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8one6
May 20, 2012

When in doubt, err on the side of Awesome!

Keep in mind that ALL of the VIG badges were accounted for before the housing opened for us. There was no need to keep the block open after general badge purchasing/housing opened like in years past (when there could be a few remaining VIGs to buy)

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RocknRollaAyatollah
Nov 26, 2008

Lipstick Apathy

Texibus posted:

I think it refers to actually grabbing one, but that doesn't mean they won't cancel in a month and then it frees up on the block.

In previous years, the entire VIG block was held until June or such for VIGs and VIG companions to reserve them. After that, the block was released to general attendees and you could get a downtown room that way. The current VIG faq seems to state that VIG's had until Feb 12th to get their rooms and after that they're all gone.

There's still a possibility of a VIG dropping their reservation but this means there won't be a lot of choice rooms available at a set time. I could be wrong about this and I don't really feel like asking Gencon people until the gnashing of teeth and the rending of veils has subsided.

EDIT:

8one6 posted:

Keep in mind that ALL of the VIG badges were accounted for before the housing opened for us. There was no need to keep the block open after general badge purchasing/housing opened like in years past (when there could be a few remaining VIGs to buy)

Answers that pretty well.

LuiCypher
Apr 24, 2010

Today I'm... amped up!

Texibus posted:

I think it refers to actually grabbing one, but that doesn't mean they won't cancel in a month and then it frees up on the block.

This is true, but I guess this means that if you didn't get your choice housing now, you're likely turbofucked for being downtown. In the past, they did drop some inventory from the VIG block that vigilant watchers could snag, but now they've more or less kicked that away.

Crackbone
May 23, 2003

Vlaada is my co-pilot.

So, if I'm understanding correctly, there is no official "waitlist" - basically you can log on to the housing portal at any given time and see if rooms are available, but that's it?

Trying to figure out if I should just audible to Origins or not.

Nemesis Of Moles
Jul 25, 2007

Yeah thats basically it

nesbit37
Dec 12, 2003
Emperor of Rome
(500 BC - 500 AD)
Why not just go to both!

Crackbone
May 23, 2003

Vlaada is my co-pilot.

nesbit37 posted:

Why not just go to both!

Because I'm not going to deal with driving in everyday.

fordan
Mar 9, 2009

Clue: Zero

Crackbone posted:

Because I'm not going to deal with driving in everyday.

It's not optimal, but it's not that terrible. I stayed out in Carmel my first year.

Lump Shaker
Nov 20, 2001
This is my first year at Gencon. Had a 2:30 time for the lottery and the best thing I could get was a hotel out at the airport. From what I have read, that is still pretty convenient and I should be able to Uber in and out pretty easily. Can't wait for the event list!

nesbit37
Dec 12, 2003
Emperor of Rome
(500 BC - 500 AD)
Airport should be fine for most people honestly. I am hoping to snag a downtown room still mainly for my parents who are coming with to spend their 40th wedding anniversary at Gen Con. Its also a lot easier to get into the night life and drinking and such when you're downtown. If I end up not being able to get a downtown room I guess I'll just have to see how that second part of my Gen Con experience goes. Since I'm flying in I won't be driving around regardless, so that helps.

Dr. Quarex
Apr 18, 2003

I'M A BIG DORK WHO POSTS TOO MUCH ABOUT CONVENTIONS LOOK AT THIS

TOVA TOVA TOVA

nesbit37 posted:

I'm torn on the auction space. On one hand, it deserves something much larger. But the selfish side of me wants to keep it crammed to keep more people out for the better deals for those willing to tough it out.
Yeah I also freely admit that the cramped space, which sizewise has not changed the entire time they have been in Indianapolis and likely was not any bigger in Wisconsin, has a sort of perpetual fun throwback feel to when the convention was not Possibly The Biggest Gaming Convention In The World, but rather when it was a few thousand super-nerds meeting to get good deals on each other's used crap.

Carteret posted:

Quarex, are you going to make TOVA great again? Your presence was sorely missed last year.
I hope so. I need to ask Josh if he is ever returning; it is doubly hard to make it great without him, as not only is he unquestionably the best at it, he has also pulled in the past for me to do the whole thing with him, whereas when he is not around it seems like everyone else thinks they would be just as good a replacement as I am. Which, egotism aside, is mostly false (though I absolutely think a couple of the other regular Auctioneers are at least as good at T.O.V.A. as I am, just not necessarily the ones who want the job).

