I’ve been to several conventions over the last decade.

I’ve had a few negative experiences. Most of my convention going has been wonderful. My own errors and observations helped me to learn some strategies to get the most out of a convention.

I start with research.

When I hear about a convention, it is usually from someone who has been to it in the past. Attendees will often have something to say about their convention experiences and post about it on social media, blogs, or YouTube. If what they have to say seems generally positive, seems like something I would enjoy, then I dig in a little bit.

I do a web search, search on YouTube, and social media. I’m looking for negatives but more so positives.

Sometimes there will be a group on Facebook or Discord. If people are sharing photos and videos, gushing about how they can’t wait until next year, cracking insider jokes, asking when next year’s convention is scheduled, asking when badge registration and hotel blocks will open, then I know that’s a con worth looking into.

I look at what events and games they offer. What I’m looking for is to find out if there is enough events that appeal to me. Sometimes a convention can have a primary focus of one type of game, or fandom that isn’t interesting but have a side track that I do like. If there are enough events and participants in that category, it functions like a convention within a convention.

When I first went to Total Confusion in Massachusetts, the majority of RPGs on offer were 4E and Pathfinder. There was one conference room off to the side where a group of gamers were running nothing but old school Dungeons & Dragons. I didn’t care about the rest of the convention because I was having a great time with a small group that loved the same things I did.

The success of a con stands on the experience of the organizers, the enthusiasm of volunteers, and the skill of the game masters. If a con has been around 30 years, it has games I’m interested in playing, and the people going to it are super pumped to go next year, it’s probably worth going.

A new convention won’t have all the bugs worked out. That doesn’t mean I will avoid it without consideration. I’ll pay attention to what the organizers are doing on social media, on their website, and how they communicate. If something seems off, I’ll skip it and consider it for the next year.

I plan as far ahead as I can.

I have my badge and hotel room reserved for North Texas RPG Con for 2024. I got both as soon as they opened up.

I have gone to conventions at the last minute as a walk up. Although I had a good time, I probably didn’t squeeze as much fun as possible out of the day. I have the best outcomes when I plan as far ahead as possible.

If the convention has an email list, I sign up. Email is the most reliable way to keep up on event submission, registration, and when discounted hotel blocks open up. Social media algorithms may not push a post to my news feed. If info is only on the website and I don’t think to check it regularly, I may miss an important piece of information. All game conventions should have an email list, encourage attendees to get on it, and make that their primary communication method.

I like to be onsite or within easy walking distance. Pick up games, carousing in the hotel bar, and spontaneous late night conversations are less likely if I have to drive to and from the event space.

As soon as they are available, I reserve a hotel in the discounted block arranged by the convention. Large conventions often do not have enough hotel rooms for all the attendees at the venue . Those rooms go fast. For some conventions, onsite hotel rooms sell out in minutes after they are released.

I Prep Games as Far Ahead as Possible

I get my game materials ready as far ahead of time as I can.

Trying to write up pre-generated characters late at night two days before you leave for the con sucks. I’ve done it and don’t recommend it.

If I’m running a game, having everything ready weeks or even months in advance reduces the stress and anxiety when some issue comes up a few days before the convention.

Gamers have spent vacation time, airfare, hotel fees and dedicated part of their limited convention time to play in my game. I’ve played in games where the referee was clearly not prepared and it was not fun, or at least not as fun as it could have been.

I don’t want anyone to walk away from my games feeling like I phoned it in.

I show up prepared to run the best game I’m capable of running.

Scheduling

My prefered schedule for a four day convention is to run games on Thursday and Friday (afternoon or early evening) and Saturday afternoon. A lot of conventions have auctions, parties, and other big events on Saturday night.

My experience is that morning games are hard to get full tables of players. Most conventions ask for an alternative time slot to schedule your game in the submission form. I’ll usually put a morning slot after 8 am as my alternative but my preference is later in the day.

I rarely submit for a Sunday time slot. Sunday games are hard to fill and often have no shows. After three solid days of gaming, late nights, and work on Monday, most gamers go home Sunday morning. My experience is that Sunday RPGs are usually a bust.

The exceptions of good Sunday games have been when I played in or run a casual dungeon crawl. I have also had good luck with board games later in the morning on a Sunday.

What do I play?

I have a few criteria for what games I register as a player in the following order of importance.

1. Is the event unique, novel, or otherwise different?
2. Is the game something I don’t get to play often?
3. Who is running the game?

Is the event unique, novel, or otherwise different from my usual gaming?

At conventions, I like playing games that I don’t own, that are out of print, have an unusual set up, or a unique scenario.

I look out for special events like BattleTech free for alls, Circus Maximus tournaments, and kaiju monster battles. Big group games with 10 or 20 people are not something I get to play very often. The people who run them at conventions usually go all out with terrain and miniatures.

I like to play RPGs that I am familiar with but with unusual scenarios or player characters. An all dwarf, all paladin, or all wizard adventure can be fun. Genre mash ups are good too. Game Masters from Dead Games Society run Call of Cthulu games where you play the band KISS, Sesame Street characters, or 70’s TV show detectives.

It’s rare for me to select an event that sounds like an ordinary Saturday night of gaming. I’ve taken the time and expense to travel to a convention. I prefer to spend the time playing something I don’t normally play.

Who is running the game?

If I can’t find a game that’s out of the ordinary, I prefer to play with game masters I know personally or I’ve had positive interactions with online. Playing games in person deepens the connection with people I’ve only talked to over the internet.

If I’ve been to the convention before and played with a particularly good game master, I’ll look for their games when I’m planning my schedule.

Most conventions have special guests running games. I have had some disappointing games with professional designers. My experience is that gaming with a pro will either be fantastic or a very disappointing. Not often do I get one that’s just OK. More often, it’s sublime or suck.

My Packing List

Other than the necessities and gaming gear, there are a few things I’ve learned to bring in my kit.

• Refillable Water Bottle
• Travel packs of Ibuprofen and Pepto chewables
• Ear plugs and eye mask for sleeping
• A small card/board/dice game that plays in 30 minutes or less and fits in my carry bag
• Snack bars and jerky
• Portable coffee making device and coffee

Socializing Outside of Games

I try to talk to people when I’m in line for food or hanging out in a common area between games. Most gamers will enthusiastically tell me about the games they’ve played or the games they are looking forward to.

This kind of socializing is how pick-up games get organized.

I enjoy socializing in the morning before games or in the evening after gaming. The reason I go to a convention is to be a part of that group, meet as many like-hearted people as I can, and make new friends.

That’s what I do

I look into the convention to see if it’s my kind of event

I do what I can to prepare for the convention as well in advance as I am able.

I pack light but have a few things to cover likely contingencies.

I play unusual, and unique games with people I know or would like to get to know.

I make sure anything that is going to distract from gaming and carousing with friends is taken care of before I get there.

Conventions are a good time and I recommend trying one out if you’ve never been before.

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Why I like running games at conventions.

Challenges of running games at conventions.

How I design adventures for convention play.