If I Ran the Z/o/o/ …. Con

In 1986 I edited a role-playing game about the problems encountered when running a science fiction convention. The game has become a cult classic among the small group of people who work on sf conventions, and has been reissued several times. In 2015, a group of us put together a 4th edition, adding several new scenarios designed to bring the game into the 21st century.

It is difficult to overstate the impact that ‘The Game’ has had on Fandom and, more specifically, convention-running fandom. Con runners can still be heard today to say things like, ‘Well, I’d like to do that, but we just don’t have the people points for it,’ or ‘That’s a bad idea, we’d lose a lot of goodwill points.’ The fact that these concepts have not merely lasted but have become ingrained in our culture is a testament to its timelessness.
— Glenn Glazer, convention-runner and Sasquan (2015 Worldcon) Vice-Chair

The game is intended to help wannabe Worldcon bidders at least understand some of the problems people have faced before, and (hopefully) get them to avoid making the most obvious mistakes. It serves that purpose admirably—and even if you don’t plan on making a Worldcon bid, it’s pretty fun to play, at least if you have an interest in science fiction and the field’s personalities. It’s rather amazing what can go wrong.
—Greg Costikyan, game designer and author of Uncertainty in Games

The game can be purchased at the NESFA Press web site.