In case anyone missed this on the Email Update. Here are the Rules and Policies for our convention. Gary Con Rules and Policies Purchase and Refund Policy All purchases of Gary Con merchandise, including badges or any other item or service are final. No refunds are issued for any reason. Anti-Harassment Policy 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 tolerate harassment in any form. Discriminatory language and imagery (including sexual) is not appropriate for any venue, including our digital community such as the Gary Con forums, social media sites or email. Gary Con staff have both the power and the duty to investigate all reported incidents of harassment and to remove confirmed harassers from Gary Con venues both physical and virtual. Harassment is understood as any behavior that threatens another person or group or produces an unsafe or uninclusive environment. It includes offensive verbal comments or non-verbal expressions related to gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, religious beliefs, sexual or discriminatory images in public spaces (including online), deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing/unauthorized photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention. CONFLICT RESOLUTION 1. Initial Incident If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please first consider informing the offender that the speech or behavior is problematic and that you would like them to stop. Oftentimes, the offending behavior is unintentional, and the accidental offender and offended will resolve the incident by ceasing the behavior and/or apologizing. If you believe that bringing up the incident with the offender will have negative professional consequences for you or will only lead to further offenses, then please inform a staff member, volunteer or hotel security about the incident. 2. list text here Escalation If the offender insists that he/she did not offend, or if the offender continues the harassment after being asked to stop, then you will need a third party to step in. Find a staff member, volunteer or hotel security and let them know about the incident. If you are on the Gary Con forums, or social media site please email us at [email protected]. 3. Investigation Gary Con staff will investigate any reported incidents of harassment, seeking private accounts of the incident from all concerned parties. SANCTIONS 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. Specific sanctions may include but are not limited to: warning the harasser to cease their behavior and that any further reports will result in other sanctions requiring that the harasser avoid any interaction with, and physical proximity to, their victim for the remainder of the event requiring that the harasser immediately leave Gary Con and not return not allowing a person who violated the policy to attend future Gary Cons ending immediately any event responsibilities and privileges the harasser holds and requiring that the harasser not attend future Gary Cons (either indefinitely or for a certain time period) publishing an account of the harassment Gary Con staff will help participants contact hotel security and 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 sites. Ethics and Conduct Any of the following will be grounds for expulsion from the Gary Con without refund: Violating any federal, state or local laws, facility rules or Con policies Failure to comply with the instructions of Gary Con Event Staff or security personnel Using anything in a threatening or destructive manner against person or property Endangering the safety of oneself or others Threatening, stealing, cheating or harassing others Sleeping in any of the event spaces Consuming any outside food or beverage items in the Gary Con event spaces If at any time during our show you feel unsafe or feel you were subjected to harassing conduct, please locate a staff member and your concerns will be addressed promptly. Event Cancellations If an event has been cancelled, please see the Registration Desk for further instructions. Most events are no fee and walk ons are encouraged. You are welcome to review the event list and find available seats for walk on game play. Lost or Misplaced Badges and Event Tickets We cannot replace lost, stolen or forgotten badges and/or event tickets Please be responsible with your Gary Con materials. Lost, stolen or forgotten items must be re-purchased at full cost. It is recommended 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, LLC) assumes no responsibility for lost, stolen or forgotten materials. Pick Up All badges and tickets at Con HQs. Waiver of Liability The purchase of a Gary Con badge admits one person to all basic activities and exhibits at Gary Con during regularly scheduled hours for the day(s) it is purchased. Some designated activities may require payment of a separate, additional fee. In 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, LLC) 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, LLC) and its designees which includes but is not limited to all sponsors, exhibitors and contractors to use and authorize the use of his/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 Event. Gary Con (Good Omen Productions, LLC) reserves the right to deny entry or remove from the Event 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 of the Gary Con.
I find the policy on outside food pretty draconian (ok, if I can’t use that word here, where can I?). I have brought snacks the last two years and seen many others doing the same. It’s all stuff unlike what’s available from tableside service (healthier or just different). It hasn’t stopped me from buying 6-8 meals from tableside. I find strong encouragement of tableside totally fine, and I think almost everyone wants to support the con. But when it turns into a rigid mandate, it strikes me as downright inhospitable.
What constitutes outside food? Can I bring in food I bought on the property? Am I going to get kicked out of the Con for bringing a coffee that I bought in the hotel lobby to by 8am game?
The food issue buries the lede. Apparently, by paying to attend GaryCon, I've licensed my likeness in perpetuity to any exhibitor who may wish to use it for any purpose, by any means?
