TOPIC: New Volunteer FAQ?

So I have been accepted as a first time volunteer for GenCon 2018. I am super excited to be apart of this great game I have enjoyed playing and to show others how great it can be. But I have lots of questions mostly minor things that I have not seen an answer too. Like what can I wear, who do I check in with for our hotel room, is 24 mins really long enough to get lunch? Things like that. So I was wondering for people who have volunteered before, do the volunteer coordinators send out an FAQ of sorts once we get closer to GenCon in August? I don't want to bother the volunteer coordinators with minor stuff since they are probably relay busy gearing up for origins. So I was hoping someone who has volunteered before would be able to help.

Jeremy wrote: So I have been accepted as a first time volunteer for GenCon 2018. I am super excited to be apart of this great game I have enjoyed playing and to show others how great it can be. But I have lots of questions mostly minor things that I have not seen an answer too.

Great to hear, TD is the best place to volunteer at Gen-con.

Jeremy wrote: Like what can I wear,

You will get a volunteer t shirt at training on Wednesday. You should wear either that, jeans, and comfortable shoes, or an appropriate fantasy costume if your feeling spunky.

Jeremy wrote: who do I check in with for our hotel room,

The volunteer coordinator will get in touch about the hotel rooms closer to the con. Keep an eye on the TD vols Facebook group. There's normally a few posts on there before hotel stuff goes out.

Jeremy wrote: is 24 mins really long enough to get lunch?

Honestly no. It might be enough time to run out to the food trucks and grab something to bring back with you depending on your roll but personally I just bring a big muffin and some trail mix to ear during the breaks.

Jeremy wrote: Things like that. So I was wondering for people who have volunteered before, do the volunteer coordinators send out an FAQ of sorts once we get closer to GenCon in August?

There isn't so much a formal FAQ but the coordinators are super communicative. Keep an eye on the Facebook group and if you have questions don't be afraid to reach out.

Jeremy wrote: is 24 mins really long enough to get lunch?

Picc wrote: It might be enough time to run out to the food trucks and grab something to bring back

I respectfully disagree.
You might be able to walk to the food trucks and back in 24 minutes, but the lines for the food trucks are usually quite long. I strongly advise not planning on that option as your meal. Bringing something with you to eat & drink is highly, highly recommended. Or possibly prearrange to have someone bring you comestibles at a specified time.

At Gen Con, 24 minutes is enough to eat a light meal, but it's not enough time to go get one.

Thank you for volunteering!

I've run across many volunteers on their breaks, and I don't think 24min is enough time to run out to buy food. Defiantly not the food trucks. Just navigating the dungeon if you're not familiar with it will eat up a bunch of time. The closest food that might be plausible (imho), would be the concession stands in the stadium right above TD. But I'd take Druegar's advice to bring your own food and drink.

Druegar wrote:

Jeremy wrote: is 24 mins really long enough to get lunch?

Picc wrote: It might be enough time to run out to the food trucks and grab something to bring back

I respectfully disagree.
You might be able to walk to the food trucks and back in 24 minutes, but the lines for the food trucks are usually quite long. I strongly advise not planning on that option as your meal. Bringing something with you to eat & drink is highly, highly recommended. Or possibly prearrange to have someone bring you comestibles at a specified time.

At Gen Con, 24 minutes is enough to eat a light meal, but it's not enough time to go get one.

Hence my original "Honestly No" and propensity to bring a banana nut muffin The muffin is life

Thanks for the help guys!

On the perpetual do list a Volunteer FAQ would not be a bad idea. A lot I've learned through either trial and error and or asking/observing other volunteers in person or on the forums.

A bit will also be determined based on what role/location you're assigned to.

24 min break, plan to have food cached. I manged once to head upstairs and get a sandwich from stadium concessions. Generally by the time your confirm it's bubble, get out you're down to 20ish minutes plus figure time to get back to your location. You're likely going to want to do a bio break and or try to get some sight/hearing back to and just a few minutes to decompress.

