 What's the etiquette for a convention game?, Gencon '06 |
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 Jul 16 2006, 11:15 PM
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#1
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Target  Group: Members Posts: 33 Joined: 16-July 06 Member No.: 8,902  |
I've signed up for a convention game of Shadowrun 4th at Gencon '06, "Babysitting at 40,000 Feet". It's a 'BYOC' game, or 'bring your own character'. I've never played such a game before; what's the etiquette? Should I bring two or three viable characters to make sure that I'll have a character who can work with the group?
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Jul 16 2006, 11:36 PM
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#2
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,430 Joined: 10-January 05 From: Fort Worth, Texas Member No.: 6,957 |
If the game's description doesn't way otherwise the character will be provided for you.
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Jul 17 2006, 12:11 AM
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#3
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Prime Runner Group: Retired Admins Posts: 3,929 Joined: 26-February 02 From: .ca Member No.: 51 |
If it doesn't specify otherwise, starting characters are assumed -- it can't hurt to bring an extra character or two [and that might come in handy in case someone else forgets to bring one...]
Usually the premise of a BOYC game involves a bunch of characters being thrown together in an odd situation, so "group meshing" isn't always assumed, and in some cases isn't the goal at all. :-) |
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Jul 17 2006, 02:29 AM
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#4
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Target Group: Members Posts: 33 Joined: 16-July 06 Member No.: 8,902 |
Would it be alright for me to post my characters here for feedback, since I'm new at this?
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Jul 17 2006, 02:40 AM
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#5
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Chicago Survivor Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 5,079 Joined: 28-January 04 From: Canton, GA Member No.: 6,033 |
We're usually up for nitpicking someone else's work.
And, welcome aboard. |
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Jul 17 2006, 02:46 AM
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#6
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,430 Joined: 10-January 05 From: Fort Worth, Texas Member No.: 6,957 |
Be prepared to have what you think is a great idea torn to shreds by countless uncaring bastards. :)
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Jul 17 2006, 03:09 AM
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#7
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Great, I'm a Dragon... Group: Retired Admins Posts: 6,699 Joined: 8-October 03 From: North Germany Member No.: 5,698 |
Initiation the DS way. :D
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Jul 17 2006, 03:17 AM
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#8
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 398 Joined: 25-August 04 From: Denver, CO Member No.: 6,599 |
"it can't hurt to bring an extra character or two [and that might come in handy in case someone else forgets to bring one...]"
i agree with that - and being prepaired like that is always a bonus in the GMs eyes. plus the extra characters come in handy if you play any other BYOC games or pickup games later in the con. that way you won't have to play the same character over and over. just don't be worried - the con's are fun and informal - we're all just there to get our game on. and, unless something changes (and things always change, trust me :)), you've got Betsy for a GM and she's awsome. i hope you signed up for the tournment - the tourny is easily the most fun. good luck - see you there! |
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Jul 17 2006, 05:10 AM
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#9
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ghostrider Group: Retired Admins Posts: 4,196 Joined: 16-May 04 Member No.: 6,333 |
Con etiquette? Shower, use deoderant, and don't eat Doritos and grab other gamers' stuff.
:D |
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Jul 17 2006, 05:28 AM
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#10
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 684 Joined: 8-April 06 From: My dorm room Member No.: 8,438 |
And if you must hit on any female gamers that may or may not be there, for God's sake be tasteful about it. :P
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Jul 17 2006, 05:48 AM
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#11
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 101 Joined: 27-October 02 From: Chicago Containment Zone Member No.: 3,504 |
Use of "Do you want to see my Ares Predator?" is *not* tasteful. |
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Jul 17 2006, 06:07 AM
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#12
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Target Group: Members Posts: 33 Joined: 16-July 06 Member No.: 8,902 |
My general plan is to create a social Adept. He's not terribly bright, so he doesn't know many languages; he uses a top of the line commlink with linguasofts to compensate. On the downside, this has left him open to a rather nasty BTL addiction, one which has led him to ignore his health to the point that his physical stats are all average or poorly maintained.
My concern is that I'm not sure how to build a commlink that can run his linguasofts and keep a sim module open without leaving him open to hackers who'll jump in to his commlink and leave him trapped in a virtual world - so I need advice on how to build a commlink with good IC, on the cheap, to save money to buy good linguasoft. After all, all my talent could go to waste if some hacker replaces the database of my linguasoft so I'm really saying, "You're a corpulant drek-sucker who ought to be buried," when I meant to say, "That's a wonderful suit that you're wearing this evening." I'll need Analyze 5 (to detect hacking attempts, 500 :nuyen:), Firewall 5 (2,500 :nuyen:), System 5 (2,500 :nuyen:), Hermes Ikon with Response 4->5 Upgrade (3,000 :nuyen: plus 4,000 :nuyen: for 7,000 :nuyen:), a Databomb 5 program to write over all my linguasofts (5,000 :nuyen:), and, of course, a good IC 5 (12,500 :nuyen: ) That's a total of 30,000, or 6 BP. Quite a bit, but quite a lot of security for the cost. However, it might be too much. Thoughts? |
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Jul 17 2006, 08:11 AM
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#13
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 637 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 1,528 |
Unless you really have a Ares Predator in a shoulder rig. In that case it might be tasteful. Or at least a reason for the local SWAT to show up. |
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Jul 17 2006, 12:27 PM
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#14
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,070 Joined: 7-February 04 From: NYC Member No.: 6,058 |
Keep a couple of things in mind - no one is really going to get to know your character, and appreciate his personality quirks. (there's nothing wrong with creating the backstory for yourself, of course) It's a one-off game. Which is also why many convention games at least try to be fast-paced and involve a lot of action - so I'm not sure how much mileage you'll get out of a social adept in that kind of setting. Of course, it could turn out to be a game where hardly any shots get fired, but I'd suggest going with a character that can at least hold his own if the game turn out to be a shooting spree. |
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Jul 17 2006, 01:09 PM
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#15
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,430 Joined: 10-January 05 From: Fort Worth, Texas Member No.: 6,957 |
Also, even with the easiesr rules in SR4, a lot of GMs will probably avoid any major decking excursions, so you may not want to make a dedicated decker. Someone that can fight well and has decent computer skills could work well.
