Gen Con can be overwhelming. At times, you might simply want to sit down and play a game you brought or that you recently acquired in the vendor hall, auction, consignment store, or a Gen Con event. You will see people playing games in almost every available area at Gen Con. You will also see many rooms, including big conference rooms full of empty tables perfect for playing games; however, those are reserved for specific Gen Con gaming events. Fret not, there is an area that has been set up specifically for you to play games, and you don’t have to worry about an event displacing you. This is the Open Gaming area.
This article continues my series on things related to Gen Con that a newbie would want to know about by talking about Open Gaming at Gen Con.
Open Gaming at Gen Con
In general, you will find that if there is an open space, people are likely to be playing games there. This can include hotel lobbies, tables tucked in the corner, and simply open space on the edge of any hallway. Gen Con also provides an official area for gaming.
Specifically, Open Gaming refers to areas within Gen Con where people can play games. More officially, open gaming is a free-to-use space available on a first-come-first served basis.
For Gen Con, the primary open gaming space is the Grand Ballroom in the J.W. Marriott. This is an extremely large ballroom filled with tables and chairs. It is open for anyone to use and generally open for the entire run of Gen Con. You can use the area to play games you bring.
The Open Gaming area is an area where you can try new games, meet strangers, start pickup games, or simply hangout and rest between events or other sessions. It is also not unusual to find people looking for players for prototyped games to playtest (informally).
The room is simply open. You don’t need a ticket. You don’t need a reservation. There is no schedule. You simply walk in, find a table, and start playing.
Within the room you’ll find a variety of other people. Some groups will be doing their own thing, but others might be looking for additional players or looking for a game to play. These might be families, gaming groups, or individuals.
The Open Gaming area is where you can meet strangers and join in a conversation or a game. It is where new gaming groups can possibly be started. It is where those with prototyped games can get impromptu feedback. It is also an area where you can often find help in learning how to play a new game. It’s a place to do late night gaming instead of holding up in a hotel room.
The Gen Con Open Gaming Table Flag System
Things within the Open Gaming area are not completely random. There is a flagging system to help. This system will be presented near the entrance of the room at a table. This table will also have the flags or other indicators if needed.
There are three core signals that are generally used:
- Looking for Players – This will be a flag or cone that indicates a tale is looking for additional players to join their game. If you are walking by, you can generally ask to join without awkwardly interrupting. The flag or cone will indicate they want more players.
Gen Con newbie tip: The cones or flags are good indicators, but not always perfect. For example, a table might fail to return the “players wanted” flag after getting enough players. As such, there is a chance they might say “sorry, we are full now”. Don’t be distraught by this, simply head to the next table.
Gen Con newbie tip: A variety of games with a variety of gamer levels are often being played. For games looking for players, most will gladly accept players regardless of their playing level or knowledge of the game. Many gamers like teaching the games they know to others. If a game is unfamiliar, it doesn’t hurt to ask if they are taking newbie players, nor does it hurt to ask what type of game it is. It is better to determine whether the game is a good fit with a few questions at the beginning than to get 20 minutes into multi-hour game and find it is not the type of game you like. It doesn’t hurt to make sure the game timing fits your schedule as well!
- Looking for Teachers – Another flag is one that says you have a game, but you need someone to help you learn how to play. It is somewhat silly to spend a long time reading instructions on a new game when you are at a gaming conference where there are likely others that could simply teach it to you quicker. Asking for help learning a game is part of the Open Gaming space. For some of the heavier strategy games, having someone get you started can be a real boon.
- Game in Progress – This flag is kind of the opposite of the others. Because Open Gaming is casual, it is not uncommon for people to walk up to tables when they see an open chair to see if there is an opening to join. The Game in Progress flag simply indicates that the game really isn’t joinable at that point.
Gen Con newbie tip: Even if a game is in progress, if it is a game you have or are wanting to learn, many times the players will not mind you asking to watch and might also provide insights and information on the game play.
Overall, the intent of the signs/flags is to make the Open Gaming feel a little more welcoming, especially if you are attending Gen Con on your own. While gaming is a social activity, ironically many gamers fall on the introverted side. The Open Gaming system attempts to reduce the friction of joining a game with strangers.
How to Get to the Open Gaming Area
As mentioned, the open gaming area is in the J.W. Marriott. You can get to without going fully outside via the walkways from the convention center. Once inside the J.W. Marriott, you need to go to the second floor.
Less Official Open Gaming Spaces at Gen Con
As mentioned earlier, many people will play games in the hallways or anywhere they can find space not being used. In the convention center in Halls A through E you will see a bunch of empty tables. The same is true of the Lucas Oil Stadium area floor space. These tables are set up specifically for Game company vendors and official Gen Con events. As such, you cannot simply sit down and use them.
Having said that, you can ask the Headquarters within those areas if you can use a table. They might have one that is not being used and will allow you to use it for a given amount of time. There are no guarantees, but you can ask. If your game runs long and there is an event scheduled for the table, you might be asked to pack up and leave.
Tip: You can use the tables around the eating areas to play games, but…..please don’t if you are also not eating. While it is technically allowed, many consider it better to be considerate for those needing a place to sit and eat.
One additional area where a lot of people will play informal games is within the hotel lobbies. There is generally no issue with this, especially if you are staying at the hotel.
In Conclusion…
Gen Con is all about gaming. Taking time to play the games you brought or have acquired is a part of the experience for many people. Open gaming is a fantastic way to meet other people and play new games. Get outside of your comfort zone. Few Gen Con attendees will be offended if you ask to join a game. Gen Con attendees are generally friendly and will indicate if they are open to players joining (or not joining) their game.
What goes along with open gaming is the Gen Con library. That, however, is a topic for another post.
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