Paid Convention Games?

[Reynard]

This is a regional thing, or perhaps not charging is a regional thing. All of the West Coast conventions that I know of only charge for the badge. I assume that the badge cost is less when there is a per-seat cost for each game.

Well, at Origins anyway, it seems to be up to the discretion of the one running the event

 

[MichaelSomething]

WTH? Why is it always the worst sort of freaks that end up running games at conventions. We really need some sort of national rating system in place for convention GMs.

There seems to be an eternal shortage of DMs so Cons don't turn away people who are willing to run. I also imagine there's no good system for GM screening.

Yet if there's a constant DM shortage, why are there games that don't get enough players???

 

[billd91]

Yet if there's a constant DM shortage, why are there games that don't get enough players???

Because not every game has the same level of demand. Sometimes it’s the game system, sometimes the description of the event just doesn’t attract the players.

 

[Celebrim]

There seems to be an eternal shortage of DMs so Cons don't turn away people who are willing to run. I also imagine there's no good system for GM screening.

I would also imagine there is no good system for GM screening. Which is why I really wish you could review GMs "yelp" or "air bnb" style.

Beyond that, I also think this is a job where people would be really bad at self-screening.

 

[Thomas Shey]

Because not every game has the same level of demand. Sometimes it’s the game system, sometimes the description of the event just doesn’t attract the players.

And never forget the situation where 12 people might theoretically want to be in the game, but among the six that sign up, three flake. Sometimes people don't have the patience or faith to see if a slot opens.

 

[MichaelSomething]

I would also imagine there is no good system for GM screening. Which is why I really wish you could review GMs "yelp" or "air bnb" style.

Beyond that, I also think this is a job where people would be really bad at self-screening.

Startplaying.games has DM reviews, if memory serves.

 

[Lanefan]

And never forget the situation where 12 people might theoretically want to be in the game, but among the six that sign up, three flake. Sometimes people don't have the patience or faith to see if a slot opens.

And aren't willing/able to show up anyway in hopes of flying standby if someone no-shows.

 

[Distracted DM]

Startplaying.games has DM reviews, if memory serves.

I can't say that it's particularly helpful, but it's better than nothing. A written review only tells you so much, assuming they're legit.

One person's fantastic GM can be another's snoozefest can be another's nightmare.

There are IMO better ideas out there for GM reviews/screens but they'd have to be implemented

 

[Thomas Shey]

And aren't willing/able to show up anyway in hopes of flying standby if someone no-shows.

The usual problem there is there's often a double-or-nothing element to that, since showing up anyway will often prevent you from doing something else that's cross scheduled. It may be you'd prefer the standby game, but do you prefer it enough to not do either?

 

[Lanefan]

The usual problem there is there's often a double-or-nothing element to that, since showing up anyway will often prevent you from doing something else that's cross scheduled. It may be you'd prefer the standby game, but do you prefer it enough to not do either?

If I'm that determined to get into a specific game at a con then I wouldn't have scheduled anything else in that slot anyway.

And given that at something like GenCon the dealers' hall and auction stores are can't-miss fallbacks (during the day anyway), I've always got something fun to do.