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Jul 17 2006, 03:50 PM
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#16
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Old Man Jones Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 4,415 Joined: 26-February 02 From: New York Member No.: 1,699 |
I'll chime in and agree that a social heavy-roleplay character might not be the best for one-off events.
It's an event that needs to finish in 4-5 hours, tops. There's isn't really that much time for extended social interaction. Often such events are mostly combat runs. That said, best thing to do is contact the people running the event. Only they know what would work best. -karma |
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Jul 17 2006, 04:20 PM
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#17
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Man In The Machine Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 2,264 Joined: 26-February 02 From: I-495 S Member No.: 1,105 |
Yes... please, please, PLEASE be clean. The last thing you want to have happen as a GM is having that stinky guy in the wolf t shirt showing up and rampently polluting the entire room. There are some GMs who have been known to pack soap and febreeze along with their table props... So its not MooCow doing the BYOC this year? Either way, Id suggest making an effective charcter over an efficent one. |
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Jul 17 2006, 04:37 PM
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#18
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ghostrider Group: Retired Admins Posts: 4,196 Joined: 16-May 04 Member No.: 6,333 |
Speaking of GenCon, when is the latest I can reasonably expect to still be able to buy a badge? I'm on an extended road trip, and I don't know if I'll be able to make it yet, so I haven't bought one.
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Jul 17 2006, 04:40 PM
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#19
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Target Group: Members Posts: 33 Joined: 16-July 06 Member No.: 8,902 |
I've got, like, 16 social dice with the charisma and the kinesics and the Improved Ability (all the Influence group). I don't have to do any extended roleplay, I just describe the fast talk and roll the bones.
I'm a very clean person, truly. I'll be minty fresh. Regarding a badge? You can buy one on arrival, theoretically, but it'll cost extra. Of course, it's already too late for pre-reg, so it'd already cost extra. |
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Jul 17 2006, 05:33 PM
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#20
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,070 Joined: 7-February 04 From: NYC Member No.: 6,058 |
I was actually talking about that to a friend that goes every year (I've been thinking about going, didn't know if I'd have time off, and I missed the deadline for pre-registration) and he seemed to think that if you're not going to pre-order your badge on the internet, pretty much the only way of getting one on the spot without wasting hours in the process, is to get there quite early on the very first day of the con. |
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Jul 17 2006, 05:37 PM
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#21
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 398 Joined: 25-August 04 From: Denver, CO Member No.: 6,599 |
taken directly from their site:
Gen Con Indy 2006 Registration Badge Registration: February 6th (Noon PST) - June 23rd (Noon PST). Event Registration: May 1st (Noon PST) - June 23rd (Noon PST). Extended Pre-Registration: June 23rd (Noon PST) - July 21st (Noon PST). For more information, go to www.gencon.com. You must purchase a badge in order to purchase event tickets. Badge Type | Pre-Registration Cost | Extended Pre-Registration Cost | Onsite Cost 4 Day Badge |$65* | $75** | $75** Thursday Badge | $35* | $45** | $45** Friday Badge |$35* | $45** | $45** Saturday Badge |$35* | $45** | $45** Sunday Badge |$25* | $35** | $35** *Prices include shipping (inside the US only) and tax. **Prices include tax. ***Extended Pre-Registration badges can only be picked up at Will Call. These badges will not be shipped. |
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Jul 17 2006, 05:40 PM
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#22
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 398 Joined: 25-August 04 From: Denver, CO Member No.: 6,599 |
ya - if you need to register for a badge or for games onsite, be ready to WAIT. showing up early does help - but don't underestimate a gamer's willingness to get up early to get in a line :) what am i saying? "Get up early"? I mean stay up all night and show up early :) |
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Jul 17 2006, 05:44 PM
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#23
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 398 Joined: 25-August 04 From: Denver, CO Member No.: 6,599 |
on the side:
there are 3 spots left for the tourny: Third Law - Thursday at 7pm it goes for 3 nights, but you sign up for Thursday night and then it's elimination from there. |
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Jul 17 2006, 06:29 PM
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#24
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,579 Joined: 30-May 06 From: SoCal Member No.: 8,626 |
Why yes, that IS a power focus in my pocket. |
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Jul 17 2006, 06:44 PM
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#25
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Shooting Target Group: Retired Admins Posts: 1,784 Joined: 28-July 04 From: Cleveland, OH Member No.: 6,522 |
That is NOT correct. All players play all 3 nights. (Same player teams, but a different GM each night.) It is a NON-elimination event. Check the old episodes of TheScreamSheet podcast -- Moo did a nice interview about how the Tournament is run in one of the first few. |
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