11/16/2015 10:37:01 AM
rbynaker
( Rick Bynaker)
Posts: 437
BggId: rbynaker
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I know it's early to start making New Years Resolutions but... I want to try to do more gaming in 2016. To that end I've been looking at getting out of my normal DCtoBaltimore comfort zone and trying various game conventions. If you have any experience with any of these, comments or recommendations for additional ones please let me know either here or privately. I suspect I will be driving to anything that's within a day's drive and flying to the others but I'd love to carpool and/or share a room (I'm okay with an airbed on the floor if need be).
6/15 - 6/19 Origins, Columbus, OH - Columbus is a reasonable drive and has some relatively cheap hotels so I will probably give this one a try. -- UPDATE 4/25-- This one may be on the chopping block at this point unless I can find someone who wants to share a hotel room.
6/27 - 7/3 Prezcon Summer Nationals (New for 2016), Charlottesville, VA - My issue with Prezcon (Winter Nationals) is that it's always in the middle of tax season. I went to "NEC" a few years ago when Justin held it up here. I think it flopped because he was expecting folks to stay at the hotel and 90% of the attendees just commuted. Charlottesville is a nice area so I will likely do this one. -- UPDATE 4/25 -- Is anyone planning to attend who needs a roommate? I'm okay with "airbed on the floor" as an option.
---UPDATE 11/30/15: NOT GOING, SOLD OUT IN 9 MINUTES!---
7/6 - 7/10 Dice Tower Con, Orlando, FL - Mixed feelings on this one. It is either a 2-day drive or a plane ride away (although you can usually find cheap fares to FL). It sounds like a lot of fun though, my kind of game convention, unlike Origins which is a mishmash of all sorts of things and PrezCon which has a tournament focus. I think I can easily be talked into this one if I can find someone to share a room with.
7/23 - 8/1 WBC, Seven Springs, PA - I'm on the fence and need to decide fairly soon to get the best deal. This runs into a 5th Saturday which is one of the reasons I'm reluctant to attend. Also, WBCs in the past have been pretty flexible in terms of shorter-than-full-week stays, this seems to be geared almost exclusively to folks who plan to be there the whole week (now expanded to nine days). All of the incentives point in that direction. It will take some convincing and a good room deal to get me to Seven Springs next year. -- UPDATE 4/25 -- I've pretty much decided to skip this one at this point.
8/4 - 8/7 Gen Con, Indianapolis, IN - This one seems a bit pricier than most and someone really went all-out OCD on the schedule (2016 isn't out yet but the 2015 schedule was ridiculously huge). Also, not only do you have to pay for admission you also have to pay for each event (including a daily "open gaming" pass). It's a long drive but doable in a day and there are some reasonably priced hotels in the area so I will probably do this. -- UPDATE 4/25 -- Mike Gibbs will be joining me for this. We still need to register and make the arrangements.
---ADDED 11/30/15 PER MARK'S COMMENT BELOW---
9/8 - 9/11 Buckeye Game Fest, Columbus, OH -- UPDATE 4/25 -- Mark and I are 90% in for this. They have at least put the 2016 dates on their website but they still have the 2015 events schedule listed.
11/11 - 11/15 Dallas Games Marathon (pre-BGG) - This seems like lite fun and was recommended to me by Kerrin Addis (from Australia who was doing a similar whirlwind US game tour a few years ago when I first met her at BGG.Con). -- UPDATE 4/25 -- Jeff and I are confirmed for this. Flight, hotel and con reservation done.
11/16 - 11/20 BGG.Con - I very much enjoyed the one BGG.Con that I attended several years ago. I haven't been back because of the airfare/lodging costs but it really was a great con. -- UPDATE 4/25 -- Jeff and I were lucky (skilled?) enough to get tickets, a hotel reservation and a great deal on a direct flight DCA-DFW.
