Gen-Con 2017: This Year, We Finally Apply the Half-Centennial Template

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Dr. Quarex: Apr 18, 2003; I'M A BIG DORK WHO POSTS TOO MUCH ABOUT CONVENTIONS LOOK AT THIS

TOVA TOVA TOVA

Well, well, well. Look what it is. The Gen-Con Thread. Never thought I would see you again.

Without further ado, DR. QUAREX
...and...
the SOMETHING AWFUL FORUMS
welcome you to.....................
GEN CON 2017!!!

Wait hold on this is n--

oh no. I am, of course, not good with computers, let me try to get the right picture p

ah dammit what

ugh

O.K.

GEN-CON!!!

THE BEST FOUR DAYS IN GAMING,
actually, more like
THE BEST FOUR DAYS OF THE YEAR,
and really,
THE BEST FIVE-SEVEN DAYS OF THE YEAR DEPENDING ON HOW EARLY YOU DECIDE TO GET TO INDIANAPOLIS AND JOIN THE 60,000+ GAMERS TURNING IT INTO AN ALMOST-LITERAL GAMETOPIA

Whether you are into boardgames, role-playing games, collectible trading card games, collectible deck-building games, collectible soup-eating, the biggest (like football-field-or-bigger) room full of nerdy things to buy you will ever see, kosupure, vidja, terrible Apples to Apples knockoffs, foam weapon jousting, poorly-timed nerd trivia, live-action dungeon-crawl-pretending, infinite food, tiny metal figurines, the animes, fursuits or whatever, or just into THE BEST AUCTION IN THE UNIVERSE, you will have an amazing time at Gen-Con.

Whether you live in CONSTANT FEAR OF HUMAN CONTACT or CANNOT STOP TOUCHING OTHERS EVEN AFTER SPENDING TIME IN JAIL FOR IT, you will have an amazing time at Gen-Con.

Gen Con Indy posted:

A consumer and trade experience dedicated to gaming culture and community. Gen Con Indy is the largest annual consumer fantasy, electronic, sci-fi, adventure and hobby game convention in North America. Each year gaming enthusiasts converge to share their love for all things gaming, from tournaments to guest appearances, exhibit hall booths to electronic games, workshops, seminars, anime, art shows, auctions and countless other activities.

YES, WE HAVE IT ALL AT OLD GENNECONNE TOWNE:

FUN!

GAMES!

PRIZES!

GEN-CON!

UNFATHOMABLE SORROW!

actually this is pretty awesome

hey Infrno how is your roleplaying 2.0 going? oh... oh my god it still exists, I am impressed

CHILL VAMPIRES!

Once upon a time, Gen-Con's event schedule looked like this, in case you were thinking that reading the current event charts was annoying:

_{This process taught me that IMGur has a seeming 10 megabyte upload limit for photos. I realize I am an idiot for making scans of old magazines that are this big.}

Anyway,
I am going to make the second post the "learn about how to Gen-Con" post so I can get this post made, since... BADGES ARE ON SAAAAAAAAAAALE

I will also probably continually expand the pictures in this post, particularly if we get the legendary "pictures from last year" that I am unable to provide for a change. But rest assured, to the best of my knowledge I am having zero babies during Gen-Con this year and thus will be able to attend (though I am, as always, open to receiving Eihort's Brood)

OH YEAH AND IT TAKES PLACE AUGUST 17 - 20, 2017

Dr. Quarex fucked around with this message at 01:42 on Feb 2, 2017

# ¿ Feb 1, 2017 19:46

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# ¿ Apr 27, 2024 23:11

Dr. Quarex: Apr 18, 2003; I'M A BIG DORK WHO POSTS TOO MUCH ABOUT CONVENTIONS LOOK AT THIS

TOVA TOVA TOVA

Q. WHEN IS IT?
A. Dude I already said, August 17-20, 2017.

Events officially start Wednesday night in a very small number (I think limited to a couple of parties and other informational events?) and then Thursday morning at 8 A.M. ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE and events run constantly until Sunday afternoon at 6 P.M. Or maybe it is only 5, but I feel like some things start at 4 and go 2 hours. Whatever, you will be dead by then anyway.

