GAUNTLET CON ANNOUNCEMENT:
(warning – long post)
Wow.
93 games in three days.
Over 280 hours of games played.
Some folks played 16 hours of games in a single day.
Scores of happy gamers buzzing about this hobby we love in a hopping Discord server.
Hours upon hours of amazing games on the Gauntlet YouTube channel for the world to see how amazing this hobby can be.
10 hours of panels.
Thank you to our wonderful GMs and guests.
Kudos to the exuberant, giving, and helpful players who joined us this weekend.
Most of all, thank you to the Help Desk. From Thursday afternoon on, you all were in the Discord providing great information, helpful ideas, and positive support to everyone who came with problems or questions. It didn’t start this weekend, though. The Help Desk spent the last month and a half getting ready for this con, meeting together, researching games and Discord and Google Hangouts, preparing documents and quick cheat sheets, reaching out to GMs during their scheduled shifts.
During the con, the Help Desk’s preparedness shone, and I was amazed. As a co-organizer, I kept nervously checking every Discord channel to see if there were any fires. And the Help Desk team was already on it. Every time. Pinning helpful information, sharing skills and techniques, covering each other, reaching out to worried GMs and lonely players, thinking up new and better ways to do this thing I’ve never seen done before this well.
Help Desk Staff:
Dylan Ross
Michael G. Barford
Patrick Knowles
Christo Meid
Paul Edson
Auzumel Srsly
Maria Rivera
Tyler Lominack
River Williamson
Tom McGrenery
Philipp Neitzel
Timothy Bennett
Yoshi Creelman
I love you, Help Desk. You all made my con.
Thanks to Jason Cordova for having the faith to ask me to organize this thing. The writing contest was a bang-on success leading up to the con. Dude, you ran a long-con during the con and were on, what, a third of the panels? Wow.
Huge thanks to Kate Bullock, who despite having Toronto Area Gamers, Fan Expo, and Breakout, agreed to co-organize this thing with me. Her wealth of experience, patience, support, and leadership is what made this thing actually fire. I’ve participated in a few online cons. Coming into this, I had ideas. Kate made them realities. And the prize support? The amazing guests? Wouldn’t have happened without Kate. Kate was the A+ superheroine of Gauntlet Con.
Okay, all the thanks are done, most folks have probably checked out of this post, but my fingers aren’t tired, so I’m going to say a little something.
Gauntlet Con was the most pure expression of the Gauntlet community. Exciting games, giving players who put their emotions on the line, hard-working GMs, a thoughtful community. This is what we do. This is who we are. Gauntlet Con 2017 is over, but Gauntlet City Limits is playing tomorrow. A Blades in the Dark miniseries kicks off Wednesday, as does a pair of Durance games. The Gauntlet Community continues playing. Con drop? No thanks, we don’t need it.
This is what we do. Gauntlet Con was a compressed version of what we’ve been doing for months and months. Of what we will continue to do. Because we fucking love this hobby, and we’re here to play games and be awesome together.
If you were thrilled by this con and haven’t been actively participating in the community, this is me, inviting you, to be a part of this tribe.
It was an absolutely fabulous experience. Really glad that I could do anything to make it easier and more enjoyable for others. Processing the experiences, and making some notes to make regular Gauntlet Games better, and to make the next Gauntlet Con even more awesome!
It was an absolutely fabulous experience. Really glad that I could do anything to make it easier and more enjoyable for others. Processing the experiences, and making some notes to make regular Gauntlet Games better, and to make the next Gauntlet Con even more awesome!
Rich–you were super-heroic!
Rich–you were super-heroic!
It was so great! I finally managed to work out a game session and thanks to Charles Gatz (GM) and Ray Otus (Plundergrounds – Kazarak), It was really cool!
Even though I missed most of the gaming, I followed many of the panel discussions and can’t wait to watch the rest. What an amazing job by the Gauntlet team. This was a huge undertaking and they pulled it off with style!
It was so great! I finally managed to work out a game session and thanks to Charles Gatz (GM) and Ray Otus (Plundergrounds – Kazarak), It was really cool!
Even though I missed most of the gaming, I followed many of the panel discussions and can’t wait to watch the rest. What an amazing job by the Gauntlet team. This was a huge undertaking and they pulled it off with style!
