The GC Rules, Policies, and Code of Conduct is written for hybrid cons and includes language regarding Covid-19. Obviously, as GC 13 is virtual-only this year, some of this language will no longer apply, but we have opted to let it remain.
ATTENTION
ALL ATTENDEES AT ANY GARY CON EVENT ACCEPT ALL POLICIES AND WAIVERS BELOW AS PART OF THE AGREEMENT TO BE ALLOWED ACCESS PHYSICALLY OR VIRTUALLY. PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU CAREFULLY READ THE ENTIRE PAGE BEFORE MAKING A PURCHASE.
Gary Con is an inclusive, family-friendly convention. We expect all attendees to treat each other with common courtesy and respect.
Gary Con does not permit harassment with regard to gender, sexual orientation, dress, age, race, religion or lack thereof, political affiliation, disability, or involvement or noninvolvement in any group or activity at Gary Con. Harassment includes any behavior that annoys, alarms, demeans, or threatens another person or group. Harassment includes (but is not limited to) verbal comments, the use of overly sexual imagery in public areas, intimidation, stalking, unauthorized photography or recording, inappropriate physical contact, unwanted sexual attention, and the disruption of events or activities.
If you feel you are being harassed, you fear for your safety, or you witness someone harassing others, contact a Gary Con staff member, volunteer, or hotel security immediately.
All harassment reports will be investigated and dealt with. Possible consequences of harassment include, but are not limited to, the revocation of the offending party’s Gary Con badge, ejection from the venue, and the involvement of local authorities.
No one should tolerate harassment at Gary Con. Please practice good judgment, common sense and seek to deescalate conflict in a safe manner to the maximum extent possible. Should you experience or witness harassment, you may choose to take any of the following actions:
Gary Con participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in harassing behavior, staff may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender, expelling the offender from Gary Con, or banning the offender from the Gary Con community on the internet. Specific sanctions may include but are not limited to:
Gary Con staff members will help participants contact hotel/venue security or local law enforcement, provide escorts, or otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to feel safe for the duration of the event. We expect participants to follow these rules in all Gary Con venues, Gary Con-related social events, and online communication channels.
Any of the following will be grounds for expulsion from Gary Con without refund:
We cannot replace lost, stolen, or forgotten badges or event tickets. Such items must be repurchased at full cost. We recommend that you check with the Gary Con Registration Desk to see if your materials have been turned in to Lost & Found. Gary Con (Good Omen Productions) assumes no responsibility for lost, stolen, or forgotten materials.
The purchase or acquisition of a Gary Con badge admits one person to all basic activities and exhibits at Gary Con during regularly scheduled hours for the day or days specified on the badge. Some designated activities may require payment of a separate, additional fee. By accepting a badge and in consideration for being admitted to Gary Con, the holder consents to being recorded (by audio and/or visual means) for exhibition and exploitation by any means in all media, including without limitation the Internet, worldwide in perpetuity. The badge holder releases Gary Con (Good Omen Productions) from any liability for loss or damage to persons or property, infringement of any right, or any other claim or course of action of any kind; authorizes and permits Gary Con (Good Omen Productions) and its designees, which includes but is not limited to all sponsors, exhibitors, and contractors, to use and authorize the use of his or her name, voice, likeness, and all reproductions thereof by any means and in all media now and hereafter known, including without limitation the Internet, for all purposes worldwide in perpetuity; and agrees to comply with all the rules and regulations of the convention. Gary Con (Good Omen Productions) reserves the right to deny entry or remove from the convention facilities any person who in its sole and absolute discretion is behaving or threatening to behave in a manner which it reasonably considers to be disruptive.
Weapons and items that appear to be weapons are not allowed at Gary Con. Self-defense, recreational and utility items such as knives, tasers, pepper spray, BB guns, cap guns, air-soft weapons, paintball guns, water guns, martial arts weaponry, including wooden practice weapons, etc., are not welcome, even if it is lawful to own and carry them in other public places. Off-duty security and military personnel are not allowed to bring their weapons to Gary Con. Items resembling futuristic weapons, fantasy weapons, and non-projectile boffer weapons may be allowed provided they are not handled in a careless, threatening, or destructive manner against persons or property. Questionable items can be brought to the Gary Con HQ in the convention center during operating hours to be checked for compliance with this policy. Some events may provide exceptions to this policy under strict circumstances defined by that event. Items purchased in the Exhibit Hall which violate this policy must be wrapped and immediately removed from the convention premises. 20th and 21st century uniforms may not be worn as costumes. These include any uniform that can be construed as a military uniform from any country or a uniform worn in an official capacity, such as security guard, police officer, deputy, fire marshal, paramedic, etc. Active duty military personnel are permitted to wear their government-issued uniforms. Gary Con Event Staff or venue security personnel may inspect any item or costume, or request that an attendee remove a mask, at any time during the convention. Failure to comply with these policies and/or the instructions of Gary Con Event Staff or security personnel may result in immediate removal from the convention without refund.