Sort of related, here is an Android thing for maps and events and stuff that does seem to get updated every year: THE UNOFFICIAL 2014 GEN CON APP

Q. WHAT DO I DO THERE?
A. THERE IS LITERALLY NO END TO THE JOY YOU CAN EXPERIENCE WHILE THERE

SO MUCH NO LIMIT THAT I AM NOT EVEN WRITING THIS SECTION YET BUT I WILL FILL IT IN SOON oh but in the meantime have a few choice posts from previous years:

camoseven posted:

GENERAL INDY BEER INFO
I would like some more information about places to eat and drink in Indianapolis, please. Well, aren't you a needy little poo poo! Luckily for you I made a list of places I like (and some I avoid) in the downtown Indy area! CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THIS UGLY LIST THAT I SPENT WAY TOO MUCH TIME ON! I was going to make a map, too, but . I also killed two birds with one stone and threw some things in there for my family, so just ignore any references to my mom's place or whatever.

Q. HOW DO I GET THERE?
A. Trains? Planes? Automobiles? Not the bus, though. Oh man. Never the bus. Well, O.K., bus if you must.

Most people do not recommend the Indianapolis airport, mostly because it is expensive and there are not all that many flights, but it certainly is still an airport you can use, and the shuttle to downtown is (supposedly? I think?) pretty good, if you wanted to stay at an airport hotel and roll that way, which would probably remain a viable choice up until right before the convention. Probably.

Also our official GroupMe room is probably still going, I did not have the heart to reinstall it after finding out I could not go last year and I should probably get around to that again huh:

Lawen posted:

Go here to download the app for your iOS/Android/Windows Phone.

Make an account.

Click here to join the GenGoons group!

Q. WHO AM I?
A. Everyone must learn to answer this question on their own.

Q. SHOULD I BRING ANYTHING?
A. Well, yes. I made this list in the past and I will just copy it verbatim

Dice
Chargers for what ails ya (phone, laptop, tablet, tableau, plateau, mesa)
Batteries, failing to remember your chargers
iGizmos/Cameras/Phones/Whatever
Googies (my Mom's aphasiac word for "snacks to eat on the go")
Hand sanitizer FOR EMERGENCIES
Notepads(tm) (hey, I take notes on my phone too, but sometimes paper comes up)
Pens/pencils
Black AND Silver(!) Sharpies for autographs on light or dark surfaces(!!!)
YOUR MEDICINE/PAINKILLERS/BANDAGES/INSULIN/TESTOSTERONE
Probably some insoles or gel inserts or foam blocks to walk on or whatever

MORE OPTIONAL

Collapsible/lightweight water bottle with flavored beverage pouches
Gum!
Splenda, mayonnaise, and hot sauce packets: The Condiment Trifecta
TRAVEL CUTLERY KIT!!!!!
Suggested Road Food For Travellers On Facebook Page: Quest Nutrition Quest Bars(tm[tm])

Q. WHY DO I WANT TO GO?
A. Because... well first off if none of what has already been said interests you then I LITERALLY DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY OR HOW, but furthermore, Gen-Con is somehow even more than the sum of its parts, and its parts are so amazing on their own that they are sufficient on their own to draw a crowd as well. But some sort of magical exponential joy-growth occurs within a 1-mile radius of downtown Indianapolis during Gen-Con, and it is like everyone everywhere has a good time no matter how hard they try to be unhappy (and we know some nerds do try very hard). I am someone who is pretty happy a lot of the time, but I am still not sure I am ever quite so excited for an extended period of time as I am when at Gen-Con.

Q. Do you have some sort of LIST OF INTERNET-BASED AUDIO BROADCASTS ON THE SUBJECT
A. No.

8one6 posted:

We recorded a Tips for Gen Con episode for our podcast a couple of years ago, if you want to listen it's here. (I've skipped it past the unrelated spotlight at the beginning.)

My podcast just posted out Tips for Gen Con episode here!

Edit: I should mention the episode features fellow goon Bucnasti!

https://soundcloud.com/underdiscussion/sets/gen-con-2014 Gen Con 2014

https://soundcloud.com/underdiscussion/sets/gen-con-1 Gen Con 2013

If you want '12, '11, or '10 let me know and I can upload them to soundcloud when I get home tonight.

clockworkjoe posted:

http://slangdesign.com/rppr/tag/gencon/

http://actualplay.roleplayingpublicradio.com/tag/gencon/

Quarex posted:

I did a few guest stints on some friends' INTERNET AUDIO BROADCAST a few years back, and one of the times they wanted me to come in was when they were doing a Gen-Con special. My favorite moment of the entire thing starts at 38:50 when the guy who has never gone to Gen-Con asks about vices ... and ... oh god. The resolution still makes me happy.