Rick
edited by rbynaker on 11/30/2015
edited by rbynaker on 4/25/2016
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11/25/2015 9:44:41 AM
Doug Faust
( Doug Faust)
Posts: 89
BggId: Phrim
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Origins: I last attended in 2014, after not having attended for about five years before that. I actually really enjoyed it, spending most of my time in scheduled (yes, that means ticketed) learning games. I'm all about learning new games, and it turns out spending a few bucks to 1) make sure that a teacher is on hand and 2) make sure that my time is efficiently used is worth it to me. YMMV. (Also, it helps to know which companies/organizations will teach you games during scheduled sessions. Mayfair, for example, will not.) Won't go in 2016 due to vacation constraints, but would like to go again.
Prezcon: I think the last time I went to Prezcon was when I met John, so, umm, not in a while. :-) These days I don't do tournaments outside of WBC, so the tournament focus doesn't have much appeal to me.
Dice Tower Con: Never been, have heard good things, but have also heard that it sold out in 9 minutes. Oh, well. (Also, traveling to Florida in July seems iffy to me.)
WBC: I attend this annually. It's the only place where I do tournaments, and do those exclusively here. The location change doesn't make a lot of difference to me--just changes a long drive into a somewhat longer drive, but it's still easier than Origins or GenCon. I hear that the main hotel is booked, and the auxiliary hotel is not walkable, which sounds annoying.
GenCon: Haven't been for five years or so. Very crowded, and may not be the best environment for learning new games (which is what I look for). Seems like it's becoming more of a spectacle/buying stuff con, which I don't really care about. Have heard that the hotel reservation system is awful, and it's impossible to find a room in the city otherwise.
DGM: Have also heard good things, from Kerrin and others. I think they have access to the BGG library, which would be a huge plus. I think it overlaps with EuroQuest in some years. I might consider this, but taking November vacation beyond BGG and EQ is just impossible in my job.
BGG.Con: I attend this annually, and spend the entire convention learning new Essen games. One of my favorites. Only downside is getting to reasonable food options is a big hassle. This sells out fast, but I haven't had trouble getting tickets when I book within a day or two of the initial announcement.
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11/26/2015 9:38:15 AM
markmfhhs81
( Mark Mitchell)
Posts: 143
BggId: skinzlover
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WBC: I think you already know my feelings about this one ;-). Actually, I already have a room in the hotel reserved. We can talk about this as it gets closer.
Origins: I have wanted to go to this one ever since it moved to Columbus, given my WBC connections :-D. If I go, I'll probably crash at the place of my closest connection. If we go, I'm sure he won't mind another gamer staying there. There's plenty of room on the floor for an air mattress.
Buckeye GameFest: Speaking of Columbus, this is a fall con that the game club up there (CABS) runs and I've been there a couple of times. Its usually held around late September/early October and is a lot of fun. Its really just open gaming with a bunch of demos/teaching of new games going on. There is an auction store to get some REALLY good deals on new/used games. And again, if you go with me, you can experience the "VIP" experience of going to Columbus ;-). This includes a trip to a local Chinese restaurant there called Moi's.
Prezcon (either one of them): I have learned a lot about Justin and how he runs this convention and I don't go anymore out of protest. Remind to tell you some of the "behind the scenes" facts about this con that will never get bigger than it is now.
Mark
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11/27/2015 5:17:36 PM
closetotaku
( Bob Aarhus)
Posts: 109
BggId: closetotaku
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Taking it from the Top:
Origins: been attending, off and on, since 1979. It's become friendlier to board gamers of all types, and the Board Room is not to be missed. You have to pay an additional fee on top of admission to play in the Board Room, but it is well worth it. Good food nearby at the North Market. Like all other conventions, the rooms sell out pretty quickly, but at least there are options (and you can commute from other hotels if you decide to drive, which is not a bad option from DC).
Prezcon Summer Nationals: have not attended these. Used to attend Winter Nationals, but have not been in a few years.
