This will be our first gaming convention, both for myself and my husband. I'm not going to count the University of Windsor con that we helped run almost twenty years ago. I realize something like Origins is on a whole 'nother scale.
I'm a bit nervous. It's a big investment in time and money for us to take four days off and drive to Ohio, so I very badly want it to not suck. My instinct is to research and preplan as much as possible, but there's really very little information to be found.
The Origins website is frustrating vague. The con is a mere six weeks away and many of the pages are still blank. There's no real info on events. If I click on "board games" I get to a blank page with the header "board games" and that's it. Not exactly doing a great job of selling themselves here, are they?
When I go to register for passes they offer me the option to buy event ribbons. I have a vague idea of what Origins After Dark is, but what about Puffing Billy? or HOT? This registration system isn't exactly set up to be newbie friendly. I'm feeling pretty lost and I haven't even set foot in the place yet.
So I guess what I'm looking for is convention tips for newbies. I need something like the beginners guide to conferences. What to avoid. What to seek out. What you simply must not miss. I've already heard all the basic common sense rules like, be sure you shower, sleep and eat. No one likes a grumpy stinky gamer. Got it. But what the heck is a ribbon? How do I get into games? Do I need to buy a ticket for each game? Is everything based on time slots? Do you register to play ahead of time? Is there open gaming? What's the etiquette? If there's an open seat do you just toss yourself into it?
And then there's the location specific stuff like, I wonder where's a good place to eat near the con? Which hotel is the best one to stay at? And the question that is most near and dear to my beer snob hubby's heart, where's the best brew pub?
So I'm putting this out there, in hopes that perhaps folks who are old hand at this whole convention thing may be able to throw me a few helpful tips.
Have you been to a gaming convention before? What tips would you give to newbies? Ever been to Origins? What should I keep my eye out for?
I have never been to a Gaming Convention but OMG my boys would love to go!! Have a super time :)
ReplyDeleteI love Origins. It's my local convention and my favorite. Their website is kind of a joke, and the schedule of events is largely unhelpful. Here's what I would do:
ReplyDeleteGames on Demand
Panels you want to see
Dealer's Hall
That's it, and it's pretty easy to do.
Games on Demand is a space where you take generic event tokens (don't even need to schedule in advance) and you choose from a menu of games that are available to play. Most GMs there have multiple games that they offer, so when you show up, you'll have a host of amazing Indie RPGs to choose from. It's awesome.
For the panels, most of them are free and don't require you to schedule them or buy tokens. Just note what time they're at, and show up.
The Dealer's Hall is self-explanatory. It's not huge (compared to, say, GenCon), but it's plenty big enough. Go in, check it out, and buy cool stuff!
If you're more into board games, get a pass to the Board Room and check out a ton of awesome board games.
If you want to meet and hang out with game developers, the Big Bar on 2 (in the attached hotel) is a must for evening (late evening) hangouts.
For food, go right across the street. There are great restaurants (Barley's being my favorite), and the awesome North Market.
If you've got other questions, hit me up on Twitter @TheOtherTracy.
Have fun!
-Tracy
Thank you so much Tracy! This is just what I needed to read. Sounds like I definitely need a Board Room pass, though I imagine I'll manage to fit in an RPG or two.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea there wer so many games out there. My children love to play board games and this has opened my eyes
ReplyDelete