The Gaming Den

Shit, Tim Russ is gonna be there? AND Robert Picardo? AND - holy fuck! - Sylvester McCoy?!

I so wish I could go...

Damn stupid shit-ass reality preventing me from meeting my heros... (well, some of them)

This isn't really a gaming convention or nuthin', but it is really awesome: Me and DarthRabbitt are goin' to BotCon '13, in San Deigo.

I've been waiting for sooo long to go to this thing. And now, finally, I'm going. AWESOME.

I'm not holding out much hope that this would be the case, but is anyone else attending?

Shrapnel, try to not get an indecent exposure or lewd acts committed in public charge at BotCon...

Hey, this is me we're talking about. Have I ever said anything that would make it seem like I were anything other than a well-adjusted human being?

Which reminds me. I need to stop eating food so I can start saving money for the exhibitor halls. If I do not leave California without at least $2000 worth of vintage Transformers, I will scream like a little girl.

My friends are going to Fanime and made an event on Facebook for it, inviting a bunch of people to share a room.

After seeing if my other friends who run a booth could get me a badge in
exchange for some help and that not working out, I tried for a press pass.

Last night I got the email saying I'd been approved, so I get to go to Fanime in exchange for writing about it.

Anybody going to Gen-Con? Or any other cons this year for that matter?

My wife and I are going to Nightmare Nights in Dallas this November; she'll have a table and everything. We're also planning on attending the Doctor Who Fest that same month.

I've already attended a con, and am unlikely to attend any others in the foreseeable future.

I'll be at PAX in a couple of days. It would be fun if I could meet some Denners, maybe go troll the D&DNext presentation.

So, BotCon '14 is in Pasadena this year, and this angers me greatly, because the last two 'Cons where in California. In fact, the only time a BotCon has been even remotely close to me was... never. Which SUCKS.

Anyway, this years BotCon has THE GREATEST BOX SET IN THE HISTORY OF BOX SETS, and the fact that I can't get them makes me feel impotent and sad.

So I went to Gen Con today with my 5 year old (the younger is still far, far too unruly to attend). There was a $30 family pass for Sunday and I figured what the hey since I was roughing it this weekend with mrs erik out of town.

I was a bit surprised when I wandered in and learned the layout was different than the past times I had been. Granted, last time I went was a few years ago I think, but previously it had always been essentially the same year after year. Walk in expecting vendor booths and find acres of gaming tables, most of them empty. I was expecting to have to elbow through stuff.

I saw the D&D gaming area and it was quite scant. Of all the tables running D&D in that area I think only 2 of 16 or so had actual minis/battlemat out. The rest were sans combat. I don't know if that observation was notable, could have stumbled in at the wrong moment, could just be the way the module was written, but it seemed weird. Was gonna take pictures but I had to keep up with my kid who wanted to "go into the castle" (the area was bordered off by a styrofoam stone gate and wall).

After some wandering eventually did find the vendor area and introduced my scion to various things. Got him his first set of dice, bought some of those banned magnet ball things that can totally fuck up your intestines if you eat them separately. Was gonna buy minis for the lad but decided I already have oodles and I'll just share those. Maybe it was because we went on a saturday, but this was the first time in a while where I was at a Gen Con and not feeling crushed under the mass of people. I could navigate crowds with a 5 year old in tow and only once did I grazingly bump into someone.

I dunno if I'll take em next year, but I think in 2 years he should be ripe and able to grok more games. I tried having the sales person help explain Ticket to Ride. I think his favorite bit was when he found the legos in the family play section ("They have everything I like here!" -i.e. just legos).
Then I can replace my ennui with vicarious enjoyment.

Maybe in a couple years, fate willing, I'll try and finagle a press pass for TGDMB (unless someone else wanted to attempt it). If doing that I'd basically just go to cover things proposed by folks and suffer the seminars and what-not rather than do gaming. That would be more interesting than the usual con fare which the last several years has bored me to the extent that I've been skipping it mostly (ever since they canned Living Greyhawk with the advent of 4e).

So, its official, I'm going to go to GenCon 2015 this year. Relevant to mention because Pre-registration started today (Noon eastern). It'll be my first time going to GenCon, albeit I've attended other RPG cons before.

One of my final incentives to go, is for SKR's Kickstarted Project: The Five Moons RPG. Which will supposedly be released by then, so it could be nifty to show my support in that regard (I'll be involved in the playtest process, and I've high hopes for it).

