FROM JEFF: True Dungeon: Gen Con 2005 Recap 8/29/2005
Gen Con 2005 Recap
Here I am in my awesome "Patsy" costume (made by Jenn and others) with some of the True Dungeon faithful. I had a blast with this group!
Wow…what an incredible time! We hosted over 4,000 gamers in the adventures and the tavern, and I am pretty pleased with the event as a whole. Most of the comments I received were very postive, and it is amazing that we were able to TRIPLE the size of the event – while having one less day to set up AND improving many aspects of the event. It was only through the awesome effort of the volunteers that we were able to pull it off. I want to thank them whole-heartily for doing such a great job AND for working some very long hours.
I realize that there is always room for improvement (see below). Thanks to the good feedback on the Forums at
www.truedungeon.com
we were able to identify areas for improvement for next year. I hope you know that we will re-double our efforts to make True Dungeon even better. True Dungeon will not get any BIGGER next year…but we will concentrate on raising the quality of the event.
I would like to whole-heartily thank Wizards of the Coast for their generous sponsorship of True Dungeon. Their support allowed us to make a much cooler event.
Also, I would like to thank Upper Deck Entertainment for sponsoring True Heroes. The event would not have happened without them! A True Heroes "Riddle Reveal" will be posted on the website by the end of the week.
Tavern
What can I say that has not already been said? The job that Jenn, Lance and Lexi (and others) did on the tavern was amazing, and they deserve a lot of credit for their hard work. It was simply too cool to hang out in there with my old gaming buddies! And it made for an ultra-cool beginning of the module.
Volunteers
It took an incredible effort for all the volunteers to work together to get the event set up (with one less day) AND to run the event short-handed. Many of the volunteers worked 14+ hours a day to help make TD run as smoothly as possible. Please take the time to thank the amazing volunteers for sacrificing so much for your gaming experience by visiting the Forums and leaving a message of appreciation.
Lastly, we are already starting our list of volunteers for next year (both part-time and full-time). If you are interested, please send an email to Lee Vaughn at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Hits
-The Tavern…as mentioned above.
-The “one DM per room” model went very well this year – making for a much more consistent event. We actually assigned a “Head DM” to each room, and they did a wonderful job of tweaking and tightening the rooms. Well, done Head DMs.
-The tokens seemed to come into their own this year, and it was cool to see all the trading and fun going on around them. I think the new combat sliders worked pretty well, and we will mark them next time to make it easier to remember which character slid which token.
-The new weapon token system worked fairly well...although the great demand for weapons and armor drove up prices at the Blacksmith toward the end of the event.
-Phil and Dash did an awesome job as Narrators in the Dividing room. I hope you were lucky enough to have one of them during your slot.
Misses
-Video Introduction was hard to hear and too long. We will go to an “actor” module introduction inside the tavern next year. That should make it much cooler, and it should be a more compelling story line. Also, we needed more volunteers in the training area, and this area will get more resources next year.
-The music was too loud…but on purpose! I had to weigh the loud music vs. the possibility of hearing the group in the next room give away the answer to a puzzle. Could you imagine the horrible effects of listening to a group solve a puzzle you would soon face?
-Still, we are working to make things better. The music system in the ballroom was sub-par, and we did not realize this until it was too late. Next year, we will have the music broadcasted separately in each room, so that each room can be dialed in properly (and even lowered at some time). This should allow us to drop the level of the music to a more enjoyable level – while providing room appropriate sound effects as well.
-I think I could have done a better job of quality control. I had planned on spending a lot of time in the dungeons making sure that each DM was given all the info he/she needed. But we were very short-handed in admin, and I ended up spending too much time outside the event. Next year, I will spend at least 50% of my time inside the events…making sure that the lighting, music and props are all as good as possible.
-The volunteers worked too hard, as many simply worked well beyond their shifts without being asked. They simply did it. We will recruit more volunteers for next year!
