Comments on: Gen Con 2008, Lessons Learned http://critical-hits.com/2008/08/20/gen-con-2008-lessons-learned/ The Journal of Gamer Culture Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:30:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Felonius http://critical-hits.com/2008/08/20/gen-con-2008-lessons-learned/#comment-52171 Felonius Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:37:02 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1001#comment-52171 Super Secret Bacon Prize? I want one. :-( Bacon is the best thing ever invented ever. For always. Super Secret Bacon Prize? I want one. :-(

Bacon is the best thing ever invented ever. For always.

]]> By: ChattyDM http://critical-hits.com/2008/08/20/gen-con-2008-lessons-learned/#comment-52170 ChattyDM Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:52:39 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1001#comment-52170 @Joe: I did! Thank you soooooooo much man! You win the Super Secret Bacon Prize! @Joe: I did! Thank you soooooooo much man! You win the Super Secret Bacon Prize!

]]> By: Joe http://critical-hits.com/2008/08/20/gen-con-2008-lessons-learned/#comment-52169 Joe Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:49:58 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1001#comment-52169 Did you get your Gen Con badge back to you? How weird to find it (someone I knew) on the sidewalk a few blocks from Gen Con. j. Joes last blog post..<a href="http://jaws9.livejournal.com/11368.html" rel="nofollow">Rant: Greyhound bus</a> Did you get your Gen Con badge back to you?

How weird to find it (someone I knew) on the sidewalk a few blocks from Gen Con.

j.

Joes last blog post..Rant: Greyhound bus

]]> By: Ninetail http://critical-hits.com/2008/08/20/gen-con-2008-lessons-learned/#comment-52168 Ninetail Fri, 22 Aug 2008 08:12:52 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1001#comment-52168 @Chatty: Nothin' to make up, it's my own fault. ^_^ If you're there next year, I'll be sure to rectify that. Ninetails last blog post..<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AButterflyDreaming/~3/371306963/" rel="nofollow">My Dwarves are Roman</a> @Chatty: Nothin’ to make up, it’s my own fault. ^_^

If you’re there next year, I’ll be sure to rectify that.

Ninetails last blog post..My Dwarves are Roman

]]> By: ChattyDM http://critical-hits.com/2008/08/20/gen-con-2008-lessons-learned/#comment-52167 ChattyDM Thu, 21 Aug 2008 22:13:43 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1001#comment-52167 Thanks brahnamin. No normal human being will ever find being buried in praise lame. I credit you for quoting 'Tyranny of Satisfaction' to me first. I love it! That should the title of my first Album! (I'm kidding by the way, I don't believe that Rockstar thing... I'm just a very enthusiastic and chatty Gamer) Thanks brahnamin.

No normal human being will ever find being buried in praise lame.

I credit you for quoting ‘Tyranny of Satisfaction’ to me first. I love it!

That should the title of my first Album!

(I’m kidding by the way, I don’t believe that Rockstar thing… I’m just a very enthusiastic and chatty Gamer)

]]> By: brahnamin http://critical-hits.com/2008/08/20/gen-con-2008-lessons-learned/#comment-52166 brahnamin Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:47:23 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1001#comment-52166 Dude, forgive if this comes out lame, but I really just want to thank you for being so bloody productive and positive in your posts. I find I am actually getting depressed going back to RPG blogs and reading great writers with great minds who are probably great gamers devolve into whining about this or that aspect of a game THAT IS MEANT TO BE TWEAKED BY THE GAMERS . . . complaining about rules and exceptions that THEY HAVE FULL PERMISSION TO CHANGE. Thank you for the Rule of Cool and the Tyranny of Satisfaction. /lovefest Must go kill my children now. Well, not really my children. Their characters . . . brahnamins last blog post..<a href="http://brahnamin.wordpress.com/2008/08/21/critical-hits-your-wish-is-granted/" rel="nofollow">Critical Hits: Your Wish is Granted</a> Dude, forgive if this comes out lame, but I really just want to thank you for being so bloody productive and positive in your posts.

