The wonderful allure of being press and reporting on conventions and events is often touted as the near unlimited access to events and rooms pre-clutter of the massive convention attendees. However this year the one photo that I’ve desired to get is that of the exhibit hall in the early morning, as the mist from the cool august nights lifts from the Indiana convention center floor, before the chaos of gaming enthusiasts flood through the doorways to support their favorite developers, creators and publishers.
Of course I want to purchase, but i can wait until the structured hours. That elusive photo, though is the creme de la crème – the wildlife photo of a life time for me. The natural habitat of conventions, undisturbed by its own tourists that vendors love to see, and most people dread wading through.
As early Friday morning starts to open to the world, lines for games such as Disney’s Lorecana stretch on through stanchions and break points noting “middle of the line” so cross traffic can attempt to easily navigate. Seeing the lines stretch for this game in person reminds me of theme parks, but for an event such as GenCon which sees close to 70,000 visitors over the course of four days and lives up to its own tagline “the greatest four days in gaming,” the stories of Thursdays lengthy lines starting hours before the doors open make today look tame in comparison.
Most of Friday is dedicated to true enthusiasts and out of state attendees, with a larger influx of enthusiasts and fanatic “townies” to arrive after work later in the evening, proving the rest of our resolve will be Saturday morning when the gates open.
Events at GenCon run nearly 24 hours, so there is something to do at any hour of day. While I am allowed access to most seminars and learning experiences as a media reporter I need to participate as a participant, which of course I wouldn’t want any other way. As a fly on the wall I am the trusted scout diligently watching and reporting.
As I sit here the in the calm before my first event, the droning advertisement of Starship Horizon grates on my nerve after listening to its repetitive pitch for nearly an hour, but the smells of food courts and countless treats and goodies are bribing me and enticing my own sense of hunger as they meander through the halls.
And I will commend the GenCon organization, which shows their experience of 55 years in their staffs general efficiency and knowledge of both the organizations who have partnered with them and the layout of Indianapolis. Not everything works like a well oiled machine due to the human element but it’s as close as expected.
The next big event for me takes place later this evening when the annual ENnies award ceremony takes place. Last year, I looked into all the entry’s in each of the categories while this year i decided to take a new approach: reconnect with some of those I was able to meet last year and hopefully mingle with everyone else while holding an air of mystique and allure.
Epic Table Games finds itself in a highly unusual position: we publish content, we report news, we review other publishers content, and we host a podcast that is a completely personal dive into our own gaming groups, tables and experiences. In this adventure we are a part of every group, and we look forward to sitting at every table with each of you.
If you see us hanging around, don’t be afraid to reach out. I’d love to talk with you all, even though my face may be grumpy from the lack of sleep and copious amounts of caffeine.
