Giving GM's a Badge

This is a post about convention logistics. Why give GM badges at a con? Man hours.

I typically requires 8 hours of game running for 1 badge (2 four hour sessions). Typical game has an 8 person limit. So 16 people, each getting 4 hours, for 64 man hours of content provided for 1 badge.

A typical panelist will do 1 hour panel. They would need 64 people there to do the equivalent of a GM. Some panelists do more (I've run 3 hour workshops for 100+), some do less.

So GM'S provide the same level of man hour entertainment for a con as a panelist. And that's why you compensate them similarly.