Thread by @TappyToeClaws

Okay... Now that I've unpacked all my bags, lets unpack #GenCon2021 I know you have questions. I'll try to cover them here as I go, otherwise have your comments ready. I'll try to answer what I can as honestly as I can. Buckle up, its another Tappy🧵

Prequel: I had just come off the FAB event in Vegas, which felt remarkably, surprisingly safe overall (combination of Vegas, the awesome work by the game/event staff and the players). I got two different COVID tests between events and obviously both were negative. /c

My FAB group all tested negative, we'd worn masks the whole time and none of us were exhibiting any symptoms. Admittedly a short period between events, there was still a small possibility of course. Gen Con posse all knew I had been at an event shortly before, full disclosure /c

Lets talk about the good stuff first: My friends are the freakin' coolest and seeing them felt like a hug for my mental health. If you've ever been in a room with me for 5+ seconds I've probably told you/ominiously threatened you with how hard I would go to bat for @Kesswylie /c

(not that he needs someone to go to bat for him, he's a golden retriever of a human being) but I was more than willing to help out at the KessCo booth, talking up a drop dot d20 kickstarter and teaching folks how to play their premo game Battle Bosses. Seriously a great time /c

I was a little worried I'd get bored playing the same game all weekend but Battle Bosses really has some legs. I'm biased but phenomenal, recommend. I'm excited to teach the local crew. Also maybe cosplay?! Moreover it was VERY nice to have a central place in the exhibit hall /c

Both as a meeting hub and a place to stash stuff, that would have been true of any Gen Con year... But this year it was nice to be able to escape the flow of, what seemed like, at least 80% of previous year's exhibitor hall capacity. It absolutely got overwhelming at times /c

Yes, people wore masks and event workers were trying their best to enforce all the rules in place. But we all absolutely saw folks with vented/mesh masks and social distance was virtually impossible in any, slightly crowded area. I made some posts Day 1 (I wasn't dressed up)/c

The hall was shallower than normal, a lot of big names weren't there (Paizo, Asmodee, Fantasy Flight). I don't know carpeting and drape + cleaning costs are (non zero of course) but being able to space things out more would have definitely been a feature not a bug if possible /c

Friday I walked around as Chandra. I wanted to show off the S TIER work by @rinkujutsu (the talent behind this outfit/armor, its her work) but I realized VERY quickly I'm not used to being in costume all day anymore, even after FAB. Luckily @InklinCustoms was my handler 🙏❤️😭/c

She and her lovely partner babysat my dumbass and held all of my crap for me all day. More importantly they walked me OUT OF the convention center and to a near by chill café (with better AC) when I got more than a little overwhelmed by the crowds, the photos and the heat /c

Those two are the only reason I got to my painting/modeling session later that day, which did go wonderfully. The artists, the event organizer and the host @pastimesonline absolutely took great care of me. I love doing this and I'm delighted we were able to make it work /c

It's A LOT to go back to full con-mode, and certain parts of the weekend definitely felt like pre-2020 crowds, complete with dumb ALL the dumb con antics Whereas I didn't see much of that at FAB in Vegas... INDIANA is almost a whole different country /c

There were things we DID NOT do this year: I didn't demo any games. The Kess crew specifically asked me to bring hand sanitizer for our booth (I drove), some for our use and some for con-goer use pre/post demos We got a lot of gracious thanks, I hope other booths also had it /c

I certainly wouldn't feel comfortable touching game pieces without it.

We didn't really go OUT. I hit the food trucks ONCE. We ordered food in and ate with our little group of friends more often than not in the hotel and took it easy. We didn't see many outside-group folk. /c

We tried to go out once and pretty much immediately realized it was a shit show at bar/restaurants and nope'd back to our safe zone after we were able to pay our poor, overworked waitress at the understaffed, packed spot.

We absolutely missed out on friend time. It sucked. /c

Overall take away? I mean, I'm sitting in my house, alone, waiting out the appropriate incubation time so I can get a COVID test tomorrow... And I'm not gonna see any of my local group until I either get a negative result clear or I quarantine for 2 weeks. /c

Do I regret going? No. I'm a low risk, vaccinated person and I don't have direct contact with any non-vaccinated or high risk folks. I completely understand that is not everyone's situation and that ABSOLUTELY. FUCKING. SUCKS. /c

Because it shouldn't only be low-risk folks like me who can take some reasonably-low risk trips to events and see their friends and get some good feels.

The GenCon staff did their best, I didn't see a single staff/event/volunteer member doing anything but the hardest work /c

And I understand the financial pressures that Gen Con as an organization as well as other businesses, creators and artists must absolutely feel when making these critical decisions. I don't have a whole lot of judgement in me for those folks. /c

I said in my FAB Vegas thread, I would never tell anyone they should do a thing so far out of their comfort zone right now or something that endangers personal health. For those that are concerned about vulnerable folks near them, I feel for you. I wish I had better answers. /c

AND THEN OF COURSE the crazy fundie, anti-vax, anti-maskers were out Sunday in Indianapolis. I wonder why, when government buildings are famously closed. Maybe they had money on the Colts game. I put out as many messages as I could to keep those leaving the convention alert. /c

GenCon attracts a pretty diverse crowd and not every attendee leaving wants to scream at the guy who's wearing a "Socialism Kills" shirt but can't even vaguely define Socialism... Among my plethora of targeted screeches on that walk back to the car. /c

Since that last bit was a part of my GenCon experience, it feels like a necessary include. I can't stand those idiots any more than anyone else with three brains cells to rub together can... But that's something that comes with the location of the convention. /c

So that’s the most of it.

As it is I just want to try to get my honest experiences out there, I hope this thread is informative. /c

I love GenCon, I missed it in 2020. I had fun. I love my friends and I'm hella grateful I got to see them in 2021.

I wouldn't disparage anyone who felt unsafe attending. Here’s to hoping (and fighting) for better and safer one in the future. END 🧵
#gencon #gencon2021