Re: After Con Report - ECC VII

[Jon Davis <davisje@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

agoodall@att.net wrote:

> It sounds like a number of the con games were too long. Do you 
 > have any suggestions for running shorter games? I realize that
 > it's very hard to make a multi-player game where everyone has some
 > chance to play and _not_ have it take all day. Perhaps the same,
 > smaller scenario run simultaneously is the key (though this means
 > that you need more terrain). I'd be interested in your take on this.

Dirtside games have been notorious for running too long at the ECC
convention. (Carter Island, anyone?)  It requires a measure of
playtesting to get the unit levels and number of players correct
in order to fit in the time slot.  Another problem with Dirtside,
can be the initial setup times.

I ran a Dirtside event entitled Hot Spot a number of years ago.  My
playtest game for eight players took five hours to reach a conclusion.
When I cut the number of players down to six, it fit in the four
hour slot.  I also sped up play by drawing hidden chits for damage
when an attack was announced.  If the shot missed, I kept the chits
hidden until an attack needed them.

Playtesting and GM preparation are key to running a well timed event.

Jon