LLSix posted:

This will be my first year at Gencon. Planning to show up with a group of friends and friends of friends. Looking forward to meeting some goons too!
WELCOME LLSIX you will undoubtedly have an opportunity to meet a substantial group of us on Wednesday night if you are there, not that we have decided where that would be yet.

We could just go to the Colts Grille anyway and pretend there is trivia. Wait, I forgot I already decided I wanted Harry & Izzy's to be our new Wednesday night hang-out place. Any Indianapolis Experts have a different suggestion? That was not supposed to sound sarcastic

LuiCypher posted:

Ugh. I don't know what compelled me to do this, but here's the quintessential GenCon Housing Guide based upon both my experiences and those of other goons in this thread for TYOOL 2017. Let me know if you think I missed anything major.

Edit: I realize it's kind of late, but I want to keep it around for next year. As I won't be attending next year, I'll be more than happy to leave it in the care of another goon to update after Housing Portal: GenCon 51 Edition. They will likely be unable to resist jiggering with how it works considering the outpouring of salt.
Hey neat, I will put this in a place where people will see it maybe!

Lump Shaker posted:

This is my first year at Gencon. Had a 2:30 time for the lottery and the best thing I could get was a hotel out at the airport. From what I have read, that is still pretty convenient and I should be able to Uber in and out pretty easily. Can't wait for the event list!
WELCOME FRESH ONE

FEET-FIRST INTO THE GRINDER PLEASE

Yeah I will not pretend an airport hotel is ideal, but the first year at Indianapolis I shamefully only made the decision to go last-minute, stayed at the Homewood Suites on the northern edge of town, drove in Saturday morning, waited in what I seem to recall was a 5-hour line due to all their computers but one being hit with a virus that shut them down, and STILL HAD A GREAT TIME so yeah, you will be happy.

Radio Free Walrus
May 16, 2015
Man, those folks Ubering in Indianapolis during Gencon must make neckbeard bank.
Oh, and anyone who is having issues with Hotel stuff, remember that certain volunteering opportunities at the con may give you close hotel access. It probably won't be great since you have to share it with people, but it's still an option.

Crackbone
May 23, 2003

Vlaada is my co-pilot.

fordan posted:

It's not optimal, but it's not that terrible. I stayed out in Carmel my first year.

I'm just an old cranky gently caress who doesn't want to deal with it. *shakes cane*

nesbit37
Dec 12, 2003
Emperor of Rome
(500 BC - 500 AD)
Quarex, I forgot I did take 1 picture at Gen Con last year! Taken at like 2pm on Saturday, I give you GenCon.jpg



Pretty sure he just dropped and passed out right there they way he is sprawled out.

Dr. Quarex
Apr 18, 2003

I'M A BIG DORK WHO POSTS TOO MUCH ABOUT CONVENTIONS LOOK AT THIS

TOVA TOVA TOVA

nesbit37 posted:

Quarex, I forgot I did take 1 picture at Gen Con last year! Taken at like 2pm on Saturday, I give you GenCon.jpg



Pretty sure he just dropped and passed out right there they way he is sprawled out.
I hope you checked his pulse and then looted the body.

LuiCypher
Apr 24, 2010

Today I'm... amped up!

Maybe I'll write a reminder later, but once companies start announcing their board games for debut:

Don't get Plaid Hat's newest game

I know, I know. It's very tempting. They're very good at overhyping their products! But they never, ever bring enough inventory to GenCon and the VIGs will buy out their entire stock before their doors even open on Thursday. It will leave you feeling a little angry. Just use the time and wait for reviews of the game to start popping up (especially on the Board Games thread) and hold off on buying it until you're sure you really want it.

nesbit37
Dec 12, 2003
Emperor of Rome
(500 BC - 500 AD)
So for this gen con project, next month at Gary Con I am going to see if I can interview mike carr. He is the one human being who has been to every gen con there ever has been. I ask you, thread, what questions would you have of such a man?

BlackIronHeart
Aug 2, 2004

The Oath Breaker's about to hit warphead nine Kaptain!

nesbit37 posted:

I ask you, thread, what questions would you have of such a man?

"Can I have your hotel room?"

