I probably totally dreamed this up, but I thought that regular, unused event tickets could be used in place of generics.

For example, I had a $4 event that got cancelled.  I thought I could then use that ticket as if it were a $4 generic.

However, perhaps I dreamed this?

I didn't dream it up!!  Just found it in the event host policy.

"You can accept tickets for a different event as if they were an equal value of generics. Do not exchange for generics and do not give “change.” An expensive ticket may be used to cover multiple players. Record these as “other” tickets on the event ticket envelope, counting them as an equal value of generics. Players with actual tickets to the event always have priority – their seats are guaranteed. "

I tried most of the weekend to use it as a generic and no GM would accept it as a generic telling me that I had to have actual generics. 
 

I ran into to same issue. I didn'the realize it was an actual policy. I mean what difference does it make. We paid the same money so it isn'the like we got them for free. Hope they can clear that up for next year. Thanks for the info!

There's been a lot of confusion about this over the years, with even some Gen Con people thinking that it was up to the individual GM on whether or not to accept an event ticket as a generic based on the "You can accept tickets..." wording.

I think rephrasing this to something like "A player may use any event ticket as a generic ticket for any event..."  while keeping the language about GMs not giving "change" would be a good idea for the Event Host Policy.  It also needs to be better publicized so that GMs, players, and hall captains are all aware of this rule.

And, it needs to be called out in the 2017 "release notes" for the EHP. There was an update to the language, I think in 2015, but it still wasn't adequately called out in the change notes, so no GM would really know to look for it.

Oh dang, I had some unused tickets I could have used as generics, but I couldn't find this policy anywhere so I figured it went away.  They really should either clarify this and make it more prominent, or do away with it.

Does that apply if the 'event ticket' being used was for a prior day/time slot?

Yes.

In that case i will start accepting all forms of tribute..  Special consideration given to gold pressed latinum!  ;)

I can tell you Catalyst WAS accepting them--and they went over it in our pre-con GM meeting. Along with make sure the year on generics is the correct one and don't accept the 'receipt' ticket.

Catalyst was one of the groups/GM's that did accept my non-generic tickets as generics.

I dont think the Battletech Pods were run by Catalyst but they refused to accept them.

I'd just like to add to the discussion:

PLEASE, if you have time, consider returning your event tickets rather than using them as generics.

I run 20-40 player LARPs, with intricate plots. If my event sells out, but several people plan on not attending and don't return their tickets, other players are disincentivized to come to my game and try to get in--the event looks full, after all. Even when it's actually not, because someone with a ticket is planning on not attending. So I end up last minute having to cut plot lines or characters, which has a ripple effect on everyone else in the game. It's not very easy to write characters for the games we like to run that can be easily dropped.

That leaves an event that sold out actually in danger of not filling, which is happening more and more it seems. We had a good year this year, only one sold-out event not filling or over-filling once we accepted some generics. But I know many GMs, particularly those in the LARP community, face this difficulty. We try to encourage people to come with generics, but of course for some games, generic tickets to a sold out event are no guarantee. So some people don't bother.

So if you have the chance, please return your event tickets if you know you won't be going to a game in advance. Thanks from many GMs :)
 

Whoops, double post.

Nascrag has always been extremely flexible in this regard.  We pick up a lot of spur of the moment players.  We take what they've got.