Some Statistics To Ponder
Average "last room reached" in Indy 2005 TD (out of 7 possible):
Assault Above Castle Greyhawk: 6.7171
Assault Above Castle Greyhawk: (HARDCORE): 6.8266
Battle Below Castle Greyhawk: 6.5513
Battle Below Castle Greyhawk (HARDCORE): 6.4221
"last room reached" in Indy 2005 TD by event and room
Room "Above" Above (HARDCORE)
1 0% 0%
2 0% 0%
3 0.09% 0.29% !
4 0.56% 0.87%
5 1.89% 2.31%
6 5.48% 8.96%
7 91.9! 7% 87.57%
Room "Below" Below (HARDCORE)
1 0% 0%
2 0.36% 0%
3 0% 0.56%
4 0.45% 2.55%
5 2.99% 7.37%
6 18.51% 33.71%
&nb! sp; 7 77.68% 55.81%
Compared to percentage of "last room reached" in other years
Room 2003 Indy 2004 Indy 2004 SoCal
1 0% 0% 0%
2 0.40% 0% 0%
3 0.20% 0.78% 0.31%
4 1.89% 0.62% 0.15%
5 ! ; 9.16% 2.32% 1.22%
6 23.90% 8.04% 3.36%
7 18.92% 6.57% 2.75%
8 45.52% 82.37% 92.21%
Count of players per level
1: 776 17.55%
2: 3052 69.03%
3: 550 12.44%
4: 43 0.97%
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Last Word
True Dungeon has always been about a collective group of creative people providing a one-of-a-kind gaming experience. We welcome all your feedback on the Forum, as we strive to improve the event. True Dungeon will not get any bigger in the near future…but we will continue to work on the quality of the event. Your suggestions will help…as well as your patience as we work to make TD even better in 2006.
Riddle Reveal
SPOILERS FOR THOSE GOING TO GEN CON SO CAL !!!
First, one note. I hope to improve the quality of the Riddle Reveal in 2006 by projecting photos of each room as we talk about them. Our staff photographer, Fritz Fuchs-Snider, hopefully will agree to take some shots for the Reveal. I am sorry this section is so sparse, but my post-Gen Con time has been taken up by my real job and my long-neglected family. I did not want to delay any longer.
Assault Atop Castle Greyhawk
Room #1: The Column
This was a fairly straightforward room that demanded the party retrieve an “egg” from the center of the column – and then place it on a pedestal to unlock the door. The door was also trapped, so it had to be removed as well.
“Retrieve the Egg and you shall see
The way is open for you to flee”
Room #2: The Faerie Room
This strange room held many trees and several statues of Faeries holding different objects. Lastly, a few stalactites could be seen with water dripping down them. If you listened carefully to the fountain statue, then you could here it repeating something:
“You are trapped - you cannot flee
Your choice, in giving, will set you free
This one small clue you shall be told
For there is one item I wish to hold
Follow the tears that were shed by the Mother
Who weeps still longer to form the other”
The riddle tells the party to follow the pointing “stalactite” down to the one faerie statue which has a simple rock in its hand. If the rock is dropped into the pool, then another voice will say the following:
“You are wise to listen to the whispering pool. The guardian will sleep this day.”
Should the party touch any other object besides the stone, does not solve the challenge within 8 minutes or delays in putting the stone into the pool (after they have grabbed it) for more than 30 seconds, the DM will tell them that a terrible wind buffets the area, and when they uncover their eyes they see that the large bear has awakened. Note that during the fight the voice message will change to:
“You are spared if you can bring, that which is carved by vainest kings.”
This refers to the simple rock of marble. The bear could be dispelled still if the stone was placed into the fountain.
