DCC Tournament Year Five

[Jengenritz]

Some information about this year's tournament:

*************

please outline for me exactly how registration for the DCC tournament works?

Registration for the DCC tournament is like any other event at Gen Con with one exception: you only register for round 1 because rounds 2 and 3 are qualify-only. Advancing teams are announced at Gen Con.

I understand that you sign-up online when the date comes around, but does it fill-up right away?

In a word, yes. Yes it does. Traditionally we've sold out hella-fast, so don't dally if you'd like to get in.
That said, we have added several 1st round slots to the tournament...more people are going to have a chance to compete than ever before.

If you are lucky enough to get signed up, are you put together randomly at a table?

A few things to say about this:
- Ideally you'll have a team of four participants. This year we've arranged things with Gen Con so that one individual can sign his entire team up for a round. This is new and we're pretty stoked to finally have this worked out.

- Individuals without team-mates will get matched on-site to others without team-mates, to a minimum team size of 3 (so if you sign up and we can't find at least two others to be on your team, you can't participate). Believe it or not, we've had these ad hoc teams advance pretty far in years past.

- That said, it is in your best interests to get a team, download the Player's Pack when it becomes available, and review its contents. The Player's Pack will contain the pregenerated characters, tournament rules, and give the basic introduction to this year's tournament premise. Familiarity with the contents of the Player's Pack will accomplish two things: first, you'll be able to jump into the timed event faster; second, you'll have an advantage over other teams that did not prepare.

- The tournament will be held at the same location it was at last year: Union Station. This is NOT at the convention center; it's right next to the Omni Severin and the Crowne Plaza (it's attached to the Crowne Plaza).
Check out the lower-left corner of this map, the blow-up: http://www.indymotorspeedway.com/v1/cit ... maplrg.htm

- Finally, this needs to be said again: the tournament is going to be 4E. Familiarity with those rules will be crucial to success.
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If there are any more questions about this year's tournament, feel free to post them.
See everyone in August!

[fathead]

Yes, I have a question - given the recent financial troubles of GenCon LLC, will Peter be able to afford your services as hall monitor again this year?

[superfan]

What I want to know is whether the Superfan will be tapped to do the maps this year. I'd be happy to do it.....in fact, with all the good mappers out there, I would be HONORED to be considered as Goodman Games map lackey.

Just let me know! I exist to serve Goodman Games (bowing, backing away from Joe's throne)

Ben "superfan" Waxman

[Jengenritz]

Ben,

We're still weighing some options about the battlemaps this year. Rest assured that if we go with pre-printed ones, you'll be the first asked to make 'em up for us.

given the recent financial troubles of GenCon LLC, will Peter be able to afford your services as hall monitor again this year?

Little known fact: the cause of the recent financial troubles was a failed attempt to clone me, thus ensuring proper monitoring of halls for all Gen Con.

[fathead]

We're still weighing some options about the battlemaps this year. Rest assured that if we go with pre-printed ones, you'll be the first asked to make 'em up for us.

Hmmm...alright, I'll bite...what are you considering?

given the recent financial troubles of GenCon LLC, will Peter be able to afford your services as hall monitor again this year?

Little known fact: the cause of the recent financial troubles was a failed attempt to clone me, thus ensuring proper monitoring of halls for all Gen Con.

Why didn't you say so? We already have a cloning machine (it's on loan from Calvin & Hobbes). We'll be registering for this years tournament as "Clan Yeoman 1", "Clan Yeoman 2", and "Clan Yeoman 3".

[Jengenritz]

Hmmm...alright, I'll bite...what are you considering?

Options.

Heh.

I'll merely say that we're deciding between old school, really old school, and avante garde.

[Nahat Anoj]

Whew, I made it in. It was pretty hairy there for a moment. I'm in section 1-10. I entered by myself, so I'll probably be part of one of those ad hoc deals.

[Jengenritz]

Excellent. Whizbang Dustyboots can tell you that some of those teams are a hoot to play with. When we get closer to the event, I'll start trying to collate some of the ad hoc teams early, maybe save us all a bit of bother at the event itself.

[fathead]

Hmmm...alright, I'll bite...what are you considering?

Options.

Heh.

I'll merely say that we're deciding between old school, really old school, and avante garde.

Would "really old school" be having the players sketch out the maps themselves on sheets of worn-out graph paper?