If you want to skip an entirely unfortunate discussion of the female attractiveness at the convention over the years (I always have to pick my battles), avoid 03:00 to 06:00.
OR ALTERNATELY PODBEAN SUCKS AND DELETED ALL ITS SHOWS FROM BEFORE SOME POINT IN 2011, COOL THANKS INTERNET #1

Q. WHAT IS FOOD
A. PLACES EVERYONE SEEMS TO SUGGEST YOU EAT IN THE AREA:

Firstly, a map showing all the places to eat close to the Convention center. The closest food to the convention itself is likely in the form of food trucks on Georgia Street (right outside the uhh East entrance I think). I have heard basically only good things about all of those trucks though I have not tried them myself yet.

The Ram (brewpub with gamer-themed menu, albeit one that has been slacking off in recent years due to...)
Scotty's Brewhouse (...the old manager at the Ram moving here and taking his gamer-enthusiasm with him)
Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, though Lawen would kill me if I did not mention St. Elmo Steakhouse in the same breath
And speaking of St. Elmo, after 2015, Harry & Izzy's actually became my favorite place to eat in Indianapolis, because as Mudcrab Merchant points out, it is basically the food from St. Elmo (connected next door) but at a fraction of the price.
First Watch (I have not been there but apparently it has the FRESHEST INGREDIENTS despite being a chain)
Patachou (closes at like 3 P.M., but legitimately amazing quality breakfast/lunch)
STEAK 'N' SHAKE BECAUSE I AM FROM NORMAL, ILLINOIS AND I WILL BE PROUD OF OUR HOMETOWN CREATION UNTIL THE DAY I DIE
~~Bacon Legs & Turntables, suggested by ME because IT IS CALLED BACON LEGS & TURNTABLES (they feature each of those three things, you see [who cares {just go <yes>}])~~ ugh what cruel deity closed this place before I could ever even go there
Haveli is the most commonly Goon-recommended Indian place. Certainly it is good, and they apparently have a lunch buffet, if you are some sort of "lunch-eater."
Prime 47, if you want to go a little farther for some food you also cannot afford. I remember going here with my then-girlfriend once and it was very good, but we also felt strange eating somewhere so fancy while wearing Hawaiian shirts.
And Yard House is heartily recommended by RADIO FREE WALRUS
Thanks to CellBlock, we now know that
CellBlock posted:
there is a Primanti Bros. in Indianapolis now. If you like big sandwiches with french fries on them, that's a good place
, conveniently located in the Circle Centre Mall (also known as "the thing that you always walk past near the Convention Center but quite possibly have never gone into that has the movie theater")
PLUS apparently Caf� Patachou has opened a pizzeria called Napolese Pizzeria which is also seemingly in the Circle Center Mall so I need to eat there RIGHT NOW

If you are one of the 1% of attendees able to walk under her/his own power, here are some of the best Indianapolis restaurants that are still technically walkable but are probably like a mile away or so:
Milktooth, suggested by DJFooBoo as the "head chef is a James Beard award winner who focuses on breakfast/brunch. Holy poo poo you should eat there dumbass!" Thanks ;(
MacNivens for Great Scotch Eggs!
Mesh on Mass is "spectacular" THAT IS ALL I KNOW
Not gonna lie, I have wanted to go to The Rathskeller ever since Gen-Con first moved, as it somehow got talked up as the single place you absolutely must go that was not close to the convention. Needless to say I have therefore never gone, but I DO love me some good German food.
Bazbeaux for pizza
Bakersfield for tacos...!??
Bru Burger for ... burgers
Bluebeard sounds like a pretty amazing place with a constantly-changing menu
Union 50 sounds delicious though it has LIVE MUSIC so BEWARE
Shapiro's Delicatessen made a list of the best 25 restaurants in Indianapolis so just go there already
Long's Bakery for THE BEST DONUTS APPARENTLY
Fogo De Chao to gorge on unlimited top-notch steak and other meaty gubbins

Here is VISIT INDY'S list of all its restaurants that have appeared on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives (a show on the Food Network here in The America). Oh and looking at the list in 2017 it appears they added/I never noticed the places featured on Man vs. Food, Eat Street, Top 5 Restaurants, and The Best Thing I Ever Ate. Repeat offenders from Goon recommendations on these these lists: St. Elmo Steakhouse and Milktooth. Guess those two really are awesome.

And here we have VISIT INDY's list of its TOP 25 LOCAL RESTAURANTS! Several Gen-Con/this post favorites show up, including Caf� Patachou, Scotty's Brewhouse, Bazbeaux, and St. Elmo.

Q. DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER GENERIC TIPS FOR ME
A. YES AND YES I DID STEAL THE IDEA FOR THIS SECTION FROM LAST YEAR'S EXCELLENT COMIC CON THREAD

Oh but first LuiCypher wrote a GUIDE

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.

