this, please consider adding some more sessions of these scenarios.
Thanks!
I concur with this request. Exactly the same reasoning. Was over 8,000 in line as soon as wish list submission opened, despite a fairly short list.
This is more and more common with GenCon where I can never land any desired events with their system and the size they've reached with attendees. I think I'll look at Paizo Con or Origins next year, unless the experience of folks who have gone to those is essentially the same in regards to limited seats and lotteries?
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Not to mention Siege of Gallowspire. I was less that 3500 in the queue and still couldn't get a ticket.
Same here - the Soldier tier tables in 7-8 and 10-11 both sold out right away (my group is likely to be level 9 by Saturday night of the con). There were a few champion tickets left at those levels, only 1 or 2, not enough to for us all to play.
Venture-Agent, Ohio—Columbus
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This is the first year I’ve ever gotten 0 of the events I actually wanted, which was the special and the 2 capstone scenarios. I was 6800ish in line when I submitted right at noon. Also didn’t get any PFS2 slots. I know there are only so many GMs, and so many tables, so this is just me venting and not demanding a solution, but at this point there’s no reason for me to even attend. I also realize things will shift around between now and Con time, so I’ll be watching of course (until June 30, the refund deadline). I’m just rather disappointed and disheartened to have been shut out so thoroughly.
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Doing a quick perusal, it looks like most PFS tables (1 and 2) are sold out already. SFS currently has far fewer sold out tables. At this point we are only 2 1/2 hour into event registration so I wouldn't expect any major shifting of GMs yet. I am guessing that the powers that be will dig into the numbers in a day or so and start shifting some tables around.
Who knows, maybe next year we'll need something bigger than the Sagamore Ballroom. WoW!
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Would it be helpful to volunteer to GM 1 or 2 PF1 games? I had been thinking about doing this earlier but then I believe I saw something to the effect that one could not volunteer for just PF1 but also had to be willing to GM SF and PF2. I don't have any interest in (or the available time to) learn either SF or PF2, but I'd be willing to GM a couple of Passing the Torch tables.
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Would it be helpful to volunteer to GM 1 or 2 PF1 games? I had been thinking about doing this earlier but then I believe I saw something to the effect that one could not volunteer for just PF1 but also had to be willing to GM SF and PF2. I don't have any interest in (or the available time to) learn either SF or PF2, but I'd be willing to GM a couple of Passing the Torch tables.
No, what you were seeing were people who volunteered for PF1 and PF2 and got all PF2.
When you send in the volunteer appllication, you check what system you are willing to GM. If you only check PF1, they're not going to assign you PF2 or SF tables.
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maybe next year we'll need something bigger than the Sagamore Ballroom. WoW!LoL, I wish that were the case. The size of the room is not the limiting factor. It’s the availability of GM resources.
Bob, just looking at the numbers, it appears that there were only 420 tickets total available for Siege of Gallowspire on Saturday night across both tiers and all level ranges - 2 difficulty tiers, each broken up into 5 level ranges, with 42 seats available each. The Sag holds something like 1200+ seats, if I recall correctly, so can we assume that the plan is to add a bunch more tables once the folks running the special have a sense of where the demand is?
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Would it be helpful to volunteer to GM 1 or 2 PF1 games? I had been thinking about doing this earlier but then I believe I saw something to the effect that one could not volunteer for just PF1 but also had to be willing to GM SF and PF2. I don't have any interest in (or the available time to) learn either SF or PF2, but I'd be willing to GM a couple of Passing the Torch tables.No, what you were seeing were people who volunteered for PF1 and PF2 and got all PF2.
When you send in the volunteer appllication, you check what system you are willing to GM. If you only check PF1, they're not going to assign you PF2 or SF tables.
I just went to the GM registration form for GenCon, and it says that one can’t just volunteer for PF1.
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The Sag holds something like 1200+ seats...can we assume that the plan is to add a bunch more tables once the folks running the special have a sense of where the demand is?
