Gen Con Online 2022 DM Sign-up
Welcome! Thanks in advance for your interest in DM’ing at Gen Con 2022 for Baldman Games. Without DMs and helpers like you, shows like this would not exist. I’ve always said that even when you’re DM’ing you’re gaming, and that is never a bad way to spend the day. We’ve drummed up some of the best benefits we can to entice you to swap over to the dark side of the DM’s screen.
Please Note: This show is different than last year. Please read things completely before completing your DM application.
DM’ing is a great way to give back to your hobby, and we have some really great rewards that make helping out even easier – and it’s a great way to attend the show and save some serious $$. You can earn a free badge to the show, or event a spot in one of our hotel rooms next to the convention center (a huge perk this year). It is also a great way to make new friends and immerse yourself in the show community, more than a casual attendee ever could. Our DM pool organizes events most nights of the show to help build camaraderie and let everyone blow off some steam after a long day of gaming. Our judge retention rate is extremely high, so fair warning: Once you work for us, you’ll probably come back and do it again next year.
Now for some show terminology:
- Badge Level: All DM’s earn a badge for Online Gen Con by doing at least one slot.
- Slot: This one confuses a lot of people and is a very old term from the RPGA days. A slot is the same as saying a shift. In the case of Gen Con 2021, a slot is four hours long. Every event and day is put together using slots so events line-up nicely, start and end at the same time in relation to each other, and help you put together a schedule that fits your needs easy as possible. The slots are numbered so the first slot on Thursday at 9am is called Slot One. The last slot that runs from noon to 4pm on Sunday is Slot 11.
- Slot Zero: So if the first slot is called Slot One then what the heck is Slot Zero? Slot Zero is any game that runs before the show itself, allowing our DMs to see a game they will later from the player’s perspective. Usually these are done so DMs can prepare to run a better game. Seeing things from a player’s perspective then preparing it is a huge help for some. Sometimes these are also special DM-only events done as rewards for them helping out. Regardless of whether you get to play an event before the show or not, you are always expected to be prepared when the show starts and it is game time.
- Judges: “Judge” is just a fancy word for “DM.” It is a remnant from a bygone era, but we are so used to saying it that sometimes it slips through. If we say “judge,” we mean “DM or other type of gamemaster.”
Now on to some event specifics:
- The D&D eXPerience @ Gen Con: This is our premiere experience event at Gen Con. Players in this event get a set DM, table, and show exclusive content. This event is run by our established, best-of-the-best DMs. In order to be considered for this, you must be a Level 3 or higher DM in the Herald’s Guild program (see www.heraldsguild.com for more details). If you are new, this is the event you want to be running. The top of the D&D DM mountain. Do 2-3 shows for us and knock our socks off, and you to can be part of this awesome group.
- D&D Adventure League Event: This is our standard four-hour event at the show. Perfect for new and experienced DMs. It is set to run in about 3 1/2 hours so you have a little time at the end to gather up your stuff, hit the bathroom or food court really quick, and get back for your next slot (or if your last slot for the day run to the Dealer’s Hall).
- D&D Fast Play Event: This is our two-hour (90 minutes of play) fast-play event. It is still a four-hour shift of work, but in that you will run it twice. It is fast-paced and a lot of fun. It is sometimes interactive. Which means several tables around you could be working along side your table towards some kind of group goal. It makes for a fun time and is very popular at the show. It is great for newer DMs as preparing a one hour mini-event is a lot easier then a four hour one.
Well, hopefully that was helpful in getting you up to speed on what we are about and how you can help us help you. Now on to the nitty-gritty details that hopefully will now make more sense to you.
For 2022 everything at the show (outside of HQ staff) works on 4-hour shifts. This means the show has 11 slots from start to finish as listed below.
| Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slot 1: 9am-1pm | Slot 4: 9am-1pm | Slot 7: 9am-1pm | Slot 10: 8am-noon |
| Slot 2: 2pm-6pm | Slot 5: 2pm-6pm | Slot 8: 2pm-6pm | Slot 11: Noon-4pm |
| Slot 3: 7pm-11pm | Slot 6: 7pm-11pm | Slot 9: 7pm-11pm | |
Benefits:
Payment: We pay all of our DM’s and HQ staff. You’re doing work – you deserve to get paid. How you get paid and where it goes is a decision left to you.
- Paid to DM: You will be paid per ticketed, seated, and confirmed player at the table per the payment schedule below. This payment will happen approximately 6-8 weeks after the conclusion of the show once Baldman Games is paid by Gen Con.
Pay Schedule for Gen Con Online 2021:
- 2-hour Intro events – $4 per ticketed and seated player
- 4-hour standard AL event – $8 per ticketed and seated player
- D&D eXPerience – $10 per ticketed and seated player (per play session)