 Editor in Chief Bill   | 06 Sep 2018 2:22 p.m. PST |
Should convention GMs distribute sufficient scenario material to players in advance, so that players can arrive at the game with a plan and fully prepared to play? |
Garryowen  | 06 Sep 2018 2:50 p.m. PST |
I have not seen an easy way to do that at any of the conventions I have run games at. One year at Little Wars In included in the PEL info my email address and offered to provide the rules I wrote free. I think I got one request. In my experience most wargamers don't care that much about the historical background or much about the scenario. They just want to move figures and roll dice. There are exceptions, of course. Tom |
| Fitzovich | 06 Sep 2018 3:12 p.m. PST |
I don't really see how that would be possible to accomplish. As mentioned by Garryowen above convention attendees are there to move figures and roll dice. They may be interested in the background of the scenario or the rules being played but both of those need to be explainable within no more than 3-5 minutes tops and I am one for no more than one page of rules. I believe that the games should play fast, be fun and engaging. Historically themed is good, but I am not a stickler for such. |
| 45thdiv | 06 Sep 2018 3:31 p.m. PST |
Fast, colorful and fun. That's what I think most convention games should be. I want a flavor of the period we are playing and for the rules to be correct for the era with regards to tactics, but I really want to see some nice terrain and figures. |
 etotheipi  | 06 Sep 2018 3:47 p.m. PST |
It's easy enough to do, but as above, I don't think there's a big market. In my experience, most con games are either tourneys, where you know the rules/scenario back, forth, up, down, and outside-in … or "beginner friendly" with the 3-5 mins for rules and 3-5 mins for scenario. |
| DisasterWargamer | 06 Sep 2018 4:02 p.m. PST |
My first experience was an Empire Napoleonic game years ago where the scenario, rules and roles were selected far in advance. Come the time to play it took up all of one day. While there were a few that dropped out – it was a fun time. Since then I have done a few at smaller conventions Overall as others have indicated hard to pull off and better left at the club level – though I will continue to try it on occasion |
| 79thPA | 06 Sep 2018 4:20 p.m. PST |
What do you do with walk-up players? If you need to send me material before I get there, you are not running a convention game that I am interested in playing. |
| robert piepenbrink | 06 Sep 2018 5:01 p.m. PST |
Not for a convention game. If you have a gathering of a dozen or more players for an all-day--or two-day--game and regular sides, that's another matter. (Yes children, it was done back in The Day.) |
| Oberlindes Sol LIC | 06 Sep 2018 5:36 p.m. PST |
I'll pile on with 79thPA, Robert Piepenbrink, and others: not for a convention game. I give convention players as short and bullet-pointed a mission briefing as I can. (My last one was down to 1300 words.) The players take 15-30 minutes to read it to get oriented to the mission(s), and they use it as a reference during the game ("what off-table support do we get?" "which table edges can we flee off of?" etc.). Even if I'm running regular games, I usually won't have my act together to send anything out before game day anyway. It's a hobby, after all, not a job. |
| Old Contemptibles | 07 Sep 2018 7:20 a.m. PST |
At some conventions you don't know who is in your game until they show up. I have attended cons where there are sign up sheets on clip boards put out the day before and that is when attendees pick their games. First come, first served. |
| ViscountEric | 07 Sep 2018 10:55 a.m. PST |
No, I can't get my regular players to review pre-game material unless it's involved in a fantasy football draft. Heck, I can't get some of my regular role-players to answer questions in regard to a campaign. Unless I'm prepping a game for the Royal Historical Society of Siam, advance player prep will be underappreciated and underused. |
 Yellow Admiral | 07 Sep 2018 12:12 p.m. PST |
The only time I have played games with any pre-planning was in campaigns, where the player-generals have at least some idea of the forces, situation, terrain, and a plan to win. Most of the time, players are showing up expecting to be entertained, and have no interest in background research, extensive planning or heavy thinking. I have trouble even getting anyone to agree to be in command. - Ix |
| Old Contemptibles | 07 Sep 2018 7:10 p.m. PST |
I can write it down and then tell them directly and some will still be surprised during the game. You should have read the scenario rules and listened to my short briefing with only your side in the room. This is with the guys in my club. In a convention it is very difficult. But the side that pays attention will usually be the side that wins. |
| oldnorthstate | 07 Sep 2018 8:48 p.m. PST |
Nice idea but largely impractical, particularly given the state of the HMGS Convention procedures. HMGS allows registration for games on the day of the game if there are openings…and then of course 50% or more of those registered never show up, so the players include many walk ups who may or may not even know anything about the period being played, let alone the particulars of the scenario. |