Room #3: The Sundial
The party will come into this room to see a giant sundial on the floor – complete with a gold pole in the center of the dial. On the far wall they will see a table (with a drawer) with a staff resting on it. The staff is a Staff of Light, and it will be glowing when the party enters the room. Written upon the floor inside the sundial is this inscription:
“If you wish to open the door
Look for reward inside drawer”
They will also see written on the wall above the staff the following:
“NOTES
IX”
The solution to the puzzle here is to look for “reward” inside “drawer” – which means that they need to realize that “reward” is “drawer” spelled backwards. This should alert them to check what the other message says backward:
“SET ON
XI”
The trick is to pick up the staff and position it so the shadow of the sundial rests on “XI” or “11”. That will open the door.
Room #4: The Silent Wall
When the players enter the room, the DM will inform the group:
“This room has a Silence spell cast in it, and you may not speak or make noises until you are told that the silence is lifted. No spells may be thrown in here. Failure to properly play this setting will cause damage to your character. You may speak quietly to me if you must, but please try to limit it. Thank you.”
This room is non-descript except for one wall that has four large carved skeleton heads with open mouths. Each one of the mouths is on a hinge, and they are approximately 8” in diameter. There is an opening in the wall behind each mouth that allows the insertion of a hand. The four mouths are illuminated changing lights.
Above these mouths on the wall is the following text:
“You have shown your wits –most true,
But now a test of nerves for you.
To leave this room the noise must sound
For inside the wall a clue is found
Each mouth must taste a different hand
And great distress you must withstand
Keep them in ‘til a sign appears
Combine them now or death draws near”
The correct method is to have one gamer put their hand into each mouth – and if they can keep it inside for 15 seconds, they are rewarded with a stamp on the back of their hands. The stamp is either the letters S, N, A, P – which spells “snap”.
The solution to this room is to simply have someone in the party snap their fingers. This would end the silence spell and allow the party to leave the room. Note that during the Hardcore sessions, the stamps were in invisible UV ink that could only be read if the party through a Detect spell.
The cool thing about this room is that it is solvable by accident – with a player using his fingers to get players attention.
Room #5: The Wall of Numbers
This room will appear to be a sparsely furnished library with a few old scroll tubes, a small fountain, some old over turned goblets, and with non-descript walls save one. The wall will be lined with 2’ x 2’ stone blocks (they look very real), and some of the blocks (16 of them) will have a 1’ x 1’ white, bone placard hanging from a hook sticking out of those stone slabs. A few of the slabs are face out – showing numbers to give the party a clue to what the order is on the wall. A sign above reads:
“To leave this room your wisdom is key
To finding “15” among all that you see
This clue I will now give unto you
The answer is easy at 1-3-2.”
These tiles are in alphabetical order – if the numbers are spelled out. The list starts with “Eight” and sends with “Two”. The correct answer is to turn over the one in the bottom right corner or the tile “15” -- which is third in alphabetical order.
Also, in this room was a very cool puzzle from the first True Heroes event – it was too cool not to use in TD. There was a box with an ultra-rare or very rare token underneath a grate. The party had to figure out a way to get it out. One method was to place a large scroll tube over it and then fill the tube with water – thus the token floats up to the party. Another way was to use a small tube and negative air pressure to “hold” the token at the end of a scroll tube.
During the Hardcore sessions, there was a multi-drawer chest that was sort of a random treasure generator. Each player was allowed to open one drawer – claiming a Common to Ultra Rare token.
Room #6: The Scrying Pool
When the party enters this room they will see a stone table with a basin along the middle of one wall. Flanking the basin on both sides are tables filled with different potion bottles – most of which are very ornate. Written on the basin is the following:
“To see what truth your heart does seek, pour forth the tears of those most meek.”
The correct answer was to pour forth the small bit of water out of the least fancy bottle – which is a plain glass one in the back.
If the correct bottle was poured, then the DM activated a remote control switch which turned on a TV below the basin – and facing up. This will cause a live image of the other party (in the hex room via closed-circuit TV) to magically appear in the basin. This gives the party the image they most seek – to know how the other party is fairing down in the dungeon.
