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Give yourself at least 4 hours for the Dealer Hall.
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Hit the Dealer Hall early (Thurs) for swag, hit the Dealer Hall late (Sunday, past noon) for deals.
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Don't blow 30 bucks on room service. Get out of bed and take a quick walk to Mickey D's. You'll get much more food for a quarter of the price.
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Dr. Scholls Foot Pads. Trust me, they'll be worth it.
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If you are doing True Dungeon, and have a preferred class, show up early and ask the group before you go in. If you show up late for True Dungeon (BAD, BAD idea) then you shut up and take whatever class is handed to you.
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When going through True Dungeon, always keep your weapon token in your hand, ready to go at a second's notice.
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When going through True Dungeon, don't touch anything when you first enter the room. Impulsive types pay.
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If you need to leave an event early, tell the gamemaster up front before you start the game.
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At least once, wander the halls of the ICC after 10pm and find an "Are You A Werewolf?" game, and join it. It's so worth it.
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If you are going to Hickman's Killer Breakfast, get there early or right on time, or you probably aren't going up on stage.
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If you are going to Hickman's Killer Breakfast, bring a bribe (candy, etc), that might keep you alive for another round.
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If you are sharing a room, announce you are coming in after you open the door.
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Allow yourself at LEAST 3-4 hours over the course of the Con to just chill out in your hotel room.
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Demo at least one game in the Dealer Hall.
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Come to Mike B's Room Party -- Saturday Night 11pm. Going on Year #4! Booze, games, fun, and so much more!
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If you are DMing a game, or playing a LARP, keep your throat hydrated -- it makes voice characterizations much easier.
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If you are more than 10 minutes late to a non-RPG game, you missed your event. If it's an RPG that lasts more than 2 hours, use 20 minutes as the cutoff. Otherwise you will disrupt the game in progress, which is rather unfair, especially if you need to learn the game.
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Always keep your badge visible when entering the Dealer Hall, or you will be accosted by the monitors.
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Don't sleep in the ICC Hallways. Even snoozing in the viewing rooms is pushing it.
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Ask a vendor to hold your purchase until the end of the day. Why lug around something when you don't need to?
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When paying with cash, ALWAYS ask for a discount. Some vendors will oblige because they don't need to deal with transaction fees.
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You owe it to yourself to have at least one leisurely, extravagant dinner.
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Ask before taking a costumer's picture. They are very accommedating most of the time.
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If you are playing at a restaurant, order at least one thing every hour you are tying up the table. Leave a big (25%+) tip.
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If demoing a game, tell them what you think. If the game sucks or isn't fun, they will want to know if they are truly customer-oriented.
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Don't go out of your way for swag -- remember that 99% of it is junk you'll just put in a box and never look at again.
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The Stink is a great way to kick off GenCon. It will let you identify us regular forumites, so you're guaranteed to see a familiar face at some point in the Con.
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If you are playing an RPG and LARP and you are a ham like Mikey, be mindful to give the other players the spotlight as well. Roleplaying games are at their absolute best when you concentrate on making the next guy (instead of just yourself) look good.
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Don't complain during a game. About the game, players, dice, your luck, etc. It's unseemly and makes you out to be a poor sport. Remember that for every one of these games, the true goal is just to experience the game and be entertained.
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Buy Mike B pie. It makes him happy and keeps him occupied so he doesn't inflict himself on the public.
