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RiotGearEpsilon
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?
James McMurray
If the game's description doesn't way otherwise the character will be provided for you.
Adam
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. smile.gif
RiotGearEpsilon
Would it be alright for me to post my characters here for feedback, since I'm new at this?
Nikoli
We're usually up for nitpicking someone else's work.
And, welcome aboard.
James McMurray
Be prepared to have what you think is a great idea torn to shreds by countless uncaring bastards. smile.gif
Grinder
Initiation the DS way. biggrin.gif
craigpierce
"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 smile.gif), 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!
eidolon
Con etiquette? Shower, use deoderant, and don't eat Doritos and grab other gamers' stuff.

biggrin.gif
FanGirl
And if you must hit on any female gamers that may or may not be there, for God's sake be tasteful about it. nyahnyah.gif
BrianL03
QUOTE (FanGirl)
And if you must hit on any female gamers that may or may not be there, for God's sake be tasteful about it. nyahnyah.gif

Use of "Do you want to see my Ares Predator?" is *not* tasteful.
RiotGearEpsilon
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.gif), Firewall 5 (2,500 nuyen.gif), System 5 (2,500 nuyen.gif), Hermes Ikon with Response 4->5 Upgrade (3,000 nuyen.gif plus 4,000 nuyen.gif for 7,000 nuyen.gif), a Databomb 5 program to write over all my linguasofts (5,000 nuyen.gif), and, of course, a good IC 5 (12,500 nuyen.gif )

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?
Birdy
QUOTE (BrianL03)
QUOTE (FanGirl @ Jul 17 2006, 12:28 AM)
And if you must hit on any female gamers that may or may not be there, for God's sake be tasteful about it. nyahnyah.gif

Use of "Do you want to see my Ares Predator?" is *not* tasteful.

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.
mmu1
QUOTE (RiotGearEpsilon @ Jul 17 2006, 02:07 AM)
Thoughts?

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.
James McMurray
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.
KarmaInferno
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
Lindt
QUOTE (eidolon)
Con etiquette? Shower, use deoderant, and don't eat Doritos and grab other gamers' stuff.

biggrin.gif

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.
eidolon
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.
RiotGearEpsilon
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.
mmu1
QUOTE (eidolon)
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.

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.
craigpierce
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.
craigpierce
QUOTE (mmu1)
...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.

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 smile.gif

what am i saying? "Get up early"? I mean stay up all night and show up early smile.gif
craigpierce
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.
X-Kalibur
QUOTE (BrianL03)
QUOTE (FanGirl @ Jul 17 2006, 12:28 AM)
And if you must hit on any female gamers that may or may not be there, for God's sake be tasteful about it. nyahnyah.gif

Use of "Do you want to see my Ares Predator?" is *not* tasteful.

Why yes, that IS a power focus in my pocket.
the_dunner
QUOTE (archimagus)
it goes for 3 nights, but you sign up for Thursday night and then it's elimination from there.

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.
RiotGearEpsilon
For the scenario, we're going to be aboard an airplane. I have no idea if it's a private airplane or not, but either way, I presume a modicum of subtlety would be appreciated, so I'm probably not going to be sending any Sprawl Gangers, Enforcers, or thick-headed street-sammy's through the metal detector.

I don't want to be too twinkish about it - not only would it be a little crass to show up with a character tailored for the job, but frankly, I have no idea what sort of complications could turn up anyway, so overspecializing could be my downfall. Even my social-monkey adept has Firearms 3, Agility 3, and a smartlinked Morelli, so I'm not completely useless in a firefight. (Combat paralysis is for chumps.)

Tell me more about this Third Law tourney? I don't think I'm really the target audience, I've never played SR4 before.
Jrayjoker
QUOTE (RiotGearEpsilon @ Jul 17 2006, 02:09 PM)
For the scenario, we're going to be aboard an airplane.  I have no idea if it's a private airplane or not...

Snakes on a M#^%*@#*ing Plane, baby!
eidolon
Yeah, I was expecting to pay more, but it's good to know I can buy it there. I had read the site, but it didn't seem all that clear. Nothing like word from those that have gone before.

About this "event tickets" thing, you pay to be in individual games on top of the con price? Nutz. How much is that junk usually?
Adam
I don't have the correct stuff to login to the registered users section and check, but IIRC event tickets are about $2.50 for a four hour event, so the tourney would be 3x that.
James McMurray
Be sure to bring your own dice. It seems obvious, but I've been in tons of games where players didn't bring dice, and not because they were new and didn't own them.

