Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Glossary Back to the top

Boarding Pass
Issued by Games on Demand, it is analogous to a buzzer at a restaurant. See more about Boarding Passes.
Facilitator
A person responsible for facilitating a game at Games on Demand. See our for GMs section. Where possible we use Facilitator, though we will often refer to them as GMs.
GM
See Facilitator. After all we have GM-less games.
Host
A person responsible for how things run at Games on Demand. See our for Hosts section.
Menu, Game
A sheet at the hosting table that list the GM, game(s) run by them with pitch, audience, and number of players. There will be a lot of these at the Hosting Table.
Patron
A person who is coming to Games on Demand to play a game.
Pre-Boarding Pass

Volunteers will get a limited number of pre-boarding passes. Pre-Boarding passes are one-time use items that when turned in to a host grants the bearer the ability to claim a seat at an upcoming game. This ability may only be used prior to general boarding.

Each volunteer gets one pre-boarding pass for each 8 hours (rounded up) that they volunteer, maximum of 2 passes.

Hosts, please limit each game to one pre-boarding pass.
Time Slot
The two hours between starting times for games. See our schedule.
Ticket, Generic
A purchased ticket from GenCon. One ticket buys 2 hours of play at Games on Demand. See more about Costs.

Times Back to the top

Are start times every 2 hours like last year? Is it 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, 8pm, 10pm?
Yes, with a few adjustments on Thursday and Sunday. See our schedule for start times.
When should I arrive for a time slot?
Be there 10 minutes early to get your boarding pass. If you don't have a boarding pass be there 10 minutes in advance. If you want to see what is on the menu, you should show up 30 minutes early.
If signups start at the time of the slot, when do you expect games to start? Say a slot starts at 12pm, does that mean games actually start at 12:15pm?
If the slot starts at 2pm, we will start boarding at 2pm. Not 1:45pm as previous years. Games will start when all players are at the table.
Why are there no games being run at 8pm and 10pm on Thursday?
Thursday evening we are closing down for a bit of last minute GM and Host training and to play amongst ourselves. This is an all volunteer effort and we are going to take a bit of time to celebrate!
I want to play in a game at 2pm, but I have an obligation at 4pm. Since Games on Demand says it ends at 3:55pm, should I avoid Games on Demand for that time?
No! Make sure to communicate up front to your GM if you have a hard stop time. You are in charge of your time. We are here to help you optimize it!

Cost Back to the top

What is the cost to play a game at Games on Demand?
To play in a 2 hour game, you will need 1 generic ticket. For a 4 hour game you will need 2 tickets.
I am a GM, do I need to pay generic tickets to play?
Any game that you facilitate, you do not pay. Any game that you do not facilitate, you do pay.
Can I use another scheduled event's ticket for Games on Demand.
Yes. This is a GenCon policy. Any ticket can be used as a generic ticket.
I have an event ticket that cost $8. If I pay for a 2 hour time slot, can I get change?
No. But maybe you can work something out with the other people at the table.
I have my generic ticket(s). When do I turn them in?
Once you are seated and your game has started, a host will come around to collect your tickets.

Boarding Passes Back to the top

What is this about boarding passes?
There are a lot of people that come to Games on Demand. Think of the boarding pass as one of those buzzers that you get at a restaurant. When your boarding pass group is called, you can come up and choose a game to play.
When can I get a boarding pass?
You can get a boarding pass at anytime leading up to the start time. In the minutes leading up to 2pm there will be a loud "Last call for 2pm boarding passes" Then at 2pm boarding begins.
What is the wait time for getting a boarding pass?
Getting a boarding pass should be a quick thing. No more than 5 minutes of waiting.
It sounds like I can get a boarding pass anytime within 2 hour before the time I want to play? So if I want to play a game at 12pm, I can pick up a pass anytime between 10am and 12pm. Is this correct?
Yes, although sometimes the hosts will need a few minutes to finish the 10am seating and organize the passes.
Is the boarding pass only good for that time slot?
No, but please try to use it then, as it will make it easier for us to get everyone seated
If I am playing a game in say, the 12-4 slot, will a Host come by my table to see if anyone at my table would like a boarding pass for the next slot (4-8 or 4-6)?
If you are in a 4 hour game, your GM will likely call for a break mid-game, and you can grab a pass from the hosts then. If they don't call for a break, feel free to ask for one!
Will I keep my boarding pass for the entirity of GenCon?
No. As part of the boarding process, you'll turn in your boarding pass as you choose your game.
I am a GM that is running for the current time slot, how do I get a boarding pass for the next timeslot?
One of the hosting chores is to collect generic tickets, statistics, and to ask the game table if anyone needs a boarding pass for the next session.

