TOPIC: Will Corona Virus stop the new True Dungeon show?

This is Lori Martin, Executive Director and co-owner of True Adventures. Please take this as an "official" statement from True Adventures.

At this time we are monitoring reputable sources for information about the COVID-19 virus. Should a convention that we are running True Dungeon at choose to cancel, obviously we will NOT go, as there is no convention to go to. If we sold tickets (MomoCon, Origins Game Fair, PAX West/South) for a cancelled show, I will personally process refunds. If the convention sold the tickets (Gen Con and Gamehole Con), they will be responsible for the refunds, and know that I have no influence on the time frame for that process.

Regarding the True Dungeon events specifically, we will be taking extra precautions with our volunteer staff to implement enhanced cleaning procedures. We also encourage attendees to wash their hands thoroughly both BEFORE and AFTER a run, as you will come in contact with many surfaces. We will be disinfecting those surfaces multiple times daily, but not between each run.

As other posters have stated, my PERSONAL advice is that you must do what you feel is best for you and your family. Seek information from REPUTABLE sources, such as the CDC, WHO, and your own primary care physician. Be extra vigilant about self care, including thorough hand washing. Common sense measures are key right now; mass panic will do nothing but make the situation worse.

Again, should you feel that it is in your best interest to NOT attend a convention, that is your choice, and I respect that choice. However, we are proceeding as scheduled and until we hear otherwise, we plan on being at MomoCon in Atlanta. If the convention organizers decide to cancel, we will release that information as soon as we are able, but as of now, we have no indication that is a concern.

Have a healthy and happy day!

Lori

Lori Martin
Executive Director

Thanks, Lori!!!

Thanks Lori. I look forward to volunteering at Origins, GenCon and GameHoleCon.

Thank you for the reply Lori Martin! I appreciate the information with regards to this serious situation. I know that you stated that you cannot speak for MOMO CON but that you can say that you will give refunds should they cancel. That is great. I am wondering if we did purchase tickets for True Dungeon and that MOMO did cancel do you know how long it would be before we got our refund? I know you can only speak for you and not MOMO I am just wondering just in the case of if and when MOMO cancelled. Do you have an idea how long it would take just True Dungeon to get our refund put on our card? Would you know? Has anything ever caused a show to cancel before on this scale that is an example of how it would go? Thank you again.

Arthur,

If we are notified by ANY convention that they are cancelling their show, I will process refunds immediately after we issue a press release to that effect. We will honor the time-line of the show, assuming they want to issue a press release on a certain day/time. We would release ours immediately after that, along with ticket refund specifics.

NO, I do not know "how long it would take just True Dungeon to get our refund put on our card" as each card issuer has 10-14 business days to post a refund/credit to the cardholder's account. I cannot control any company's actions but my own. I can tell you that my intention would be to process the refunds immediately.

In our experience with game conventions (since 2003), we have never had a show cancel, so I do not have any frame of reference to answer that question. I'm sure shows have been cancelled in the past, but we have not been a part of any, so I have no experience to make a comment.

Lori

One of the few benefits of getting old is that you start to realize you’ve seen a lot of stuff before.

SARS, MERS, Bird Flu, Swine Flu, Ebola... every couple of years a new super-flu is unleashed. Every time it’s the worst ever, and every time we’re warned that millions could die. In the last century, that’s never happened. And usually the government response is tepid at best. The last administration waited for six months until 2000 Americans had died before declaring an emergency. This one did it much sooner, and here we are two months later with “only” 4000 deaths world wide, and only a couple dozen in the US. Car crashes have killed almost 4k people per month worldwide.

During the 2018-19 flu season, about 35 million people in the US contracted the “regular” flu and about 34,000 died.

For some reason the media seems to be trying to panic everyone. I saw one headline that “corona deaths had more than tripled this week.” In other words, the total went from 2 to 7. Technically not a lie, but it seemed misleading nonetheless.

I’m not putting down anyone who is concerned. I’m just saying, I’ve seen this all before. Maybe this time it will be different, but from all I’ve read, I doubt it.

Wear your seatbelt. Wash your hands. If you’re sick, stay home. When someone tries to get you to panic, try not to. And try not to spread any diseases. Even non-covid flu kills thousands of people every year.

I can say that personally I'm not particularly worried, however I don't have any flights or hotels to worry about.

Many things can happen between now and May. It could get worse. It could get better, possibly due to warmer weather, etc. I do know that Lori will refund my tickets if there is no True Dungeon at MomoCon. I find it very unlikely that Origins or GenCon will be affected. But I'm not official nor am I a medical professional.

As a resident of Atlanta I'm keeping my fingers crossed for an awesome True Dungeon event

Arthur wrote: Lazlo please tell me what medical degree you hold?

I say again.. The entire country of Italy is on lock down.
As recent as three weeks ago it was fine.

Following the ego of people like Lazlo is not wise.

Please just consider that as of mere weeks ago Italy, China, Iran, South Korea
were fine. Now all are on lock down.

Should we be prepping for a True Dungeon show right now? Maybe we should we use our money
to prepare for something we have never experienced.