Room #7: Gearon’s Puzzle
This room was quite interesting in that it utilized a relatively new technology called “Chromadepth 3D”. The lenses of the glasses have a prismatic effect that causes different wavelengths of light to be perceived as slightly different locations. The result is that blues appear to move to the back, and reds move forward. The effect is quite intense and startling.
After the party put on the magically glasses, a magical doorway appeared, and the party was able to enter the final room – located in the Astral Plane. When the party entered the room, they were startled to see an amazing 3D environment of floating stars with a platform in the middle. Resting on the platform will be a table where the party can assemble Gearon’s Puzzle. (Thanks for volunteer Gary Aswegan for suggesting this puzzle prop!)
At this time the party received a message from the dungeon group (if any survived) to tell them which of the seven hex pieces went in the center. With this hint, the party went to work on trying to get all the symbols to line up. The groups that did the best with this puzzle were those that were disciplined enough to only allow 1 or 2 people to try to solve it. Some groups had everyone trying to solve it, and it was pure chaos. One player would put a piece down, and then move on to the next. Within a few seconds, the “just placed” tile would be picked up by another player and changed. This lack of a focused plan was the doom of most parties that tried to solve it. Only about 20% of those players that made it to the last room were able to solve the puzzle and save Greyhawk.
HARDCORE DUNGEON DEATH:
If a person died during the Hardcore dungeon, they were taken to the Hall of Valhalla were they got to hang out until the next round starts. At that time, they were given a chance to match their fighting prowess against a rowdy Demi-God who would resurrect them IF they can slide a natural 20 with one slide. Death took them back to their group at full hit points if they could do so. If they did not, then Death took them to the temple, and they exited normally.
Battle Beneath Castle Greyhawk
Room #1: The Dog Archway
One of our volunteers, Fritz Fuchs-Snider made an ultra-cool carved canine archway here – with a hole being left between the dog’s paws. The group had to find a “bone” inside one of the holes to appease the dog. This bone was inside the hole with the “Good” bardic symbol. A sign near the archway read:
"Seek the wealth of those that die, and simple egress is your prize.
Weal not woe is what you seek, heed these words of what I speak."
The other holes might have had a few treasure tokens or a trap.
Room #2: The Crushing Wall
The start of this room had the party fumbling with a lock to open within 3 minutes, or they all take some crushing damage. The lock was a trick lock…and the key was necessary. There was a small rivet near the keyhole that could be pressed with one of the tines of the lock. This would open a spring-loaded hidden key hole with the key could then be inserted into to open normally. Again…groups that allowed one person to try at a time did the best here.
After the Crushing Wall, the party found themselves before a former explorer on the dungeon to had died just in front of a stream. After a few moments, the parties movements caused a bone wand that the adventurer was carrying to come loose and float down the stream. The party had about 5 seconds to react and grab the wand – or it disappeared behind the wall. (This was a tribute to the module inside the original DMG).
The bone wand had a gold tip, and if the party explored the room’s stone altar, they could see another gold circle that was engraved into the stone. If the bone wand’s gold circle was touched to the altar’s stone wand, then a magnetic lock would open and a secret compartment would open – revealing a Very Rare or Ultra Rare token.
The altar had a beautifully done stain glass window (by volunteer David Seymour) of a large rose with some text written on it:
“Welcome to my tomb all who venture here
Your wisdom is far and your folly is near
For a creature most foul now awaits that is true
And by reading this text you have called him to you”
This summoned a Shadow for the party to fight. Note that you could end the combat at any time by simply covering up the stain glass again with the fur skin.
By the way…the room had a faint odor of the Rose.
Room #3: The Secret Door of Greed
The players in this room were faced with a tough decision…do they continue into the room (and stay on mission) or do they go into the secret door and waste a lot of time by playing with the treasure. While spending some time inside was advisable, many groups simply forgot about everything else when they saw all that treasure.
