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Double Agent
Mar 28, 2005

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

Agrias120 posted:

I never detoxed from GenCon 2019!!

Shots Wednesday can be both a blessing and a curse.

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nesbit37
Dec 12, 2003
Emperor of Rome
(500 BC - 500 AD)
GEN CON

Dr. Quarex
Apr 18, 2003

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

TOVA TOVA TOVA
DJINNKHAN!!!

GINCAWN!!!

Did anyone go to Dragons & Doughnuts yet? I know we have some Indianapolis people!

Lord Of Texas
Dec 26, 2006

Dr. Quarex posted:

DJINNKHAN!!!

GINCAWN!!!

Did anyone go to Dragons & Doughnuts yet? I know we have some Indianapolis people!

Yeah, I gamed at Doughnuts and Dragons regularly before COVID hit. Had a Gloomhaven group that met weekly (RIP due to COVID), and the place was always popping. The doughnuts are legit fantastic and innovative too. One of the first places I'm going after COVID is under control.

Dr. Quarex
Apr 18, 2003

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

TOVA TOVA TOVA

Lord Of Texas posted:

Yeah, I gamed at Doughnuts and Dragons regularly before COVID hit. Had a Gloomhaven group that met weekly (RIP due to COVID), and the place was always popping. The doughnuts are legit fantastic and innovative too. One of the first places I'm going after COVID is under control.
I apologize for getting Dungeons & Dragnuts' name wrong. I even had just looked it up and still could not remember it long enough to post

That is cool, though; I have often wondered why the "incredibly unusual donut" model was not a lot more ubiquitous, as I have only ever seen them in the Pacific Northwest (though I imagine they are elsewhere, just nowhere I ever go)



Hey everybody, I am in Idaho tonight

Lord of Idaho

Admiral Joeslop
Jul 8, 2010




Dr. Quarex posted:

I apologize for getting Dungeons & Dragnuts' name wrong. I even had just looked it up and still could not remember it long enough to post

That is cool, though; I have often wondered why the "incredibly unusual donut" model was not a lot more ubiquitous, as I have only ever seen them in the Pacific Northwest (though I imagine they are elsewhere, just nowhere I ever go)



Hey everybody, I am in Idaho tonight

Lord of Idaho

https://twitter.com/JimmyJazz1968/status/1366259062145314819?s=19

How's your stay going?

Dr. Quarex
Apr 18, 2003

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

TOVA TOVA TOVA

Admiral Joeslop posted:

How's your stay going?
Not too dissimilarly from that!

No honestly it was pleasant and uneventful, though wow is it ever windy when there is basically nothing for miles in 95% of the directions around you

Now I am in Portland! Hooray! I am eating an gyro! I will resist the urge to order a box of donuts and wait for a special occasion!

Just gonna edit this into this post since it is so unimportant yet I still want to talk about it: per the always-mystifying-to-read Fanlore.org, I was reminded of the concept of the "con suite," something I occasionally am puzzled to see people asking about on the forums or Facebook posts or whatever, but have never seen in real life. I understand this is some sort of unique custom to "certain" conventions, but like, which ones? Clearly none of the ones I have ever attended. Apparently DragonCon does or used to have them? But it seems like mostly a thing for smaller conventions? I would assume purely because of the costs involved, but if DragonCon did it, maybe not? I feel like I have already talked about this somewhere else in the past, but clearly I did not feel like I learned enough if that is true

Maybe the secret is that it is just not a gaming convention thing, and DragonCon's particular overlapping hybrid fandoms led to it preserving the tradition even though it also has gaming?

Dr. Quarex fucked around with this message at 09:23 on Mar 2, 2021

nesbit37
Dec 12, 2003
Emperor of Rome
(500 BC - 500 AD)
Dreamation and Dexcon in NJ have con suites. They're weird, like if your a gamemaster or help in any way with the con at all you can just go there whenever er and grab an egg salad sandwich and talk to the volunteers running the suite and other people eating odd lunchmeats. Its nice not having to worry about feeding yourself at these cons because of the con suite but its super awkward.

CellBlock
Oct 6, 2005

It just don't stop.



It seems like the kind of thing you'd probably see at fan-run conventions, where the handful of organizers have booked a few floors of a hotel and just assign a few rooms to nobody and just leave them open.

Once your event is a certain size, it really just doesn't make sense to try to provide food, drinks, or really any sort of "hospitality suite" to everyone. You won't have supplies or space.

The closest thing at Gen Con is probably the VIG Lounge, which makes sense both in that it's something easy that feels "premium" to the people putting up the cash and also limits the number of people you're providing services down from tens of thousands to maybe 1 or 2 thousand. (I don't know how many VIGs there are, but I don't think it's a lot.)

