Program PDF
Posted by nscott

I know its a few days too early to expect this, but I can't recall where the link will get posted. Does it end up under the Experience tab or does it show up in the Discover Gen Con box?

Posted by snowleopard

Here's the direct link to last year's program: https://files.gencon.com/EntireBookWEB.pdf

I have no idea if they'll replace it with the 2016 program when it's ready (they did a website revamp, so may have different organization for the new content).

Posted by snowleopard

I just noticed they posted a link to the 2016 program: https://files.gencon.com/2016.ProgramBook.pdf

Posted by austicke

Awesome!

Posted by helenbb

Finally! Thank you so much for sharing this, Snowleopard!

Posted by snowleopard

I sent it to my friends with this addition:


  • Download it to your phone so you don't have to grab a new book every day when you inevitably forget yours back in the hotel room.
  • Find cool stuff by reading it before the con. No one has time to read it during the con - there's only time after to read it to see all the cool stuff you missed.
  • Spend your last few days at work dreaming of the con instead of being productive (um, I mean, if you're the kind of person who would do that, which is most certainly NOT ME)

Posted by p3ndrag0n

Why the flying hell anyone orients north at the bottom of a map is beyond me......

Posted by jimtullis p3ndrag0n

p3ndrag0n wrote:
Why the flying hell anyone orients north at the bottom of a map is beyond me......

It's crazy and I've gone over this with them before. The Convention Center maps are oriented so that non map users who walk through the doors can look at the maps from their POV. The Hotel Maps are oriented however the hotel sends them.

You would think a bunch of D&D nerds ;) could figure out a map with North at the top.

Posted by nscott p3ndrag0n

p3ndrag0n wrote:
Why the flying hell anyone orients north at the bottom of a map is beyond me......
Hemispherist! ;-)

Posted by snowleopard

North-up maps make sense when navigating outdoors, but for indoor-use, you may need to adjust the maps for what makes most sense. In this case, the exhibit hall is oriented with the doors at the bottom, which prevents people from walking in the door, then stopping to hold their map upside-down to figure out the path to their destination. As for other maps, the orientation may be based on layout of the design it is in. In order to get all the maps included and in useful sizes, you may have to rotate to make the shape fit in well within the program books.

tl;dr: because landmark navigation, not compass navigation

Posted by p3ndrag0n snowleopard

snowleopard wrote:
North-up maps make sense when navigating outdoors, but for indoor-use, you may need to adjust the maps for what makes most sense. In this case, the exhibit hall is oriented with the doors at the bottom, which prevents people from walking in the door, then stopping to hold their map upside-down to figure out the path to their destination. As for other maps, the orientation may be based on layout of the design it is in. In order to get all the maps included and in useful sizes, you may have to rotate to make the shape fit in well within the program books.
tl;dr: because landmark navigation, not compass navigation

This makes absolute sense for the exhibit hall maps and I thoroughly agree. Compass direction is of no use in that case.

My point however it to the convention center maps that use outside street names and are oriented completely the wrong way. Because they are outside,  and use those names they should be oriented the same way the building lies in relation to those streets with Compass North pointing up. If you are navigating from another building  (which we all would be) then you would have to hold the map upside down to know whether you were to turn right or left on the streets indicated outside the convention center. and whether the entrance you were looking for actually lies on the east or west side of the building.

Posted by snowleopard

If you're navigating to another building, that building provided the map image to Gen Con. Gen Con only has the map images provided to them, so if they are oriented in an odd direction, that's what they have to put in the program.

This topic is locked. New posts cannot be added.