Game-itoba is very proud of the work put in by the community for the community at the events, and a key part of this is the work carried out by our volunteer GM (or Game Masters).

What does a GM do?

Our GMs run all kinds of events, this might be, any of the following:

• Host a board game where they take on the role of a facilitator, helping teach everybody at the table how to play one of their favourite games.
• Be the Dungeon Master/Game Master/Storyteller/Referee in a short 1-2 or 3-4 hour ‘one-shot’ style Tabletop Roleplaying Game (TTRPG).
• Bring a Wargame/Miniatures game, all of the scenery and miniatures for others to play, whilst you take on the role as a mentor.
• Bring a tabletop hobby related crafting activity and the components for somebody to take home what they made. As well as the exceptionally popular ‘paint and take’ sponsored by The Army Painter we have also had GMs run workshops with Hirst Arts Moulds and sessions on how to make treasure/objective tokens for miniatures games.
• Or even something entirely different related to tabletop gaming. We love to hear new ideas.

What makes a good GM?

There are so many things you can do to make your players experience a great one. Here are some key points:

• Come prepared and assume your players may be new to the game.
  • Know your game well. Consider preparing handouts and cheat sheets for the players, if they would be helpful.
  • For complicated games, think in advance about how you will introduce key concepts of the game.
    Take a look at any tutorial videos from the publisher for ideas to steal on how to explain complicated concepts.
  • Consider house-rules that might simplify particularly awkward parts of the game that are hard to pick up on the first pass.
• Make sure you have a good idea of how long a game can take. We organise Game-itoba in ‘slots’ that are 1 hour long.
  • Many games take more than an hour to introduce & play, so please plan to run games across multiple slots.
  • If a game is shorter, you could consider running multiple rounds or perhaps play multiple different games as a group in that slot or slots.
• Be there to teach and share. If you do find yourself playing the game in order to teach and share your love for it (or meet that important ‘minimum fun player’ threshold), it’s great in those circumstances to focus your role on teaching and helping others who may be very new to the game.
• Focus on making sure everyone around the table is having fun, engaged and learning.
• And as always don’t forget Wheaton’s Law.

By all means get in touch with us if you would like help and advice, info@game-itoba.ca or gm@game-itoba.ca. Another great resource on how to introduce people to new games is the book “The Civilized Guide to Tabletop Gaming” by Teri Litorco.

Do I get anything for being a GM?

Absolutely yes you do.

For every ‘slot’ in which you run a game, you will get one ticket for our volunteer prize draw.
The content of the draw is still to be determined but we expect this will generally be at least a $600 value in total. It may be split across a number of prizes so that more of our GMs can be winners!

Note: The Game-itoba team and their partners/significant other(s), who run a huge number of games for us as well as providing significant logistical support through the year, are not eligible for these benefits.

This draw is intended for GMs who volunteer some, or in many cases, much of their convention time helping others learn their favourite games.

Do I also get a free pass?

Unfortunately, it is not possible for us to give free passes to the event for GMs. While we know some larger conventions can give away free passes for a half-day volunteering for them, given the nature of our event and space constraints, it is just not possible for us to do the same.

We hope that you agree that our volunteer prize draw is a great incentive to reward those GMs who are kind enough to help out.

How do I become a GM?

Make sure you have read this document, as well as our policies and are comfortable with their contents.

You can give us this information by filling in this form after buying your badge, we can then review your submission and once reviewed it will be added to the game schedule.

If you need to give us your games before buying your badge or have any questions, contact gm@game-itoba.ca

Equipment and power

We recognize the rising trend in integrating technology into games and while we are excited by this we want to make sure our policy is clear. Due to the nature of the facilities we use (and to minimize chances of Decepticon attack), we cannot guarantee access to power. We encourage the use of battery packs and other self contained power sources where possible.

To ensure sure that all attendees have a great time and are not negatively impacted by technology use we have the further policies below.

• We require that any cords be approved by our facilities team before use.
• Music, sound effects and other audio equipment must be kept at a normal speaking volume to only be heard at your own table. We reserve the right to ask audio not be used.
• Flashing and strobing lights are strictly prohibited.
• Wifi and Internet connectivity is at the discretion of the facility and not under the control of Game-Itoba. We cannot guarantee access, speed or usage.
• Giant robot duels should be kept to an approved outdoor area.
• If you are unsure of your setup or have any special needs please be sure to inform us when signing up to run games (either through our GM sign up form or through email).

I’m a Game Developer and I want to demo my game.

We are always excited to support the local developer & designer community! We work closely with both Manitoba Game Designers and independent local designers to help the design community highlight & playtest their creations.

Most developers find our regular GM signup & schedule meets their needs, but we still have a few special things to add:

• When you add your games to the schedule let us know and we mark these in the description making you easier to find.  If you are offering a play-test session please make sure to mark that so people signing up know what to expect.
• We also have “local designers here” standees at the con to put on your table to make you easier to find.

Please reach out by email to info@game-itoba.ca in advance if you need a dedicated space or you:

• Want to offer rolling or walk-up demo/play-test (rather than scheduling in slots)
• Are looking to sell merch, or games you publish or have designed

Any other questions?

Email us at info@game-itoba.ca or gm@game-itoba.ca with any questions.