Real firearms are not allowed at Gary Con. This includes those attendees who maintain a concealed carry weapons permit from any state. Attendees who choose to ignore this policy may be asked to leave the convention and may have their badge revoked.
We are the sole owners of the information collected on this site. We only have access to/collect information that you voluntarily give us via email or other direct contact from you. We will not sell or rent this information to anyone. We will use your information to respond to you, regarding the reason you contacted us. We will not share your information with any third party outside of Gary Con or our venue, other than the below.
All purchases of Gary Con merchandise, including badges and event tickets, are final. No refunds are issued for any reason unless expressly stated in writing in advance.
If an event has been canceled, please see the Gary Con HQs desk for further instructions. If there was an event fee there may be a refund, however the vast majority of events are at no charge. So we will help identify available alternatives for you using the event listing on tabletop.events.
Thank you for being a part of the celebration at Gary Con! By choosing to submit, run, or organize an event at Gary Con, you: - Will abide by all venue policies. - Will abide by all of Gary Con’s policies. - Understand that running an event does not make you a Gary Con employee or contractor. - Understand that consequences may occur as a result of violating Gary Con policies. - Agree that the purpose of running gaming events at Gary Con is to provide a fun and entertaining experience to attendees. - Agree to ensure the safety of you and your players. - Agree to follow all directions of Gary Con staff and management.
All event space is reserved for organized events unless it is clearly marked as “Open Gaming”. Any unauthorized event will be removed at management’s discretion. If there are problems or questions about a table assignment, do not attempt to fix it yourself. Please contact a Gary Con staff or volunteer to assist. You are responsible for the security of all items you bring to your game. If any special care is necessary, please contact a Gary Con staff to make arrangements. Gary Con assumes no liability for lost or stolen items. If there is a reason that your game cannot be run, contact a Gary Con staff member immediately so the game can be canceled.
As stated above, when you agree to run any event at Gary Con for our attendees you are doing so with the express understanding that you are running said event in a way to provide a fun and entertaining experience for our attendees. This does not include providing “shocking” or “horrifying” experiences in a game. When submitting a game, please make sure to engage the appropriate age range selection for your expected players. Adult themed games are appropriate for adults. If you do plan on running a game that contains adult themes, it is incumbent upon each and every GM to provide a full explanation of the adult situations contained in your game in the body of the game’s event description. There simply cannot be any room for surprises when it comes to subjects that might be offensive or objectionable to our attendees. To be absolutely clear on this subject, themes, scenarios, or encounters based on graphic violence and/or sexual content is never appropriate for a gaming event at Gary Con. This includes descriptions of rape, extreme violence, or extreme cruelty. Please let common sense be your guide in this. Some matters that might be acceptable in a home game involving consenting adults are not acceptable at a gaming convention. Violations of these edicts are violations of our policies and can result in immediate expulsion without refund as well as a permanent ban from any and all future Gary Con events and activities.
You should arrive at your table at least 5 minutes prior to start time to greet your players and wipe down the table and chairs with cleaning solution. If your designated table is in use, contact a staff member or volunteer to get assistance. Do not attempt to move your game to another table/location as this may affect other games. All players must have a valid game Player, GM, Exhibitor or Guest badge to play in the event. We encourage walk-ups to play in events as long as you can fit them into your game smoothly. Display the green table placard to show that you are accepting walk-ups. Display the red table placard to show you are not accepting additional players. Please don’t allow spectator badges to play in your events.
For virtual gaming, put in a fresh reboot on your devices, including your router well in advance of the con. Make sure your audio is working. Having a good headset can greatly improve everyone's experience in the channel.
Check that all players are wearing valid badges during all games, and wearing a mask over their nose and mouths. You need to be wearing a valid badge as well. If players or GMs are found to not be wearing valid badges, they will be warned and if necessary, removed or the game may be canceled. Games should run as they were represented in the initial submission. No changes can be made without prior approval from the Gary Con staff. This includes start/end time, location and content. If any changes are necessary, contact a staff member. If there are any problems with disruptive players or security issues, contact the nearest Gary Con staff member.
You should finish your game at least 10 minutes before the next scheduled time slot to allow the next GM to set-up. Clean up your space and wipe down the table with cleaning solution. The area should be left as you found it. If you see areas of concern (trash, broken chairs/tables, spills), please contact a 1Gary Con staff member. Please ensure that the table placard and holder that was present on your table at the beginning of your game is present and clearly visible at the end of your game.
Our GMs will have a place of their own to relax, get some refreshments and prepare their games at Grand Geneva. The lounge is reserved for GMs that run events at Gary Con and have the appropriate marker on their badge to access the space. There will be snacks and beverages available for consumption in the lounge only. If you have any questions, please contact Director of Operations, Mike Noe at Mike@GaryCon.com. You may also contact Co-Director of Events, Skip Williams at Skip@GaryCon.com.