Agrias120
Jun 27, 2002

I will burn my dread.

Getting a little more nervous with SDCC just canceling, but I am holding out hope.

Frozen Peach
Aug 25, 2004

garbage man from a garbage can
Vaccinations scheduled! Looks like GenCon might be on the menu!

Dr. Quarex
Apr 18, 2003

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

TOVA TOVA TOVA

Frozen Peach posted:

Vaccinations scheduled! Looks like GenCon might be on the menu!
High five!

I got my first Dollydose today through a very Quarexian comedy of errors. I will not explain.

My second dose is near the end of the month, so by mid-April I can go get to work cleaning the Indianapolis Convention Center carpet by hand!

Dr. Quarex
Apr 18, 2003

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

TOVA TOVA TOVA
Perpetual optimist I may be, but as I continue working longer hours every day than I ever thought I would willingly work, helping people sign up for and get checked in for and cry for joy over thousands of vaccinations every day, I am telling you: The world is loving coming back and I am goddamn well going to be in Indianapolis in August

Carteret
Nov 10, 2012


Got shot 2 today. I have like, a weird guilt about it, but am also very relieved

Dr. Quarex
Apr 18, 2003

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

TOVA TOVA TOVA

Carteret posted:

Got shot 2 today. I have like, a weird guilt about it, but am also very relieved
:unsmith::hf::unsmith:

The only people who should feel guilty about getting the vaccination are the people who bought their access outside of normal avenues, and I imagine most of them are incapable of understanding the concept of guilt.

The last call I took today was a woman in tears about how the patient she is the caretaker for has a very specific allergy to the vaccine being given Saturday of this weekend, but not Sunday. She wanted to give up her vaccination appointment the next day so he could take it instead, even though it will be weeks until she could get one. We had literally just been told we had audited the appointments for that second day and found there were about 20 free slots through cancellations, so I told her I could do her one better and schedule them both for the same time and vaccine. She once again was crying, but in the opposite way the call started.

U-S-A!!!

Agrias120
Jun 27, 2002

I will burn my dread.

Dr. Quarex posted:

:unsmith::hf::unsmith:

The only people who should feel guilty about getting the vaccination are the people who bought their access outside of normal avenues, and I imagine most of them are incapable of understanding the concept of guilt.

The last call I took today was a woman in tears about how the patient she is the caretaker for has a very specific allergy to the vaccine being given Saturday of this weekend, but not Sunday. She wanted to give up her vaccination appointment the next day so he could take it instead, even though it will be weeks until she could get one. We had literally just been told we had audited the appointments for that second day and found there were about 20 free slots through cancellations, so I told her I could do her one better and schedule them both for the same time and vaccine. She once again was crying, but in the opposite way the call started.

U-S-A!!!

This warmed my cold, dead heart. :shobon:

Nemesis Of Moles
Jul 25, 2007

Vaccines looking good enough that we started planning the return of my low-key friend convention and I specifically made sure not to book it in July-August cause a lil part of me wants to Believe so bad

Pangaea Ultima
Sep 7, 2005

Fun Shoe
My feelings on this have been a real roller coaster over the last month! The push to open vaccine eligibility to all adults on May 1 is promising, assuming it is informed by a behind-the-scenes understanding of the supply and delivery chain. Also, a good proportion of my friends and family around the country have gotten their first shot!

But is tough to imagine what an on-time Gen Con would look like at this point, considering how behind we are in the normal schedule of planning. I think I submitted events for 2020 in early February, and I think I was disappointed by the hotel lottery around this time last year? Considering they haven't even made an announcement yet, if they did decide to go forward they'd be really starting on their back foot.

And that's not even considering the changes they'd need to implement to facilitate some form of checking for mask compliance or vaccine passports or whatever. The students where my girlfriend teaches are required to display a bi-weekly COVID testing compliance notification on their phones to enter the classrooms, and many of them just show outdated screen shots. In 2019 the ratio of people checking badges to attendees was like 1:10,000 so I'm having a tough time imagining how checking vax status or even mask compliance would really work in practice.

Considering that, it seems like going ahead with the con would require a massive influx of personnel, a massive reduction in attendee numbers, or an assumption that the pandemic is largely under control so anyone attending is taking their own personal risk in their own hands. That last one seems like the most likely option to me, if they make the decision to proceed. And even though I feel very good that if I were vaccinated that I would both be protected and not likely to be a vector of disease, I'm still wrestling with feeling extremely irresponsible to be wading into a crowd of 70,000 people from all across the world.

