Greetings, table-top gamers:
If the timing is right, and you have a few hours to spend immersed in the table-top game hobby, maybe you should seek out a local game convention. If you’d like to see the latest products and find knowledgeable folks to help describe them for you, here’s the place to be. In many cases, the actual designers of the games are there to show you how they’re played, and there will most likely be rooms filled with tables where you can try out a game before you buy.
The calendar is filled with game cons these days. Every town on the map, it seems, has some kind of gathering happening to attract game players, game sellers, game designers and publishers, and mostly game fans. Attendees can enjoy shopping (browsing), talking with others about the latest releases and the classic board games, their latest adventures and hopes for the future. There are septuagenarians and toddlers, growing families and happily singles, quiet intellectuals and rambunctious partiers, conservative straights and radical cosplay nerds — in short, a fascinating cross-section of American geekdom.
This was the second year for GrandCon — and my first visit. The comments I heard were that this is a tremendous second go for a con, and most everyone agreed that (with a more consolidated venue next year) it can do naught but grow. The success of last year’s premier GrandCon enticed visitors from well beyond the region, including folks from thousands of miles away. Yes, it was a big deal!
One thing to clarify: in larger urban areas in particular, some of the game cons are very specific in their subject matter. There are cons that only focus on war games, kids’ games, or role-playing games — even cons that only focus on a single game, like poker or Magic the Gathering. So read the event flier carefully before you go. If they’re family-friendly, their website will probably say so. GrandCon provided a modest bit of the family-friendly, though it’s not their focus. The champion of family-friendly cons is probably ChiTag in Chicago each November, with large play areas and plenty of kid stuff going on while, in another part of the hall, rows of tables host a Magic the Gathering tournament.
GrandCon was a great time, and I got to see some demos of not-yet-released products, put together some Christmas lists, and spend too much on games I’ve been wanting for some time. If you’re just getting into the hobby, it’s a great place to meet local folks and set up opportunities to play more and share!
Many thanks to the organizers and volunteers who made GrandCon happen — one of the highlights of the season!