Crackbone
May 23, 2003

Vlaada is my co-pilot.

nesbit37 posted:

So for this gen con project, next month at Gary Con I am going to see if I can interview mike carr. He is the one human being who has been to every gen con there ever has been. I ask you, thread, what questions would you have of such a man?

Why are you letting me interview you? I had to turn to internet strangers to give me questions.

fordan
Mar 9, 2009

Clue: Zero

nesbit37 posted:

Quarex, I forgot I did take 1 picture at Gen Con last year! Taken at like 2pm on Saturday, I give you GenCon.jpg



Pretty sure he just dropped and passed out right there they way he is sprawled out.

I thought Bottom Liner took the real GenCon.jpg(s), though in a similar vein:



I think it's the stack of games that makes it.

nesbit37
Dec 12, 2003
Emperor of Rome
(500 BC - 500 AD)
Yeah I think collapsed giant man by stack of board games beats sprawled out teen for gencon.jpg.

Bottom Liner
Feb 15, 2006


a specific vein of lasagna

nesbit37 posted:

Quarex, I forgot I did take 1 picture at Gen Con last year! Taken at like 2pm on Saturday, I give you GenCon.jpg



Pretty sure he just dropped and passed out right there they way he is sprawled out.

lol this is my pic too, you must have saved it from the Groupme

nesbit37
Dec 12, 2003
Emperor of Rome
(500 BC - 500 AD)
Maybe we saw the same kid? I definitely remember taking one of him.

Fake edit: not that it really matters. The more gen con pics the better!

Dr. Quarex
Apr 18, 2003

I'M A BIG DORK WHO POSTS TOO MUCH ABOUT CONVENTIONS LOOK AT THIS

TOVA TOVA TOVA

Crackbone posted:

Why are you letting me interview you? I had to turn to internet strangers to give me questions.
:cry:

I wish I had access to my 40 Years of Gen-Con book to remember what they talked to him about there.

You should get his perspective on whether he thinks TSR were lying as significantly about attendance in the late 1990s as the Keeper of Ancient Gen-Con Lore says they were. That sure is a niche question, huh.

I suspect you are already going to ask him about his favorite year/venue. Also ask him about favorite moments, guests, events, booths, basically anything Gen-Conny. Granted some of these questions would undoubtedly go better if he had time to prepare an answer, but I doubt you will get the chance to mail him questions ahead of time, haha.

Deviant
Sep 26, 2003

i've forgotten all of your names.


nesbit37 posted:

So for this gen con project, next month at Gary Con I am going to see if I can interview mike carr. He is the one human being who has been to every gen con there ever has been. I ask you, thread, what questions would you have of such a man?

"Who are you?"
"What are you doing here?"

Pez
Feb 28, 2002

Thanks to CoX, my stairs will be protected forever!
What's the worst smell you've experienced at GenCon?

Slandible
Apr 30, 2008

Every bathroom mid day in ICC. A Skywalk hotel is worth any price for a BM not in an nacho spraying wasteland.

Bottom Liner
Feb 15, 2006


a specific vein of lasagna
Seriously. They're so bad I won't even pee in them.

I did find a secluded bathroom that was hidden away off of a corner stairwell behind the main hall heading towards Lucas Oil that was usually empty and clean though.

Pez
Feb 28, 2002

Thanks to CoX, my stairs will be protected forever!
When I wasn't staying downtown 2 years ago I'd walk a few blocks to a restaurant or skywalk to the Westin lobby. I've never set foot in a convention hall bathroom thank God

8one6
May 20, 2012

When in doubt, err on the side of Awesome!

This handy comic illustrates the Gen Con bathroom situation.

Backno
Dec 1, 2007

Goff Boyz iz da rudest Boyz

SKA SUCKS
There have been a few times over the years where ICC restrooms were necessary. The best I have found is try to get to ones that re as far away as possible from the Dealer Hall. They are still not the best, but FAR, FAR, FAR, ahead of some of the ones you can smell from outside.

Mian
Oct 29, 2006

MIAN was very uptight and the sauna was so relaxing.

Bottom Liner posted:

Seriously. They're so bad I won't even pee in them.

I did find a secluded bathroom that was hidden away off of a corner stairwell behind the main hall heading towards Lucas Oil that was usually empty and clean though.

Last year, the convention center's "speedway" hallway offered a gender neutral restroom. It was consistently clean (odorless!) and under-trafficked by attendees. Whoever rents the ICC has to specifically request one, and I'm assuming GenCon will provide one again this year.

