For me there a couple of things to keep in mind about con games – 1) less is more, 2) reward the players and maybe the PCs.

I run con games without maps or minis (unless needed by the game) to eliminate the distractions that they may cause. I plan a strong skeletal plot for the event, and develop NPCs and write a bunch of notes about the locations. Yet I stop there and let the players direct the action. I am more there for keeping the pace and gettign everyone involved then to tell a story. By going minimalist I can cram more into that four hour slot.

The players need praise and encouragement for keeping them involved, but also to generate that infectious enthusiasm to get other players involved. You don’t have to give the rewards to the PCs, you can crush them horribly, just praise the PC afterwards (i.e. – “Sorry that your PC was fried, but that was the most heroic act in the entire game!”). Get the players into the game by showing that their actions matter.

In a convention game — for a company — I have X period of time to essentially “sell” everyone on the game. No, not the hard sell, the soft cell. That means the adventure has to be self-contained (no external references that players have to be filled in on), have a resolution and pretty much follow the three act model to a T. (Those three acts can be three encounters, just as long as it moves things along.)

The players are typically always right; there are no dumb ideas. Everything is open and a lot of latitude is given, especially when introducing a new system to most/all of the players.

I always let the players keep their character sheets, handouts, etc. In most cases I have materials and/or prizes to give out as well. Heck, I even give back generic tickets on most occasions.

If someone travels an absurd amount to time and distance and pays to play in a game I run you can be damn sure I give it 110%. I’ve run con games literally throwing up at the breaks, on a handful of sleep, and my voice nearly gone from doing 12 hours the day before.

But you treat each group as the most important group you have to run that game for.

I’ve actually had people ask when the next session I was going to run (same adventure) and pay to play just to sit in with a different group of players and try a different character. Weird…

All Holes Filled with Harn would have gone in my neutral column, just like this year’s Savage Worlds game. There were high and low notes, and enough of the latter to take the luster off the whole event.

These days, I usually play intro adventures of systems I’m interested in, like Savage Worlds or True20 last year, or Og this year. I find that they display the mechanics pretty well, without turning into a rules argument.

Run a game? I may have run a few con games, but never a Con game. Sounds fun.

My first experience was probably the best. I played in a Doctor Who adventure that used Call of Cthulhu rules (and some concepts). There were two GMs (one also played the Fourth Doctor, decked out in full costume). We started with a party split, but each GM led the group until we met. The adventure was split into three episodes, complete with bumper music and quick recaps (as well as a 5 minute break between them).

[As an aside, I wish the GMs had told us up front about the episodic breaks; it would've cut down on players running to the restroom.]

We completed the game within the timeframe and it felt like a standard Doctor Who adventure. The GMs did a great job of keeping us moving, offering suggestions on how to “use our sheets” when necessary.

My only criticism (which isn’t even a criticism depending on your style) is that the GM narrated through most combat situations. Had the GMs emphasized that the feel was “Doctor Who,” not “CoC,” this wouldn’t have been a problem.

[As another aside, the Doctor was a GMPC. This was off-putting at first, but it did ensure that all of the players were on the same level (after all, we'd all want to play the Doctor!). Unfortunately, the player stuck with K9 had no idea how to play him.]

All in all, it was highly enjoyable.

I missed the second game because our GM got lost in the “room number shuffle.” My advice here is, if you are a con GM, you might want to go to all of the identifiable “wrong” sites and post the proper information. A cell number might help too, especially if you were originally in the Omni and are actually at Embassy Suites.

The third game was Star Wars Saga and my first RPGA experience (I had to sign up in order to play). This game did exactly what I wanted it to do, which was show off the mechanics in a few encounters. However, the game was scheduled from 8-1 and the actual game ended at 11. If I’m giving you a block of time, I expect to be entertained for that amount of time (However, most RPGAers probably know the drill).

I also showed up with no pregens. Although this was an RPGA game, it was also a 1st level introductory adventure. The GM looked almost panicked when I didn’t have a character, and he was about to send me to the Central Command for a sheet (or put the game on hold while I generated one) when the player next to me helpfully handed me some.

My final experience was Victoriana, which is a game near and dear to my heart. The GM did an excellent job of summarizing the rules and gave us a highly entertaining experience. I felt that the ending felt a little unsatisfying (we learned some information that spoiled the “big reveal” and left me feeling incompetent). However, it was Sunday, and all of us were running out of steam.

And hey, at least I didn’t get railed at the ritual orgy! (Although, I would be interested to know how you rated that game, Martin!)

All your observations are spot on, I think.

It’s high time to change that attitude.