Advice for Players and GMs at Gen Con

This will be my third Gen Con, so I am no expert. But I have been attending this convention and others long enough to pick up a few things worth passing along. Gen Con is part marathon, part party, and it does not slow down to check on you. A little planning goes a long way toward keeping the four days enjoyable for everyone at the table, yourself included. Here is what I have learned so far, offered in the spirit it is meant: friendly advice, nothing more, nothing less.

General Advice for Attending

I live by the 6-2-1 rule at every con. Six hours of sleep, two meals, one shower, every single day. It sounds simple, almost too simple to write down, but it is the floor that keeps you actually enjoying yourself instead of white-knuckling through day three.

If your shoes are new, break them in before you leave home. Start walking in them now, not the first day of the con.

Think about your clothes the same way. Indianapolis in August swings hard between hot pavement outside and aggressive air conditioning inside, so a short sleeve shirt under a sweatshirt or light layer gives you something to shed or add without thinking twice.

Drink water constantly, and bring a bottle instead of counting on finding one along the way. I carry two and keep both filled through the day. Staying hydrated does double duty, since it also keeps your voice healthy through four straight days of talking in a room full of other people’s germs. Watch out for the things working against you here too. Caffeine and alcohol both dehydrate, so if you indulge, balance it out with extra water.

Pack a small bag and it will pay for itself. Hand sanitizer, a phone charger, lip balm, and snacks all earn their space, especially since con food lines have a way of swallowing an hour you did not have to spare.

When you arrive at your table, have your badge ready for scanning. The GM or an admin opens the event in the app and scans badges to check everyone in, so all you need to do is have yours out and easy to reach.

Plan actual time to eat and rest rather than hoping it happens between games. And once you have planned the essentials, leave some of the schedule empty on purpose. Resist the urge to fill every minute. Some of the best moments at a con happen in the gaps you did not plan for.

Above all, be kind to yourself, and be kind to each other. Everyone has an off day now and then. Notice the energy you are bringing to the table, and extend a little grace when someone else is having theirs.

Table Advice

For Players

Your game sign-ups can work in your favor in more than one direction. If you cannot make a game, cancel it in the official event app rather than just not showing up. That frees the seat for someone else and helps the GM plan around a real headcount instead of an empty chair. It works the other way too. If something you wanted is sold out, do not give up on it. Check back often, because cancellations happen all the time, especially for the early morning and late night slots.

Also, think twice before booking games back to back. A packed schedule looks efficient on paper, but showing up frazzled from the last room rarely makes for your best session in the next one. And keep an eye on your own schedule against the times your games actually end. If you need to leave early, especially right as a finale is landing, it changes the energy for the whole table. Plan that buffer on your end so you are not the one heading for the door as the story peaks.

For GMs

Come prepared with everything. Dice, pencils, pens, paper, name tents, extra character sheets, all of it. Unless a listing specifically asks players to bring something, do not expect it, and honestly, even then it is worth having a backup on hand. My personal rule is that I am happy if they show up wearing pants. Everything else I can provide.

Snacks matter even more for you than for anyone else at the table. An hour between sessions is not much time to break down, reset, and possibly haul your kit to a different table or a different room entirely. Eating something on the move beats not eating at all.

Expect the number of players who actually show up to differ from who signed up, sometimes fewer, sometimes more. Prep your game to run comfortably either way. You might have three sign-ups and only see one or two show, especially at Saturday and Sunday morning slots, which brings us right back to the note on drinking above. You might also get asked if someone can join at the last minute. If your table can support it, say yes. That is one more seat filled and one more hour of the con well spent.

And remember, someone paid real money to be at your table today. Show up ready. Being a GM is the best job there is.

See You at the Table

Gen Con is a lot of fun, an experience everyone can enjoy. Pace yourself, plan a little, and leave room for the con to surprise you. See you at the table.