Last week I found myself at my first gaming convention in over 20 years. I had so much planned that I did not do, did so much that was not planned, and have some ideas on how to plan for next year's convention. So, without further waste of space, the things I learned at NTRPG Con.
1 - No schedule survives arriving at the con - whether games get cancelled, you close the bar down at the hotel, conversation and beer prevent you from running your planned pick up games or unplanned pick up games rob you of that optional thing called sleep - just roll with it. You would think that 16 hours a day of potential gaming and con going is a long stretch of time - it isn't.
2 - Shopping at cons is amazing. Shopping for art is amazing. Shopping for art at cons is like double rainbow amazing. Really. +Doug Kovacs , your shit rocks. Thank you.
3 - Pick up games are hard to schedule. I planned on running some Drinking Quest. Brought all three decks. Did lots of drinking and some pick up gaming (Including Red Dragon Inn thanks to +Doug Kovacs - Rachel just made me order a copy tonight) but not the pick up gaming I had expected. Still worked out fine.
4 - If you plan to close the bar - or even don't plan to close the bar, but it is a distinct possibility, do not register for morning games. You have been warned.
5 - Leave time just to enjoy the ambiance of the con. Yes, it has a certain ambiance.
6 - Socializing is more important than gaming, but if you can do both at the same time, it's a win-win. I cemented more friendships than I ever thought was possible, and that was more valuable than any of the gaming (although some of the sessions were gaming and friendship cementing)
7 - Pack light, because you will be leaving with more than you came with. Without trying, I left with 2 large game boxes and probably 10 or so adventures and game booklets. I still don't know how it all fit in my carryon to go home.
8 - Beer. It all goes better with beer.
9 - My wife Rachel is apparently a natural roleplayer. She has an easy grasp of the concept as a whole, if not the mechanics involved.
10 - I really need to organize a Tavern get together at the hotel bar next year. Set a time and day and place within and then buy my friends and my readers their first round. Rach says I need to limit the number to the first 2 dozen or so, because if word spreads, I may be buying more than my wallet can handle ;)
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11 - make sure you know WHICH hotel you are staying at. North, South, it's all the same shit until it isn't ;)
Glad you had a great time! I'm sorry we didn't get to meet while you were here... I was out of state for most of the con.
ReplyDeleteNext year!
Again, it was a pleasure meeting and gaming with you both!
ReplyDelete12. Be in the room when the DM awards treasure. That bathroom trip cost you 2000cp. :)
ReplyDeleteThankfully Rach appreciated the joke and enjoyed filling me in ;)
DeleteThe rats were actually there on my key; I didn't manufacture the whole thing, just the treasure. I approve of giant rats. :)
DeleteThanks. It was fun gaming with you. Like I said think about Gary Con next year too---- you would like it. Reminder about Red Dragon Inn: It won't take anything away from the game if you just get the first one , but I worked on Dimli the Dwarf on RDI 2 and the Orc Paladin in RDI3. You get 4 more characters to play with each.
ReplyDeleteAm furious with myself I forgot your were going, and didn't meet you. Next year!
ReplyDeleteThat's the problem with these things, I think I saw Erik once.....so many people to talk to and so much to do. Glad you had a good time.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry we couldn't get out to meet you, but I'm glad you had fun.
ReplyDelete