You may also want to bring a mini, just in case. I think the odds of a SR game using a battlemat are lower than other games, but it's always possible. Of course, if a mat is being used the GM will probably have minis already, but having one that's familiar will make it easier to pick yourself out of the crowd.
eidolon
Ooh, good ones James.

Heed him! Dice and Minis!
RiotGearEpsilon
I'll bring dice, but I don't HAVE a mini. I only just got the book.

I've got a cork, maybe? nyahnyah.gif
eidolon
As long as the cork has obvious cyberarms and a gyro mount, you're good.
James McMurray
Maybe paperclips for cyberarms?
craigpierce
single event tickets are usually around $2.50, like adam said. and normally things like tournaments are more expensive, since they cover multiple nights - which is why i'm surprised that the SR tourny is non-elimination, because that means we paid $3 (see below) to play 12 hours (it's always more) of a SR tourny.

i'm not gonna complain, i'm just sayin' - i'm surprised.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
from the GenCon site:

Gaming Group/Sponsor: FanPro LLC
Game ID: RPG01120
Title: Third Law - 2006 Shadowrun Tournament, Round 1
Event Description: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. A team of runners has caused havoc in the new age of the Matrix. Their actions now come under the purview of the UCAS government who has dispatched several agents to discover what is happening in the shadows. This year, players will have the chance to see a familiar world through the not-so familiar eyes of those trying to keep the peace on the side of the law. (Round 2 Fri., Round 3 Sat.)
Event Type: RPG - Role Playing Game
Event Duration (hours): 4
Event Start Date: 8/10/06 7:00 PM
Event End Date: 8/10/06 11:00 PM
Age Requirement: Teen (13+)
Experience Required: Extensive Experience Needed
Game System
(required for game events): Shadowrun
Rules Edition
(required for game events): Current
Event Cost: $3.00
Location: 204 : 1-12
Event limit: 72
Registrations Available: 3

craigpierce
oh, and to eidolon and others:

you can also buy generic tickets that are good for any event...they're good for at least these 2 scenarios:

A) an event is sold out. show up at the event's time and place and wait...if someone with 'real' tickets to the event doesn't show, they start letting people with generics fill those spots.

B) you're walking around and decide to play a game you find in the booklet that starts in 10 minutes, and you can't wait in line for that long. if you already have some generics in your pocket, you can head straight to the event - just hope it wasn't sold out smile.gif

they're not a guaranteed seat at a game, but they're good for games that you want to play, but not so badly that you won't care if you miss it.
eidolon
Thanks a bunch.

BTW...Jackpoint? wink.gif
Derek
QUOTE (Jrayjoker)
QUOTE (RiotGearEpsilon @ Jul 17 2006, 02:09 PM)
For the scenario, we're going to be aboard an airplane.  I have no idea if it's a private airplane or not...

Snakes on a M#^%*@#*ing Plane, baby!

That's the first thing I thought of when I saw "Babysitting at 40k Feet"

Snakes on a mothereffin' Plane!
RiotGearEpsilon
And I present:

"Smilin' Joe".

CODE

RACE: HUMAN (0 BP)

ATTRIBUTES (210 BP)
Body: 2      10 BP
Agility: 3  20 BP
Reaction: 3  20 BP
Strength: 2  10 BP
Charisma: 5  40 BP
Intuition: 3 20 BP
Logic: 2     10 BP
Willpower: 3 20 BP
Magic: 5     40 BP
Edge: 3      20 BP

Essence: 6
Initiative: 6
Initiative Passes:  1
Physical Damage Track: 9
Stun Damage Track: 10

ACTIVE SKILLS (124 BP)
Athletics Skill Group: 1            10 BP
Computer (Edit +2): 3 (5)           12 BP
Disguise (Latex Masks +2): 2 (4)    10 BP
Dodge 3 (Ranged +2): 3 (5)          14 BP
Influence Skill Group: 4 (6)        40 BP
Outdoors Skill Group: 1             10 BP
Palming: 2                          8 BP
Pistols (Hold-Outs +2): 3 (5)       14 BP
Unarmed Combat 1 (Frills +2): 1 (3) 6 BP

