EO & GM Forum: Purpose & Rules!

The thousands of games and events are what make Gen Con so special. Anyone from big publishers to individual passionate fans can run an event at Gen Con, and we try to provide space for all kinds of games. 
  
General information on running events and getting involved in specific event program can be found under the Host tab, and you’ll want to make sure to read through the Event Host Policy for full details. We recommend you also sign up for the EO/GM email list. 
  
This forum is for discussing submitting and running events, both to answer questions and for considering improvements that can be made to the process to make it easier for everyone.

Part of that is being both on-topic and respectful of each other. Not everyone is going to agree on how to handle everything, and sometimes the answer to an idea or question is simply going to be "No." Be polite and give everyone the benefit of the doubt, or you will be asked to step away to another venue to share your thoughts.

This forum is not for general discussion or questions about playing in events. If you want to talk about cool events you are running or might be interested in playing, check out the Events forum. If you're having issues trying to get tickets to events, check the Attendee Customer Support forum. 
  
Any urgent questions or issues with planning for specific events should be sent directly to events@gencon.com. This forum is not an avenue to officially submit any requests for events you may be running or involved with.

Derek Guder 
Event Programming Manager 
Gen Con LLC

Since you are working on the backend of the site, I think you should make the events submission tools available now with the submit button inactive until 1/6/2016. That way submitting your events could be more like submitting your wish list on registration day. 

Why would you want that feature? Submission doesn't work like registration and isn't strictly first come, first served, so queuing up in anticipation of submission isn't necessary, so I'm a bit confused.

-
Derek Guder
Event Manager
Gen Con LLC

If it's a matter of having time now, but not later, I'd suggest you go ahead and write up your event titles and descriptions now, but them in a doc or spreadsheet, and then you can cut n paste them when reg goes live.

The first submission period extends from January until early February, and as long as you get it in during that window, you're fine - getting it in earlier doesn't really help when looking at space, etc.

So you can take your time and submit it whenever you actually do have some time to enter the pertinent data.

-
Derek Guder
Event Manager
Gen Con LLC

So assuming for those of us that need to log into the housing portal to get a room when it opens will need to get a pre-reg badge in advance of the GM badges being allocated. It has been like this for as long as I can remember, just wanted to make sure nothing has changed.

Same as it usually works, yeah: if you need a badge for any reason before you get an anticipated GM badge, just buy a normal attendee one and ask for a reimbursement once you do get your GM badge.

As long as you ask for the refund before June, we can process that online no problem.

-
Derek Guder
Event Manager
Gen Con LLC

Thanks for confirming!

I belong to a new local gaming group, myself and possibly two to three others from our group are interested in potentially hosting games at Gen Con. Each of us has attended as individuals in the past and I have attended as a GM for a couple of different groups in the past as well but we are interested in hosting events as a group. Do I need to first create an account for the group? What exactly constitutes a "group" in the eyes of Gen Con?

A group is just an event organizer who submits events for one or more GMs under a single group name. Makes it much easier for me to review and place them together in a batch.

So to step up from "independent" to "gaming group," just brand yourself and one of you has to become the event organizer for the group. Their responsibilities include submitting events, requesting badges, following up on any event needs, serving as primary contact, etc.

It's really pretty simple and straight-forward.

-
Derek Guder
Event Manager
Gen Con LLC

Does the Con site have free wifi?  I am thinking of running a game onsite as a GM using Roll20.

If there is no free wifi does the Con maintain a wifi network for events and event hosts?

No on both counts, wit one caveat: depending on your venue, you may have access to free wifi. Many of the hotels offer it, for example, so some RPGs might be able to leverage it, but it's certainly not guaranteed.

So, hard to plan around, unfortunately. I would recommend trying tethering and seeing how that works.

-
Derek Guder
Event Manager
Gen Con LLC

Can one independent event organizer be a "gaming group" and get a GM badge?

-
Derek Guder
Event Manager
Gen Con LLC

Pardon me Derek,
 I am sure that this is posted else where and I am not seeing information for GenCon 2017 "50" one of my players and GMs that are coming with me this year said that they thought GM housing information has changed or been updated? May I have a link to that information please. We are meeting a friend who is a VIG and he has booked us a room in the JW marriott, can we
1. request that our games [RPGs such as D&D 4E, Star Wars [ffg] L5R 4E ect] be in the hotel we are staying in?
2. If we run 4 games for 6 players at four hours each [meaning each GM would run for a total of 96 hours] will we qualify for room reimbursement for the hotel we have booked? 
3. Does event submission start NOW so we can put them in and have it all approved early?

We had a great time last year and plan to bring a Large 3D dungeon for D&D 4E this year running it for 8 hours starting in an AM slot as a big in the idea of the Battle interactives from old LFR! More to come soon! :) looking forward to 2017 CON!

Thank you very much,

Sean
Mackenzie's Marauders

You will want to refer to the Event Host Policy and the Host page, as they should answer most of your questions.

To answer these specifically:

1. You can certainly request that your games are placed in the hotel you are in, but space is not always guaranteed for them. In this case, you're lucky - the majority of RPGs will be in the JW anyway, so you should be good.
   
2. Each GM needs 200 player-hours for 1/4 of their hotel room to be reimbursed, so 4 games for 6 players at 4 hours each would be 96 player-hours and is not sufficient.
   
3. Evnet submission started last week, actually. The first deadline is for early submission, and that is February 19.
   

-
Derek Guder
Event Manager
Gen Con LLC

Thank you very much Derek, 
 We moved hotels this year b/c last year our events we ran all happened in the JW so lucky for us.
 Does early submission mean getting accepted earlier and a higher chance of in catalogue [this one is not as important].
 Do we when filling out submission put under requests to have the events in the JW b/c that is our Hotel?
 The 3D dungeon is being printed as I speak it looks to be a grand event for this years Con so if you have free time [LOL] stop by and take a look or play a few rounds in the game, maybe we can set up and run you through a test game on wed or something ;)

Yours 

Sean
seanabel69@gmail.com

You can certainly request locations when you submit your events - just note that under Special Requests. And events submitted during the early window are processed and placed before general events in the normal window, so they are more likely to get what they want, yes.

As for the JW specifically, if you're running an RPG, chances are real high it'll be in there anyway. :)

I'd love to check out the 3D dungeon, but being able to play it is the tough thing to arrange, especially on Wednesday. Ironically, Friday and Saturday are generally my slower times during the show...

-
Derek Guder
Event Manager
Gen Con LLC