Speedway map: https://www.icclos.com/floor-plans.aspx
Local news article: http://www.ibj.com/articles/58969-restroom-neutrality-becomes-hospitality-sales-tool

Dr. Quarex
Apr 18, 2003

I'M A BIG DORK WHO POSTS TOO MUCH ABOUT CONVENTIONS LOOK AT THIS

TOVA TOVA TOVA

Pez posted:

What's the worst smell you've experienced at GenCon?
Honestly "some random person in the exhibit hall" has been all of the top five most horrible things I have smelled at the convention. I suspect some combination of crust punk attendees and people with no sense of smell are to blame for all of those, as I have no idea how any human being can smell so foul. Particularly since, as I implied, the awful bathrooms are comparatively muted, likely because they still have the pervasive attempt at being bleached out, unlike the people wandering around with their own personal killzone following them.

The worst thing for me is that the smell of the Gen-Con bathrooms is so specific that I have occasionally smelled something similar in other horrible overrun bathrooms elsewhere in life, and immediately thought "aww, Gen-Con!" and then also-immediately wanted to cry that a terrible stench is triggering pleasant memories.


And yeah, as Backno says, your best bet in almost all situations involving convention-nerd-hordes is to keep walking in random directions until you find virtually-abandoned hallways, and then try to find the bathrooms in those dead ends.

The bathrooms on the floor directly over the Exhibit Hall are surprisingly decent considering their proximity, though obviously the jokes write themselves about moving upwards, even via an escalator, being too much for some of the clientèle.


I want to read hundreds of Gen-Con comics. Granted I bet if I cast a wider net and just looked for "nerd-convention-based comics" I might be able to get dozens at least. Even though then most would be much more terrible than this delightful thing.

Edit: Personal information chat; I wanted to apply for this elite training program thing at my job, but my old supervisor was leaving right before his recommendation letter was due, and of course my new supervisor was like "I would love to help you out but uh, I do not know anything about you." So I did not get to apply to this cool training program. Then my friend who got in today was like "oh this is awesome, you go off for a week of training in August and one in December, and then spend a month at another agency!" and I was like "...which week in August?" and YES IT WAS. DODGED. A. BULLET.

Double Agent
Mar 28, 2005

Maybe we're not just a bunch of frak-ups after all.

Slandible posted:

Every bathroom mid day in ICC. A Skywalk hotel is worth any price for a BM not in an nacho spraying wasteland.

Even if you aren't staying in a skywalk hotel it's worth it to walk to one unless there's absolutely no choice.

nesbit37
Dec 12, 2003
Emperor of Rome
(500 BC - 500 AD)
Though the bathrooms and random people in the dealer hall do have pretty bad stench I think the worst for me has to be the sewer right outside the steak and shake. I swear all the toilets from the ICC dump right to that storm drain and you can see the green cloud of some sort of nasal demon streaming through the vents invading everyone's nostrils within a hundred feet of the thing.

8one6
May 20, 2012

When in doubt, err on the side of Awesome!

They have plans to fix the smell by 2025! http://www.citizensenergygroup.com/Our-Company/Our-Projects/Combined-Sewer-Overflow

Pez
Feb 28, 2002

Thanks to CoX, my stairs will be protected forever!
I wondered why it reeked so bad outside Steak and Shake and was afraid to eat there.

I also encountered someone so stinky at a game I was playing in 2015 that I left midgame even though I paid to play. The kicker? It was the guy running the table, and when he'd lean in help you got that odor zone right in the face, a nice combo of unwashed rear end and old jerk sock with a hint of hot dog chili armpits

RocknRollaAyatollah
Nov 26, 2008

Lipstick Apathy
My sense of smell is pretty dulled from living in a country with open sewers everywhere and medieval views on personal hygiene but the worst smell has always been brushing past some fat, unwashed nerd in the dealer hall on day 3. It's the combination of closeness and a smell that only comes from that level of giving up on hygiene that makes it the worst for me.

djfooboo
Oct 16, 2004




Worst smell was easily a man in a hoveround that had literally shat himself (I am a nurse, I can tell a fart and a shite). He made no move to go to the bathroom, but instead was continuing to browse old musty GURPS books...

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Texibus
May 18, 2008
If you're going to wear a diaper you may as well use it.

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