Anyway, not trying to rain on the posi vibes. I still have posi vibes! It is starting to feel a bit more realistic to me, which I guess is why I'm now thinking through what a con at the beginning of August would actually look like and then my vibes, they get less posi...

Lord Of Texas
Dec 26, 2006

Pangaea Ultima posted:

My feelings on this have been a real roller coaster over the last month! The push to open vaccine eligibility to all adults on May 1 is promising, assuming it is informed by a behind-the-scenes understanding of the supply and delivery chain. Also, a good proportion of my friends and family around the country have gotten their first shot!

But is tough to imagine what an on-time Gen Con would look like at this point, considering how behind we are in the normal schedule of planning. I think I submitted events for 2020 in early February, and I think I was disappointed by the hotel lottery around this time last year? Considering they haven't even made an announcement yet, if they did decide to go forward they'd be really starting on their back foot.

And that's not even considering the changes they'd need to implement to facilitate some form of checking for mask compliance or vaccine passports or whatever. The students where my girlfriend teaches are required to display a bi-weekly COVID testing compliance notification on their phones to enter the classrooms, and many of them just show outdated screen shots. In 2019 the ratio of people checking badges to attendees was like 1:10,000 so I'm having a tough time imagining how checking vax status or even mask compliance would really work in practice.

Considering that, it seems like going ahead with the con would require a massive influx of personnel, a massive reduction in attendee numbers, or an assumption that the pandemic is largely under control so anyone attending is taking their own personal risk in their own hands. That last one seems like the most likely option to me, if they make the decision to proceed. And even though I feel very good that if I were vaccinated that I would both be protected and not likely to be a vector of disease, I'm still wrestling with feeling extremely irresponsible to be wading into a crowd of 70,000 people from all across the world.

Anyway, not trying to rain on the posi vibes. I still have posi vibes! It is starting to feel a bit more realistic to me, which I guess is why I'm now thinking through what a con at the beginning of August would actually look like and then my vibes, they get less posi...

This is pretty much exactly how I feel at this point.

Dr. Quarex
Apr 18, 2003

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

TOVA TOVA TOVA

Agrias120 posted:

This warmed my cold, dead heart. :shobon:
Good. Because this whole process is basically the most powerful force for good we have seen in my lifetime, and I am drat sure going to talk about it. We are literally Care Bear Staring at this point

Nemesis Of Moles posted:

Vaccines looking good enough that we started planning the return of my low-key friend convention and I specifically made sure not to book it in July-August cause a lil part of me wants to Believe so bad
:hai:

Lord Of Texas posted:

This is pretty much exactly how I feel at this point.
I certainly know why you feel this way, and genuinely agree with most of it too. SO I suppose I might as well point out the important differences I see as an insider in some ways and total outsider in others, quoting the relevant block for my discussion first:

Pangaea Ultima posted:

But is tough to imagine what an on-time Gen Con would look like at this point, considering how behind we are in the normal schedule of planning. I think I submitted events for 2020 in early February, and I think I was disappointed by the hotel lottery around this time last year? Considering they haven't even made an announcement yet, if they did decide to go forward they'd be really starting on their back foot.

And that's not even considering the changes they'd need to implement to facilitate some form of checking for mask compliance or vaccine passports or whatever. The students where my girlfriend teaches are required to display a bi-weekly COVID testing compliance notification on their phones to enter the classrooms, and many of them just show outdated screen shots. In 2019 the ratio of people checking badges to attendees was like 1:10,000 so I'm having a tough time imagining how checking vax status or even mask compliance would really work in practice.

Considering that, it seems like going ahead with the con would require a massive influx of personnel, a massive reduction in attendee numbers, or an assumption that the pandemic is largely under control so anyone attending is taking their own personal risk in their own hands. That last one seems like the most likely option to me, if they make the decision to proceed. And even though I feel very good that if I were vaccinated that I would both be protected and not likely to be a vector of disease, I'm still wrestling with feeling extremely irresponsible to be wading into a crowd of 70,000 people from all across the world.
That they have not made the announcement yet tells me they are actually doing something even harder than last year and simultaneously planning two Gens-Con. For the simple fact of diminished exhibitor and gamer interest in an in-person convention alike, they know it is not going to be "Just Like 2019 Again," so they are definitely planning for something smaller. Perhaps will implement a cap guided by whatever the largest convention-like activity going on in the next few months ends up being, or perhaps they will simply hope that requiring vaccinations and masks will be enough to reduce attendance to reasonable levels. I envision the Exhibition Hall being exactly the same size, but having 1/10th as many vendors, with the expected amount of space between them. I definitely picture something that will, depending on your outlook, be either the saddest or the most hopeful Gen-Con ever.

