Ropeconin 2015 GM guide

In Finnish | Suomeksi

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What, why?

This page is for tabletop role-playing Game Masters (GMs), who will run role-playing games in Ropecon 2015. This information does not concern live action role-playing games.

So, why should you come to Ropecon to run games? Simple answer: because it's fun. Ropecon is a great chance to test your own adventures with new players, and receive feedback. You can rerun great games, and give new ideas for others. Likewise, if you want to introduce new game systems and game worlds, or just enjoy running games, you're welcome to Ropecon!

Ropecon’s theme for year 2015 is “Journey”. What is hero’s journey like, is the journey more important than destination, and where the journey can lead us? We encourage using the theme in games, but it is not required.

Game Masters will receive free weekend tickets by running eight hours of games, or one day ticket with four hours. One day ticket can be upgraded to full weekend ticket by paying the upgrade fee. Game Masters will also be rewarded with Loot, free role-playing stuff, which is given out at Sunday. The more games you run, the higher you climb in the loot ladder!

How to enroll to be a GM?

First, read this guide with thought. Then fill the enrollment form. When your enrollment is registered to our system, you will receive a confirmation message to your e-mail. If the form is not suitable for your needs or you didn't receive the confirmation message, you can contact the head of role-playing games via e-mail: roolipelit@ropecon.fi. Please note, that the time asked in the form is a request, which we will try to follow, but which may change a little bit.

The enrollment is open till April 30th. Make sure that you can do the enrollment before the deadline.

The GM enrollment has ended.

I enrolled as GM, what now?

• Finish your con games before the Ropecon. It's also recommended to test your games beforehand.
• Arrive to Ropecon (Ropecon 2015, 15.-17.5.2015, Espoo, Dipoli).
  • GM entrance is from the Cantina door, on the other side of the building from the main doors. You can arrive on Friday at 14:00.
• Get your free ticket from registration table and fetch your GM badge.
• Head to the Role-playing game Help Desk to check in, so we know that you have arrived.
  • Role-playing game Help Desk resides at hallway next to Palaver, Poli, and Takka (same place as 2014).
  • From the Help Desk you will receive your GM feedback form, you will be marked as arrived, your table reservations will be confirmed, and you can recheck your game times and locations.
• Role-playing game Help Desk will have pre-filled enrollment forms for your games. Help Desk people will put the forms to the enrollment table, based on the starting times.
  • You can check your forms when you check in.
  • Please note, that we cannot put your forms to the enrollment table before you have checked in.
• Run your games at the agreed times and tables.
• When you have finished all your games, return the GM feedback form to the Role-playing game Help Desk.
  • The GM feedback form has to be returned before Sunday 14:00. If you still have a game running, you can make an approximation.
  • You cannot attend the Loot without returning GM feedback form.
• Come to the Loot on Sunday to grab some free role-playing stuff!

Loot

On Sunday, before the ending ceremonies, the GMs who have returned their GM feedback form will be rewarded with free role-playing stuff. The Loot will mostly consist of role-playing products, and often contains some real finds. All GMs will be able to pick loot at least once, those who have run most games maybe even more.

The Loot will be given on Sunday 17.5. 16:00 at Palaver.

T-shirt

GMs can order Ropecon's staff t-shirt, with your name (19€) or not (16€). In addition to your own name, the t-shirt will have tabletop role-playing games' group name. The deadline is 29.3. and the t-shirt must be paid before 2.4. If you have questions about the shirts, contact the head of sales products: myyntituotteet@ropecon.fi.

You can make the t-shirt order after you have been accepted as a GM. This can take couple of days, but if you're unable to do the order after a week from the enrollment, please contact roolipelit@ropecon.fi.

The order form is only in Finnish, but Google Translate does decent work.

T-shirt order has ended.

Game advertisements and advertisement competition

You can advertise your game with A4 size or smaller advertisement. We cannot accept bigger advertisements, to make sure that there is enough space for them all. Bring a physical copy of your advertisement to the Role-playing game Help Desk, and they will put it to the wall.

The best advertisement will be rewarded at the start of the Loot. Remember to put your name and phone number to the advertisement, so we can contact the winner. If you cannot attend the Loot on Sunday, you can send someone to pick the prize for you. Unfortunately we cannot deliver the prize after the convention.

Some notes!

The official program schedule will end at 01:00 on Friday-Saturday and Saturday-Sunday nights.

If you receive a free ticket for GMing, you cannot accept enrollments for your games before the Ropecon. Official game enrollment is only made through Role-playing game Help Desk's enrollment table. You can of course advertise your game beforehand.

If you didn't enroll as a GM, but want to run games, you can ask the Help Desk for free tables. You can also make an enrollment form for your game, which the Help Desk can put to the enrollment table. Only GMs enrolled before the deadline will receive the free ticket. You can also use empty tables, but you have to move if there is an official game starting.

E-mail addresses, phone numbers, and names will not be given to third parties, or used for advertisements. Ropecon may send you e-mail, but not advertisements.

Ropecon is not responsible for the game advertisements, game enrollment forms, or game contents. The GMs are responsible for their own content, and offending or explicit material may even be remove in the worst case.

Tips for GMs

Here are some tips for the GMs. Many of them are self-evident, but it's good to list them from time to time.

It's a good idea to have pre-made characters for you game. If the character creation takes more than 10 minutes for a new player, you should consider if this is wise for the length of the game. You can, for example, make multiple pre-made characters the players can choose from. Some games may require character creation, but if not, please consider.

When filling the enrollment form, please write a good description for your game. You will much more likely get more players, if your advertisement text is longer than "D&D3.0". Describe what the game is about and what kind of players you are looking. Of course it is also a good idea to include the rules set and the game setting.

The game length is crucial. Normal con game usually lasts 4-5 hours. This doesn't mean that your game cannot be longer or shorter, but this is a recommendation. In Ropecon, the player's time is limited and there are many different program numbers and games they will miss, because they're attending your game. Be on time, be ready, and make it worth it. Also, if your game is scheduled to run for four hours, please try to stay within the time limit, or if the game runs longer, make sure that it's okay for the players. There might also be a new game starting in the same table.

It's a good idea to test your games beforehand, but if you're going test your new game in Ropecon, please mention that in the enrollment form. This way the players will know what they are enrolling for, and that their experiences and comments may be used to improve the game.

You should consider what kind of games to run in the convention environment, as there will be many other groups playing in the same room and people walking around. This might be a trouble for games requiring silent place and certain atmosphere. We try to offer more peaceful rooms for the games needing them, but the space is limited.

Conventions are good for one shot games, so it's a good chance to run something you usually wouldn't with your regular play group.

Ropecon encourages to include beginner friendly games. In many games, it is usually enough for the GM to know the rules, so please consider if your game would be also suitable for the beginners. The growth of the hobby requires new players, who will be the future GMs and Ropecon organizers. And if they don't know the rules, at least they won't be rules lawyering.

In Ropecon there will be a lot of different kinds of players. Treat all your players with respect, without looking their gender, game experience, or social skills.

In convention environment it is possible, that there is a player you cannot get along with. This is a risk you have to accept, and Ropecon hopes patience. It's usually only some four hours. After the game, you can come to unburden your heart to the Role-playing game Help Desk.

Questions

If you have questions, feel free to contact the head of the role-playing games Arttu Hanska: roolipelit@ropecon.fi.