Tri Harder for GenCon

Three days to go before GenCon. The current crisis besides me needing to do my laundry is that all of the gaming clique's events at the event were defaulted towards "electronic ticketing" without any notice. The PeryPubber event manager dutifully posted a YouTub video explaining how easy it is for everyone to download and use their data-mining engine, err app, and how helpful it will be for staff to do even less work err with efficiency. He then noticed that this might be a problem for any of us without smart phones. Guess who doesn't have a personal smart phone? I have one for work, but I don't feel the need for yet another 3x4 (2x3?) screen in my personal life. Nor am I wild about downloading apps onto a device that can tell so much about me to perfect strangers just to have fun at a convention.

I'd love a paperless society. I would, I really would. Of course my bank, grocery store, electrical company, and car dealer does not, nor do my bosses at work. This is even after everything I do with these entities is done electronically already. Considering they all make a great deal more money than me so there is a reason for this. To be fair to GenCon it is about reducing operational costs and increasing organizational efficiency. At the same time it is insulting to put the onus of data-compiling on the GM's (content providers') personal devices. Why is our gaming group having to work so hard for a room while we walk past dozens of desks with three to six people doing four to eight hour slots for free room and board? When they aren't counting tickets, they are taking too long to type at a computer that belongs to GenCon to point down hallways or explain what a bathroom sign looks like. How about opening some more room slots for content providers? 

That said, there isn't another convention that I know of where indy game makers get so much attention, perks, and sales. In the end, I have to deal with it.