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS (10 FREE BP, 8 REAL BP)
State of the Art Linguasofts (Sperethiel): 2 (4) (Free)
BTL Culture (Personafix Culture +2): 2 (4)
Upper Class Fads: 2 (4 BP)
Elven Celebrities: 2 (4 BP)

LANGUAGES SKILLS (5 BP)
English: N
Sperethiel (Elf Poser Lingo +2): 2 (5 BP)

QUALITIES (+10 BP)
Addiction (Moderate, BTLs) (+10 BP)
Adept (5 BP)
Elf Poser (+5 BP)
First Impression (5 BP)
SINner (+5 BP)

ADEPT POWERS (5 POWER POINTS FROM MAGIC)
Improved Ability (Influence Skill Group): 2
Kinesics: 5
Voice Control

GEAR AND LIFESTYLE (99,605 ¥) (40 BP)
High Lifestyle, 2 months 20,000 ¥
Starting Cash: 4d6+3x500 ¥
2 Cheap SIN's (Rating 1) for shuffle 2,000 ¥
1 Ace SIN (Rating 4) for use 4,000 ¥
Gold DocWagon Contract 25,000 ¥

Honda Spirit 10,000 ¥

"Talker Comm" Hermes Ikon w/ Response 4->5 Upgrade (7,000¥) plus extra: 26,000 ¥
+ Firewall 3 (600¥), System 5 (2,500¥): 3,100 ¥
+ Skinlink (50¥), Sim Module (100¥), Subvocal Microphone (50 ¥), Trodes (50 ¥): 250 ¥
+ Linguasoft 5: Arabic, Japanese, Chinese, French, German, Spanish (15,000 ¥)
+ BTL's: 150 ¥
+ Edit 5: 500 ¥

Tag Eraser: 150¥

"Public Comm" Meta Link with Vector Xim 300¥

Actioneer Business Clothes, 1,500 ¥ 3,900 ¥
+ Fire Resistance 6 600 ¥
+ Nonconductivity 6 1,200 ¥
+ Shock Frills 200 ¥
+ + Fake License (Rating 4) for Shock Frills (400 ¥)

Raecor Sting (350 ¥) 1,370 ¥
+ Integrated Smartgun Capability (350 ¥)
+ Skinlink (50 ¥)
+ Spare Clips w/ Flechette Ammo x4 (220 ¥)
+ Fake License (Rating 4) for Sting (400 ¥)

Glasses (25 ¥) 1225 ¥
+ Low light (100 ¥), Smartlink (500 ¥), Flare Compensation (50 ¥), Vision Magnification (100 ¥)
+ Skinlink (50¥), Fake License (Rating 4) for Smartlink (400 ¥)

Earbuds (10 ¥) 460 ¥
+ Audio Enhancement 3 (300 ¥), Spatial Recognizer (100 ¥), Skinlink (50¥)

Handheld Sensor Package 200 ¥
+ Camera (100 ¥), Directional Microphone (50 ¥), Skinlink (50 ¥)

Latex Face Mask Kit x10 5,000 ¥

CONTACTS (21 BP)
Arms Dealer C2/L3 5BP
BTL Dealer C2/L3 5BP
Blogger C2/L2 4 BP
Fixer C4/L3 7 BP
craigpierce
QUOTE (eidolon)
Thanks a bunch.

BTW...Jackpoint? wink.gif

actually - hopefully by the end of this weekend.
the_dunner
QUOTE (archimagus)
normally things like tournaments are more expensive, since they cover multiple nights - which is why i'm surprised that the SR tourny is non-elimination, because that means we paid $3 (see below) to play 12 hours (it's always more) of a SR tourny.

We don't make the prices we just submit the events. wink.gif

My guess is that somebody at GenCon goofed up when calculating the pricing on the tourney, but it doesn't really effect us.
Birdy
Some tips:

If it's "Bring your own monster<<<character" READ THE F... EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT". If I had ten Euro for every time I wrote "No character of type x" on the announcement only to have gamer show up with them, I'd could at least by me a new car. A big one! And believe me I tried putting it there in 24pt Times New Roman, Bold, Bright RED on an otherwise black&white sheet

If it says "Characters will be handed out be the referee", it's not BYOM. If you absolutely have too, check out with the referee early.

