Games Submissions Gaelcon 2009

Gaelcon is gearing up for it’s 21st year, and currently we’re looking for fantastic RPGs and LARPS that are up to the high standards that we have set in previous year - in fact forget that! We want games that will make previous years’ games look positively mediocre (a difficult challenge I know, but I am sure you are up to it). If you think that you are capable of writing a game that is up to our high standards please send us your submission.

This year we would like to run games that represent the dichotomy of the old and the new. Whichever side you want your game to represent (old, new or somewhere in between) is entirely up to you. If you’re interested in submitting a game, please send the details asked for below to us at: submissions@gaelcon.com.

The deadline for receipt of these submissions is May 31st. It may seem like a long time from now, but the sooner you get your submission in the better. Your final scenario should remain reasonably accurate to the submission but we accept that changes can occur during the writing process.

The deadline for receipt of completed submissions is the 30th September. We really would urge you to try and get your work done and finished by this date as it makes everyone’s life (yours included) much, much easier. Things are much more pleasant and enjoyable when you do not have the RPGs and LARPs coordinators hounding you for a game that you have promised but haven't delivered.

For our RPG writers, we will once again be running our Writer’s Award. Entry to the Writer’s Award is only applicable to those scenarios accepted by Gaelcon and which are completed and submitted before the 30th of September. Our Roleplaying Games Coordinators will be the judges, and their decision is final.

What we need from you:

1. A synopsis of Your Game.

What is your game about? What are the driving forces in it? What kind of plot line do you envision it having? What system (if any) is it for? Think of this as your sales pitch. Explain not only the plot, but try and give us an idea of what makes your idea different from everyone else’s.

2. 100 Word Promo for Program.

This blurb will be the public face of your game. Use it to entice players to play your scenario. There is an upper limit of 100 words for this, so you will have to think carefully about how to utilise it to best effect.

3. 50 Word Promo for Flyer.

Once the timetable has been finalised (i.e. after May 31st), Gaelcon releases a flyer which people can use to pre-book events. We will need a paragraph of no more than 50 words to promote your game in the flyer. Once again, bear in mind that those who are pre-booking will be influenced by your blurb, so think carefully about how to achieve maximum impact!

4. Contact Details.

Name, email address and phone number. If you have MSN/Yahoo IM/Googlechat, that you are willing to provide, we would love to get that too.



5. GMs.

You will need to include the names and contact details of two other people who are willing to GM your game over the weekend. Gaelcon is always desperately short of GMs for games and people are often press ganged to GM at short notice. This doesn’t do the game you’ve worked so hard on any favours. Having GMs who’ve read the scenario and had the opportunity to prepare for the game can only make for a better game.

In general we run our tabletop games(RPGs) for 5 players, but on rare occasions that just doesn’t work out. If you feel that your game would work with an extra couple of bodies at each table, let us know.

For several reasons, we recommend that Larps have no more than 25 participants and no fewer than 12. This information is necessary though to ensure “big” games are not timetabled alongside each other.

We try to keep all our games running in or around the three hour mark, as it allows players to partake in the maximum number of games over the weekend (while keeping our GM team vaguely sane) . If you feel your game would benefit from a different length of slot, let us know how long and why. Please don’t rely on a longer slot when compiling your submission, as there is no guarantee that we will be able to fit you in.

Space and Special Requirements.

We need to know if your game needs control of lights, sound, etc. We cannot promise to meet these requirements but for now we need to know what those expenses/requirements may be.

Once you have put together your submission you can either email it to the RPG and LARP coordinators at: submissions@gaelcon.com

If you’re a fan of snail mail you can post it to: Gaelcon 2009, PO Box 4345, Dublin 1, Ireland.

All submissions should be posted in time to arrive not later than May 31st. Any queries should also be sent to the above addresses. We will get back to everybody who sends a submission to let them know that we’ve received it, and we will contact you to inform you if your game is running at Gaelcon shortly after the closing date.

Final scenarios for those games which are accepted will be set a deadline of 30th September 2009. The RPG co-ordinators regret that they cannot guarantee that games not submitted before the 30th of September deadline will be run.

Thanks in advance to everyone who takes the time to put in a proposal!

Graham Tormey

RPGs and LARPs Coordinator

Gaelcon 2009