We understand that sometimes unforeseen events cause a GM to miss their game and deeply appreciate the hundreds of skilled GMs that run events for everyone’s enjoyment. We want to encourage timely communication and dissuade people from “no showing” the people that signed up to play in their events. If you as a GM realize that you have an issue that will prevent you from running an event as scheduled, please contact us immediately. Gary Con expects every GM to contact the staff and inform us of a cancellation as soon as they know that they will miss or cancel the event. For issues prior to the first day of Gary Con, please use, at a minimum, customerservice@garycon.com to inform us of the issue. Once Gary Con has commenced please report the issues to the personnel at convention headquarters in person. Any GM who, without proper notification, fails to show up for and run 2 or more of their scheduled events may have their current badge revoked and be banned from attending Gary Con in any capacity for a period of no less than one year. The length of the ban will be determined solely by the Gary Con management. We are compassionate human beings and will consider extenuating circumstances presented to us before enforcing a revocation or ban.
While participating in events held by Gary Con (Good Omen Productions, LLC), “social distancing” must be practiced whenever possible and face coverings worn at all times to reduce the risks of exposure to COVID- 19. Because COVID-19 is extremely contagious and is spread mainly from person-to-person contact, Gary Con (Good Omen Productions, LLC) has put in place preventative measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. However, we cannot guarantee that its participants, volunteers, exhibitors, Guests or others in attendance will not become infected with COVID-19. In light of the ongoing spread of COVID-19, individuals who fall within any of the categories below should not engage in events and/or other face to face activities at Gary Con. By attending Gary Con, you certify that you do not fall into any of the following categories:
Participants, Guests, exhibitors and volunteers agree to self-monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 (symptoms typically include fever, cough, and shortness of breath) and refrain from attending Gary Con if they suspect they may have COVID-19.
Gary Con is a very special event for the Gygax Family, their friends and our attendees. We are requiring that everyone agree to follow guidelines to help promote safety and reduce the spread of COVID-19. Help protect your Gaming Family by:
I acknowledge that I derive personal satisfaction and a benefit by virtue of my participation, attendance and/or voluntarism at Gary Con and I willingly engage in events and/or other activities (the “Activity”).
I HEREBY RELEASE, WAIVE AND FOREVER DISCHARGE ANY AND ALL LIABILITY, CLAIMS, AND DEMANDS OF WHATEVER KIND OR NATURE AGAINST GARY CON (GOOD OMEN PRODUCTIONS, LLC) AND ITS AFFILIATED PARTNERS AND SPONSORS, INCLUDING IN EACH CASE, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THEIR MEMBERS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, VOLUNTEERS, AND AGENTS (THE “RELEASED PARTIES”), EITHER IN LAW OR IN EQUITY, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMISSIBLE BY LAW, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES OR LOSSES CAUSED BY THE NEGLIGENCE, FAULT OR CONDUCT OF ANY KIND ON THE PART OF THE RELEASED PARTIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO DEATH, BODILY INJURY, ILLNESS, ECONOMIC LOSS OR OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES, OR LOSS OR DAMAGE TO PROPERTY, WHICH I, MY HEIRS, ASSIGNEES, NEXT OF KIN AND/OR LEGALLY APPOINTED OR DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVES, MAY HAVE OR WHICH MAY HEREINAFTER ACCRUE ON MY BEHALF, WHICH ARISE OR MAY HEREAFTER ARISE FROM MY PARTICIPATION WITH THE ACTIVITY.
I acknowledge and understand the following:
I acknowledge the health risks associated with the Activity, including but not limited to transient dizziness, lightheaded, fainting, nausea, muscle cramping, musculoskeletal injury, joint pains, sprains and strains, heart attack, stroke, or sudden death. I agree that if I experience any of these or any other symptoms during the Activity, I will discontinue my participation immediately and seek appropriate medical attention. I DO HEREBY RELEASE AND FOREVER DISCHARGE THE RELEASED PARTIES FROM ANY CLAIM WHATSOEVER WHICH ARISES OR MAY HEREAFTER ARISE ON ACCOUNT OF ANY FIRST AID, TREATMENT, OR SERVICE RENDERED IN CONNECTION WITH MY PARTICIPATION IN THE ACTIVITY. As a participant, exhibitor, Guest, volunteer, or attendee, You recognize that your participation, involvement and/or attendance at Gary Con events or activities (“Activity”) is voluntary and may result in personal injury (including death) and/or property damage. By attending, observing or participating in the Activity, You acknowledge and assume all risks and dangers associated with your participation and/or attendance at the Activity, and You agree that: (a) Good Omen Productions, LLC (b) the property or site owner of the Activity, and (c) all past, present and future affiliates, successors, assigns, employees, volunteers, vendors, partners, members, and officers, of such entities (subsections (a) through (c), collectively, the “Released Parties”), will not be responsible for any personal injury (including death), property damage, or other loss suffered as a result of your participation in, attendance at, and/or observation of the Activity, regardless if any such injuries or losses are caused by the negligence of any of the Released Parties (collectively, the “Released Claims”). BY ATTENDING AND/OR PARTICIPATING IN THE ACTIVITY, YOU ARE DEEMED TO HAVE GIVEN A FULL RELEASE OF LIABILITY TO THE RELEASED PARTIES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.