Regardless, even if I'm the only one here going, I figured it proper to make my mention of it now. Is there any particular things I should keep eye out for, or what have you?

http://www.awesome-con.com

Anyone else? Wife and her friends are going. I went last year and it was so/so and im debating on yes/no this year.

I am going to KublaCon 2015 in near the San Francisco Airport this coming Memorial Day weekend. Running a prequel to Tekumel using FATE.

If anyone lives near Sacramento (Carmichael, specifically), I am looking for a ride, will pay gas and coffee both ways.

Smeelbo
Abuser of BBCodes

Um. Well, I'm waiting on hearing back about jobs at the moment, but assuming I'm free that weekend, I live in Orangevale, which is the hick region of Sacramento, between Citrus Heights and Folsom.

Edit- also, if you're interested in a 3.5 game, my group's been trying to get one together again for a while and could use a fourth player. Looks like we'll be playing in Roseville.

SUPERNECRO

I'll be at Origins and GenCon every year, boothin' it up at my company's booth every year for the foreseeable future.

I'm also be at DragonCon (just for fun) and Con on the Cob (running games, but not selling games) this year.

If you're ever going to any of those, hit me up with a PM and I'll reveal my double super secret identity so we can hang.

I know a guy who goes to con on the cobb every year. From his description it sounds like ~30 people playing super rules light games (and lots of low life, which seems like the worst) in a library. Is that inaccurate?

I have heard it described as a "party con", mostly industry insiders, mostly there to get wasted and network, with the former being a higher priority.

Their Industry GoH consistently includes the likes of Eloy LaSanta (who I really liked until four days ago, and who I now probably would feel pretty torn, if I found him on the street on fire, whether or not to piss on him to put him out), Aaron "I Have No Fucking Idea What I'm Doing" Pavao, Matt "Sad, Fatt, and Angry Onyx Path" McFarland, and Aaron "I Have No Fucking Idea What I'm Doing Let Me Make Arguments To Authority Out My Ass" Pavao. Make of that what you will.

The argument could be made by someone (not me) that a gaming convention for whom those are the guests of honor is not worthy of its name. I'm not saying that!!! But one of you could.

I have also heard that there are at least ~100 people. But it is definitely not a BIG CON.

ANYONE GOING TO DRAGON CON? I'M FLYING OUT TONIGHT.

Woot! I'm actually going to a convention where my wife & I don't have to share a hotel space with anyone. And it's at a BnB only half a mile away from the convention.

So, I'm a-goin' to HasCon next week. For those who don't care, it's what's replacing BotCon, because Hasbro took the license away from Fun Pub for conventions because they are a bunch of vile bastards who hate good things they want to have more oversight on these things. But instead of just being focused on Transformers, like you should do, Hasbro is focusing on ALL their brands: Transformers, yes, but also MLP, NERF, M:TG, D&D, GI Joe (hah! Kidding), Marvel, Star Wars, Monopoly, Ouija... the like.

But the important thing here is... one of the things they be doin' is THIS:

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS - Welcome to a Life of Adventure
*1-2 hour adventure, up to 6 players

This is a short adventure, tailor made to introduce players to the new DUNGEONS & DRAGONS story. This tabletop D&D adventure can be replayed multiple times, different paths and opportunities opening based on the players’ choices. Great for people who only have a couple hours to play some D&D or for those who want to get a peek at the new D&D story line. Create a first level character or use one of our pregenerated characters.

They also have a longer, 10-hour campaign, but that's $200 more than I'm willing to spend. Anywho, me and Darth are gonna be doing that, so it'll be great, because when 5th edition and my massive ignorance of D&D collide, you can only get good things.

They have a bunch of other panels, too. Relevant to the Den's interest is a "Monster Building" Panel with MIKE MERLES! I think it's free, so if I go to that one, do you guys have anything you want me to say to him? Or any part of his body you want me to huck hairballs at?

Of course, the only thing that really matters, of course, are THESE:


Yes, that IS Grimlock in the middle, so you bet your tits I'm gonna buy it for that alone, and I don't even PLAY Magic. Also, Nerf.

Looks like I'm doing Gencon tomorrow. Gonna have an 8 and 10 year old in tow, so dunno if I'll actually be able to meet up with anyone. But just throwing it out there.

I fear my kids might want to bring costumes... which means me carrying costumes all day when they get tired of them after 10 minutes.