So yeah, this Gen Con thing is happening again in about a week. Am I pretty excited, oh heck yeah. So this is going to be Conesy’s preview to Gen Con 2014. Unlike other previews though, where people talk about what the new games that are coming out, or what the top costumes are or anything like that, I am going to approach this from the top things that I am excited to check out this year.
1. True Dungeon. There’s no doubt that True Dungeon has been at Gen Con before. However, my general opinion previously was this wasn’t really worth doing. However, I have a group of friends that are going to do this with me, which I think is really going to help and I have heard nothing but praise for how this has improved over the years.
2. Brugge Brasserie. This place has become a regular stop for us on Friday night for dinner. While still busy, it isn’t swamped like the down town restaurants around the convention hall and with a group of 5-8 that is a very big deal. The food is great and they brew several wonderful and quite delicious beers including a belgian that is supposedly limited to 2 per customer. That is one rule that we feel doesn’t apply to us Wisconsin tourists!
3. Gen Con Auctions. I love this kind of stuff. It’s not really about the money savings, but going through all of the old stuff and finding that little treasure or remembering how great that product was or how you wish you would have had a copy of that game when you were a kid. I don’t sit and do the live auction part. I am sure there is value to that, but they have just a ton of items and a walk through the consignment area. I have heard of some crazy deals that people have gotten here, but with this year’s schedule, it will just be a quick run through the consignment area.
4. Seminars. This year I am taking one seminar while I am there. It’s going to be Friday, and I am looking to really enhance my modeling and green stuff skills. While I don’t think I am the amateur that I once was, I have a long ways to go and I am hoping this class will help sharpen my skill set and make me a better hobbiest. Heck, I am hoping that I can bring back techniques I can immediately put to work on my latest project, Warhamer Daemons.
5. Game Demos. I tend not to get lined up for as many of these as I probably should, but I made sure that I signed up at the very least for a Malifaux demo. I have had models and rules for this game, but just never gotten around to playing it and with a lack of local support it is just sitting there. I am hoping the demo of this gets me excited to work on the models and get a game or two with people locally. I am also shooting for a few other demos of games, but we’ll see how that goes.
6. Shopping. What did they say, expanded vendor hall? I am not sure how they did that, but apparently more vendors, more shopping, and not nearly enough time to figure out where everything is that I would want to buy. Big stops for me this year are going to be Forgeworld, Hirst Arts, Cool Mini or Not, and any various retailers with bins of discounted out of print Warhammer miniatures. My number one shopping goal this year is to come home with my first ever Forgeworld miniature. What other cool games, expansions, and models I end up coming home with though we will only know after the car is loaded up and we are leaving Indianapolis.
7. Friends. Last, but not least, is seeing a number of friends that I just haven’t had a chance to hang around with or see very often. Not only will I be going with my wonderful wife and group of local gamers which always makes the experience fun, but there will be friends I see only at Warhammer events that I will be able to see at Gen Con and hopefully play games with at Gen Con.
Hope to see you there.