TOPIC: Suggestions for 2015

I know there is already 2014 feedback thread but I thought it would be a good idea to start a 2015 suggestions thread. Here are mine for next year, speaking from a first timer perspective.

1. Try to keep exhibit Hall A and bring back the Tavern in the conference room(s) directly across the hallway.

2. I don't know if GenCon would allow it but start the regular runs on wed after all the GT runs.

3. Have NPCs available for pictures after the run.

4. The hawk kin traveling with the party was cool but sucked when they had to leave. It would be nice to have them travel with the party the whole time. I think you could still keep the room DMs as well.

We were in Hall D, and where they are set up is mostly out of their control

4. Space is always an issue in TD rooms. Though an NPC traveling with you might be fun you are now talking about 12 people in each room. It also would demand more volunteers. The number of volunteers never seems high enough as though that are volunteering always seem to be doing more than they should. This is the same issue for number 3 though it would require less volunteers than an extra one on each run. Do the math it adds up fast.

Viper had (I think) 7 DMs and 4.5 NPCs (I think the Drow timeshared)
Zephyr was 8 DMs and no NPC-only. The only non-robotic NPC I recall was friendly.
Call it an average of 10 volunteers per adventure, not counting blue hands.

Adding a guide for the whole dungeon raises the labor costs quite a bit.

But replacing all the DMs with a single guide is worse, because you mess over the volunteers who can't play because they know every secret of every room on that path. Grind DMs aren't able to play Grind for this reason. Plus you have less consistency in the rooms with dozens of people DMing it, instead of just a handful.

I know I'd be less willing to volunteer if I'd have been shut out of, say, the entire Viper run because I had to study the whole module to do my job. If they just know one or two rooms it's not as big a deal.

Even if I were allowed to play, all the fun and surprise and mystery would be spoiled.

TD hasn't been in Hall D since 2012 (at least I think that is where we were then) and has been stated Jeff has no control over that.

Volunteer issue has been well covered.

1. TD is put in the hall Gen Con puts us in. TD doesn't get to decide.
2. Gen Con doesn't allow it.
3. Finding volunteers to fill all the current slots is... challenging. Get more people to volunteer and that could happen.
4. Originally, DMs traveled with the party throughout the dungeon. The change was made to have DMs stay in the same room to provide a more consistent player experience. As for having an NPC in addition to the DM, see #3.

Have the coaches make it very clear to groups that Nightmare level only equals more experience for player level, it does not give any other benefits beyond the challenge of it.

I heard too many horror stories of TPKs and near TPKs because a group of newbies selected Nightmare with no previous experience and only their starter gear.

Also, better lighting at the adventure table/store. I have excellent vision and I still could hardly read anything beyond arm's length. I think TD missed out on a lot of add-on sales this year because no one realized there was also a store there.

-Joshua

I have been participating the last two Gen Con conventions and I see advertisements about a Village that people can go to for a taste of the experience. In the last two conventions I saw nothing like a village and what things looked like they might have people were always empty.

What I did see is an area too dark to see, vague shapes of people moving randomly and in most cases singly, and loud mysterious noises. As a newbie experience, it was lacking and unless I knew what True Dungeon was, the entracne area would not attract me to try it.

I understand this may be due to lack of vollunteers but to advertise a village and get nothing seems a less than perfect idea.

joshua baessler wrote: Have the coaches make it very clear to groups that Nightmare level only equals more experience for player level, it does not give any other benefits beyond the challenge of it.

This is incorrect.
Nightmare DOES give other benefits beyond the challenge. So does HardCore.

Normal = "Normal" XP, and an UC-level completion token.
Hardcore = "Hardcore" XP, and a Rare-level completion token.
Nightmare = "Hardcore" XP, and BOTH the UC-level and Rare-level completion tokens.

That said, I agree that Coaches should stress Nightmare is not a good option for new players. Odds are very good that they will have a TPK before the final room.

If players are brand new, but looking for a challenge, perhaps Hardcore would be a better choice. I have seen brand-new players survive Hardcore... as long as they have good teamwork, and are good at sharing their starting tokens so everyone has equipment which they can use.

joshua baessler wrote: Have the coaches make it very clear to groups that Nightmare level only equals more experience for player level, it does not give any other benefits beyond the challenge of it.

thats not exactly...NM, raven beat me to it.

jeff tressler wrote: I have been participating the last two Gen Con conventions and I see advertisements about a Village that people can go to for a taste of the experience. In the last two conventions I saw nothing like a village and what things looked like they might have people were always empty.

What I did see is an area too dark to see, vague shapes of people moving randomly and in most cases singly, and loud mysterious noises. As a newbie experience, it was lacking and unless I knew what True Dungeon was, the entracne area would not attract me to try it.

I understand this may be due to lack of vollunteers but to advertise a village and get nothing seems a less than perfect idea.

The entrance is horrific, and has been since they moved us out of the Marriot. I'm sick and tired of needing night-vision goggles to see anything.

Rope lighting.