It's a pet peeve of mine to see people take the juvenile approach of well if you don't like it don't play.  It reminds me of being in elementary school.

For me this is simply a matter that should have been handled much better than it has in the past.  Wavestar needs to understand his audience here and that they are going to have concerns about the cost to play overall and to provide clear and consistent responses to avoid confusion.

Also taking the approach of well if you don't like it don't play is a complete failure of getting people interested in your event.

Now from my understanding the All Access Pass sells out every year so this could simply be a matter that he doesn't care what others think because he knows that his event will sell out.  If that is the case then this is moot.  

I just know that I won't attempt to get a ticket for these events as I think my money is better spent in other events.

Agreed.  I figured I can still get a fix of 5E AL D&D on Friday I'd run through the 3 parts of
HILL 1-1 Arrival,
HILL 1-2 Exodus &
HILL 1-3 Resurgence at 8am, Noon & 5pm respectively (or something like that); In order & get a similar experience.  It's only $10 per session so $30 total for a full day of D&D... and it's in the same area as the D&D eXPerience, in the Hyatt : Regency Blrm : HQ.  Being apart from the ICC, it's likely to be quieter so that's a plus that can make up for some extra walking to get there.  Each of the 3 are connected stories and tables will be from 3-7 players with a maximum of 35 players... meaning no more than 5 tables I'm thinking.  It might not be as exclusive but it will leave me with a lot more cash to spend on goodies at the convention.  If there are others doing the same than there's the possibility of having the same players & maybe even DM... who knows.

Please do not take my approach as juvenile or dismissive. I have not intention of it being that way. If I wanted to take that route then I would just ignore this thread and do other things. 

I understand peoples concerns. I've tried to share our thought process that drove our decisions and what we are doing this year. I understand that some are not going to agree with that and at the same time others will love it. If you think the event is worth it then awesome. We'd love to have you. If you do not then that is okay to. This is Gen Con. There are a billion awesome things to do, see, and play. Do as many as you can and have a blast. 

I understand that no matter what plan I take there are going to be those who think it rocks like Winger and those who are going to think I'm a grade A dingbat who should be run out of town. I would love to make everyone happy but some decisions I make are just going to not make people happy. I don't like it but I cannot change it. 

Aehrlon - The Hillsfar trilogy does have a conclusion special that will not be released that runs Sunday at 8am and Noon. This will run in the DDXP space (as that program finished up running Saturday night). Just throwing that out there to let you know there is a final piece to it.

Fair enough & I do appreciate you being a little more diplomatic here.  Also, thanks for the Hillsfar info.  Is that event in the "Find Events" listings??  Looked, am not seeing it.  For the first three parts of the story-arc; are they Tier 1 or 2?  One of the listings for one of the Hillsfar events said both...

Short Description:
Join us for an official D&D Adventures League event for characters levels 1-4....
Long Description:
Hillsfar struggles.... for characters levels 5-10 in Hillsfar.

Winger rocks????  When did they rock? LOL!!!

Ok now that bit of nostalgia has passed I understand your point.

I'm just a believer in having all of your ducks in a row, especially for something like this.

I will be honest in that I don't understand or will buy any reasons as to why event descriptions are not fully laid out before they are submitted.  We all know when GenCon is going to be and plenty of time to work out all of the issues surrounding the events.

I keep coming across more and more issued with GenCon events and I don't have the patience to deal with them anymore.

I find it pathetic that Pastimes Games doesn't have their events in prior to the event list going live.  I'm tired of finding out that event details are not completed for events that I am interested in.

I would be more understanding if this was the first year of GenCon, but since it isn't I don't understand why it seems that what should be a well oiled machine resembles a broken down rusted out 1978 Buick.

Wavester - How quickly have the All Access tickets sold out in the past?  If one is on the fence, how soon would I need to hop off that fence to get a ticket when they go on sale Sunday?

I'm sorry, the juvenile one here isn't Wave. In the least. 

People asked what you get for the $150

Wave specifically laid out what you get for that amount officially. 

Then some folks decided that it wasn't worth it to them. And nothing is wrong with that. But do you know what is juvenile? Acting like because you didn't get the answer you like then no answer was given. Acting like because it's not worth it to YOU, then that must be a universal truth. Having someone tell you plainly "this is what you get, anything more can't be guaranteed. Ultimately, it's an individuals choice if that's worth it or not", and then chiding that as unprofessional, is "juvenile" to me. 

I see an individual who is trying to take all the feedback he's gotten (not simply the squeaky wheels of the forum), his own business sense and principles, and the realities outside of his control and is making as clear of a pitch as possible. And I see him being VERY professional and adult in understanding you can't please everyone and not foolishly making poor decisions in a vain attempt to try. 

For those that get to regularly go to cons or regularly play table top, I can see the lack of appeal. 

For myself, the DDXP is the primary reason I'm excited for Gencon after my first trip back in 2014. And it wasn't the "swag" that attracted me to it when I saw it then...it was the setup. 

I don't get to play regular table top, especially with the busy I'm going to the con with who was my childhood gaming partner. The little I do is in a game shop with questionable at best DMs. 

The idea of being with the same party, and the same DM, playing a cohesive multipart mini campaign, without the mess of muttering, in a comfortable environment, that isn't nearly as noisy and distraction heavy as the rest of the con, is a HUGE attraction to me and is absolutely worth the money TO ME. 

