As noted before, as someone who set up in a mask (without the AC on, as is standard for setup), ran 4 days of demos in a mask, and tore down in a mask Sunday evening (along with masked moving product and booth materials into storage on bright and sunny Monday), while it is less than ideal, it's hardly the worst thing ever to do.

I respect that not everyone lives the same experience, and that for some a mask or two of whatever degree they have available may reduce their enjoyment of the Gencon experience.

But at the same time... I kind of have a hard time feeling too much empathy for those struggling to saunter through the exhibitor hall with a rolling suitcase in tow compared to those efforts. I'm hardly in tip top shape, and am already on the wrong side of 40, so it's not like I'm unaware of the toll it can take to not just wander or play, but work hard hours masked up compared to years when that wasn't necessary.

We're 27 pages into the topic and yet keep circling around between "but I don't want to" and "Gencon has not made an official decree on the matter".

We'll find out when they're ready to tell us. I hope anyone who wishes to attend is vaccinated (as part of a policy I feel is unlikely to change) and willing to accept that masks may well be part of the Gencon 2022 experience. If that's a bridge too far, the option to bow out has existed for some time now.

Believe me, I'd love nothing more than the world (in general) and the US (in particular) to be in a state where they weren't necessary, even though we were pleasantly surprised that nobody on the crew (that I know of) got hit with it last year. Even if it proves to be a meager 1% reduction in risk, surely taking that step a second year in a row during a (hopefully) once in a lifetime pandemic isn't so egregious an ask? As a community, for each other.

It doesn't have to be perfect to be helpful, especially when dealing with tens of thousands of people lingering and roaming through enclosed spaces (HVAC upgrades notwithstanding) for 4+ days straight. Nothing is perfect, and we're dealing with a massive and in many ways uncontrolled space. Just being cool with one another and rising to the occasion really shouldn't be that big of an ask.

Through with warnings....just banning now.
If you are banned you can email us next year to see about being allowed back in, for now you are not following the topics rules and posts have been removed.

Still trying to keep the thread open.

Mike

https://www.comic-con.org/ccse/covid-19-policy-faq
 

[This post has been removed]

Your post has been removed. It was not appropriate and would only serve to aggravate and incite discord.

Mike

The ICC requires masks for all unvaccinated  employees.

https://comic-con.org/cci/covid-19-faq

C2E2 is requiring masks.

​​​​​​
At C2E2 2022, wearing an appropriate face covering is strongly recommended and we ask that anyone who is not up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccinations wear a face covering at all times. Please note that face coverings may be required per our guests' requests in specific areas of the event. Read the full policy: 
Health & Safety Info

Mike,

Before you lock up this thread, can I get a copy of it with the removed posts reinstated? I enjoy going back and reading discussions that, as Reddit puts it, aged like milk. Twenty years from now I think I'll find this thread as funny as:

Book: Ann Landers Talks to Teenagers about Sex (1962)
Movie: Reefer Madness (1936)
Politics: ANY President's "Plan for America"
Personal: My High School yearbook...

My mistake, I saw the mask guide and took it for a requirement. 

Quite frankly I'm just trying to keep the thread open until we make a final announcement.

It has been a trial to do so and to be clear my usual soft glove approach has worn off.

I'm just deleting and banning anything we deem inflaming or "science debating".

Whether or not you agree with our final decisions there is really no reason to continue to debate them.
You must all make your own decisions about attending or not attending in the end.

And if you're going to report on what other Cons are doing please check your information and report factually!

...and no, I can not answer any specific questions pertaining to those decisions.

Mike

After reading through the thread, I am trying to be open minded to the pressures Gencon is likely feeling from their vendors. I think at this point I'd be satisfied with masks in the vendor hall but mask optional in gaming areas unless a particular presenter had the whole room and felt otherwise. That would likely make the large majority of vendors and gamers happy. 

Doing that just passes the angry peeps down the food chain to individual area, hall managers, and DM's. It lets a turd-hoarder yell "The table next to me isn't wearing masks so you asking me to is <fill in rant here>". It makes a DM, who might already feel uncomfortable running games in a public space for strangers, even more stressed when they are suddenly the 'bad guy' asking somebody to help keep them and other safe. Instead of arguments happening here, or at customer service, they get outsourced to dozens if not hundreds of smaller spaces all over the convention. No thanks

I highly doubt they'll do it but I'll state right here and now - if they did push it out to let groups make their own calls

D&D @ Gen Con - as in run by Baldman Games as premiere organizer for Wizards of the Coast - with hundreds of events and thousands of tickets - would 100% require masks in all of our play spaces.  

That doesn't work for you - return those tickets baby!!!!  I have another thousand peeps waiting to take them off your hands.

Much better to have the overall policy.  Makes the decision/reaction flowchart for the staff easy to manage.  A GM calls over one of the staff to handle the problem, who is empowered to suggest, remind and if needed enforce the rules per a policy that is not re-debated at every point.