Not necessarily. It doe not really matter how many seats are available in the Sag if we don't have the GMs to run the games. We are not holding back resources. Every table we offered has a GM. We did not offer tables that do not have GMs as we cannot guarantee we will get additional GMs to fill it. GMs were largely allocated based on a balanced need in all slots across all game systems by way of their availability. There may be some limited options for shifting a GM from one system to another within a particular slot, but generally speaking more tables are only added as more GMs become available.
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I just went to the GM registration form for GenCon, and it says that one can’t just volunteer for PF1.Would it be helpful to volunteer to GM 1 or 2 PF1 games? I had been thinking about doing this earlier but then I believe I saw something to the effect that one could not volunteer for just PF1 but also had to be willing to GM SF and PF2. I don't have any interest in (or the available time to) learn either SF or PF2, but I'd be willing to GM a couple of Passing the Torch tables.No, what you were seeing were people who volunteered for PF1 and PF2 and got all PF2.
When you send in the volunteer appllication, you check what system you are willing to GM. If you only check PF1, they're not going to assign you PF2 or SF tables.
Oh, yes, I remember now. They added that after the first wave of volunteers due to an excess of PF1-only volunteers and relative shortfall of the other systems, or something like that.
Your best bet is to e-mail the GenCon leads directly to see if you can help.
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Your best bet is to e-mail the GenCon leads directly to see if you can help.
Actually, we're just going to tell you to compete the questionnaire and add any special commentary or considerations in the final field. When we process the applicant we will evaluate whether or not we can accommodate any special requests.
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I managed to snag a ticket for both parts but unfortunately in the wrong order.
I got part 2 for Saturday at 8 am and part 1 at 2 pm. I’m hoping somebody on the forums is willing to trade my part one for a ticket on Thursday or Friday or is willing to trade their Sunday part 2 for my Saturday part 2.
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I managed to snag a ticket for both parts but unfortunately in the wrong order.
I got part 2 for Saturday at 8 am and part 1 at 2 pm. I’m hoping somebody on the forums is willing to trade my part one for a ticket on Thursday or Friday or is willing to trade their Sunday part 2 for my Saturday part 2.
I am Part 2 on Saturday afternoon so maybe some of us will be at the same table...
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Your best bet is to e-mail the GenCon leads directly to see if you can help.Actually, we're just going to tell you to compete the questionnaire and add any special commentary or considerations in the final field. When we process the applicant we will evaluate whether or not we can accommodate any special requests.
Done
Piling on to this thread. I also got a part 2 ticket but not a part 1. Hoping for added tables.
Same happened with a couple of friends of mine.
I was at 3102 and fortunately was able to get all my events/tickets, which included 2 tickets at Siege of Gallowspire 10-11 Soldier. But both of my friends were in the 6000s and one didn't get any tickets at all and the other only received two tickets on the first go around.
I told him (and my other friend) to check back a couple of hours later (when Wishlists would expire) and one of them was able to get enough tickets to cover the three of us (with my tickets as well). We have all but Siege of Gallowspire. Right now we are short on one ticket.
First year this has happened for us. Hopefully more GMs/tables can be added.
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There are several events that still have more than 6 tickets available. While I am sure those will sell out soon as well. It would be wonderful if the admins could ask those GM's to maybe run the higher level games instead like Passing the Torch.
I know some are not as confident running a 14-15 game versus a 1-5 game, but some should be fine with it and there is still ample time to prepare to run the scenario. It is just a thought...
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There's no asking us (the volunteer GMs) because we haven't been assigned tables.
What's going to happen is the OPF will review ticket sales and remove unsold tickets and put out more tickets for sold out events.
When all that sorting has been done, they'll assign us schedules.
So, 1. keep checking the tickets and 2. don't buy tickets to events you don't really want (because then it will look like they'll need GMs for it).
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There's not an extreme shortage of PF1 GMs or any other way you want to throw shade on the organizers. There's just a relative shortage of GMs, period.
INSERT EDIT: There's an extreme number of players wanting to play the last PFS special.
But they did need more people willing to GM the number of PFS(2) tables that they wanted to offer. And only 4 of those tables (all the same slot, same scenario) have tickets available, indicating they made the right decision.
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Hilarious...
