So, I am thinking about putting together a concept that is an Amazing Race type of concept. Have people check in, complete tasks, etc. My problem with this is that it would take a considerable amount of time and effort, and I am not completely sure how to guage interest.

So, I guess I am asking for a few things.

1. How do you guys do it? I would be a first time GM. Do you guys just post the event and hope enough people show? Is there any way to guage interest before hand?
2. Anyone out there want to help me coordinate something like this? Get prize support, reach out to local companies, etc?

First, I and many of my friends would love to play in something like this.

Second, we particiapte in an event like this for charity every year.  They usually allow four hours for it.  They do puzzles instead of tasks with the answers being the address to the next clue.  Then when you get there, you have to actually find the clue.  (They give each team a bag at the beginning of the rally.  It holds a rules sheet, a sheet with a phone number so people can call for help as well as to log the answers to the puzzles, and thirteen sealed envelopes with a number written on each.  Ten of the envelopes are real clues, the others are dummies so you can't just rip them all open.  To win, you have to turn in the dummy envelopes unopened at the end as well as the answer sheet with everything filled out correctly.  At the actual locations, they hide a CD with a number written on it somewhere and you have to find it and then open the envelope with the matching number.)  I hope this might give you some ideas.

Just to pop in quick while the idea is stewing and still forming: you'll need to come up with some way to prevent people from running through the halls, since that's not allowed.

That means that a strict "first come, first place" kind of ranking system won't work. You'll need to figure out another way to keep the tension high but not incentivise people to break rules and recklessly run through the con :)

But good luck organizing it! We'd love to have more cool events and love to hear from new GMs just getting into things!

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Derek Guder
Event Manager
Gen Con LLC

Make them run the streets between the hotels :)

You could time each event (how long to complete task X), then note departure order from each task. Use this to determine start order of next task, or implement delays maybe?

I dunno.