DiceTower Con: Good News: absolutely a great convention. I've been to every one, except last year's get together. It's in a new resort hotel. Christin and I usually combine this with a few days (before or after) at Disney World or Universal Studios. Easy to find games, easy to find gamers, runs the gamut from the simple games to the long and drawn out debacles. Bad News: Yes, it sold out in 9 minutes or so. Tickets should become available as the year goes on. Better News: next year, they expand from 1500 to 3500, so you should be able to get a ticket then, if you can't find one this year.
WBC: I suggest you let other people play the Crash Test Dummies for Seven Springs. A somewhat controversial (though probably needed) move from the Host, I used to go here back when it was near Baltimore. Only went to the Host once, and that was enough for me. Maybe let them work the bugs out, and see how things go from there.
GenCon: Board Game and RPG Mecca. But crowded as all get-out. Over 50,000 people now in a venue that seemed crowded when it was 40,000. Getting a hotel is a crap-shoot. Last went in 2014, skipped this year because of crowds and other stuff. Still, the next best thing to Essen in terms of releases; the dealer's room is worth the price of admission itself. My experience with the Open Gaming, though, was not as pleasant as for DiceTower Con, or even Origins. The room was big, but not big enough to fit everyone, and they had to limit access. You can find gaming elsewhere in the convention center, but it's not very convenient. Get your badge early, or be prepared for long lines.
Pre-BGG/BGG: Been once. Would like to go again, but it is smack in the middle of the semester. Not great timing. My fondest memory was going to the Essen gaming room and having all the games taught to me (incorrectly) by a friendly volunteer.
So, my order of merit list would be:
1. Dice Tower Con
2. Origins
3. GenCon
4. BGGCon
5. PrezCon
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11/30/2015 9:54:14 AM
rbynaker
( Rick Bynaker)
Posts: 437
BggId: rbynaker
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Great comments everyone, thanks!
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3/4/2016 8:02:56 AM
rbynaker
( Rick Bynaker)
Posts: 437
BggId: rbynaker
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Update: BGG Con & DGM
My first (or last) convention of the year is booked. First, in that I have not booked any other conventions this year. Last, in that I will not likely attend any conventions in 2016 later than November.
Jeff and I have tickets for BGG Con and a hotel reservation at the con hotel. We are also planning to attend DGM the weekend before (starting 11/11) and have a room reserved at the "Days Inn Plano" around the corner (in case anyone wants to make similar reservations). We plan to rent a car for the week 11/11 - 11/18.
Rick
edited by rbynaker on 4/25/2016
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3/4/2016 9:46:20 AM
Doug Faust
( Doug Faust)
Posts: 89
BggId: Phrim
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Anni and I were lucky enough to get BGG.Con tickets too. The ever-shortening registration window (this year it was 2 hours before it was sold out) is a little worrying though--hopefully I'm fast enough to get tickets in the future as well.
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4/25/2016 9:45:10 AM
rbynaker
( Rick Bynaker)
Posts: 437
BggId: rbynaker
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Some updates posted above.
I could still be talked into Origins if there's someone who wants to share a room. I can drive if you need a ride.
I'd love to go to Dice Tower Con if anyone has an extra ticket.
I am looking for a roommate for PrezCon Summer Nationals in June/July. I have not registered or made hotel reservations yet but plan to do so soon. Let me know if you're interested in carpooling or room share. I'm going to start putting some feelers out in different groups for this.
Rick
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4/26/2016 1:13:17 PM
Epworthian
( Rob Flowers)
Posts: 152
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I only attend WBC and have for a number of years. As for the others.... ask me again in another 4-6 years when tristan is older.
True story: back before I attended WBC, I had read and heard about Avaloncon. When I finally had enough money and time to think about attending a convention, I could only find references that Avaloncon was no more. But I did find out about the WBC, thinking, well that sounds cool, I'll try that one instead. Took me awhile to realize they how they were related.
And if you ever want to hear a travel disaster story, ask me sometime how long it took me to get BACK from WBC that first year.
edited by Epworthian on 4/26/2016
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