Considering we have an extreme shortage of 2E GMs as well, its not as "hilarious" as you would think. Had we allowed the trend of 1E only GMs to continue, we would have had less than half of the 2E/SFS events that are listed and someone would be complaining about more of those. Its easy to say we woulda, coulda, shoulda, in hindsight now that ticket sales are indicating demand. Its another thing entirely to try and predict it in advance. And given that this is the lowest volunteer turnout in the past four years, our options are limited. So the solution is clear, if we want more games, we need more GMs. Period.
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This is disappointing news. This was our first year getting hotel rooms downtown in the lottery after 6 years of trying. Now we go to get our PFS 1.0/2.0 event tickets only to find there are no options and everything has sold out. Where all the GMs at?
Thursday 8 AM PFS(2) 1-03 was available, last I checked today, and in enough volume to accommodate a family/group.
There's one, at least.
...of course it may disappear 30 minutes after I post this due to posting it.
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This is disappointing news. This was our first year getting hotel rooms downtown in the lottery after 6 years of trying. Now we go to get our PFS 1.0/2.0 event tickets only to find there are no options and everything has sold out. Where all the GMs at?Thursday 8 AM PFS(2) 1-03 was available, last I checked today, and in enough volume to accommodate a family/group.
There's one, at least.
...of course it may disappear 30 minutes after I post this due to posting it.
I will be getting my 2nd edition time in during a couple of the 2:00 AM overnight games...
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Venture-Captain, Minnesota
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This is disappointing news. This was our first year getting hotel rooms downtown in the lottery after 6 years of trying. Now we go to get our PFS 1.0/2.0 event tickets only to find there are no options and everything has sold out. Where all the GMs at?
Here's where I suggest that you take a couple slots and GM at GenCon. If you want to see more GMs, become a GM!
It's the big show. We need awesome GMs to help fuel it. If we had more casual GMs, GenCon could be so much more than it is.
Hmm
PS I realize that the irony is that I am not going to GenCon this year. I had to make a choice between conventions as I could only afford one this year. But I have always loved the excitement of GMing GenCon, and showing people a good time.
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Sorry, I'm in the same boat trying to play it that weekend. I may have a ticket available for it Thursday afternoon if you want to trade for generics.
Actually I typed the wrong number (10-23 instead of 10-22).
I have tickets for myself, my son, and my friend for Saturday afternoon Part 2 of Passing the Torch and I have a single ticket for myself for Friday afternoon Part 1 of Passing the Torch. I am hopeful for more Friday afternoon slots to open up. If other time slots open up, I will try and switch around our schedule to accommodate it. I would even probably be willing to play Part 1 and Part 2 out of order if that was needed.
Unfortunately, on Thursday afternoon and evening I am running my own Pathfinder events, a conversion of T1 The Village of Hommlet, so I am not available during those times slots.
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First, there is one thing we all can do - encourage reliable people to volunteer if they can. I go by the mantra if you don't ask they can't say yes. I understand there have been issues with 'rookie' GMs in the past at GenCon. That is why I said reliable. This isn't a job just for VOs. It's for all of us.
I'm also one of the GMs that asked for 1E only. I've got 88 tables of credit and I want to get to 100 (my 4th star) at GenCon. Almost all of those table have been at conventions over the past 9 years. To get there I'm GMing at both Origins and GenCon. I'm also playing the 1E special at GenCon (14-15 Soldier) with the PC I started Pathfinder with 10 years ago. But I digress.
Just spread the word and ask someone to volunteer.
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Hilarious...Considering we have an extreme shortage of 2E GMs as well, its not as "hilarious" as you would think. Had we allowed the trend of 1E only GMs to continue, we would have had less than half of the 2E/SFS events that are listed and someone would be complaining about more of those. Its easy to say we woulda, coulda, shoulda, in hindsight now that ticket sales are indicating demand. Its another thing entirely to try and predict it in advance. And given that this is the lowest volunteer turnout in the past four years, our options are limited. So the solution is clear, if we want more games, we need more GMs. Period.
I don't know, if it's important enough and people are'n't volunteering it might be time to up the ante and make it more appealing. What worked in the past is now longer working.
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I don't know, if it's important enough and people are'n't volunteering it might be time to up the ante and make it more appealing. What worked in the past is now longer working.