[Hamakto]

Hmmm...alright, I'll bite...what are you considering?

Options.

Heh.

I'll merely say that we're deciding between old school, really old school, and avante garde.

Would "really old school" be having the players sketch out the maps themselves on sheets of worn-out graph paper?

Graph paper? You techno-geek! True old school is taking white paper, staining it with coffee/tea... and baking it in the oven to get the parchment look and feel to it.

[fathead]

True old school is taking white paper, staining it with coffee/tea...

Naw...that would be the character sheets...with sections of the paper worn through from years of eraser marks. I have a friend who keeps an old character sheet from my first campaign (that I ran when I was in college)...man, is that character sheet ratty.

[Nahat Anoj]

Excellent. Whizbang Dustyboots can tell you that some of those teams are a hoot to play with. When we get closer to the event, I'll start trying to collate some of the ad hoc teams early, maybe save us all a bit of bother at the event itself.

That's a good idea. If we can get a group together, we can look over the pregen PCs and start strategizing. If there are any other solo people, now's the time to speak up!

[Jengenritz]

I'll go one step further...I'll start a thread for ad hoc teams.

EDIT: That thread is here.

[GnomeBoy]

Would "really old school" be having the players sketch out the maps themselves on sheets of worn-out graph paper?

When I started, before any of us could find graph paper, we took lined binder paper and drew in the vertical lines. That's old school.

And I still have a couple pads of the original graph paper we found, albeit with only a few sheets left per pad. When we're retired and can manage to get as many of us as are still in the loop and alive back together for a game, I'm busting these out...

[welland_warrior]

Ok, so I managed to get registered for a DCC Tournament session but I am solo. Now what??? lol

Is there any way to meet the other people in my session?

Exactly what are players expected to bring with them?

Thanks!

[Jengenritz]

Is there any way to meet the other people in my session?

Click here and meet the other people in your round!

Exactly what are players expected to bring with them?

The Player's Pack will give this information when it's posted online.

In general you should bring and/or be prepared with:

- your own dice (although an oversize d20 will be provided for you for all d20 rolls...and NOT one of the ones we used last year).
- your event tickets
- your team mates
- the copy of the Player's Pack that you had previously printed out and studied (this will include the pregenerated characters)
- your team name (even if it's Four Guys Who Just Met)
- having a copy of the rulebooks would not be a bad idea (although all Judge rulings are final)

Check the Player's Pack for any additional material that may be requested.

[fathead]

Man...I'm all geeked out about the tournament again...only a month away!!

Do we have a title yet? "The Curse of the Warbringer"?

[Jengenritz]

Patience, my good man! Save your strength...you'll need it for when the Player's Pack comes out in the next few weeks (which will also contain the title).

[fathead]

Patience, my good man!

Bah!

Save your strength...you'll need it for when the Player's Pack comes out in the next few weeks (which will also contain the title).

So...if I check back here ever day, do you think the Player's Pack will show up faster?!

:refresh refresh refresh

[Rick Maffei]

fathead: Do we have a title yet?

How about: "The PCs all die!" That sounds like a good title to me!

[fathead]

fathead: Do we have a title yet?

How about: "The PCs all die!" That sounds like a good title to me!

I think that title has been used before...isn't that the tentative title every year?

[Mike_Ferguson]

Sorry. We'll amend that, then.

"The PCs All Suffer Hideously, And Then Die!"

Yes, I like that one much better.

[fathead]

Sorry. We'll amend that, then.

"The PCs All Suffer Hideously, And Then Die!"

Ha. After playing last year's adventure, I'd have to say that slugging through the 1st round of the tournament with a 0th level character qualifies as suffering hideously...

Seriously though - looking forward to the tourney! (although our group still hasn't played 4E yet...we play our first game next week).

[N'Haaz-aua]

Having read all three rounds, I think "Ow, stop stabbing me! Ow, it hurts!" might be a good title.

Should I present my halflings vs. alley cats misdirection again this year? 4e alley cats are even more deadly!

Any guesses from the Oracle Fathead for this year?

[fathead]

Any guesses from the Oracle Fathead for this year?

I'm gonna stick with my original prophesy - a high level (as in the 20th level range) 4E adventure. The event description sounds like that could be possible. I have to say though, if that is the case, it will be a helluva challenge.