EOTB makes a good point. However, in the statement "Consuming any outside food or beverage items in the Gary Con event spaces" could we get a clearer definition of "outside" and "event spaces?" Given that event spaces would seemingly include hallways, does "event spaces" mean everywhere outside my room? Given that I can make hotel coffee in my room as part of my hotel fee, do you mean I can't take that to a game? Or as stated above, I can't take a coffee from the coffee shop to a game? Are you really saying I can't eat a granola bar at a gaming table or have my own bottled water? ...seems a bit much, a little silly.
I was a bit worried until I saw Luke's comment about maintaining consistent enforcement, year-over-year.
I am sure the statement had to be made to cover GaryCon legally.. go about what you did in the past or if new, follow someone else's lead Simply, do not abuse the hotel buy carrying in large sandwiches to be consumed at the gaming table. I think that one water is gong to be overlooked but a case of water at your table will not... and if their is a mention of it because you abused it, stop doing it. Above all use common sense
I would assume "event spaces" means gaming rooms, lobby areas, seminar space, and obviously bar and restaurant. Now bringing outside food into a bar or restaurant has always been forbidden, but event spaces? I see no reason for such a restrictive policy: the convention has routinely met its food and drink minimums easily, and it is a profitable show. Guys like me don't eat burgers and fries: I'll have a bento box, naan, noodles, etc. I do buy a lot of beer at the convention, but I don't want to pay $25-35 a person for a buffet that consists of mac-and-cheese, iceberg lettuce, and fried chicken. I am thin for a reason. Now the Grand Geneva might be pushing this, in which case the organizers need to push back. We are filling that hotel to capacity and drinking an ocean of beer in the process. The Geneva is in no position to start playing hard ball with the attendees and organizers. makes me long for the old space again ...
Btw, many of us have focused on the small aspects of the rules that are irksome to us. But I wanted to say I appreciate the clear and thorough anti-harassment stance embodied in the policy. Well done.
I appreciate that with so many people getting upset about the fine print, no one mentioned that the second point of Conflict resolution starts with "list text here"
Note that this is a venue restriction, and Luke has mentioned in the FB group that this restriction existed in our prior venue as well.
Lol, thanks for busting my chops! It’s in the TTE news update form when you want to number things. It wasn’t working with my cut and paste.
Hi Guys, Sorry for taking awhile to reply here. As others noted and as I replied on FB. The policies are almost exactly the same as last year. The Anti-harassment has a bit more clarity. The food policies are the same as GC VIII and IX. And the last venue, Geneva Ridge, also prohibited outside food and beverage. I don’t believe anyone is looking to take away your ability to have a water bottle or a protein bar at the table. If you wish to eat a sandwich or pizza you should do that in your room or other space open to the general public. Gary Con event spaces are the ball rooms and rooms contracted to play events (basically everything but the lobby, shops and restaurants). The hotel staff have not, to my knowledge, confronted anyone at Gary Con about outside food. So please be discreet, take your litter to the trash bin and enjoy yourselves. With all that said, please do use the table side service for your meals. And I will see you all very soon in Lake Geneva!
The table side service is great. The food (esp. at the Grand Geneva) is good to excellent, and the pizzas are big enough to share. Just make sure they have enough LaCroix. Last year supplies were OK, but the first year we were there, I think I drank them ALL the first day. (the air can get really dry in there)
"The purchase of a Gary Con badge admits one person to all basic activities and exhibits at Gary Con during regularly scheduled hours for the day(s) it is purchased. Some designated activities may require payment of a separate, additional fee. In 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, LLC) 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, LLC) and its designees which includes but is not limited to all sponsors, exhibitors and contractors to use and authorize the use of his/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 Event. Gary Con (Good Omen Productions, LLC) reserves the right to deny entry or remove from the Event 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 of the Gary Con." I'm reading this as allowing myself access to all video, recordings, photos, etc. Which will also allow my exploitation of such. Am I incorrect?
ya, it is a bit over reaching in the wording. we all signed up to put our well being in the hands of others. isn't that fun?
In the past, anyone taking video or photographs has always been very respectful of people who don't want to be recorded or photographed. I expect that will not change.
I don't recall the group making the video thing about Pokorny asking me or the group I was in if it was ok to take a video of us when they panned the room. I think that was GC 7. My problem with the media portion is that it isn't just limited to promotional purposes for the Con but allows anyone in that list to do anything in any media forever. No bueno.
I was referring people in individual shots or when they come up to a table. I've seen them panning a room for crowd/establishing shots. I doubt anyone is going to film a game and NOT stop if the GM/players ask them to. It'd be way too easy to render the footage unusable.
