I had an idea I wanted to throw out there. (It is actually two different versions of one idea, we could do one or both or none. My feelings won't be hurt if nobody is interested.) This assumes that we can actually make Stratcon happen. It is part of the plan that at the end of each day (I have to keep working in the office) I would go to Stratcon and be available to talk to anyone about anything until nobody else wants to talk to me, then I would go home.

The idea of the Intensive Rulebook Revision plan would be to revise the SELECTED rulebook DURING Stratcon with every attendee who helps revise it leaving with a free copy of the revised rulebook. It would theoretically be possible to do two rulebooks during Stratcon by using the two methods, but I don't really want to even think about trying for three or all four.

For context, the process to turn an old rulebook into a new rulebook is as follows:

1. I take the text files out of the old rulebook and reformat them. I would get that done for one book, the SELECTED book, before Stratcon.

2. We have a COLLECTION file consisting of the CapLog Q&A and R&R files. Every time we do a Captain's Log the Q&A/R&E stuff goes into this file. This file is then sorted by the relevant rule numbers and moved to the ORGANIZED file. (FEAR woul need to send me the stuff for "the next captain's log.") I would get this done before Stratcon.

PLAN THE FIRST: Every day during Stratcon I would go to my desk and mostly work on revising whichever rulebook had been picked, starting at the first of the ORGANIZED file and processing the rule numbers for the SELECTED book. At the end of the work day I would print some copies of whatever sections I had revised and take them to Stratcon and leave them laying on a designated end table in the corner. I would pick up the marked up copies of the previous day's sections (noting the marks on them) and put them in my car. After talking with anyone about anything (including the revised book) I would go home. Repeat every day and by the end of the week nobody has found anything else for me to fix and the SELECTED book is now fully revised and goes on the PDF stores and becomes available for sale.

PLAN THE SECOND: A few staffers/players take an entire day away from their games and come to the office at 9am. I would have been here since 8am. They would sit in the conference room, noticing printed copies of the first sections I had revised in the printer. They would then discuss them, mark them up, and slide them under my door (or just walk in and hand them to me, or ask me to come sit at the table and chat about them). Meanwhile I would keep working on the revisions (and nothing else for that day; anything any of my employees want would wait for the next day) and every few minutes the printer would grrrrr and out would come the pages of the next rule which I had revised. Sometimes I would revise the next rule and sometimes I would revise the rule pages that were slipped under my door. About 10pm we have one complete revised book. I print copies the next day and they get put on the PDF stores and shopping cart.

If we did both things you could all leave with two of the four rulebooks complete revised and updated. Having never done this I am not going to predict we could do a third book but if things go better than expected I would be willing to try, assuming my nerves aren't shot.

If, however, that sounds like work and you don't want to do work during fun time then I will work on GURPS GORNS that week and do the revisions next year.

By Thomas Mathews (Turtle) on Wednesday, March 17, 2021 - 07:28 am: Edit

Due to my current unemployment situation I will most likely not be able to attend. This would be true even if I find employment in the DFW, OKC or Tulsa areas as my better half and I would like to be closer to my mom.

By Jean Sexton Beddow (Jsexton) on Wednesday, March 17, 2021 - 12:32 pm: Edit

Unemployment in Amarillo is very low, and businesses are opening up here. Amazon is building a warehouse, a cheese factory is going in, and I get notices for available management jobs on a semi-regular basis.