Do I think it will be to everyone? No. But then, not being juvenile, I don't expect everyone to have to adhere to my exact same opinion. 

Would some extra perks be nice? Sure. But not necessary, and I'd prefer to not know what they MAY be if they're not guaranteed as to not form a level of expectation. 

You call it juvenile, I call it realistic. Wave is correct. This is the program. If you like it, you'll sign up. If you don't, you won't. If enough people like it that it sells out, then ultimately your dislike is of little impact...all it meant is someone else took the opportunity you passed up. If it doesn't sell out, then as a businessman he'll have to reexamine things and change it up. That's not juvenile, that's being an adult and a business owner. 

When your wish list is processed, whatever tickets you receive go into your cart, at which point you have two hours to either purchase the ticket or return it.

Exactly. If you are thinking of doing it then put it on your wishlist. Especially if there is more then one of you. I have it opened up so you can get up to 6 tickets on your own (a full table). This way you guarantee either your whole group can do it if you win the event registration lotto. 

On that same thought make sure to check back often on Sunday if you are not picked. A group of 6 will all put in for 6 tickets. This way they increase their chances that one of them hits and gets the tickets. If two of them hit often you will see those tickets roll back out into general population later in the day. Once past Sunday evening though it becomes very hard for you to get a ticket (and pretty much no chance if you want 3+ tickets as the ones that pop loose are normally single tickets).

As with all events we of course take generics onsite at the start of the event (though that is one honking huge stack of generics) once we are 10 minutes past the start time. Normally in these cases we take the first person in line (obviously) and give them a little time to run over, get generics, and then come back and turn them in. 

I am completely fine with the fact that I may not get a spot because there is a big demand. But it seems like a poor logistical choice to bypass the system and promote hoarding. Unless it is a dragon horde 

One other logistical issue.  You can book both DnD exp track A and DnD exp track B at the same time on the gen con system because there is no time overlap between the two tracks.  So, potentially, one person can hold 12 spots, and one group of six player hold 72 spots, when they almost certainly don't won't to play both tracks A and B.  But perhaps this is intentional.

Shame on everyone who wants perks and swag. if you were a true dnd gamer you would know its not about the perks and swag, its about playing the game. the more you are willing to pay the more it shows that you are a true dnd gamer. Its an honor to pay $150 per person. If I could, I would pay double for each of my tickets because that's how pro of a dnd player I am. I gladly pay my tithe as a sacrifice to the church of dnd (even tho i think it actually goes to a private company that does not even own dnd).

The fee was the same; that said, I wish I'd gotten in this year, but a 6000+ number didn't allow that. But to be able to play an adventure line that is official, and not available anywhere else, would be great.

I also don't understand how he could reply with anything else. The cost is x. The offering is y. If you don't feel y is worth x, then don't buy it. Just like True Dungeon. The cost is x. You 'get' to be crammed into a space with 9 other people shepherded through at a very fast pace and unless you play it more than once or have spoilers you're probably going to fail AND get stuck with a thief who takes the loot. If you don't want that, don't buy it.

What else can he say? He cannot be the judge of what each individual feels is 'worth' it. He can only guess, and work within his budget(I'm guessing the writers of the premier adventure that won't be run again get paid something) abd he presents that.

Another example are the crafting options. My daughter wants to take a Hirst Arts class that runs $47 for 2 hours. WAY too pricey for me. I do not feel what is offered is 'worth' it so I won't be buying it but since she is now 21 and buying her own tickets...well, she got one. The instructor can only say, here's what I'm offering, here's what I'm charging. You want it, pay, you don't, don't. What else IS there? Buy it anyway you cheapskate?

Had a decent starting number 1600 or so.  But right at 100 to go, it sold out, then as I predicted people who double booked started putting their tickets back in the system, but after my wish list had processed and my contingency plan was already in place, so I couldn't jump back in the system. After 2 hours of scrambling, my gaming bro managed to get us both a spot.

Thanks for all the hard work wavester, but I beg of you to make sure all the tickets are all assigned to badges!  See you in August.
 

If you're looking for ideas for perks, palanquins carried by luxurious models to tote us from place to place are always nice! :)

Since most people obviously read this entire discussion I suggest you all learn to read before commenting. In 2014, I think this is the correct year, the participants who signed up got 5th edition books as part of participating.  There was a precedent set that this came with perks for those that signed up so I was only asking what I had seen in the past.

I started this thread asking if there were any perks this year or not.  I didn't participate in 2014 and I won't be this year either.

My only criticism is when it sounded like the specifics of the event were still being worked out as I feel that every event should be worked out before being submitted.

Ace,

As far as your ridiculous comment I can only say that it is nothing more than the ramblings of a rabid fan boy who takes the game way too seriously.

First there are no professional D&D players.  Now if you want to label yourself as one you go right ahead. 

I've been playing D&D for 31 of my 41 years.  I started playing it with the red box and have played every edition except 4th edition.  I play just about every Sunday so for me it is not worth paying $160 to play something that I play every week.

I never once criticized anyone that wants to play as my opinion only counts for me.  Other people find it worth their money and good for them as they may not get to play D&D on a regular basis.

Pretty sure ace's post was deserving of /sarcasm at the end and wasn't serious