Gen Con, the granddaddy of all tabletop gaming conventions, is still a ways out, taking place from August 15-18, but that magical time of the year is upon us: pre-registration.
Gen Con pre-registration starts at 12 p.m. (Eastern) on May 19, 2013, and you’ll want to act fast in order to secure those fun events. Currently, a complete list of the events running can be viewed at www.gencon.com/events/find, where gamers can even make their wishlist of games to attend, allowing for faster pre-registration on the 19th. An Excel sheet of all the events can be downloaded even without registering for a badge here.
For those new to gaming conventions, there are only so many slots that can be taken up for a gaming event, be it tabletop RPG, miniature, or card game, so tickets are sold well in advance in order to secure seating at the table. Most events run about $1 per hour, so your average tabletop RPG is going to cost around $4. When you think about it, $1 per hour is a pretty good deal when it comes to entertainment. Gen Con does allow registration on the spot through the use of generic tokens; however, if the spots are filled up at pre-registration, then all of the generics in the realms won’t help you.
If you are new, I want to stress a few points before you dive into this smorgasbord of great games on the 19th.
1.) Make sure to space time out to take care of yourself. RPGs or long miniatures games can last 4, 6, or even 8 hours in rare cases, so schedule a buffer to go to the bathroom, eat, and check out all the shinies in the dealers’ room!
2.) Prepare backups for your blocks of time. Pre-registration goes quickly and sometimes you can’t get your first choices, so have a second list of games ready to swap in, so you don’t lose precious time searching the Excel sheet once pre-registration is live.
3.) Go ahead and try out some new games. If all that your group plays at home is Pathfinder, try out one of Margaret Weis’s Firefly RPG games or some of the new Atomic Robo RPG. You may just find your favorite game!
4.) If you’re attending the convention with a group, likewise, don’t be afraid to split ways for a game or two. Playing with your friends and family is a lot of fun, but you can meet new people by branching out, and I can say from first-hand experience I’ve made some great friends this way.
THE DETAILS:
WHAT: Gen Con 2013
WHEN: August 15-18, 2013 (Pre-registration 12 p.m. (Eastern) on May 19, 2013)
WHERE: Indiana Convention Center
100 South Capitol Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46225
Furthermore, I will be in attendance as press for the event and will also be running some games in the morning and evening of each day. You can find the details below and be sure to pre-register if something I’m running sounds interesting. I’d love to see you there!
Gen Con Games Run by Kristine Chester
Summer 1154: Beneath the Roots
Game System: Mouse Guard RPG
Thursday, 8:00 a.m. RPG1346876
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: $2
The Guard is dispatched to Copperwood to improve relations during the town’s festival, Musfire, but learn that the Guard are not always welcome.
Summer 1155: Division of Labor
Game System: Mouse Guard RPG
Thursday, 8:00 p.m. RPG1346887
Duration: 4 hours
Cost: $4
Wedding bells fill the air as the industrial towns of Copperwood and Ironwood set aside long held differences to come together, but what wedding has ever gone exactly according to plan?
Fall 1154: The Thieves of Pebblebrook
Game System: Mouse Guard RPG
Friday, 8:00 a.m. RPG1346881
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: $2
Contact has been lost with Pebblebrook, a town near Weasel territory. Is the Territories’ old enemy involved or some new threat?
The Flying She-Devils of the Pacific
Game System: Atomic Robo RPG
Friday, 8:00 p.m. RPG1346888
Duration: 4 hours
Cost: $4
Victory has been achieved against the ruthless Japanese Empire, the second world war is over and the troops are coming home! Only some soldiers aren’t yet ready to give up their wings.
Winter 1154: Desperate Times
Game System: Mouse Guard RPG
Saturday, 8:00 a.m. RPG1346885
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: $2
Gwendolyn has fallen deathly ill. Low on medical supplies, the only option to save the Guard’s leader is for a patrol to brave the harsh winter and come back with a cure before it’s too late.
Star Wars: No Match for a Good Blaster
Game System: Edge of the Empire
Saturday, 8:00 p.m. RPG1346889
Duration: 4 hours
Cost: $4
The Rebel Alliance needs weapons, you need credits, seems like a fair deal and if anything does go wrong, well, there are other benefits to the cargo you’re hauling being made up of blasters.
For additional information about Gen Con 2013, please visit www.gencon.com.