This is why I do say I mostly agree with you, as I imagine "assuming the pandemic is largely under control" is their likely operating assumption for the convention, but as they are smart people they are trying to decide how to proceed in a way low-key enough that they do not end up gaining infamy as the big summer vector of COVID-19 transmission.

Pangaea Ultima
Sep 7, 2005

Fun Shoe

Dr. Quarex posted:

This is why I do say I mostly agree with you, as I imagine "assuming the pandemic is largely under control" is their likely operating assumption for the convention, but as they are smart people they are trying to decide how to proceed in a way low-key enough that they do not end up gaining infamy as the big summer vector of COVID-19 transmission.

You make good points and I agree with you that they've probably been gaming this out for a long while now. Re-reading my last post I think it communicates a lot more cynicism than I meant it to. My concerns aren't that I think they're dumb or delusional or shady, but more along the lines of wondering "how many additional staff would it take" or "how small can they afford to go?" I am hopeful that everything comes together on time to make this happen. I didn't realize until our discussion about hotels last month how much I had mentally riding on going to Gen Con this summer to get through a pretty tough winter. The signs are all moving in the right directions, and all I can do is try to stay hopeful while I wait for my shots and news about the con.

I have also come up with some fun and dumb one-shots that I would love to run at Gen Con that I've started plotting out, so I got that going for me.

Sorry for venting my anxieties about this and derailing from the genuinely very heartwarming story you shared.

Admiral Joeslop
Jul 8, 2010




I'd love a spaced out vendor hall because I constantly get mad at people who don't know how to walk in a crowd.

SERPUS
Mar 20, 2004
If you have to take a poo poo, plan on doing it somewhere other than convention center between 12pm and 2pm. Every stall in the complex is occupied by a grunting dehydrated fatbody trying to push out two days worth of chili fries and candy. Use this time accordingly to return to your hotel room to drop off purchases, take a shower, and drink water.

Lord Of Texas
Dec 26, 2006

Admiral Joeslop posted:

I'd love a spaced out vendor hall because I constantly get mad at people who don't know how to walk in a crowd.

Ha, was going to make the same reply to Quarex. Reduced occupancy exhibit hall sounds like heaven (not for exhibitors, obviously.)

nesbit37
Dec 12, 2003
Emperor of Rome
(500 BC - 500 AD)
Still secretly hoping they reduce exhibitors in the hall this year and let us roll over to 2022. Not exhibiting this year would be grand.

Truther Vandross
Jun 17, 2008

SERPUS posted:

If you have to take a poo poo, plan on doing it somewhere other than convention center between 12pm and 2pm. Every stall in the complex is occupied by a grunting dehydrated fatbody trying to push out two days worth of chili fries and candy. Use this time accordingly to return to your hotel room to drop off purchases, take a shower, and drink water.


This is remarkably accurate. The men's bathroom on a Saturday is the most horrendous smell on earth.

ZachAttack
Mar 17, 2009

Malevolent Hatform
Nap Ghost
Gencon 2021 moved to Sept 16-19th!

Agrias120
Jun 27, 2002

I will burn my dread.

HERE WE GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just found out my wife and I are moving to LA and have to be out there by mid October. I was a little worried a later Gen Con might be mid-October and mean I couldn't make it, but this should work out!

ZachAttack
Mar 17, 2009

Malevolent Hatform
Nap Ghost
They say they are capping attendance, hopefully it isn't a pain to get a badge. I already have a room reserved from the 15th-19th, so I guess I am going to show up regardless.

edit: here is the full announcement https://www.gencon.com/press/2021-postponement-new-format

Admiral Joeslop
Jul 8, 2010




Website is making GBS threads itself already, did they say when badges will go up?

ZachAttack
Mar 17, 2009

Malevolent Hatform
Nap Ghost
No dates set yet for registration. Here is a screengrab of the FAQ since we hugged the site to death.

nesbit37
Dec 12, 2003
Emperor of Rome
(500 BC - 500 AD)
Yay for Gen Con! Just waiting to hear now what exactly this means for us exhibitors.

Admiral Joeslop
Jul 8, 2010




https://www.bestwestern.com/en_US/book/hotels-in-indianapolis/best-western-plus-indianapolis-downtown/propertyCode.15124.html

Those of you still looking for a hotel, this one is a 14 minute walk from the ICC and 11 minute walk from the Rathskellar, jump on it while you can. I got four nights for just $550~.