The community really exceeded all my expectations! And the organization and help and support was great!
Thank you all, well done!
The community really exceeded all my expectations! And the organization and help and support was great!
Thank you all, well done!
This weekend was—without a doubt—the best weekend I’ve had all year. I laughed, I cringed, I was commanding, I was vulnerable — I went on a wild rollercoaster of emotions from game to game. But most importantly, I felt connected and encouraged. This community is a true gem, full of incredible people whose love of creating stories together is matched only by their thoughtfulness, warm-heartedness and kindness. Dreams to all of you: organizers, helpers, GMs, players and game watchers. To those I played with, I’m happy to count you as new friends. To those I have yet to play with, I’m looking forward to our first of many games together.
[insert a million heart and sparkle emojis here]
This weekend was—without a doubt—the best weekend I’ve had all year. I laughed, I cringed, I was commanding, I was vulnerable — I went on a wild rollercoaster of emotions from game to game. But most importantly, I felt connected and encouraged. This community is a true gem, full of incredible people whose love of creating stories together is matched only by their thoughtfulness, warm-heartedness and kindness. Dreams to all of you: organizers, helpers, GMs, players and game watchers. To those I played with, I’m happy to count you as new friends. To those I have yet to play with, I’m looking forward to our first of many games together.
[insert a million heart and sparkle emojis here]
Thanks so much for running this event. This con was my first time ever playing tabletop games, period. Although I’ve torn through some rulebooks, I’d never played any tabletop game with anyone until now. I’m so fortunate to have stumbled upon the Gauntlet community and you all have made a fan out of me.
As a late registration, I was worried I wouldn’t get to play (I work through Saturday), and I worried my newness to all things tabletop would hinder me, but I’m so glad that I registered to some games. I can’t wait to play more!
Thanks so much for running this event. This con was my first time ever playing tabletop games, period. Although I’ve torn through some rulebooks, I’d never played any tabletop game with anyone until now. I’m so fortunate to have stumbled upon the Gauntlet community and you all have made a fan out of me.
As a late registration, I was worried I wouldn’t get to play (I work through Saturday), and I worried my newness to all things tabletop would hinder me, but I’m so glad that I registered to some games. I can’t wait to play more!
Help desk were boss! So great to see Gauntlet becoming such a force for positive gaming. Richard Rogers thank you as well (as all the people you thanked) You are a stalwart and your enthusiasm is infectious!
Help desk were boss! So great to see Gauntlet becoming such a force for positive gaming. Richard Rogers thank you as well (as all the people you thanked) You are a stalwart and your enthusiasm is infectious!
Do you have a list of what games ran and how many times?
Do you have a list of what games ran and how many times?
Such a great expression of what the Gauntlet does best. You all are wonderful, and I’m proud to have been a part of it!
(It’s also such a great reminder, Richard Rogers, that we often failed to build the community first and hold the con second in our previous work. <3)
Looking forward to doing more with the Gauntlet in 2018! Y’all are awesome. 😀
Such a great expression of what the Gauntlet does best. You all are wonderful, and I’m proud to have been a part of it!