Don't start optimising the characters the GM handed out. He might have his reasons for NOT constructing fu--- can-all mutations useful only for mastrubating the players ego. Maybe he things roleplaying should be fun for ALL players

If the referee spends 10 minutes explaning that he does not use GURPS Yarf er Yearth as a background, that the game is setteled on Hyperborea (GURPS:CONAN), insisting on playing a Megalos-hating, man-hating, magic weapon wielding Elf whore is NOT a bright idea.

Neither is running to the Orga when you are kicked out of the group for not yielding(1)

If you must leave on a set time tell the GM at the start of the scenario(2) not 5min before you have to leave

If you play(or GM) RPG's as a means of mastrubating your ego and consider the rest of the group your "Sokratian chorus" DON'T GO TO CONVENTIONS

"It's a roleplaying challenge to play it" is a disqualifier for a character to bring to a BYOM session

Play ball, the GM does not have two sessions and endless patience to get the characters together.

Convention scenarios are deadlier than regular ones. Either clone your character (and ignore what happened on the con) or be able to deal with loosing him

If you want to play AD&D don't join the StarTrek round "because otherwise I'd twist my thumbs"


(1) At least on most german conventions where you pay a fee to enter the convention but nothing for the individual round
(2) Time-slots are thankfully rare on german conventions. Some Ami-lovers try to introduce them occassionally, most gamers ignore them.
craigpierce
QUOTE (the_dunner)
My guess is that somebody at GenCon goofed up when calculating the pricing on the tourney...

i asked moo - that's exactly what happened...

not that a mistake by the GenCon people isn't expected - there's some problem or another every year.
BookWyrm
Some suggestions for convention gaming;

#1--BE ON TIME FOR THE GAME.
#2--Bring your our books, dice & character sheets. Bring blank character sheets for those who need them. Have spare dice (usually at the convention in the Dealer's Room) in case you lose any.
#3--BE CORDIAL. You are socializing with fellow gamers. Treat those as you wish to be treated.
#4--DO NOT EAT DURING THE GAME. Drinks may be allowed, depending upon the GM officiating. Make sure the containers are secured/closed during play & AWAY from the table. "accedental" spills can quickly ruin a game.
#5-- LEAVE ALL DRAMA OUTSIDE. What happens in the game STAYS there.
Adam
QUOTE
#4--DO NOT EAT DURING THE GAME. Drinks may be allowed, depending upon the GM officiating. Make sure the containers are secured/closed during play & AWAY from the table. "accedental" spills can quickly ruin a game.

I don't GM for FanPro, but I've GMed for other companies [and thank christ I don't have to do that anymore...] and I would never have a problem with someone eating at the table, unless the food had a really strong odor or was really messy. The convention schedule is hectic for many people and during the day you often don't have time to sit down and have any sort of meal.

However, if you're bringing a pet rat to the gaming table, please be sure to let everyone at the table know before the session starts.
craigpierce
QUOTE (Adam)
...I would never have a problem with someone eating at the table, unless the food had a really strong odor or was really messy. The convention schedule is hectic for many people and during the day you often don't have time to sit down and have any sort of meal.

However, if you're bringing a pet rat to the gaming table, please be sure to let everyone at the table know before the session starts.

+1
ShadowDragon8685
Can the pet rat and the eating at the table be combined with a butane burner? smile.gif
Birdy
QUOTE (ShadowDragon8685)
Can the pet rat and the eating at the table be combined with a butane burner? smile.gif

Only if you make enough Ratburgers for all persons on the table. And maybe look like Lenina Huxley.
James McMurray
I've got more FanPro GMing experience than Adam (although only just barely*) and I can say that I've had players eat at tables and it didn't bother me in the slightest. The key to it is not interfering withthe game while eating. If you're getting Cheetos powder on the battlemat and your food smells like curry and rotten onions, wait until later. But if you're just eating a few tacos go for it.

* I ran one tournament game and personal reasons made me leave the convention early. I'm looking forward to GMing for them again when I can find the time to travel. The FP GMs were a great group of people and I soaked in quite a bit of wisdom just hanging around during the pre-tourney GM briefing session.
Lindt
No eating? Bookwyrm, have you seen some of the spreads that show up for the tourny rounds? The best way to extra completion points is bribrey you know...

I think the big one is just be willing to roll with things, everyone does things differently, and if my GMing style is different then the one your used to, dont go off and be a jerk about it. It makes my time as a staffer suck, and makes life harder for the other people.
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