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Old 01-15-2013, 06:25 PM   #1
themonstermaze
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Pennsylvania
Default Questions about gaming at conventions...

Hello!

We're planning on adding some gaming elements to our horror-themed convention, and I thought I'd ask experienced gamers "What makes for good gaming at a con"

NOTE: The con isn't primarily a gaming con, but we want to include gaming as a fun side event for our attendees.

Should the con ask previous attendees for game recommendations in advance ? (for some of the old classic games)
OR
Do con attendees generally prefer BRAND NEW GAMES that haven't yet been on the market ?

Is it important to have an "expert supplied by the con" on game rules actually play one game with you to get you up to speed ?
OR
Do you prefer to have the board game set up at a table and you can ask the "expert supplied by the con" questions as needed ?

Do you to prefer to have scheduled tournaments ?
for example: AT 10:00 AM SATURDAY MORNING - ZOMBIE DICE - FIRST PLACE GETS A NEW HEARSE !
OR
Do you prefer to have it free form where you play whenever you feel like showing up to the gaming area ?

Is it important to have the games for sale at the gaming area that are being played ?
OR
Does someone trying to sell games actually distract you from playing the games ?

What is the optimum time for playing a specific game at con ? ( 10 minutes ? 1 hour ? ) I realize that it depends on the game in question, but should we focus on games that are less(or more) involved ?

Generally, do people like to be grouped randomly with strangers ?
(which would help maximize number of players per game)
OR
Prefer only to play games with the people you choose ? (so that certain games may only have two players)

Have you found losing pieces of games to be a huge issue as the con progresses from Thursday through Sunday ?

Does the idea of a "mini museum" of vintage/antique board games under glass interest you ?

Which types of games have been found to be the most "fun" at cons ?
Board ? Dice ? Card ? Other ? A smattering of everything ?

Which tables are the most practical for gaming ?
Round ? Square ? Rectangular ?
(Actually, this question is VERY serious, as table rental rates vary significantly in cost by type for convention owners.)

Any other suggestions on how to make our gaming area successful would be greatly appreciated !
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Old 01-16-2013, 01:02 AM   #2
RevBob
 
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Here on the perimeter, there are no stars
Default Re: Questions about gaming at conventions...

Quote:
Originally Posted by themonstermaze View Post
Should the con ask previous attendees for game recommendations in advance ? (for some of the old classic games)
OR
Do con attendees generally prefer BRAND NEW GAMES that haven't yet been on the market ?
New stuff is always neat, but a good game is a good game.

Quote:
Is it important to have an "expert supplied by the con" on game rules actually play one game with you to get you up to speed ?
OR
Do you prefer to have the board game set up at a table and you can ask the "expert supplied by the con" questions as needed ?
In my experience, the games are nowhere near as important as the gamers...and there's nothing sadder than an empty game room. Inviting one or two "anchor" gamers to bring stuff they enjoy playing and spend some time in the game room, in exchange for a discount on their badge, is well worth the investment.

Quote:
Do you to prefer to have scheduled tournaments ?
for example: AT 10:00 AM SATURDAY MORNING - ZOMBIE DICE - FIRST PLACE GETS A NEW HEARSE !
OR
Do you prefer to have it free form where you play whenever you feel like showing up to the gaming area ?
For a convention just getting its feet wet, I'd recommend a mixed approach. Have some highlighted events, but back 'em up with some freestyle open gaming.

Quote:
Is it important to have the games for sale at the gaming area that are being played ?
OR
Does someone trying to sell games actually distract you from playing the games ?
For my money, I like my demo guys to be focused on demos and my dealers focused on dealing. It should go without saying that when someone plays a game, likes it, and wants to buy a copy, their first thought is going to be the dealer room...which shouldn't be too far away.

Quote:
What is the optimum time for playing a specific game at con ? ( 10 minutes ? 1 hour ? ) I realize that it depends on the game in question, but should we focus on games that are less(or more) involved ?
Leave that to your game anchors. Different circumstances call for very different answers.

Quote:
Generally, do people like to be grouped randomly with strangers ?
(which would help maximize number of players per game)
OR
Prefer only to play games with the people you choose ? (so that certain games may only have two players)
Maximizing players per game is far less important than making sure people are having fun. A twelve-player game of Munchkin can be a nightmare; three four-player tables are a lot more fun. On the other hand, a dozen players is a smallish group for Are You A Werewolf? - as with so much else, the games and players will sort themselves out with some minimal guidance.

Quote:
Have you found losing pieces of games to be a huge issue as the con progresses from Thursday through Sunday ?
If you've got a couple of anchors bringing their own games, it's not a problem at all. They have a vested interest in protecting their property. The best thing you can do to help them is make a "no drinks on the table" rule for the game room and give the anchors a way to eject problem players...in the rare cases where it's necessary. A good-size trash can that gets emptied is also a big help.

Quote:
Does the idea of a "mini museum" of vintage/antique board games under glass interest you ?
Not as part of the gaming area; if you can't play 'em, they're just taking up space.

Quote:
Which types of games have been found to be the most "fun" at cons ?
Board ? Dice ? Card ? Other ? A smattering of everything ?
Personally, I like non-RPGs because I can just grab some people and play. Other people look for LARPs or tabletop roleplaying. There's no one right answer.

Quote:
Which tables are the most practical for gaming ?
Round ? Square ? Rectangular ?
(Actually, this question is VERY serious, as table rental rates vary significantly in cost by type for convention owners.)
When I run the gaming room at a con, I request 6-foot by 30-inch rectangular tables. (That's the normal "6-foot table" - as opposed to the 18-inch wide jobs that are WAY too cramped.) 5-foot rounds are good for certain big-board games, but most of the time they just take up more space and make it hard for anyone to see what's going on across the table.

Quote:
Any other suggestions on how to make our gaming area successful would be greatly appreciated !
My biggest advice would be to reach out to your membership and offer up those couple of discounted/free passes to people who love gaming. If you've got photos from the past couple of years, see if you spot any late-night games in progress - then get in touch with the players. Look for photos of people in gaming-reference T-shirts. If you've had game dealers, talk to them and see what sold well; maybe they even remember a couple of buyers.

If you wanted to invite a celebrity to your convention, the first thing you'd do is ask who people want to meet. Then you'd look for contact information, see what you can do to make their appearance work well, and give them a reason to attend. That's really the approach to take here, if you think about it...
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Last edited by RevBob; 01-16-2013 at 01:09 AM.
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Old 01-16-2013, 08:09 AM   #3
Sinkuu
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: NJ
Default Re: Questions about gaming at conventions...

if you don't have a "library" of games in ownership of the convention group, you're going to depend on staff and/or Game Masters (aka people running the games) to bring their games. slightly higher on a liability term, but not much. anyone who loans to a con usually has an understanding there's a risk involved.

if you're going to manage who's playing what, you're going to want someone in charge, whether it's one of the "anchors" as RevBob put it, or someone on your staff, they'd be responsible for the room in its entirety, from inventory to security to maintenance.


it's the only thing I can think of to add, RevBob nailed just about everything else.
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