Comments on: Playing at Cons

By: Dave Cleaver

Dave Cleaver — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 18:40:44 +0000

I like me the small nooks and long conversations over dinner, not the frenetic chaos of the con floor.

I’m with you there. I don’t really do well in large crowds of people. Dreamation was a great size for my first convention, because there was a lot of opportunity for the small nooks and long conversations.

By: David Chunn

David Chunn — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 03:48:41 +0000

I’ve never been to GenCon, but we go to DragonCon every year. It’s sort of an anything and everything con, not gaming focused at all. I’m extremely introverted and shy, but being in the big crowds is easy. I love it. It’s those little nooks that scare the hell out of me. You know, the intimate part. That’s the part I have to work at, and that’s the part that one needs when gaming when strangers. I enjoy the hell out of game demos but when it comes to actually playing in 4 hour sessions (or more), I don’t get it. What’s the point? I can’t satisfy my play urge with so little. A gamist tournament style thing, I can do that. And enjoy it, if it’s done well and is extremely gamist. But even then, I’m left wondering why. With so many people around and so many interesting things to do: why would I spend hours doing something I could do without paying out the bucks to be at the con. I’m not saying those things are wrong, just that they don’t seem right for me. And that seems unusual.

By: Mo

Mo — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 04:58:44 +0000

I wonder the same things at short one-shots. I find though if I look at them more like boardgame activities, more like low impact, relax-y fun than an RPG, I like them better. Also, I suspect that the chance to observe the interactions that people (who I know from the community but have never met) have with others will provide interest all it’s own.

What’s the so many things to do?

By: Jonathan Walton

Jonathan Walton — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 15:56:11 +0000

You can definitely have both kinds of experiences at Gen Con. There are so many different types of games to be had.

The demos are fast and frenetic in some ways, but, really, they’re a welcome break from walking around the convention floor with all the noise and bustle. Sitting down and focusing on one thing for a while can feel relaxing.

And then there’s the Games On Demand table, which is a further step down in the frantic level.

And then there’s scheduled games.

And then, best of all, there’s the after-con play in the Embassy Suites lounge or in people’s rooms. That’s where the real intimacy happens. That’s where you hang out with people who’ve known each other for years and are often on the same page about roleplaying.

So yeah. Nerdly may be a welcome introduction, but it’s not really a con in a traditional sense. But I’m sure you’ll love it all. Well, maybe not all of Gen Con, but it’s hard to really love ALL of Gen Con.

By: David Chunn

David Chunn — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 03:22:25 +0000

Parties. Concerts (Cruxshadows, Voltaire). Drum Circle. Costumes aplenty. Wandering about being freakish with all the other freaks. Shopping during the day. That sort of stuff.

By: Mo

Mo — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 04:03:56 +0000

Hmm. Interesting. Parties not so much for me. I’ve heard about the WW release parties. Yick. But drum circles sound neat, and unexpected.

By: Mo

Mo — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 05:24:49 +0000

So Jon,

If you come to Nerdly, what do you want to play with me?

By: Jonathan Walton

Jonathan Walton — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 18:32:25 +0000

Hmm… C&P? Nobilis? Shooting the Moon? Exalted Hack?