Some Thoughts on Playing Games at Conventions

About 15 years ago (or thereabouts) I went to Gen Con for the first time. I'd never been to a convention of any sort before, and the group I attended with sort of tossed me into the deep end. While I had some positive moments that year, by the time I got home I felt more confused than I was elated. Given that so many people treated the con like something akin to a pilgrimage, I figured that I may have just missed something my first year. So I went back. Then I went back again. Still, that spark kept eluding me.

I figured maybe it was because Gen Con was too big, so I tried smaller gaming events. I've tried playing, I've tried running, and I've tried half a dozen different systems in my pursuit of finding good convention experiences. And now, a decade and change later, I figured I'd share some of my thoughts and the lessons I've learned as part of this search.

And no, I will not be at Gen Con this year for those who are curious. But for folks who are gearing up, or who might not be sure what to expect, consider learning from my experiences.

After all, I wish someone had talked me through this process.

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Thought #1: Prepare For Premade Games

All righty, I've got a cleric, a fighter, a wizard, and a rogue. Who wants what?

This seems obvious to a lot of folks, but it took me a good 2-3 cons for this to really sink in. Due to the "come one, come all" nature of games hosted at conventions, a majority of games are going to be premade. And this is not just in the sense that the GMs are going to be running modules (though that's typically the case), but it's down to which characters are available, all their stats and abilities, etc. While there are living games like Pathfinder Society or Adventure League where players get to make and bring their own characters, outside of those arenas it's usually just picking which PC you want out of the 3-4 available. Making your own character and telling your own story isn't something that usually happens at a con game.

There are reasons for this, ranging from ensuring a catered experience, to making things easy for volunteer GMs who are running a dozen tables or more over the weekend. But if you're hoping to sit down and make your own character, or play a unique, homebrewed experience, you aren't going to find a lot of that at these events.

Thought #2: You Get More From New Experiences

Well, I can't say I've ever heard THAT one before!

You know how when you go on vacation you get more out of trying the local restaurants and chains that don't exist back where you live? Well, gaming conventions are a lot like that.

Gaming conventions provide the unique opportunity to get a sample platter of a lot of different systems, settings, and worlds. While big conventions might make you buy a ticket to join a table (looking at you, Gen Con), smaller conventions often let you just turn up and play for free if you show up at the starting time. The reason for this is that the people running these games are often trying to give players a free (or at least cheap) sample of their rules and style in the hopes of selling more copies of their books (especially if they're independent game writers trying to drum up popularity for their products).

Even if you consider yourself a single-system player, or you don't think you're in the market for new games right now, you get a lot more out of doing something at a con that you aren't doing at your weekly dice tumbling sessions already.

Thought #3: Know Who You Want To Play With

This is often a make or break for a lot of us.

Who you share a table with can often define experience, which is why it's important to know what you need when it comes to convention tables. For example, if you're an easy going sort of gamer who has a lot of extra spoons, then you might be able to just join new tables and make new friends. On the other hand, if you're the sort of gamer who gets easily stressed out being in unfamiliar places and unfamiliar spaces, then you're better off bringing your own table to try something out... or even just making sure that you've got a friend sitting alongside you to help keep you on an even keel once the game starts.

I speak from experience on this one, as I'm the sort of person who organized my own table of players to try out new games and scenarios when I gamed in public or at events. To my way of thinking, whether I had a good or bad experience was easier to deal with if I knew I had friends there to share it with me. So reflect on this one, and consider it before you push off into the sea of fellow gamers.

Thought #4: Manage Your Expectations

There's a lot of chaff to the wheat you find.

One of the things I've run into time and time again regarding gaming at a convention (gaming specific or otherwise) is that folks often don't know what to expect. Perhaps one of the biggest issues I've seen is that a lot of folks assume that if they're paying to play a game that it's going to be the sort of thing they see on big-budget livestreams, with lots of props, impressive minis, terrain, rehearsed speeches, etc.

I'm not saying you won't find good Game Masters running tables at conventions, or that there aren't going to be carefully crafted setups with scenery, music, etc. What I am saying is that most folks who do this are here as volunteers, and we don't have a budget to work with. Most of us are maybe getting our badges for free, but that's it. We aren't making money doing this, except for those of us who are running demo sessions of our own games in order to make sales. Even then, most folks you see running games at a convention are going to run between 4 and 8 games by the time it's over, if they're actually getting any kind of compensation for their efforts.

Can you find those kinds of elaborate games running at cons? Absolutely! However, they're usually by invite only. So temper your expectations, and be kind to the folks who are running your table. Chances are good you might be the 6th or 7th group of players they've run a particular scenario for since the doors opened, and that takes it out of you.

Something Else To Keep in Mind

For those who haven't seen it yet.

Whether you're running games this convention season, or merely playing them, let me recommend two entries from my meta supplements that have been making the rounds of late. For the Game Masters out there, consider 100 Tips and Tricks For Bring a Better Game Master! This book compiles everything that's showed up on this blog for the past near decade, and picks out all the wheat to help you run a better game. And if you're going to be a player, consider grabbing the sister book, 100 Tips and Tricks For Being a Better RPG Player! Whether you're brand new, or an old hand, there's something in there for everyone.

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