8 hours ago, heychadwick said:

You could always just come and hang out for the Shuttle Tydirium stuff. We are out in Lucas Oil and not around the crowds.

Well, yeah, that would be fun.

But the overall size just scares me away. I went to Origins last year; that was about as big a convention as I can handle I think.

3 hours ago, elfholme said:

My brother and I are signed up for Round 1 of 4. We're not super competitive, so please have mercy on us.

Last year everyone was awesome. Everyone was laid back.

My advice is to get more generics in your list than load up a few big ships.

7 minutes ago, Hawkstrike said:

Well, yeah, that would be fun.

But the overall size just scares me away. I went to Origins last year; that was about as big a convention as I can handle I think.

I hear ya! Just FYI, we are in a stadium that is detached from the rest of the con. There are enough games there that you don't have to go anywhere else. About 1/3 of all games are there. Kind of like a normal con in size.

9 hours ago, Hawkstrike said:

Thank you all for continuing to reinforce my decision *not* to go to GenCon. I couldn't handle those crowds, and I can't see standing in lines like that for a pre-release.

From all the accounts I've ever heard of GenCon, I've never had an interest in going either, too crowded.

57 minutes ago, AceWing said:

From all the accounts I've ever heard of GenCon, I've never had an interest in going either, too crowded.

I've been once and I have to say it depends on what you want to do. Avoid vendor hall and wandering around much. Lots of hub locations to stick to where you avoid the crowds. RPGs are off to one building. Lucas Oil Stadium seems to have a lot of smaller (non-company run) events. You could conceivably stay out of the main area if GenCon the whole time if you plan it that way.

Yep - I've spent whole weekends in one little corner of one hall. If you have a niche game that you like, and want to just play that game all weekend, you might interact with a dozen people, all of whom play the same game you do. In that sense it's little different than a game store.

If, on the other hand, you want to get into the dealer hall when it opens... well that's another thing entirely. Even if you're not a crowd loving type, it's probably worth it one time to get up on the balcony above about 5 min before they open just to watch. It's a life-altering experience. ? ?

What products will be available at Gen Con?

At first, I was thinking ALL of the 2.0 stuff would be available at Gen Con but upon further reading, it looks like only the Core Set will be at Gen Con and the rest on Sept 13.

Also, what about Saw and the Reaper?

6 minutes ago, drail14me said:

What products will be available at Gen Con?

At first, I was thinking ALL of the 2.0 stuff would be available at Gen Con but upon further reading, it looks like only the Core Set will be at Gen Con and the rest on Sept 13.

Also, what about Saw and the Reaper?

I was told cores and conversion kits. I would bet the Saws and Reapers too, but haven't seen that. I'll bet they're out before the Con anyway though. I'm betting they come out in the next few weeks honestly.

15 minutes ago, direweasel said:

I was told cores and conversion kits. I would bet the Saws and Reapers too, but haven't seen that. I'll bet they're out before the Con anyway though. I'm betting they come out in the next few weeks honestly.

Reading the articles, the Core Set mentions a Gen Con early release and a Sept general release. The Conversion and Expansions article only mentions a Sept release.

11 minutes ago, drail14me said:

Reading the articles, the Core Set mentions a Gen Con early release and a Sept general release. The Conversion and Expansions article only mentions a Sept release.

Well, if that's the case, I just lost all motivation to stand in the FFG line

11 minutes ago, direweasel said:

Well, if that's the case, I just lost all motivation to stand in the FFG line

Yeah, that threw a wet blanket on my motivation as well.

I assume you're limited to one of each item, then you have to stand in the line again if you want more?

11 minutes ago, DekoPuma said:

I assume you're limited to one of each item, then you have to stand in the line again if you want more?

I assume you're limited, to what quantity I don't know. Likely depends how much product, if any, they have on hand.

14 minutes ago, DekoPuma said:

I assume you're limited to one of each item, then you have to stand in the line again if you want more?

Your first assumption is valid. Your second one is false though. By the time you stand in line and purchase your first copy, they will already have too long of a line for you to go stand in line again for your second set.

I can wait for a month or so to get my 2.0 that I've already preordered through my FLGS. I'm not going to waste my time standing in a long line during my first trip to GenCon....too much to see and do and other vendors to visit.

