File under – too late, posting anyway

I went to my first GenCon in 2001. It was overwhelming, and fantastic.

It wasn’t my first convention. My first was MosCon, a science fiction and gaming convention held in Moscow, Idaho. I went for gaming with my friends. There were some other panels and speakers, but honestly it was gaming, and really just a small variation on gaming I was already doing.

I’ve also been to a couple of Star Trek conventions, which are very different from gaming conventions, not bad just different.

Even compared to other gaming conventions, GenCon is still a unique experience.

Why is it different? Well, let’s start the list:

Size. Size does matter. In the case of GenCon, size means options and variety. The widest number and types of games. And more games means more game publishers, designers, tournaments, etc. For me, it’s all about the tabletop roleplaying games.

Support. All those publishers provide support for their games. You can play new or unreleased games, give feedback on upcoming games, and get discounts or even free swag from the games you played.

Variety. Having such a huge number of games, means that you have the widest number of options for play. I always try and play systems I know I can’t play at home when I’m at GenCon.

Crowds. You can’t talk about GenCon without talking about crowds. 60,000 games in one place for four days means crowded streets and long lines. It also means that just about everything is a limited resource. This includes events, hotel rooms, restaurant reservations, and hot selling/new games. My strategy is to focus on a few things, and do as much with them as possible.

This past year, I went to play in events, and Dungeon Master a couple of my own. That’s my focus, gaming with a dash of the art show and a few board games. My two teenage sons went with me again this year. Their focus was painting minis and the writing seminars (and games with Dad). All three of us were able to cover our individual interests, and have a good time together.

My reason for going to GenCon is tabletop roleplaying games. But the size, support, variety, and crowds means that I have a lot of other options and opportunities that are unique to GenCon.

And yes, I plan on going next year.