Ropeconin 2016 GM guide

In Finnish | Suomeksi

(:num:)

Change log for year 2016 - read this!

• Role-playing game Desk will serve you at the second floor of Kokoustamo, next to room 203.
• There are no pre-sign-ups for the games. The signing-up will be made when the games are starting. The games start each hours on the hour (10 am, 11 am, 12 am...). The GMs running games and the players will gather to the Role-playing game Desk. Role-playing game Desk personnel will go through all games in alphabetical order, one at a time, and the players may join the game they want. The signing up will last about fifteen minutes.
  • The games start on the hour at following times:
    • Friday at 4 pm, 5 pm, 6 pm, 7 pm, and 8 pm
    • Saturday at 10 am, 11 am, 12 noon, 13 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm, 4 pm, 5 pm, 6 pm, 7 pm, and 8 pm
    • Sunday at 10 am, 11 am, and 12 noon
  • More information from blog: https://2016.ropecon.fi/en/news/signing-up-for-role-playing-games/.
• If a GM is unable to run a game, for example if it doesn't get any players, and if GM's total hours goes under the required amount for the entrance wristband (4h or 8h), the GM has to offer it at another time slot. New times will be arranged by the Role-playing game Desk after the signing-up ends. Role-playing game Desk will keep track of the game runs.
• Freeform games will have own silent rooms. More info on section 4.
• Most of the game rooms will be shut down for the night at 2 am. 203A/B is an exception, and will be open all the time. If your game lasts longer than planned, there will be someone around 01:30 to tell you that you should start to leave.

Suurin osa pelisaleista sulkeutuu yöksi klo 02:00. Poikkeuksena 203A/B, joka on auki ympäri vuorokouden. Jos pelisi venyy, niin klo 01:30 aikaan tullaan huhuilemaan, että salista pitää alkaa poistumaan.

What, why?

This page is for Game Masters (GMs), who will run tabletop role-playing games in Ropecon 2016. This information is not for live action role-playing games.

Ropecon is a great chance to test your own adventures with new players, and receive feedback. You can rerun great scenarios, and give new ideas to others. You can introduce new game systems and game worlds, or just enjoy running games.

Ropecon’s theme for year 2016 is “Chaos and Order”. Are the characters led by the temptation of quick and easy solutions or by the strict order and consideration? How the struggle of these forces is portrayed in games, and is one mightier than the other? What happens, when the roles start to blend and the ultimate order starts to get chaotic features? We encourage the use of the theme, 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. It's possible to change the day ticket to full weekend ticket with 10€ 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!

List of games and times can be found from Ropecon's website: https://2016.ropecon.fi/opas/.

How to sign up to be a GM?

First, read this guide with thought. Then fill the sign-up form. When your sign-up 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, contact the head of role-playing games via e-mail: roolipelit@ropecon.fi. Please note, that the game time asked in the form is a request, which we will try to follow, but which may change a little bit.

The sign-up is open till June 30th. Make sure that you do the sign-up before the deadline.

Sign-up for role-playing games has ended.

If you didn't sign up as a GM, but want to run games, you're free to do so. You can use any empty table, but you have to move if there is an official game starting. If you want to include your game to the official sign-up process, ask the Role-playing game Desk and they will help you out. The games added during Ropecon will also count towards the loot ladder, as long as they're recorded to the GM feedback form.

Only the GMs signed up before the deadline will receive a free ticket.

Sign-up form

Freeform games

Freeforms are often larp-like in the sense that players may move and gesticulate in-character, but are played with only 3-8 players who remain in the same room. Freeforms tend to be strongly narrative, with a GM taking the players from scene to scene. They are usually based on a repeatable, written, scenario.

Freeform sign-up is also made with the GM sign-up form, but add a note "I want to run this game in room 214" to the "Other Information for the Role-playing game Desk" field. Sign-up is open till April 15th, after which we will inform the signed up about the room schedule. We only have one room and don't know how popular it is, so we cannot promise that all games will be accepted to the program. For Loot and free ticket the freeform games are counted as other role-playing games.

Sign-up for the freeform games has ended.

Tips for the GMs

Ropecon and similar conventions offer an unique environment for running games. This should be taken in consideration when planning your games.

• Use pre-made characters. If the character creation takes more than 10 minutes for a new player, you should consider bringing pre-made characters.
• Write a good description. You want stand out and draw attention of the players. You will also more likely get the type of players you wished for. The sign-up form includes keywords you can select for your games. It's also good to let the players know if you are testing a game that is not finished.
• Think about the game length. Usual standard for convention games is 2-6 hours. In Ropecon, the player's time is more precious and there might be a new game starting in the same table, so please pay attention to your schedule. It should also be considered that it might take 30 minutes to get the game properly running.
• Consider the convention environment. Game rooms are large and loud, and there are constantly people passing by, which 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.
• Consider flexible number of players. If your game can take 3-5 players, instead of strict four, it is easier to avoid surprises caused by the number of players.
• Ropecon encourages beginner friendly games. 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.
• 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.

I signed up as a GM, what now?

• Finish your con games before the Ropecon. It's also recommended to test your games beforehand.
• Arrive to Ropecon (Ropecon 2016, 29.-31.7.2016, Helsinki, Messukeskus).
• Get your free ticket from registration table and fetch your GM pass (previously: badge).
  • Entrance from the southern entrance of the Messukeskus Expo and Convention Centre. You can get your ticket on Friday from 1 pm onward, but you can enter the convention area when Ropecon opens at 3 pm.
• Get your GM feedback form from the Role-playing game Desk.
• Arrive to the Role-playing game Desk at the times your games start. It's important that you arrive on the hour or even couple minutes before!
  • Let us know you are present, when your name is called out.
  • Wait till you get your players and run your game at the given location.
  • If you didn't get enough players, wait till the end of sign-up. There might still be people interested to play, or you can book a new time for your game.
• When you have finished all your games, return the GM feedback form to the Role-playing game Desk before Sunday 2 pm. You cannot attend the Loot without returning GM feedback form.
• Come to the Loot on Sunday 4 pm at room 203 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. To attend loot, the GM feedback form must be returned in time. The deadline is Sunday 2 pm and the form can be returned to the Role-playing game desk.

The Loot will be given on Sunday 31.7. 4 pm at room 203.

T-shirt

GMs can order Ropecon's staff t-shirt, with or without your (nick)name and role-playing games' group slogan. 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 sign-up, please contact roolipelit@ropecon.fi. T-shirts cost 19/15€, depending if you want your name and the group slogan to the shirt. This year's colors are black and Cthulhu green. You can claim your t-shirt when you arrive to Ropecon.

Order deadline is June 5th and payment deadline is June 10th.

T-shirt order has ended.

Game advertisement competition

You can advertise your game with A4 size or smaller advertisement. Bring a physical copy of your advertisement to the Role-playing game 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.

Questions?

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