OFFICIAL HOUSING QUESTIONS THREAD
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Posted by marimaccadmin

Gen Con asked me to set up an official housing questions thread, where you can ask questions about how housing works, and particularly, questions you think other people might be interested in having the answer to as well.  Please do read the housing page first to see if that answers your questions:

http://www.gencon.com/attend/housing_travel

Also, please don't expect an answer here 5 minutes before housing goes live, but we'll do our best to get questions answered here, thanks. :)

marimacc
Forum Moderator

Posted by cbudoris

Is there a way to private message people on these new forums?  In the days/weeks/months after housing, if you found that you didn't need a room, you could post it on the old forum, allowing someone to PM that they'd take it.  But I don't see a way to send PM's here.  So I guess that's out?

Posted by marimaccadmin

There is not, yet, a way to private message people on these forums; I don't know when that will be implemented.  You can still certainly post a room on this forum to give away, it's just that, until PMs are implemented, you'd have to have them contact you with the person info via email.
 

Posted by ajbeliveau

Any hotel recommendations outside of downtown that wouldn't require us to drive in to the city (public transit)? We're driving down to the con, but only going to be attending the the 4th and 5th as we'll have to drive back to Canada (leaving early morning on the 6th) Any tips appreciated!

Posted by marimaccadmin ajbeliveau

ajbeliveau wrote:
Any hotel recommendations outside of downtown that wouldn't require us to drive in to the city (public transit)? We're driving down to the con, but only going to be attending the the 4th and 5th as we'll have to drive back to Canada (leaving early morning on the 6th) Any tips appreciated!

I was kind of hoping to keep this thread more for questions that needed to be answered by staff, but to answer your question, no, Indianapolis does not have good or reliable public transportation.  Coming from Canada, you'll be shocked at how bad the public transport is.  If you're only attending two days, just take a cab or Uber in from an outlying hotel.

Posted by cbudoris marimaccadmin

marimaccadmin wrote:
There is not, yet, a way to private message people on these forums; I don't know when that will be implemented.  You can still certainly post a room on this forum to give away, it's just that, until PMs are implemented, you'd have to have them contact you with the person info via email.
 

Right, but given the choice of putting out your operating email address so publically (or going thru the hassle of creating a throw away one), or simply cancelling the room outright, I'm thinking people will just cancel the room.  There was alot of room exchanges via PM in prior years.  That utility is now gone. 

Posted by marimaccadmin cbudoris

cbudoris wrote:
marimaccadmin wrote:
There is not, yet, a way to private message people on these forums; I don't know when that will be implemented.  You can still certainly post a room on this forum to give away, it's just that, until PMs are implemented, you'd have to have them contact you with the person info via email.

Right, but given the choice of putting out your operating email address so publically (or going thru the hassle of creating a throw away one), or simply cancelling the room outright, I'm thinking people will just cancel the room.  There was alot of room exchanges via PM in prior years.  That utility is now gone. 

Considering that cancelling the room would incur a $50 room charge, I strongly disagree with your premise.  I think people will simply post their email address, somewhat obscured if they want (like typing out dot com), or use a spam account OR use some kind of IM program. And as I said above, this is not something that won't exist in the future, it's just not implemented NOW.  So no, I really don't think people will cancel a room and incur a $50 charge because one of the many communication options open to them is at the moment temporarily unavailable.

Posted by roundtop

You can use meltmail.com to get a temporary 24h email forwarder address. Just come on the forum each day if you haven't got a taker and update the address.

But I agree it is poor privacy practice to request email addresses be posted. (I forsee many kik accounts)

Posted by saraerickson

Can you further explain the randomized hotel options? I didn't do this last year and I just don't know what to expect. Will I have some different options at varying price ranges or will I just be randomly assigned to one hotel option and I have to take it or leave it? Thanks for you help!

Posted by parody

The hotel options aren't randomized.  Everyone's entry time into the system is randomized; you can reserve a room at any open hotel once you're allowed into the system.