I find I am actually getting depressed going back to RPG blogs and reading great writers with great minds who are probably great gamers devolve into whining about this or that aspect of a game THAT IS MEANT TO BE TWEAKED BY THE GAMERS . . . complaining about rules and exceptions that THEY HAVE FULL PERMISSION TO CHANGE.

Thank you for the Rule of Cool and the Tyranny of Satisfaction.

/lovefest

Must go kill my children now. Well, not really my children. Their characters . . .

brahnamins last blog post..Critical Hits: Your Wish is Granted

]]> By: ChattyDM http://critical-hits.com/2008/08/20/gen-con-2008-lessons-learned/#comment-52165 ChattyDM Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:25:49 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1001#comment-52165 @Dave: You're so on man! It will be a clash of titans! And we'll play it to the end! @Dave: You’re so on man! It will be a clash of titans! And we’ll play it to the end!

]]> By: ScottM http://critical-hits.com/2008/08/20/gen-con-2008-lessons-learned/#comment-52164 ScottM Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:44:28 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1001#comment-52164 You sold me-- I must attend next year. ScottMs last blog post..<a href="http://scottrpg.com/scottscorner/?p=466" rel="nofollow">Alignment Motivational Posters</a> You sold me– I must attend next year.

ScottMs last blog post..Alignment Motivational Posters

]]> By: Donny_the_DM http://critical-hits.com/2008/08/20/gen-con-2008-lessons-learned/#comment-52163 Donny_the_DM Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:40:47 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1001#comment-52163 Glad to hear all went well. Gotta go myself one of these days. Donny_the_DMs last blog post..<a href="http://thefineartofthetpk.blogspot.com/2008/08/dark-covenantfounded-in-earnest-its.html" rel="nofollow">A dark covenant...founded in earnest. It's only goal: To roll the dice!</a> Glad to hear all went well. Gotta go myself one of these days.

Donny_the_DMs last blog post..A dark covenant…founded in earnest. It’s only goal: To roll the dice!

]]> By: Dave T. Game http://critical-hits.com/2008/08/20/gen-con-2008-lessons-learned/#comment-52162 Dave T. Game Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:21:11 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1001#comment-52162 Next year, I'll best you in a draft... each game was razor close! And if I had a better memory for Magic (not as good as I used to) I'd argue where you thought I made a mistake, but I think it had something to do with having two giant growths in my hand and only one forest. Next year, I’ll best you in a draft… each game was razor close! And if I had a better memory for Magic (not as good as I used to) I’d argue where you thought I made a mistake, but I think it had something to do with having two giant growths in my hand and only one forest.

]]> By: Tony Law http://critical-hits.com/2008/08/20/gen-con-2008-lessons-learned/#comment-52161 Tony Law Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:24:31 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1001#comment-52161 Glad you had a good time. :) This year, my biggest lesson learned was that you will never have time to do everything you want, like going to the RPG Bloggers seminar. :( Glad you had a good time. :)

This year, my biggest lesson learned was that you will never have time to do everything you want, like going to the RPG Bloggers seminar. :(

]]> By: ChattyDM http://critical-hits.com/2008/08/20/gen-con-2008-lessons-learned/#comment-52160 ChattyDM Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:16:43 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1001#comment-52160 @Ambush: Yeah 4e is this strange beast for tournaments because so few actually 'master' it and have the guts to break it (without being unfair) open for fun tournament play. Which brings up another LL: DMing for 25 years makes a big difference, mostly in shoring up self-confidence. @DNAPhil: He he he, being French is not always just to be the butts of insults ya know! @Ninetails : Oh man everything is such a blur now one week after the event. I'm sure you didn't introduce yourself because I don't recall hearing a guy I had lunch in Steak N Shake beside a guy, I also had lunch twice with the Stupid Ranger crew. In all these events I talked to people I wasn't formerly introduced to. Plus I'd have remembered if a guy had told me he had a blog about butterflies! =) Send me a pic to my email and I'll find a way to make it up to you... God I hope I wasn't a jerk to you! ;) @Ambush: Yeah 4e is this strange beast for tournaments because so few actually ‘master’ it and have the guts to break it (without being unfair) open for fun tournament play.