I am not here to act out of ego and name call like Lazlo is doing. I am just asking questions and trying to make the best informed decision for my family in this situation. I love True Dungeon events as does my family. I just want everyone to be safe so we have TD for years to come.

Arthur (and anyone else who is irrationally panicking)...

I've worked running sales and operations organizations in healthcare for more than 30 years. I've done stints in immunology, infectious diseases, respiratory therapies, oncology, geriatrics, etc.. Thinking that someone having a medical degree is the only way to get education regarding issues in life sciences is woefully incorrect. Routinely, we speak with physicians and educate them (that's how they get updated information - the industry holds the conferences that teach the medical community). Poking at Laz for not being a doctor seems to imply that only a doctor could possibly be educated regarding this issue. Not only is that not true, doctors aren't the primary conduit for this information. The groups tied to research and analysis of pathogens are.

The entire country of Italy isn't in lockdown. Certain localities within Italy are in a limited quarantine. The country's reaction wasn't appropriate for what they were exposed to and is being scaled back immediately based on feedback from the medical community. Quarantines should done only when you have a large number of confirmed cases in a small proximity, you then isolate the individuals who were immediately exposed. Italy got it wrong by not just following the disease vectors and isolating there.

The world isn't ending from Covid-19 nor is it likely to be the next "Black Death." It is a very dangerous disease if you have a compromised immune system or respiratory problems. If you fall into those categories, you should limit your travel into areas where large outbreaks have occurred (large outbreak meaning more than 0.05% of a population.) To date, the only area reaching that outbreak threshold is the Wuhan province of China (at 0.055% of the population). It's estimated transmission level is a R0 of 2 (higher than the typical flu but only because normal flu has vaccines). US CDC research being published now shows it shouldn't survive outside of a body in temperatures above 26-27 c and has a maximum virus life outside of a body of 12 hours (more realistically, 3-6 hours). Mortality rate from it if you are not in a high risk group is similar to that of a bad case of the flu.

That isn't to say we should ignore it - the risk to high risk individuals is a serious one (as we saw in the Washington nursing home) and we should all work to protect those at risk. The realistic guidance here is don't hang out with people who are clearly sick, avoid shaking hands (generally wise during flu season anyway), and talk to your doctor if you develop a fever (especially if you have contact with someone with a confirmed case.)

Some shows like South by SouthWest and Emerald City ComicCon are cancelling. Some large corporate events happening before the summer are also cancelled (Facebook conference, Microsoft conference, etc.). I'm sure there will be some others that cancel as well (especially if they have strong Chinese patronage). Right now, these reactions are based in fear, not science. Let's not contribute to decisions based on fear rather than facts. Companies are afraid of being blamed if someone catches a highly publicized disease and can point the finger at them. The reality is that as long as they follow basic safety and hygene best practices, they have no real liability or responsibility for it.

Momocon is in May. This type of pathogen doesn't like summer heat and does poorly above 26c. If prior similar viruses are a good indicator, we'll likely see this peak in April then decline until next season (October-November). I can't think of why they would cancel beyond just out of fear and panic.

Fred

Fred K wrote: This type of pathogen doesn't like summer heat and does poorly above 26c.

That's ~74° F for those of us who are metrically impaired.

Brad Mortensen wrote: One of the few benefits of getting old is that you start to realize you’ve seen a lot of stuff before.

SARS, MERS, Bird Flu, Swine Flu, Ebola... every couple of years a new super-flu is unleashed. Every time it’s the worst ever, and every time we’re warned that millions could die. In the last century, that’s never happened. And usually the government response is tepid at best. The last administration waited for six months until 2000 Americans had died before declaring an emergency. This one did it much sooner, and here we are two months later with “only” 4000 deaths world wide, and only a couple dozen in the US. Car crashes have killed almost 4k people per month worldwide.

During the 2018-19 flu season, about 35 million people in the US contracted the “regular” flu and about 34,000 died.

For some reason the media seems to be trying to panic everyone. I saw one headline that “corona deaths had more than tripled this week.” In other words, the total went from 2 to 7. Technically not a lie, but it seemed misleading nonetheless.

I’m not putting down anyone who is concerned. I’m just saying, I’ve seen this all before. Maybe this time it will be different, but from all I’ve read, I doubt it.

Wear your seatbelt. Wash your hands. If you’re sick, stay home. When someone tries to get you to panic, try not to. And try not to spread any diseases. Even non-covid flu kills thousands of people every year.

Your a youngling Brad. Never got to see the 1918 Spainish flu that took out 50 million. Or Cocoliztli in the 1500's that took out 10 million or the Black Death in the 1300's that took out 100 million. History will repeat itself again at some point, no one knows when it will happen for sure.

I'm not worried though. I can't find any hand sanitizer or wipes in the stores but I've got something better!!

@Rob F - yes, Spanish Flu was bad. But, over a century ago so was nutrition, medicine, and general hygiene. If it came around again today, I doubt it would have nearly the same impact. But who knows.

Glad you survived the Black Death

"If people are sufficiently worried then there is a lot less to worry about, but if no one is worried then that is when you should worry." That sufficiently worried results in more hand washing (and any other directions the CDC puts out). If people are not worried they won't wash their hands and then we have a problem. Worry = good. Panic = bad. No worry = bad.