The correct thing here was not to spend a lot of time in the secret room – but instead you were to keep on mission and first fight the monster in the next room. Note that the summoning pit of the Efreet had the compass points on it. This was useful info for Room #5.
Room #4: The Room of Four Orbs
This room had a table with four balls magically floating above the table. A riddle was on the wall:
“One orb you must choose – that much is clear
To prove your wisdom and exit from here
One of these spheres is most holy to me
And it holds most deep nothing to see”
You have no choice if you wish to flee
An orb in the chalice serves as the key"
The correct ball to put into the chalice was the one that smelled like Roses. You were given many clues in the intro and in Room #2 that the Rose was sacred to Bellvale – the lady whose tomb you were entering.
This was a tough puzzle, but one of the spheres had the odor of the Rose about it.
Room # 5: The Classic Chessboard Room
I wanted to create one of those classic dungeon rooms/puzzles – and the chessboard room was perhaps the coolest room that everyone should experience. Every player got to start in row One, and there was a flashing magical ball at the other end. The correct method to cross the room was to get someone across, pick up the ball, and then toss it to each player as they crossed. The Ball gave immunity to the lightning strikes in the room – so after the Ball was picked up and carried that person would not take damage from crossing the room.
Also, there was a riddle on the wall that gave the party a clue on how to move across without taking any damage:
The victor sees across the battlefield while fools be seen
Nothing new marches to victory, and something old cannot be.
The words that were bolded (or underlined) were the clues how to move. The first 3 words were made up of the first letter of compass directions. So…the victor SEES across the chessboard or moves SOUTH, EAST, EAST, SOUTH to get across. The compass points on the Efreet’s summoning pit in Room #3 would give the party the correct way to cross – or get closer to the end.
Again…groups that were united in there strategy did better in this room – and groups that were filled with individuals who wanted to be the one to solve the puzzle took a lot of damage.
Room #6: The Room of Archways
This room had an entrance that had a sign which read:
“There are 1002 ways to leave the next room.”
And once inside the found 5 possible ways to leave:
#1 – One would be a fool to exit here
#2 – One lacks vision if she exits forth
#3 – One seeks death if he enters here
#4 – One ought not to exit here
#5 – One should not enter here
The correct answer was to heed the entryway sign of “1002” or “One ought not to” exit here.
Room #7: The Tomb of Bellvale
This room was were the party could find out the piece of information they were sent to find – what symbol resided on the tomb of Bellvale. It changed every day (to punish cheaters) but it could always be found on the mirror. At that time, the party was given a transmitter to give their matching Tower group this vital piece of information. They had to describe to the other party what the symbol looked like.
After this was done, the party had to figure out a puzzle in order to leave. This riddle was on the table along with 7 plaques with the symbol of a Sun, Moon, a Sword, an old man with one eye, a lightning bolt, a bundle of grain, and the planet Saturn.
“I bid hello to all of those, who seek this wilted, lifeless rose.
Are thee friend or are thee foe? Do you seek to rob me so?
One test I have to give to thee, for only friend will know of me.
Take those plates of bone you see, and place them here most carefully.
You must know that Death you face, use your wits to leave this place
Work fast now and keep your pace, use of time will win this race
Now listen close of what I speak, and think of what I sought to seek.
Hurry now, do not be meek, for your answer could make one weak.”
The correct answer was to arrange the symbols to make “one weak”…or “week”. Hence, these symbols represent the origins of the names of the days of the week. Sun Day, Moon Day, Tyr’s Day, Odin’s Day, Thor’s Day, Frigga’s Day, and Saturn’s Day.
Putting these in order on the wall would allow the party to leave and to get a free random token…which could have been anything from a Common to an Ultra Rare token.
That is it for now. See you at Gen Con So Cal in November. Thanks for all your support -- as well as your kindness and patience.
Best Regards,
Jeff Martin