Which brings up another LL:

DMing for 25 years makes a big difference, mostly in shoring up self-confidence.

@DNAPhil: He he he, being French is not always just to be the butts of insults ya know!

@Ninetails : Oh man everything is such a blur now one week after the event. I’m sure you didn’t introduce yourself because I don’t recall hearing a guy
I had lunch in Steak N Shake beside a guy, I also had lunch twice with the Stupid Ranger crew. In all these events I talked to people I wasn’t formerly introduced to.

Plus I’d have remembered if a guy had told me he had a blog about butterflies! =)

Send me a pic to my email and I’ll find a way to make it up to you…

God I hope I wasn’t a jerk to you! ;)

]]> By: Ninetail http://critical-hits.com/2008/08/20/gen-con-2008-lessons-learned/#comment-52159 Ninetail Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:12:43 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1001#comment-52159 Nice, Chatty. I know what you mean about not being able to introduce yourself to people... always have trouble with that myself. In fact, thinking back on it, I'm not entirely sure I introduced myself to you. So if you were wondering about that weird guy you talked to at lunch... yeah, that was me. >.> Ninetails last blog post..<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AButterflyDreaming/~3/370132049/" rel="nofollow">Alignment Explained via Superheroes</a> Nice, Chatty.

I know what you mean about not being able to introduce yourself to people… always have trouble with that myself. In fact, thinking back on it, I’m not entirely sure I introduced myself to you.

So if you were wondering about that weird guy you talked to at lunch… yeah, that was me. >.>

Ninetails last blog post..Alignment Explained via Superheroes

]]> By: DNAphil http://critical-hits.com/2008/08/20/gen-con-2008-lessons-learned/#comment-52158 DNAphil Thu, 21 Aug 2008 03:21:53 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1001#comment-52158 An amendment to the Day 3 LL, of dropping the F-bomb at 8am. If questioned, just tell them that it is not your native language. LOL Actually, it was quite funny. Even I did a double take. It woke everyone up. To add to some LL: * Always know where the nearest Starbucks is located. * Sleep is for after the Con. * It never hurts to use the phrase, "I am doing that seminar with the Chatty DM". (That is how I met Wolfgang.) It was great to be teamed up with you this year, and since I know you have the GenCon bug now, we will have to do an event or two together next year. DNAphils last blog post..<a href="http://www.dnaphil.com/2008/08/20/reentry-into-reality-or-home-from-gencon/" rel="nofollow">Reentry Into Reality (or Home From GenCon)</a> An amendment to the Day 3 LL, of dropping the F-bomb at 8am. If questioned, just tell them that it is not your native language. LOL
Actually, it was quite funny. Even I did a double take. It woke everyone up.

To add to some LL:
* Always know where the nearest Starbucks is located.
* Sleep is for after the Con.
* It never hurts to use the phrase, “I am doing that seminar with the Chatty DM”. (That is how I met Wolfgang.)

It was great to be teamed up with you this year, and since I know you have the GenCon bug now, we will have to do an event or two together next year.