If you are not in good enough shape to be on your feet for hours a day and to walk about a dozen miles over the course of several days, you might want to get on that. For reasons entirely unrelated to the convention, generally, but in this case specifically for the convention.
Having cash-money can be very valuable, as some vendors in the exhibit hall are not equipped to take credit cards (though this is increasingly less common in the era of Square), and others will give you a discount for using cash (the Auction/Auction Store in particular charges the full credit card fee so that the sellers are not penalized for the payment method). There are ATMs but of course they are frequently out of cash on convention days, so plan ahead!
The Comic Con thread suggests the 6/2/1 rule, though I prefer the 5/3/1 rule, but the idea is the same: Sleep at least 5/6 hours, eat 2/3 meals, and take 1 shower every day. Honestly, if you can handle going a long time without eating, I suggest taking advantage of your hotel's free breakfast buffet (you should stay at a hotel with a free breakfast buffet) and stuffing yourself silly and then trying to make it until dinner time, since nearby businesses are often packed during lunchtime and ending up missing two quality hours of the exhibit hall just to eat a sandwich seems like a bad deal to me. And yes, this is often called the "3/2/1" rule, but seriously, I have never seen anyone consistently sleep ~3 hours a night and not end up literally passing out AT THE GAMING TABLE by day three.
Be like me and buy this bag and bring it with you because it rules. Or if you must, just make sure you have some other equally-sturdy bag; do not be one of those rolling-suitcase-in-packed-crowd jerks. Edit: Thanks for pointing out the broken link Admiral Joeslop and thanks Deviant for immediately linking to it
Oh if you are into this kind of thing here are the relevant links: Gen Con Official Twitterrrrrr, Gen Con Indy Official FAAaaAAaacebOoOOOK, Wizards of the Coast's Gen-Con Retrospective Page
Oh neat and they also have a Jon Peterson-authored timeline of important Dungeons & Dragons events; this is pretty Gen-Con-related
Slandible posted:
E>> One other thing I would suggest I didn't see in the OP, is dressing in layers. I know it's the middle of summer and you're going to be packed into the center like cattle, but by around 8 pm, a large amount of people start leaving. And by close to midnight, all the AC units in the place turn it into a giant meat locker. I froze my rear end off the first night.
GO TO GEN CON. GO TO GEN CON.
GO. TO. GEN. CON.

And see you there.

(Thanks Nesbit37)

(Thanks Bottom Liner)

Dr. Quarex fucked around with this message at 03:59 on Jul 17, 2017

# ¿ Feb 1, 2017 19:47

Dr. Quarex: Apr 18, 2003; I'M A BIG DORK WHO POSTS TOO MUCH ABOUT CONVENTIONS LOOK AT THIS

TOVA TOVA TOVA

CaptainRat posted:

A vicious subtweet of your good friend

You deserve death for your insolence.

At least I did not mention that you fell asleep holding the die in your hand over the table while awaiting your combat turn

Pray that I do not reveal any more information

# ¿ Feb 1, 2017 20:06

Dr. Quarex: Apr 18, 2003; I'M A BIG DORK WHO POSTS TOO MUCH ABOUT CONVENTIONS LOOK AT THIS

TOVA TOVA TOVA

Agrias120 posted:

GEN CON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(I heard you when you shouted it earlier Dr. Quarex)

I knew that some true believer out there would hear my plea.

Radio Free Walrus posted:

I'm surprised you don't have Yard House on your grub list. Place is pretty good, is fairly spacious, and is basically ignored during the lunch rush.

I have no idea what the Yard House is. Is this something people discovered last year, also known as The Year I Refused To Believe Indianapolis Existed? Addin'

nesbit37 posted:

uh, dates are off. Its the 17th-20th, are you trying to get everyone to book hotels on the wrong days so you get them all to yourself, Quarex?

YES

I probably copied something from my archived 2014 post and moved it around enough that I forgot it was not from this year. It basically took me an entire week to make those posts since BABY and WORKING OUT OF STATE and PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE

8one6 posted:

I think the company sponsoring the beanbags dropped out because they weren't there the last two years. They were super nice though.

NOOOOOOOoooo yeah what was it, Xsomething... XORBEE! This reminds me that not only was I not there in 2016, but I was not a VIG companion in 2015 ;( ;( ;(

# ¿ Feb 2, 2017 01:45

Dr. Quarex: Apr 18, 2003; I'M A BIG DORK WHO POSTS TOO MUCH ABOUT CONVENTIONS LOOK AT THIS

TOVA TOVA TOVA