Additional Assistance Back to the top

Are you boarding those who need assistance first?
We will have a call before the lottery to seat those that need assistance. This will happen 10 minutes before the hour (speed of seating is another desired goal so we are balancing that concern as well).
How are you handling people with health conditions? Does any aspect of this involve moving about: if so, are people who aren't as physically mobile at a disadvantage?
We are focusing on reducing standing inline. There will be chairs in the surrounding area for anyone that may need them. And please ask a host for assistance.
What about people with hearing difficulties? How will they know about the last call for tickets? answer: > We will use clearly visible signs in addition audible calls to show when each group is boarding.

Games Being Run Back to the top

What's the deal with "Games are subject to availability and will change without notice."
There are many factors that go into a game being available:
  • GM Availability: Things happen, GMs get ill or have transporation problems.
  • Game Availability: For a given time slot, a GM may be unable (or unwilling) to run a particular game.
  • Bandwidth: We have limited resources. Our priority is running the face to face event.
  • Player Selection: Once a player chooses a game from a GMs menu, any other games offered by that GM are unavailable for the current time.
  • 2 Hour Game vs 4 Hour Game: Some GMs are offering both 2 hour and 4 hour games. If a GM starts a 4 hour game, any 2 hour games offered by the GM for the next slot won't be available.
We encourage you to be open to trying a different game; Even one you have heard nothing about. And as always if you have questions please ask a Host.
Will I know what games are available before start time? If so, starting when and where? 
Yes, menus for the next session will be laid out on the host table for you to consider when you pick up your boarding pass.
I heard something about LARPs! Is this true?
Yes there will be LARPs at Games on Demand in the evenings. Those sessions are available for pre-registration this year through the Gen Con system.
Last year there was sometimes confusion over what was a 2 hour game vs. 4 hour game. I think because the slots are every 2 hours that led some people to believe all games were 2 hours long. I sat at a table where 3 players knew they signed up for a 4 hour game and 1 player thought it was a 2 hour game. There are instances where this sort of thing will happen no matter what.
Menus should be clearly marked as 2- or 4-hour games. They should also be grouped on the host table by duration. If you aren't sure, please ask a host or your GM.

Helping Out Back to the top

How can I help out at Games on Demand?

There are many ways you can help out:
Is it too late to volunteer to run a game?

No, it is not too late. We welcome drop-in facilitators (especially for busy times) and have blank menus you can fill out. Talk to a host to find out when we have tables available.
Is there any benefit to helping out?

Yes. Aside from the warm fuzzies of volunteerism, our volunteers receive one or more pre-boarding passes. You get 1 pre-boarding pass for every 8 hours (rounded up) that you volunteer, 2 passes maximum.

Groups Back to the top

What if I come with a spouse or child...can we signup for games together? If yes, does this mean we'd get the same type of boarding pass (say, "dragon") and simply wait for our type to be called? 
Yes. Make sure to ask the host for boarding passes in the same boarding group.
Can I bring my group to play a game with? For example I have 4-6 people and we all want to experience a new game together. Can we do this? Do we have a list of games to pick from? If there is a certain game we are interested in will we be able to sign up for them?
To have a chance at playing together, you will need to have each of your friends grab a like numbered boarding pass. But there will be challenges with larger groups. Games and their slots are chosen on a first come first serve basis. This can make it very challenging to get 6 people to the same table. So be open about trying new games.

Miscellany Back to the top

What if there is only 1 specific game I want to play with 1 specific GM? This sounds outside the scope of Games On Demand but I know someone will ask so I'm asking!
If there is that one game with that one GM that you really want to run, I would suggest that you reach out to that GM and coordinate something outside of Games on Demand.
One thing that came up in previous years was the multiple warnings that the times were almost up were distracting in the middle of the 4 hour slots. Could we have the 2 and 4 hour tables a bit apart so the warnings and the movement won't be distracting?
Hosts will not be giving a warning about time. It is the responsibility of the GMs and players to manage their time. If a game runs over, hosts will step in to clear the table.
I really want to play an OSR game? Or 3E? Can I find them here?

It's possible! While we emphasize independent and small press games, hacks and variants of mainstream games are certainly welcome. Facilitators are encouraged to bring games that they are enthusiastic about, and that aren't easily found elsewhere at Gen Con.

I loved the game I just played. Where can I get it?
Make sure to ask your GM. Many of the games will be available at our various partners, such as Indie Press Revolution. See the map for locations in the exhibitor's hall.
I love this whole Games on Demand thing. I run a local convention and would love for you to come to the convention and do some Games on Demand. Who should I talk to?
Thank you. If you want to do a Games on Demand style event for your convention, reach out to local GMs. See if there is a person that would be willing to take point on running something similar. It can be a lot of work. And indiegamesondemand.org is a great place to start. Also reach out to the Games on Demand Google+ group.

Really? Back to the top

Who can I bribe to get into the game I want?
Bribes to get to play the game you want? There will be none of that.
If its good for any future timeslot what is preventing me from collecting one of each boarding pass group?
Human decency?
My phone, atomic clock, and sundial all say its time to start boarding why aren't we boarding yet?
Aside from the obvious Magic Mouth spell cast on your devices, our hosts have the canonical time pieces.