Posted by marimaccadmin

Yes, this is not like some other cons in which you will be randomly assigned a hotel room.  You will pick from the remaining inventory when your number comes up. :)

Posted by god1801

Is a priority assigned to people who purchase multiple badges?  For example person A buys 6 badges for himself and his family vs 6 other people who buy badges individually.  When assigned lottery numbers is a priority given to the person who bought more badges vs the people who buy less?

Posted by marimaccadmin god1801

god1801 wrote:
Is a priority assigned to people who purchase multiple badges?  For example person A buys 6 badges for himself and his family vs 6 other people who buy badges individually.  When assigned lottery numbers is a priority given to the person who bought more badges vs the people who buy less?
There is no number priority, all numbers are assigned completely randomly.  

However,

Badge purchasers are allowed to book one hotel room for every 1-2 badges purchased.


  • 1-2 badges = 1 room
  • 3-4 badges = 2 rooms
  • 5-7 badges = 3 rooms
  • 7+ badges = etc ...

    So someone who buys six badges can book three rooms.

Posted by jrsanders88

If I plan to GM 200+ player hours, and have another friend or two who also want to GM that much, how is the best way to get the same room in the GM block of rooms?  I am new to the GM system at Gen Con and want to make sure the room gets reimbursed for my work.

Posted by parody jrsanders88

jrsanders88 wrote:
If I plan to GM 200+ player hours, and have another friend or two who also want to GM that much, how is the best way to get the same room in the GM block of rooms?  I am new to the GM system at Gen Con and want to make sure the room gets reimbursed for my work.

Each of you should buy badges and plan on being online for the hotel lottery, in addition to submitting your events.  The first one in reserves a room, as you need a room in the block to get reimbursement.  Later on you'll be able to get reimbursed for your badge, and after the con your room costs.

Posted by jrsanders88

Thanks for the quick replay, just to clarify, since I don't want to mess up room reservation, when reserving a room it will clearly state whether the room is in the GM block or not?  Also, is their a minimum number of GM player hour's that need to be submitted before I reserve a GM room?  Thank you for your time.

Posted by marimaccadmin jrsanders88

jrsanders88 wrote:
Thanks for the quick replay, just to clarify, since I don't want to mess up room reservation, when reserving a room it will clearly state whether the room is in the GM block or not?  Also, is their a minimum number of GM player hour's that need to be submitted before I reserve a GM room?  Thank you for your time.

Ok, so, I want to make sure you understand this, because Parody is not talking about the "GM block".

First off, as a new GM, you really really must look over the Event Host Policy, here:

https://files.gencon.com/genconeventhostpolicy.pdf

But as noted in that document, you can only qualify for the "GM block" if you have an established relationship with Gen Con as a gaming group, and as a group run 800 player hours of events.  There is more specific info there, but basically, since you are a new GM, unless you are running with an established group, you're not going to qualify to get into the GM block, which is a seperate group of rooms that neither attendees nor GMs can book on their own.

The majority of GMs, including you, as well as attendees, will book rooms in the regular block.  They will not be GM specific rooms simply because you are GMs.  If you get a room in the block, and then run a certain number of player hours, 200, you will be able to apply for reimbursement after the show of 1/4 of your room, or $50, whichever is lower, for three nights, possibly Wed night as well if you run an early Thursday game and request approval of that night.

So again, to be clear, yes, you are a GM, yes you will be requesting reimbursement after the show, but no, you will not be requesting a GM block room, you'll be in the same pool attempting to get a hotel room that all attendees are.  Make sense?  Please do look over that Event Host Policy, it explains this all in even more detail.

Posted by sakurawinters

Hello!

I am interested in attending the Trade Day educator track and I saw on the website that I need to submit proof of employment to do so.  Is my account is on hold while that happens or will I count as having a badge in the system?  I am worried that it would effect my ability to reserve a room on housing day.

Thanks!

Posted by marimaccadmin

They will email you for proof.  If you don't send it your trade day badge will be revoked, and I think it's safe to assume any hotel reservations made with that as well.  But no, if you have the badge it won't prevent you from getting a room until the proof is sent.

Posted by excalibrax

So I have a question about doing multiple room reservations. Is it similar to Event registration where we can link our accounts and have that count for hotel reservations, Or do you have to buy 3 badges on one account to get 2 hotel rooms together?

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