[UPDATED] Was the Dungeons & Dragons Adventure League Event a Debacle at Gen Con 2015?

Gen Con 2015 is over and like many people who didn't have the opportunity to attend this year's convention I've been reading dozens of reports from the convention. Among many of the positive reports from the convention one glaring negative became apparent: the Adventure League games were a complete fiasco that left many players feeling as though they wasted their money and were taken advantage of by Wizards of the Coast and their proxy, Baldman Games.

From the start the event was maligned with poor communication issues, mismanagement on every level, and a complete failure to provide the feel of an epic adventure that previous years had accomplished. 

". . . There was absolutely no sense of "epicness" in tonight's (sp) epic. Last year there was a PA system with a master of ceremonies type guy who kept things exciting all night with status reports and count downs and the like. Tables were interacting with HQ and then HQ would (sp) interact with the players. There was a sense that each table really was contributing to something big going on . . . This year, it was just go to your table and play a D&D scenario. No PA, no big story setup, no fanfare, no nothing. Our DM didn't even really know when it officially started as there was no big announcement. He had ot wing it. I saw absolutely nothing to suggest that our table was working to any sort of larger goal. We just played our little scenario like Thu and Fri . . ." (Thu).

". . . [T]here were two epic sessions, season 2 ending and season 3 launch. Neither made a player feel like he or she was involved in something that impacted or was impacted by anything else. In other words, we just blew through a module, hacked some demons and went home. At the end of the first epic, the lights went out in the hall at midnight before there were any announcements (GenCon and the convention center are at fault for this, I'm sure) so I guess I'll be kind and give them a bye for that. But at the end of the Saturday night Epic some BMG captain tried to shout over the noise of thousands of people to the 300 or so participants. Yes, I said shout. He didn't have a microphone. Nobody heard squat . . ." (Neptune0923)

While individuals who paid the modest $40 for the basic package experienced issues that stem directly from Baldman Games mismanagement of the event it was nothing compared to the experience of people who paid the $150 dollars for the VIP Experience with the D&D Adventurers League Epics game. Both tiers of players received the exact same reward for playing in the games. There was no benefit to paying the higher cost. ". . . The level of disappointment in the execution, value, and even appearance that was put forth for not just All Access . . . All access players paid $150/ea when just doing $40 in normal events would have netted the same gear, exp crawl, and entertainment. To be honest, i feel pretty cheated . . ." (Killian Tealeaf). Another commenter on the Gen Con forum stated  ". . . We did get a couple Cetrificates, but none were worth anything. No book, no souveniers, no 2015 commemorative dice, no coupons for future purchases, nothing! I got more swag for ordering a sandwich at Scotty's . . . I myself will never pay for all-access! I may not play D&D at GenCon ever again . . . This year was a complete amateurish operation . . ." (wmgccandless).

Baldman Games is taking a lot of abuse for their handling of the event with even people who knew the Baldman Games crew being unforgiving of their complete mishandling of the event. 

". . . I have many close friends in both DDAL admin and Baldman games. However I do not sympathize with the excuses being thrown out. If you set an expectation on an event and learn that the company that produces the game won't support you and determine that you will just go ahead, (because after all, you didn't actually 'promise' anything) instead of communicating the issue with those that paid for a premium event., you are in essence deciding to screw those people. All for the purpose of covering your expenses . . . So I'm feeling screwed mostly because I was screwed . . ." (joshua.oconnorrose).

As joshua.oconnorrose mentioned it was suggested to several people, who voiced their displeasure and who repeated the accusation in their forum posts, that Wizards of the Coast failed to donate any significant swag for the events so there was no opportunity for Baldman Games to provide a difference in what they did give: certificates for Adventurer's League games. One poster on Wizards of the Coast's forum stated things even more clearly saying ". . . The All-access pass which cost $150 was a complete swindle. It was, effectively, the combination of 4 events. If you purchased the 4 events separately, you paid $40. The difference between the two options last year was that players who signed up received the brand new Player's Handbook and an advanced copy of the Monster Manual (both retailed for $49.99 at the time). This year we received 4 certificates for adventure's league. That is 4 cardboard sheets which many people left on the table. Based on the math, each sheet of cardboard cost me $25 . . ." (Neptune0923)

Time and again the event's poor management has been brought up as a major source of frustration. One commenter on Gen Con's forum stated: ". . . I was so excited to do this event. It sounded like so much fun. Smaller group, one DM through out, one storyline and potential for cool swag. What a disappointment. Every single game started late. Thursday night I showed up at 7:30 for an 8 pm game that didn't start until 9:30 . . ." (IndyGator).

If there is a single complaint that continues to be brought time and again it's the lack of value that players felt they received for the $150 they paid for a VIP Experience:

"If you are going to charge $100 over the ticket price of events for a premium experience you had better provide that value to the customer.  In prior years there were books, autographs, a roped off dedicated area away from other games, a die roll for a magic item cert, etc.

This year?  I can't even identify what I paid an extra $100 for.  We could not even start play until mustering was over and lost close to an hour of play time each session.  The benefit of locking down a GM, players, and a table number is you should be OUTSIDE of the mustering process and have extra game time.

