GenCon 2015: A Closer Look at the Schedule

by Charlie Plaine, Chairman

15th May 2015

GenCon 2015 is just over two months away, and we've been planning since early this year to bring a fun and positive experience to everyone that comes to play some Trek. Not only is this year's event playing host to the 2015 North American Continental Championships for First Edition, Second Edition, and Tribbles, but there's a schedule of side events all four days! Let's take a look at the schedule in more detail, and give you a little more information about each of the events.

Wednesday
We will be hosting at least one tournament for First Edition and Second Edition on Wednesday evening, for those players that arrive early (during the day) and want to get in some extra games. We are still trying to secure the venue (hopefully the same one as last year), and once we do, we'll get the information out again about these tournaments.

We've changed the daily schedule so that there are only two "blocks" of games each day, i.e. two events per edition. Not only will this allows us to run longer events - a common request - but it gives us more time in between events so players can get food, use the restroom, or wander the Exhibit Hall. So while it might mean less tournaments each day, it will mean a better quality experience for everyone!

Thursday
Thursday is the first day of GenCon proper, and is free of Continental Events. It's a day of fun and casual side events, a chance to play some different decks, warm up for the big events later in the weekend, or explore the convention in general.

Team Tournament
First Edition: 10 AM - OTF Complete Constructed
Second Edition: 4 PM
One of the most popular events each year is the Team Tournament, and it's back! Last year, we ran a simultaneous event where First Edition and Second Edition teams competed in parallel, with a prize for the overall "Mega Team" champion. In the team tournament, you partner up with two other players for a team of three (3) and you will never be paired against your teammates. If you're travelling with friends and you want to make sure you never play against them, this is the tournament for you!

This year, the team tournaments are being held consecutively so that players - or teams - can participate in both events! The First Edition event is OTF Completed Constructed and begins at 10 AM, and will last four (4) rounds. Afterwards, the Second Edition event is Standard Constructed and begins at 4 PM and will also last four (4) rounds. Teams are welcome to play in one, or both, events. Oh, and by the way... if a team dares to play in both events and manages to outperform all the other such teams... well, let's just say they'll have some extra designs on their time.

Infinite Diversity Draft
Second Edition: 10 AM
This Infinite Diversity draft event will feature the newly revised Infinite Diversity rules and card pools, tested at last year's GenCon and over the past year. In this virtual draft format, players receive a set of fixed cards, and then draft (picking one card at a time from a series of packs) more cards. From this pool of cards, the fixed plus the drafted, they build their decks. It's a fun and very skill-testing format, especially with the revised rules. Players are asked to bring sleeves and backing cards if possible, though there will be a limited amount provided if needed. This tournament will last four (4) rounds and is a Standard Limited Draft tournament.

Oh, and if you're curious to see what the new and improved Infinite Diversity looks like - stay tuned! It will be released to the world before GenCon 2015 rolls around, so there will be time for everyone to test it out and get some practice!

Crossover Release Event
First Edition: 4 PM
GenCon 2015 is proud to play host to the world premiere of Crossover, the first set in the upcoming Mirror Universe block! Crossover won't be releasing at GenCon - it will be out later, in August - but will be playable in this limited sealed deck experience. Players will be given one of two (2) new starter decks, based around either the Terran Rebellion or the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance, as well as some supplemental booster packs to use in customizing their decks. This will be a OTF Limited Sealed tournament and will last four (4) rounds.

Crossover will be releasing in August 2015, so those of you that can't make it to GenCon will be able to see the cards for yourself not too long after!

Tribbles @ 10
Tribbles: 10 PM
Late night Tribbles at GenCon is an annual tradition, one we're proud to bring back yet again. If you've never played Tribbles, it's a fun, casual game where you try to accumulate as many points as you can before emptying your hand. We'll be happy to teach you and to loan you a deck to play, if you don't have your own. Most nights, we play two (2) rounds of Tribbles, ending about midnight. And this year... well, let's just say there will be something new in the mix.

Friday
Friday brings us the First Edition Continental Championship, as well as some Second Edition side events for new and experienced players alike. All three Continental Championship events are single day events (although First Edition and Second Edition are broken up into a qualifier event and final event.)

First Edition North American Continental Championships
Qualifier: 9 AM
Finals: 7 PM
This year's North American Continental Championship for First Edition will once again be OTF Complete Constructed. The tournament will be five (5) rounds of Swiss style play, allowing all players to play all five (5) rounds. Players must bring Deck Lists, either a physical deck list or a link to their list via the TrekCC deck builder. After the five (5) rounds of play, we will cut to either the Top 4 (if we have 32 or fewer players) or the Top 8 (if we have 33 or more players), who will compete in the Finals later that evening.

Players that qualify for the Finals will be able to change their decks. However, unlike in years past, the Finals will not be bracket-style elimination. Instead, the Finals will be another three (3) round Swiss-style tournament, and the winner - and North American Continental Champion - will be whomever emerges as the tournament winner when it's all said and done.

Sealed Deck
Second Edition: 10 AM
The first of Friday's Second Edition side events will be a Sealed Deck event, using Decipher-era starter decks and booster backs. Each player will receive a randomized starter deck and several corresponding booster packs from which to customize their starter. Players will then play four (4) rounds of Standard Limited Sealed deck play. This event is perfect for new and returning players, as well as veteran players that like to challenge a different set of skills than usual. All materials will be provided.

