Newbie here: What is VIG? + question about name on passes
Posted by apparentlymarylee

Hi,
Planning on attending for the first time next year as a honeymoon trip. Went to http://www.gencon.com/attend/your_badge and it lists a price for "VIG badges" (VIP gamers I'm assuming?) but no info on how to get these badges or what they offer since the price is well above the normal badge prices. 

Any help?

Also, if my badge/info matches my maiden name but I've changed my name since getting married (not sure if I will or not) will I still be okay? Would bringing my marriage license along be acceptable? (To prove a valid name change)

Thanks!

Posted by watchdog

Once you become a VIG, you have the option for renewing each year as long as you maintain your membership in the program.

Because of this, there are only a few slots that open each year.  People will enter a lottery via email, and the winners will get to join the program.

Biggest perk of VIG (to most) is preferential treatment for hotel reservations.  I don't think they guarantee one of your top 3 choices anymore, but you can still pretty much be assured of a prime downtown location.

Other perks include getting into the vendor hall an hour early on Thursday, a lounge area with beverages and snacks, a nice swag bag, and meet & greets with industry insiders.  

If I'm forgetting anything, hopefully an actual VIG member can fill in the blanks.

Posted by galahadkoa

I was VIG for a few years. Watchdog hit on most of the perks in his response. The special VIG lounge is also where you can get event tickets without waiting in the long lines, rest your weary muscles after hours of running around, and a bag check if you want to use it. There are also special VIG only events.

The swag bag for VIGs when I did it was pretty good. There was always at least $200 worth of stuff in them with some bigger items like rule books or adventures for games and actual games themselves. I remember getting the D&D 4th edition Players Handbook, a signed copy of a novel, deckbuilding games, etc.

VIG members can also bring in two people as VIG Companions which basically means they have most of the VIG perks. When I last did that the companion badges cost $100. I'm guessing its more now.

For me the biggest draw was first pick for hotel reservations, but it seems like years ago that was a bigger deal than it is now. My friend didn't do anything special, bought 4 day passes, and was able to get exactly what he wanted at the Hyatt. Since the JW Marriott opened about four years back Ive found getting the hotel reservations to be much less stressful. In past Gen Cons, like 2010 and earlier buying badges and getting hotel reservations generally made you miserable due to the extreme slowness and website crashes. You would finally get in and buy your badges after 47 tries only to find a certain hotel was completely booked so for me me it was worth being VIG to bypass all of that misery.

I couldn't attend the last few years, but after going back this year with a 4 day pass I would be interested in VIG again. It just really depends on if you think you will use the perks that come with being a VIG. Its not worth the money if you dont.

Posted by hawkeye

The last 2 years the VIG badges that were available were given out randomly to people that had submitted a request via email. Keep an eye on the forums around Nov. and Dec. They will most likely post sometihng about how to request to be put into the lottery for a VIG badge.

THey have already stated that next year Each VIG will now only be able to have 1 companion each.

Posted by mikeboozer

If you would like to be put into the random drawing for a VIG badge in 2017 please email [email protected] in late November or early December.
Include your Gen Con email address and account number. 
If multiple people in your family/group want a badge they will need to mail individually.

Mike Boozer
Customer Service & Volunteer Manager
Gen Con LLC

Posted by wilcoxon

How nice of them not to ever mention the VIG lottery in the emails sent out (so I missed it because it's new since the last time I went to GenCon).

Why, if you send out emails to past attendees, would you not mention when the VIG lottery is?

Posted by austicke

Hopefully Gen Con answers, but I don't think there is much benefit in them promoting the VIG lottery since such a small percentage of people will get it. Why advertise that you can disappoint even more people?

Posted by bugwar austicke

austicke wrote:
 Why advertise that you can disappoint even more people?
No real reason to advertise it.
There are what, about 500 VIG tickets spread among 60k attendees each year?

Way back in the day the program made sense, when there were conventions where the VIG didn't sell out for a week or more.
The VIG legacy has lived past its time.

I suspect that 95 percent of the VIG tickets are locked up by those who have them every year, and use the grandfather clause to keep it that way.

Posted by kjelstad wilcoxon

wilcoxon wrote:
How nice of them not to ever mention the VIG lottery in the emails sent out (so I missed it because it's new since the last time I went to GenCon).
Why, if you send out emails to past attendees, would you not mention when the VIG lottery is?

The lottery will not happen until at least February.  You can still get in.

Posted by austicke kjelstad

kjelstad wrote:The lottery will not happen until at least February.  You can still get in.

The comment was about the VIG lottery (or "random selection", to use Gen Con's words). That entry deadline passed on December 31.

I think you're confusing it with the housing lottery, which starts February 12.

Posted by apparentlymarylee

After deliberation I realized the VIG isn't even worth it, not to me anyway. We've already got our housing sorted and that seems to be the biggest draw to it.

I have another quick newbie question, badge registration is the same as "buy your ticket" correct? I'm not sure what "event registration" is.

Posted by austicke apparentlymarylee

apparentlymarylee wrote:I have another quick newbie question, badge registration is the same as "buy your ticket" correct? I'm not sure what "event registration" is.

Badge registration is to buy your attendance badge, yes. Event registration is to purchase event tickets for individual events and game sessions. You need the former to buy the latter.

Posted by apparentlymarylee

Ahh gotcha! Thanks!

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