The fact that the company did not overtly share that this years All Access would be drastically reduced, reeks of false advertising.

The "Faire" was also so wide open that my "special time" access was completely irrelevant.  I walked up at a random time and was able to trade items like any con attendee could. We received 4 certificates that bordered on meaningless for most people.  If if I was not comparing this to the excellent job done in prior years, I am wondering exactly what $900 per table went to?  I got the same basic experience that others at Gen Con got for $40." (Bdbrutus)


". . . I thought for $150 I would get some sort of swag (any of the books, dice, dice bag, an exclusive miniature, anything). At this point I think my Gencon money could be spent better elsewhere. I feel like Baldman games stole money from me. . . ."(tserof)

This morning Baldman Games released the following statement in regards to the event:

This year at Gen Con we made some changes to the wildly popular All-Access program that we debuted at the show in 2013. Our goal was to bring it back to a more sustainable long term level while still providing a great value and experience to our players. From the feedback received by myself onsite, and on the message boards over the past few days, we missed that mark with some of you and for that I apologize.

Our goal was to provide a premium gaming experience and while I firmly believe we hit that on some marks, we obviously missed on others. We tried some new things that went over well for some and were viewed as worthless by others. Some valued their great DM’s highly and did not care about additional items while others rated them lower and wanted more ‘stuff’. Others ranked a separated play space with a barrier as the things they valued most and for many the noise of the hall was just too much for any amount of additional perks to overcome. At no point did we intend to deceive, trick, or pull a switch-a-roo. Every year the program has provided different things and the attendees have each valued them in their own fashion. Things change each year on what we can and cannot provide. Many want to know why we could not do this or that, or why something changed. At the end of the day those details do not matter. BMG thought we had a pretty good line-up this year within the framework we had to work in but once again we obviously need to relook at the program from the ground up.

Part of the program has always been the mystery of what you are getting. So players are putting their blind trust that the program is going to be worth it to them. Each year the items were better and better and that is just not a sustainable program. With that in mind I’ve spent most of the past two days brainstorming ways to make it better across the board for all those who choose to put their trust in the program. The one thing that is happened for sure right out of the gate is the mystery part is gone (for any type of event I run going forward). It is not worth it. Each person values their time and resources in their own fashion and should be able to make a 100% informed decision about what they spend their convention time and dollars on. The program will have its own website linked from the event description with all the details on it. Due to the fact I cannot contact those that buy tickets, the website will also contain a mailing list, to allow updates to go to all members if anything were to change. I want to be transparent and communicate as well as we can about exactly what the program is and the player it is aimed at.

Some other ideas we have been kicking around and want your feedback on are:

• A completely separate room away from our play area for the program (players would move back into main hall for Epic event). Could be in the ICC or attached hotel.
•  More of a concierge type service when checking in (small goodie bag, checking name off list, badge ribbon, name plate to claim your spot at a table, etc.)
•  A custom adventure track for the show (written especially for the program by a handpicked elite author for participants of the program only).
•  Snacks (maybe Pizza Day Saturday even) and water station.
•  Special Guests (maybe have Mearls or Crawford visit and hangout at each table for a while).
•  ?????

We have a lot of other cool ideas from our post show meetings but we also want to hear from you. I have received a lot of feedback already but I want to create a central place for those who want to provide it to do so. The form below drops directly into my inbox. I will be reading all the responses and going over them with my team over the next few weeks to formulate a plan that will hopefully bring this program back to where we want it to be.

David Christ
Baldman Games

Personally, I find it hard to imagine that Baldman Games felt that providing the same rewards to players at both the $40 and $150 price tag would be agreeable to anyone but that is their contention. Only time will tell if the trust in them as an organization will be healed or if they will ever be able to provide the sort of services that they've suggested bringing on board.

********** UPDATE 8/10/2015 **********

Baldman Games have released a new press release on August 6, 2015 that states the following:

I first want to thank everyone for the excellent feedback so far. We are gathering comments and discussing ways to improve all Baldman Games’ offerings going forward. We will have further posts this Fall asking for more specific feedback.

Baldman Games and Wizards of the Coast realize that we did not meet your expectations with our All-Access Program at Gen Con this year. The way production schedules lined up, it was difficult for us to provide the new products that had been offered in previous years. But have no fear! We want to make things right. We value your support of D&D and our programs at Gen Con and other shows. To that end, we have some stuff to offer to everyone who played in the All-Access program at Gen Con 2015.

Here’s what All Access Players will get:

• One hard copy of Out of the Abyss, the TRPG adventure in the Rage of Demons story, before it hits store shelves, mailed directly to you
• One code for a digital copy of Sword Coast Legends, the party-based RPG coming out on PC, Mac and Linux, on September 29^th, sent to the email you provide.

If you are an All-Access player from Gen Con, please make sure to fill in the form below completely. The information provided will only be used to ship the book to you, send the code, and/or contact you if we have a problem doing so. It will be destroyed once shipping is completed.

Once again, we apologize for not meeting the expectations of the program this year, and we will work hard in the coming months to build a bigger, stronger, and more transparent program in 2016 and beyond.