I think the bigger issue is simply how big a deal this convention is. The end of one Campaign and the beginning of another. Most people I know who want to GM, want to play the endings/beginnings.
This is a big con for Paizo on many levels.
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Venture-Captain, Missouri—Columbia
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If we could get more GMs, as even one slot GMing is helpful. You don't have to volunteer for 7+ slots or anything, but if you have some free time and you want to contribute... we could use more people.
Glen is spot on about this. Yes, this is a huge con. Not just because it is the largest con of them all, but it is the ending of the PFS1 campaign and the beginning of the PFS2 campaign with SFS still growing as well. There's a huge interest and that's great! It's wonderful! It shows our community is awesome!
So let's make this community even better. The only way this community works is for all of us to work to make it better. The community needs GMs to make this con better for all of us and to make our community stronger.
As Glen said, you don't have to volunteer to run 7 slots. You really don't even have to volunteer to run 3 slots. What we need are people who put the community ahead of themselves and volunteer to run ONE slot. If 100 people were to do that, we'd have another 100 sessions of game play. If 500 of us were to do that we'd have 500 more sessions of game play.
So, let's show that incredible Pathfinder spirit to each other and volunteer to make OUR convention the best in the world and the best one ever!
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That may be true, but we are just volunteers for the OPF and have no say in what the incentives are. All we can do is manage the resources available to us as efficiently as possible.
I don’t think it’s too late. The event is in August.
You essentially went from a model where the supply and demand has changed. Decisions were based on being able to turn people away based on your set criteria. That is no longer the case and everything should be re-evaluated.
A few brainstorming ideas. Most would require Paizo itself to step up it’s game.
Let them know things are not working the same in the past - the volunteer situation to meet demand is now broken.
Send an email to GM's from the past few years appreciating their time and asking for much needed help.
Allow PF1 Only GMs to run their choice of slots based on all past criteria. (but not the tier-1 gm’s) Communicate this via email to past Gencon GM’s. Your current official stance is we will accommodate this but we are not communicating it. change the volunteer form to communicate the change
Have Slot 0 Convention special & PF2 games either the day before Gencon or weekend before at different locals through VO’s. But only if a certain criteria is made.
Provide PF2 GM’s a shortened condensed pre-print manuscript version of the rules under a NDA weeks before gencon to allow GMs more time to familiarize themselves with the rules. (Learning 300+ pages of rules in less then 2 weeks is daunting and overwhelming).
Some kind of future redeemable prize and special recognition for being the “first to the PF2 party” for GM”s who are willing to spend many, many, hours digesting new rules in a very short period of time.
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If you want to understand the supply and demand of Paizo events at GENCON then this is an excellent resource.
What I see is the organizers were right-on in allocating available supply, except for in one area SFS content for 5th level and higher. It may be that the majority of convention playing Starfinders are still levels 1-4. Also, perhaps some people who were closed out of PFS1 or PFS2 decided to grab low level SFS to fill there schedule. There is some demand in the 5-8th range as seen in the SFS interactive but many tickets in subtier 9-10 and 11-12 remain out there. So I go back to my point that the number of high level Starfinders probably just isn't there yet.
It's up to the OPF powers that be, but I wouldn't be surprised if some SFS high level slots are shifted. But still that may only be 4-6 tables per session. So as mentioned above by many...jump behind the screen my friends.
When SFS 1-00 Thursday night special sold out superfast at GENCON two years ago. I jumped in and GMd a table. I didn't want to initially as I wouldn't have time to learn the system that well and that made me real nervous. I did my best to understand the rules in advance. During the session, I made a ton of mistakes, my players corrected a few, and they made plenty of mistakes with a brand new system...But everyone had a great time, including me! There was a sense of excitement about the new game...the precision of the rules was secondary. So if you don't want to GM PFS2 because of similar reasons, consider it a learning experience for you and the players. You can help each learn it.
So jump on in there and GM, if only a single slot.
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I'm planning to contact the GenCon Leads in a couple of days to add 1-2 more slots to my schedule. There was one non-organized play event that I was hoping to get, but they still haven't submitted their events.... Before I give up my free time, I'm hoping to see if that other group can get organized....