Generally speaking you'll be able to keep a small bag either with you in your room or in a common area. Example most of us coaches will use the table/alcove where party cards are stored to keep water bottles (a sharpie or labeled bottle helps here).

Water bottle a very good thing, disposable or not. I use a disposable that i'll refill throughout the day/shift and just get a new one every day.

Cough drops, if you're picky or have a fondness get a jumbo bag and keep some on you if you're in a talking role. Or hard candy, whatever works for you.

I echo muffin/snack bars, something that is edible no matter what. I tend to bring big box of breakfast bars myself and just restock my bag everyday from hotel room.

If you really trust your outside help and can find out ahead you can have food dropped off. I just prefer to keep things simple.

The AC's (Adventure Coordinators) are there to help us the basic volunteer and the players. If you have a question or even i'm badly in need of cough drop/refill they'll likely work with you. Don't abuse the privilege but it's in their interest to help us keep going all con.

-Note high rumor says you can usually bribe the AC for coaching with sweets and or cookies.


On the subject from FAQ can we add in how to read the TD build map? That was an experience last Origins and hoping i remember enough for this Origins for those of us on build...


You've already learned the big thing Jeremy and that is to ask now vs assuming later.

If you want to coordinate with someone, or just for general planning purposes, here's a list of bubble times, by which room you're in.

Day shift:

Room	Bubble 1	Bubble 2
Coach 1	10:36AM-11:00AM	1:12PM-1:36PM
Coach 2	10:48AM-11:12AM	1:24PM-1:48PM
Training	11:00AM-11:24AM	1:36PM-2:00PM
Room 1	11:12AM-11:36AM	1:48PM-2:12PM
Room 2	11:24AM-11:48AM	2:00PM-2:24PM
Room 3	11:36AM-12:00PM	2:12PM-2:36PM
Room 4	11:48AM-12:12PM	2:24PM-2:48PM
Room 5	12:00PM-12:24PM	2:36PM-3:00PM
Room 6	12:12PM-12:36PM	2:48PM-3:12PM
Room 7	12:24PM-12:48PM	3:00PM-3:24PM
Epilogue	12:36PM-1:00PM	3:12PM-3:36PM

Night shift

Room	Bubble 1	Bubble 2
Coach 1	6:12PM-6:36PM	8:48PM-9:12PM
Coach 2	6:24PM-6:48PM	9:00PM-9:24PM
Training	6:36PM-7:00PM	9:12PM-9:36PM
Room 1	6:48PM-7:12PM	9:24PM-9:48PM
Room 2	7:00PM-7:24AM	9:36PM-10:00PM
Room 3	7:12PM-7:36PM	9:48PM-10:12PM
Room 4	7:24PM-7:48PM	10:00PM-10:24PM
Room 5	7:36PM-8:00PM	10:12PM-10:36PM
Room 6	7:48PM-8:12PM	10:24PM-10:48PM
Room 7	8:00PM-8:24PM	10:36PM-11:00PM
Epilogue	8:12PM-8:36PM	10:48PM-11:12PM

I'm not 100% sure what you mean by bubble times? Does this mean that they schedule time for your room to be empty for 24 mins? I was assuming that they would send someone in to relieve me for a break but I guess your saying that they intentionally schedule a time where there will not be a group in your room for 24 mins. This is probably a good way to do breaks.

Also are their any other problems or issues that a new volunteer should know about?

What position do you have? If you are in the coach of dungeon rooms there will be a few 24 min bubbles during your shift. Each bubble

If you have any questions or concerns you can ask them on training day Wednesday.

Jeremy wrote: I'm not 100% sure what you mean by bubble times? Does this mean that they schedule time for your room to be empty for 24 mins?

Yes, that's exactly what happens.
Bubbles are (almost always) 24 minute breaks in the schedule. Here's a hypothetical example:

• 4:48 is the last group to enter coaching before the bubble starts
• No groups are scheduled at either 5:00 or 5:12
• The next group to enter coaching won't start until 5:24
• Every 12 minutes, those two empty slots will advance through the coaching, training, and dungeon rooms, thus allowing the person(s) working the dormant room a 24 minute break.