(It’s also such a great reminder, Richard Rogers, that we often failed to build the community first and hold the con second in our previous work. <3)
Looking forward to doing more with the Gauntlet in 2018! Y’all are awesome. 😀
Richard Williams
I snagged this from our event site:
RPGs Played Times Played:
Alas for the Awful Sea 2
Apocalypse World: Fallen Empires 1
Atlas Reckoning 1
Awoke 1
Basic D&D 2
Blades in the Dark 1
Cartel 1
Cheat Your Own Adventure 1
City of Mist 1
Cthulhu Dark 1
Cthulhu Hack 1
Dogs in the Vineyard 1
Dream Askew 1
Dungeon Crawl Classics 2
Dungeon World 9
Dust, Fog, and Glowing Embers 1
Earthdawn 2
Fate Accelerated 2
Gears of Defiance 1
Godbound 1
Golden Sky Stories 1
Heroes of the Hearth 1
Hydro Hackers 2
Into the Odd 1
Katanas & Trenchcoats 2
Legend of the Elements 1
Libreté 1
Malandros 1
Monsterhearts 2 5
MonsterWARTS 1
Murderous Ghosts 1
Pigsmoke 1
Poutine 1
Pugmire 1
Quietus 1
Rad Hack 1
Rockerboys And Vending Machines 1
Ryuutama 1
Sagas of the Icelanders 1
Sea of Stars 1
Sig: Manual of the Primes 2
Space Wurm vs. Moonicorn 1
Star Wars: Edge of the Empire 1
Survival of the Femmest 1
Swords Without Master 2
Tenra Bansho Zero 1
The Black Hack 1
The Crossroads Carnival 1
The Happiest Apocalypse on Earth 1
The Indie Hack 1
The Veil: Cascade 3
Threadbare 1
To Serve Her Wintry Hunger 1
Traverser 2
Troika 1
Vanagard 2
World of Dungeons 2
World of Dungeons Turbo 2
World Wide Wrestling 4
Yharnam Shadows 1
(sorry for crappy formatting)
Richard Williams
I snagged this from our event site:
RPGs Played Times Played:
Alas for the Awful Sea 2
Apocalypse World: Fallen Empires 1
Atlas Reckoning 1
Awoke 1
Basic D&D 2
Blades in the Dark 1
Cartel 1
Cheat Your Own Adventure 1
City of Mist 1
Cthulhu Dark 1
Cthulhu Hack 1
Dogs in the Vineyard 1
Dream Askew 1
Dungeon Crawl Classics 2
Dungeon World 9
Dust, Fog, and Glowing Embers 1
Earthdawn 2
Fate Accelerated 2
Gears of Defiance 1
Godbound 1
Golden Sky Stories 1
Heroes of the Hearth 1
Hydro Hackers 2
Into the Odd 1
Katanas & Trenchcoats 2
Legend of the Elements 1
Libreté 1
Malandros 1
Monsterhearts 2 5
MonsterWARTS 1
Murderous Ghosts 1
Pigsmoke 1
Poutine 1
Pugmire 1
Quietus 1
Rad Hack 1
Rockerboys And Vending Machines 1
Ryuutama 1
Sagas of the Icelanders 1
Sea of Stars 1
Sig: Manual of the Primes 2
Space Wurm vs. Moonicorn 1
Star Wars: Edge of the Empire 1
Survival of the Femmest 1
Swords Without Master 2
Tenra Bansho Zero 1
The Black Hack 1
The Crossroads Carnival 1
The Happiest Apocalypse on Earth 1
The Indie Hack 1
The Veil: Cascade 3
Threadbare 1
To Serve Her Wintry Hunger 1
Traverser 2
Troika 1
Vanagard 2
World of Dungeons 2
World of Dungeons Turbo 2
World Wide Wrestling 4
Yharnam Shadows 1
(sorry for crappy formatting)
Heroes of the Hearth, too
Heroes of the Hearth, too
Richard Rogers Thanks!
Richard Rogers Thanks!
So great to be invited to the tribe. =]
Thank you all so much!
So great to be invited to the tribe. =]
Thank you all so much!
Jesse Ross Thanks, updated!
Jesse Ross Thanks, updated!
I love the amazing variety of games offered. I wish more Cons were like that instead of D&D 75, Pathfinder 50, Other 3. Thanks for the great experience. Can’t wait to do it next year!
I love the amazing variety of games offered. I wish more Cons were like that instead of D&D 75, Pathfinder 50, Other 3. Thanks for the great experience. Can’t wait to do it next year!
Was good to finally play in a Gauntlet game! Well done, all.
Was good to finally play in a Gauntlet game! Well done, all.
Sorry I couldn’t make it (this year) but super happy that you guys managed to do this!! looking forward to 2018!
Sorry I couldn’t make it (this year) but super happy that you guys managed to do this!! looking forward to 2018!
Gauntlet Con #1 was truly a shining accomplishment. May it inspire us all to reach out more, give more, dare more! I see great things in the future of The Gauntlet.
Gauntlet Con #1 was truly a shining accomplishment. May it inspire us all to reach out more, give more, dare more! I see great things in the future of The Gauntlet.
Thank you so much Kate Bullock and Richard Rogers for spearheading this effort, and very special thanks to Christo Meid for doing so much to help make my playtest session a success!
Thank you so much Kate Bullock and Richard Rogers for spearheading this effort, and very special thanks to Christo Meid for doing so much to help make my playtest session a success!