Standard Constructed
Second Edition: 4 PM
We're considering this a "warm up" for Saturday's Continentals. We've often had requests for more "normal" tournaments at GenCon and this one was designed to fill that need. If you want a little more practice with your championship deck, bring it! If you want to try out something wild or wacky, bring that too. This will be a great chance to meet some more players, test out a change to your deck, or just play some more games with an old favorite deck. This event will be four (4) rounds and will be Standard Constructed.

OTSD (Official Tournament Sealed Deck)
First Edition: 6 PM
After the main event, the Qualifiers of the First Edition Continental Championship, we're offering an OTSD tournament. The OTSD tournament is long considered by many to be the best, most pure format in the history of the game. All players will receive a randomized OTSD box and from the contents of that box, build their deck. This tournament will be Open Limited Sealed and will last four (4) rounds. Players are encouraged to bring sleeves.

Tribbles @ 10
Tribbles: 10 PM
Once again, we'll be playing Tribbles after most of the day's events are done. It's possible that the First Edition Finals will still be ongoing when the first round of Tribbles starts, but we didn't think the players vying for a Championship would mind!

Saturday
As you might have guessed, Saturday brings us the Second Edition Continental Championship, as well as some First Edition side events for new and experienced players alike. All three Continental Championship events are single day events (although First Edition and Second Edition are broken up into a qualifier event and final event.)

Second Edition North American Continental Championships
Qualifier: 9 AM
Finals: 7 PM
This year's North American Continental Championship for Second Edition will once again be Standard Constructed. The tournament will be six (6) rounds of Swiss style play, allowing all players to play all six (6) rounds. Players must bring Deck Lists, either a physical deck list or a link to their list via the TrekCC deck builder. After the six (6) rounds of play, we will cut to either the Top 4 (if we have 32 or fewer players) or the Top 8 (if we have 33 or more players), who will compete in the Finals later that evening.

Players that qualify for the Finals will be able to change their decks. However, unlike in years past, the Finals will not be bracket-style elimination. Instead, the Finals will be another three (3) round Swiss-style tournament, and the winner - and North American Continental Champion - will be whomever emerges as the tournament winner when it's all said and done.

DS9-Only Constructed Deck
First Edition: 10 AM
Saturday morning brings First Edition fans a unique deck building and play experience - Deep Space 9 only constructed! All personnel and ships in these decks must sport a Star Trek: Deep Space 9 property logo! You can use cards from any source, as long as the personnel and ships are DS9. Dilemmas, missions, events and all the other card types are open to any property logo, but there will be a bonus prize for any player that has a completely DS9 deck! Other than the card pool restrictions, this will be an OTF Constructed event that will go four (4) rounds.

Block Constructed
First Edition: 4 PM
Similar to the morning's tournament, this event uses a limited card pool - Block. Cards from the "core" block (i.e. Homefront expansions), the TNG block and the DS9 block are legal for this event. Otherwise, this is a normal OTF Block Constructed tournament that will go four (4) roudns. A fun deck building challenge might be to build one deck that qualifies for both of Saturday's 1E tournaments!

Academy Constructed
Second Edition: 6 PM
After the melee of the Second Edition Continental Qualifier, there will be a more relaxed tournament players can use to "cool down" - Academy Constructed. Academy is a fun format where you are limited to Starter (S), Common (C) and Virtual (V) rarity cards (except Missions, which are unlimited). With so many staple Rare cards gone, this format can be quite interesting and a chance to see often-unplayed cards! This will be a four (4) round tournament and will be Standard Academy Constructed.

Tribbles @ 10
Tribbles: 10 PM
Once again, we'll be playing Tribbles after most of the day's events are done. It's possible that the First Edition Finals will still be ongoing when the first round of Tribbles starts, but we didn't think the players vying for a Championship would mind!

Sunday
Sunday, the final day of GenCon, is often quieter but that doesn't mean we're done playing Trek! Aside from the morning tournaments, Sunday afternoon features the final championship event as players will battle to become the 2015 Tribbles Continental Champion!

The "Cool" Tournament
First Edition: 9 AM
First Edition is a deeply complex game in a universe with infinite possibilities, and most of the time it's about winning... but not in the Cool Tournament! It's not about winning, it's all about being "cool"! The idea in this Open Complete Constructed event is to find a cool idea, hook, or concept and build a deck around in. In past years, prize winners have played "all foil" decks, "nounless" decks, and recreated movie plots (Star Trek (2009) and National Lampoon's Vacation, most notably. Can you impress our panel of judges and claim one of the "cool" prizes?

Traditional Constructed
Second Edition: 9 AM
On the final day of GenCon, we return Second Edition to its roots with a Traditional Constructed tournament. In the Traditional format, players are limited to physical cards, i.e. cards from Expansion #1 through Expansion #14. Play the game as it was in 2008 with this time-warping format!

Tribbles @ 10
Tribbles: 1 PM
The battle for the 2015 Continental Championship begins Sunday afternoon, and will consist of two (2) rounds of Tribbles. Players will be randomly sorted into Qualifier tables and will play, and the top ranking players (exact number to be determined) will advance to the Final table to play again and try and out-breed the others. But don't worry, because everyone plays again!

Though GenCon might end Sunday afternoon, don't fret, there will still be more Trek to play. We're planning to host a last pair of tournaments Sunday evening for those of you staying over until Monday - one last chance to get in some Trek with distant friends before heading home. More details on these events will be posted once we secure our venue.

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions on this schedule or any of the events, please don't hesitate to ask. I, and the rest of the GenCon Planning Committee, will be available to answer all of your questions as we close in on GenCon 2015. Stay tuned for more articles with tips, tricks, advice and stories to build excitement for GenCon as the end of July draws near!

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