Haystack
Jan 23, 2005





Admiral Joeslop posted:

https://www.bestwestern.com/en_US/book/hotels-in-indianapolis/best-western-plus-indianapolis-downtown/propertyCode.15124.html

Those of you still looking for a hotel, this one is a 14 minute walk from the ICC and 11 minute walk from the Rathskellar, jump on it while you can. I got four nights for just $550~.

It's close to the new Whole Foods and the City Market, too.

BlackIronHeart
Aug 2, 2004

The Oath Breaker's about to hit warphead nine Kaptain!
Goddamn, it's like Christmas morning.

Pangaea Ultima
Sep 7, 2005

Fun Shoe

Admiral Joeslop posted:

https://www.bestwestern.com/en_US/book/hotels-in-indianapolis/best-western-plus-indianapolis-downtown/propertyCode.15124.html

Those of you still looking for a hotel, this one is a 14 minute walk from the ICC and 11 minute walk from the Rathskellar, jump on it while you can. I got four nights for just $550~.

:getin:

Delaying 6 weeks feels great, my vibes are extremely posi re: this con!

Dr. Quarex
Apr 18, 2003

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

TOVA TOVA TOVA
WELL OH BOY IS THIS REPLY EVER GOING TO BE DIFFERENT THAN IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN LAST NIGHT

Pangaea Ultima posted:

You make good points and I agree with you that they've probably been gaming this out for a long while now. Re-reading my last post I think it communicates a lot more cynicism than I meant it to. My concerns aren't that I think they're dumb or delusional or shady, but more along the lines of wondering "how many additional staff would it take" or "how small can they afford to go?" I am hopeful that everything comes together on time to make this happen. I didn't realize until our discussion about hotels last month how much I had mentally riding on going to Gen Con this summer to get through a pretty tough winter. The signs are all moving in the right directions, and all I can do is try to stay hopeful while I wait for my shots and news about the con.

I have also come up with some fun and dumb one-shots that I would love to run at Gen Con that I've started plotting out, so I got that going for me.

Sorry for venting my anxieties about this and derailing from the genuinely very heartwarming story you shared.
I totally understand your concerns; I mean, I am usually the most positive person in any situation and I still have concerns about how things are going down (even now!). And obviously now I am responding from a totally new world from when you wrote this. But I think between the delay and the amazing progress we are making every day and the fact that other events run by much dumber people will have already stolen the "stupid idea" thunder, this is going to be good. Even if perhaps not as great as we hoped 2021's convention might be last year when we found out that one was virtual-only.

Admiral Joeslop posted:

I'd love a spaced out vendor hall because I constantly get mad at people who don't know how to walk in a crowd.

SERPUS posted:

If you have to take a poo poo, plan on doing it somewhere other than convention center between 12pm and 2pm. Every stall in the complex is occupied by a grunting dehydrated fatbody trying to push out two days worth of chili fries and candy. Use this time accordingly to return to your hotel room to drop off purchases, take a shower, and drink water.

Lord Of Texas posted:

Ha, was going to make the same reply to Quarex. Reduced occupancy exhibit hall sounds like heaven (not for exhibitors, obviously.)
All solid points. And the profound horrible stench of the bathrooms might be reduced by a significant reduction in attendees, too!

BlackIronHeart posted:

Goddamn, it's like Christmas morning.
Yeah this pretty much covers it. And like Christmas morning, I wake up later than anyone else despite nominally being thrilled

I got a great reservation by extending my hotel stay from Tuesday to Tuesday and triggering some sort of "extended stay" protocol which significantly reduced the price; I got a deal doing that for the previous dates, too, but man, this was even better. I wonder if they forgot to add the "IT AM GENS-CON" surcharge to that rate?

It is also going to be magnificent when the people who normally get badges by volunteering all do not end up being able to attend because the people who rolled their badges over are the only ones allowed in under the new cap

Nemesis Of Moles
Jul 25, 2007

Prolly gonna skip this year as much as i wish I could come see you all. Next time!

Haystack
Jan 23, 2005





I feel way, way better about attending in September than I did about August. Those extra weeks should really give the vaccines some time to do some heavy lifting.

As a bonus, my kid will be in school by then which will make the weekdays a lot easier to manage than it would have during summer break. I'm kind of excited to figure out how to work out the logistics now that I'm living within easy bus/taxi/biking range.

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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
Gen-Con is definitely back

Quoteo, the Quoting Nightmare posted:

Oh yeah, the buttons. I’m on a teddy bear photo forum and I was putting the buttons on my bears’ costumes as I brought three stuffies to Gen Con and I got a lot of positive attention LOL

Also let it be known I absolutely hold nothing but love in my heart for the people on teddy bear photo forums, but I would also never deny I laughed when I saw this

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