Its official: my hair is already on fire, and its only November!

There's been a huge response to the call for registrations, and clearly a lot of eager gamers out there. Which means we need more games for them to play, especially in rounds one and two. If you'd like to fill that need, please, for the love of Vecna, fill out the game submission form.

(In past years there hasn't been such a rush, but clearly things are picking up again, which is great to see)

KapCon regular Dale Elvy is also a game designer and publisher, as Imaginary Empire games. He's willing to offer GM support, including posters, prizes, and printed materials for that session to anyone who wants to run an Imaginary Empire product at KapCon. In particular, games that are likely to work well in the KapCon format include:

• Arcane Crimes Division (fantasy detective stories)
  
• Soaring Lions (over-the-top professional wrestling)
  
• EPOCH (survival horror)
  
• Wicked Lies & Abilis (1930's Whodunnit)
  

Many of these games are KapCon favourites. If interested, contact imaginaryempiregames@gmail.com.

KapCon is currently preparing for its 2025 event. We're currently updating the website with the details, and I anticipate sending the initial plea for GMs in the next few days. But game submission is already open, so if you'd like to run a game, especially in round one or two, please log in and fill out the form.

I expect to spend the next two months trying to get games. Player registration will open once we have enough round one and two games to cope with our expected initial registrations. Normally that happens around the first week of November. More games will come in over November and December, and the timetable will be finalised in January. And then it's Wellington Anniversary Weekend and con time.

If you can't wait till then for your gaming fix, Roll For Hope is a lovely little con, which raises money for the Make A Wish Foundation. Or if you can go further afield, check out Convergence in Hamilton.

The printing has been done, so the con details are basicly locked. I can still take registrations and swap people into different games, and the admin desk will have all the details, but it won't be on the wall on Saturday morning. I'll close the registration form tomorrow.

Setup is tomorrow (Friday) at WHS from midday!

Setup involves carting the con gear down the elevator and along the halls, setting up the signage, arranging the rooms for gaming use, setting up the wall of games, and various other tasks. The more people who help out, the quicker it will go, so if you can, please turn up to help. Hopefully we can get through it in a couple of hours.

A few days out from the convention, and as usual we're needing just a few more games to make the timetable work. Currently we have:

• Round 1: 9 games, 49 spaces + 13 GOD, + megagame (24 free + megagame)
• Round 2: 9 games, 53 spaces + 15 GOD (25 free; 8 people from megagame to reallocate)
• Round 3: 9 games, 47 spaces + 15 GOD
• Round 4: 2 games, 10 spaces + 10 GOD
• Round 5: 8 games, 43 spaces + 9 GOD + adventure squad
• Round 6: 7 games, 38 spaces + 15 GOD + adventure squad
• Round 7: 3 games, 17 spaces + 4 GOD

Based on current anticipated numbers, it looks like we need:

• Round 1: 1 surge protection game (just in case)
• Round 2: 1 more game
• Round 3: 1 more game
• Round 4: 2 more games
• Round 5: 1 more game + 1 surge protection
• Round 6: 1 more games + 1 surge protection
• Round 7: 3 more games

If you can help with this, please fill out the "Run a Game!" form, or email kapcon@gmail.com.

As we are all aware, Covid is still a factor in our lives and as such, we'd like to lay out a few rules and guidelines to mitigate potential risk.

Do not attend if you feel unwell, have any cold/flu/covid symptoms, or have tested positive for COVID-19. If you attend while symptomatic, you will be asked to leave. Please don't make us do this, because it will be uncomfortable for everyone involved. If you are sick, stay home.

Don't worry about money or GMing - please don't spread Covid. We will refund you if you have to drop out due to illness - just flick us an email and let us know. If you are GMing a game, let us know, and we will cancel it and find some way to make the timetable work. People's health is the most important factor!

We encourage people to do a RAT test before attending KapCon, especially if you think you may have been exposed.
We won't be enforcing or monitoring it but appreciate the effort of attendees who do this this, as this reduces risk. You can still get free RAT tests here.

You are most than welcome to wear a mask and do what you need to feel comfortable. We won't be enforcing or monitoring mask use. You can be assured that anyone wearing a mask is doing so as a precaution, as anyone who is sick will not attend (or will be asked to leave).

If you become symptomatic after the convention, please let us know so we can let other people know.

We recognise that this may not meet everyone's risk threshold. If it doesn't, we look forward to seeing you in the future when you feel safe to do so.

We haven't had much luck with KapCon over the past few years, with Covid forcing cancellations in both 2022 and 2023. But we're trying again. KapCon 2024 is currently scheduled for Wellington Anniversary (January 20 and 21) weekend 2024. As before, we will cancel if it seems unsafe, but at present it looks like Covid numbers will be low enough for the con to proceed.

Currently we're contacting GMs and grovelling for games to build our initial timetable. If you'd like to help with this, please log in and fill out the run a game form. Once we have enough games for the first two rounds, we will open registrations. On our usual schedule, this happens in early November.

We know you've missed us. We've missed you too. Hopefully this year we'll finally get to play some games.

We hate to do this again, but with Covid numbers climbing again and the risk of a christmas wave we have decided it is irresponsible to hold KapCon in January. We were already seeing a number of our regular GMs and players concerned and unsure whether they would come, and that makes bookings difficult. We know everyone will find this disappointing, as do we, but we are looking at what we can do to bring back the event next year.

We are currently investigating an alternative date around easter. We will also be exploring options for a digital stream for members of our community who cannot attend in person and are taking advice from people who have attended digital conventions or been involved in running digital conventions. Please get in touch if you have input.

We would like to thank all our GMs, who continue to prepare games for us, even when events unfortunately get cancelled. And all the players that are excited for a chance to come along and catch up again. We are hopefully going to be seeing you all again soon and getting a chance to experience those great games.

Once we've finalised an alternate date, we'll be in touch.

Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 situation, we have reluctantly decided to cancel KapCon this year. At present it seems unlikely that case numbers will drop sufficiently by late January for Wellington to be in level Green, and we're expecting a leap in December.

This is obviously disappointing - the first time in over twenty years we have not run - but we would rather cancel than risk running an unsafe event. We'd also like to give people certainty now, rather than cancelling after they've made commitments and travel plans.

I'd like to thank all the GMs who offered early games. Hopefully you'll get a chance to run them (there are a couple of other roleplaying events planned for later in 2022, and I'm sure they'd love to see them).

KapCon will be back at the same time, same place, in 2023, if it is safe to do so. Hopefully we'll see you all then.

Because of the threat of Covid our con will be a bit different this year. The big change is that we're trying to limit mass gatherings on the main floor, which means limiting announcements. As part of this, we're not doing scoring or prizes this year, because that means prizegiving, which means everyone in a room cheering. While things are normalish in NZ, we're playing this on the safe side, and trying to avoid risk. We're also duplicating the game and timetable info - "the wall of games" - so people don't have to congregate in one place to see what's on.

There'll be a QR code on the upstairs entrance and on the main floor. Please scan in each day. We'll also have hand sanitiser in multiple areas so you can decontaminate. Our registration spreadsheet provides pretty good info for contact-tracing, but we're hoping no-one needs to use it for that purpose.

Obviously: if you are sick, please let us know by email or on the KapPhone (022 341 5067) and stay home. We will provide a full refund. If you're a GM, don't stress - we will cope.

Also obviously: wash your hands!

We hope that none of this is necessary. As of today, the shields are still holding. But we want to run a safe con and that means planning for the worst just in case. Hopefully it'll just be this year, and next year things will be back to normal.