The Gamer Traveler Blogcast

Ben Bertrandt from the blog Ben’s RPG Pile (Twitter: @BensRPGpile) has put up on his site a post on his packing tips for Gen Con. These aren’t your usual travel packing tips, being tailor-made for traveling to this con (or really, any other large convention) and addressing the unique needs of gamers. Take a look at this video version of his tips:

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Overall I like his tips, especially where they address questions like, “How do I take this new miniature I got back home without squishing it?” I am personally not a fan of energy food items, which Ben does recommend, but if they float your boat, by all means go for it; just do remember to eat at least one good, solid, balanced meal a day or you’re gonna crash so hard that you’ll wake up in time for Gen Con 2012.

The most important tip Ben gives, and one I agree with wholeheartedly, is this: Pack light on the way there, you’ll need the space on the way back. Seriously folks, there’s no need to lug on the plane your entire collection of boardgames/miniature armies/collectible card games/role playing games/etc. Take what you need only. If you can take it on PDF, even better (role players, I’m looking at you – I don’t want to see anyone lugging their entire D&D 4th Edition collection on their backs). If you’re running a game, prep at home and make a scenario pack with copies of just the stuff you’ll need. Your back will thank you, the rest of the attendees will thank you, the airlines will thank you, your wallet will thank you. (Exception: if you’re driving, you’ve got a bit more leeway in the storage department, but still, keep it manageable.)

Thanks to Ben for his packing tips (and also for that graphic, which I totally borrowed from his site). See you all at Gen Con.