DNAphils last blog post..Reentry Into Reality (or Home From GenCon)

]]> By: Ambush http://critical-hits.com/2008/08/20/gen-con-2008-lessons-learned/#comment-52157 Ambush Thu, 21 Aug 2008 02:36:46 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1001#comment-52157 Lesson Learned: Don't play in tournaments unless: a) you hate gaming and want to continue to do so b) you are a masochist c) you are so insanely competitive that you are okay with absolutely not having fun for 4 hours and paying for the privilege d) all of the above It damn near ruined my GenCon. Seriously, 2 of the 3 were so bad it hurt. The judge in my first tourney didn't have the vaguest idea of how to play 4e (which would have been okay, but clearly they hadn't heard of the rules of fun/cool) which made the 4 hours HELLISHLY long. My second tourney judge started out great, but got tired and totally lost the session. Telling players that they can't destroy a statue because they don't have stats for it and bogging them down in a room for 45 min because nobody could roll high enough to find the trap. Lesson Learned: Don’t play in tournaments unless:
a) you hate gaming and want to continue to do so
b) you are a masochist
c) you are so insanely competitive that you are okay with absolutely not having fun for 4 hours and paying for the privilege
d) all of the above

It damn near ruined my GenCon. Seriously, 2 of the 3 were so bad it hurt. The judge in my first tourney didn’t have the vaguest idea of how to play 4e (which would have been okay, but clearly they hadn’t heard of the rules of fun/cool) which made the 4 hours HELLISHLY long. My second tourney judge started out great, but got tired and totally lost the session. Telling players that they can’t destroy a statue because they don’t have stats for it and bogging them down in a room for 45 min because nobody could roll high enough to find the trap.

]]> By: Caleb Cushing (xenoterracide) http://critical-hits.com/2008/08/20/gen-con-2008-lessons-learned/#comment-52156 Caleb Cushing (xenoterracide) Thu, 21 Aug 2008 02:08:15 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1001#comment-52156 Hopefully I'll see you there next time. Doesn't sound like you spent any time where I was though. Gen Con rules. Hopefully I’ll see you there next time. Doesn’t sound like you spent any time where I was though. Gen Con rules.

]]> By: Tom http://critical-hits.com/2008/08/20/gen-con-2008-lessons-learned/#comment-52155 Tom Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:40:17 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1001#comment-52155 Yeah, but thank God for emoticons...I figure WotC knows what each represents since so many of them are on the net ;) [paranoia]They DO know that the winkie face means I'm kidding right?[/paranoia] :D Toms last blog post..<a href="http://tomcat1066.wordpress.com/2008/08/20/tomcat-jrs-first-adventure/" rel="nofollow">Tomcat Jr.’s First Adventure</a> Yeah, but thank God for emoticons…I figure WotC knows what each represents since so many of them are on the net ;)

[paranoia]They DO know that the winkie face means I’m kidding right?[/paranoia] :D

Toms last blog post..Tomcat Jr.’s First Adventure

]]> By: ChattyDM http://critical-hits.com/2008/08/20/gen-con-2008-lessons-learned/#comment-52154 ChattyDM Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:31:15 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1001#comment-52154 LOL knowing that WotC people do read this blog, I'm not sure you're making the best of first impressions here Tom. =) LOL knowing that WotC people do read this blog, I’m not sure you’re making the best of first impressions here Tom.

=)

]]> By: Tom http://critical-hits.com/2008/08/20/gen-con-2008-lessons-learned/#comment-52153 Tom Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:10:06 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1001#comment-52153 Some very cool lessons you had there Chatty! Sounds like a hell of a good time. I hope I can make it up there at some point. Good tip about the industry people caring about bloggers. It might go a long way toward making the RPG blogging community as influential in our segment as political blogs can be in theirs. I'd love to have WotC kissing my butt ;) Toms last blog post..<a href="http://tomcat1066.wordpress.com/2008/08/20/tomcat-jrs-first-adventure/" rel="nofollow">Tomcat Jr.’s First Adventure</a> Some very cool lessons you had there Chatty! Sounds like a hell of a good time. I hope I can make it up there at some point.

Good tip about the industry people caring about bloggers. It might go a long way toward making the RPG blogging community as influential in our segment as political blogs can be in theirs. I’d love to have WotC kissing my butt ;)

Toms last blog post..Tomcat Jr.’s First Adventure

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