David Christ
Baldman Games

UPDATE (08/07/2015): This offer is valid through August 24th at Midnight EST. Please spread the word. Thanks

If you participated in the All Access program, or know someone who did be sure to let them know about this as soon as possible. Time is limited on this offer. 

A Tale of Three Letters

On Monday, March 23, 2015 Gen Con got a bit political. The Indiana State General Assembly had passed SB 101, The Religious Freedom Restoration Act, a bill that would allow businesses to refuse service to anyone based on religious grounds, and it was anticipated that Governor Pence would sign it. That Monday found Adrian Swartout, CEO and owner of Gen Con, publishing a letter that the company had sent to Governor Pence. In the letter Swartout wrote:

". . . For more than a decade, Indianapolis has provided tremendous hospitality and accommodation to our attendees, culminating in an estimated annual economic impact of more than $50 million dollars to the city. Gen Con and its attendees look forward to receiving the same warm Hoosier hospitality throughout the term of our contract.

Legislation that could allow for refusal of service or discrimination against our attendees will have a direct negative impact on the state's economy, and will factor into our decision-making on hosting the convention in the state of Indiana in future years . . ." (3/23/2015 Gen Con Letter on SB 101)

For many this was seen as Gen Con taking a stand on behalf of their diverse attendees. And while Swartout didn't outright say that if Governor Pence signed SB 101 that the convention would be out it was implied. On Twitter my feed lit up with people celebrating this brave stand that Gen Con was taking. Then the bill was signed into law and a second letter was sent, this time just to us. What was in store for the future of the convention?

". . . We have a contract with the city of Indianapolis through 2020. Gen Con is an economically impactful event for locally owned businesses in the Indy community which for more than a decade have embraced us as guests. Due to specific dialogue with long-term partners in Indy, we believe that Gen Con attendees not only will receive the same great service and hospitality in 2015, but an even warmer response from the city. For as long as we stay in Indianapolis, we will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with this community, expand our efforts to bring more diversity to Gen Con, and welcome all . . .

"What does the future hold for Gen Con 2021 and beyond? Planning and bidding for our convention is a long-term process that begins five years prior to contract-term commencement. Discussions, whether to remain in Indy or move elsewhere, have begun . . ." (3/26/2015 Gen Con Letter to Community)

Where was Swartout's righteous indignation? Where was the declaration that Gen Con would definitely be pulling out of Indianapolis since SB 101 had been signed? That they'll be damned if they're going to do business in a state that now allows businesses to openly discriminate against anyone based on religious grounds?

What had originally seemed like a bold stand for Gen Con turned out to be nothing more than a political flag waved in the winds of popular opinion. Some people argued that Gen Con had a contract - they couldn't break it. Except Gen Con is a corporation and corporations break contracts all the time when things become intolerable; and there was that implied threat that this convention with a $50 million impact on the city of Indianapolis would not accept the SB 101's signing into law.

Four days would pass before we would see another letter from Swartout. During that time my Twitter and Google+ feeds were flooded with outrage from Gen Con attendees of old, of today, and of hopeful tomorrows. I can only imagine what Swartout's inbox and social media were like. 

". . . Thank you for your continued communications with Gen Con extending your support for our efforts to fight against discrimination. The passage of Indiana SB 101 into the Religious Freedom Reformation Act (RFRA) law has ignited tremendous passion among attendees as well as across the country. We at Gen Con LLC fully expected that the well-informed and opinionated community that comprises Gen Con would be outspoken, and we are pleased to be able to help in amplifying this signal. This morning Indiana Governor Mike Pence took time to call and discuss Indiana's recently passed RFRA law.

"Governor Pence has stated that he believes the outcry against this law is based upon a misunderstanding. We respectfully disagree with this position. A significant portion of Gen Con attendees identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender, and we are reading that some members of our community feel unsafe traveling to Indiana, subsequent to the passage of the RFRA law. We understand this sentiment, and will act to support safety.

"Gen Con 2015 will be held, as planned, at the Indiana Convention Center July 30 through August 2. Gen Con staff are working in partnership with the City of Indianapolis, local businesses, Visit Indy, and other grassroots organizations to ensure fair and safe treatment during this year's show . . .

"We believe that freedom from discrimination is a fundamental human right. Until Gen Con has received legally sound assurances that Indiana will support these rights, we are halting our plans to expand Gen Con into Lucas Oil Stadium, and plans for further expansion into other hotel convention spaces . . ." (3/30/2015 Gen Con Letter to Community)

Gen Con did not stand up to fight discrimination before this letter. Instead they sent a letter telling Governor Pence saying that they might, possibly, move the convention in five years. When the bill was signed they said, "We're talking about where to host the convention in 2021! It might be in Indianapolis, then again, maybe not! Who knows? Not us!"

Now they have actually done something. They've halted a major expansion of the convention that would have brought more attendees to the show, more money into the city and state, and more money into Gen Con's own coffers. But is it really anything substantial? They haven't actually done anything that negatively impacts the city or state as they implied they would in that first letter. Is this just more political grandstanding or is this really Gen Con doing the "right thing?" 

You tell me.