8 hours ago, AceWing said:

From all the accounts I've ever heard of GenCon, I've never had an interest in going either, too crowded.

Like the others have said, it depends on what you want to do. This will be my 5th GenCon, iirc, and I love it. In most of the convention, there is plenty of room. The vendor hall always has lots of traffic, but if you avoid the opening rush hour, it’s not too bad.

Personally, I think it’s worth taking a day just to travel the vendor hall. There are hundred of vendors, selling everything game related. And there are lots of demos being run, so you have opportunities to try a game you’ve been thinking about getting, or games that haven’t even come out yet. And that part is free.

There are also lots of displays of new and current product from a variety of manufacturers. Window shopping is also free!

You’ll get a coupon book near will-call, and that will often have free stuff in it. Usually it’s a bunch of little stuff like a pin or a die, but sometimes there are real gems in there, like a couple years ago when CMON had a coupon for a free KS exclusive character for their games (Zombicide, Black Plague, and maybe one other that I don’t play). That was awesome, though they ran out quick! There will be discount coupons too. Give that a read first, and try to get the free stuff on Thursday, because it goes quick. Even a GenCon custom d6 is a nifty souvenir, IMO.

I’m signed up for the National Qualifier, but I’m really only playing in that tournament to get 3-4 games in and get a participation prize or two. I’m not really interested in winning the tournament (or even playing in the whole thing...there are just too many cool games at GenCon to limit yourself like that!). I’ll bring a force that I like that has zero chance of winning more than a couple games.

3 hours ago, T70 Driver said:

I can wait for a month or so to get my 2.0 that I've already preordered through my FLGS. I'm not going to waste my time standing in a long line during my first trip to GenCon....too much to see and do and other vendors to visit.

Smart. I pre-ordered the Imperial and Scum conversion packs, but I’m really hoping to get the rules and Rebel conversion pack there. I’d like to try a little 2nd ed that weekend with my brother.

We don’t always know what FFG will have at GenCon. I wouldn’t assume the conversion kits won’t be there.

This is my first Gen Con trip. The ONLY game I play is X-Wing. So, other than FFG, what other vendors would be worth my visit?

Also, how easy is it to get between the Vendor area and Lucas Oil Stadium?

5 minutes ago, drail14me said:

This is my first Gen Con trip. The ONLY game I play is X-Wing. So, other than FFG, what other vendors would be worth my visit?

Also, how easy is it to get between the Vendor area and Lucas Oil Stadium?

Other vendors worth the trip? Swing by the table and buy books from me. Piles of books. Improve my sales numbers to leave my near zero long behind me!

Okay, while I travel with a small publishing press, novels aren't for everyone. There are plenty of gaming choices, cosplay shops, some anime, artists (including some FFG deal with) and authors.

Lucas Oil is attached to the convention center. Just follow the corridor past the vendor hall... They had arcade games in the hallway last year.

8 minutes ago, LagJanson said:

Other vendors worth the trip? Swing by the table and buy books from me. Piles of books. Improve my sales numbers to leave my near zero long behind me!

Okay, while I travel with a small publishing press, novels aren't for everyone. There are plenty of gaming choices, cosplay shops, some anime, artists (including some FFG deal with) and authors.

Lucas Oil is attached to the convention center. Just follow the corridor past the vendor hall... They had arcade games in the hallway last year.

Thanks! I do plan on wandering the Vendor area and just take it all in.

I was looking at aerial maps of the area. It looked like the convention center and stadium were separated by a railroad and parking lot. I’m guessing there’s an walkway or something under the railroad and parking?

19 minutes ago, drail14me said:

Thanks! I do plan on wandering the Vendor area and just take it all in.

I was looking at aerial maps of the area. It looked like the convention center and stadium were separated by a railroad and parking lot. I’m guessing there’s an walkway or something under the railroad and parking?

The rail lines are elevated. You can take a tunnel under the street along the south side of the convention center, if you don't want to wait a minute or two at the crosswalk.

11 hours ago, tracker7 said:

The rail lines are elevated. You can take a tunnel under the street along the south side of the convention center, if you don't want to wait a minute or two at the crosswalk.

For me, the answer to that question generally depends not on the crosswalk, but on the weather. If it's nice out, I'll go outside and walk on the surface. If it's raining, or 95 degrees, I'll go under the street in the tunnel.