Gencon: some observations
What to write about Gencon? I won't bore you with a blow-by-blow account of everything I did and saw at the convention (although specific experiences may work their way into future blog posts), but will try to put down in writing some of the general impressions that most struck me as I meadered my way through the teeming masses of gamers this weekend. Bear in mind that for better or worse, my one-and-a-half day Gencon experience could only scratch the surface of the four-day event.
Among my Gencon observations, then:
- Gamers are diverse. I'm not speaking so much in terms of race or class (get it? ha ha!), since judging by attendance at the convention, most gamers are middle-class white males. I'm speaking of diversity in the games themselves and in the interests of individual gamers. Put simply, there are a lot of different types of games out there, and seeing them all crammed side-by-side by the dozen in the dealer's room was a vivid reminder to me that the "gaming hobby" is really less a specific hobby than a general niche in which a slew of what you might call "alternative hobbies" have sort of gelled together in a loose alliance.
To pick one example: in the category of roleplaying games represented at Gencon, a huge diversity of imagination, style, theme, and purpose was evident. Games devoted to wargame-style simulations of combat were on display mere feet away from other games that eschewed rules entirely in favor of theatrical storytelling. Games addressed every conceivable genre, from the mundane to the truly bizarre, each adding its own twist or perspective to the mix. Horror, science fiction, romance, war, adventure--all genres were covered, with each genre receiving a variety of thematic treatments--tragic, heroic, comic, surreal, grim... the list goes on. And this same diversity of theme and purpose can be seen in the numerous other types of games represented at the convention--card games, board games, and video games being the other major contenders. And of course there are the arenas of fantasy art, fantasy/sci-fi film, and anime, three areas of interest heavily intertwined with the gaming culture.
I think the idea of a "gaming convention" is a bit like the idea of a "film convention"--the category is so broad as to include a staggering variety of interests, passions, and ideas, all tied loosely together by the same general medium or type of activity. I don't know if they have "movie conventions" or not, but I think they'd parallel what a gaming convention like Gencon represents: a lot of intellectual and recreational diversity grouped together under a loose and amorphous label.
- Gamers are nice. This might seem like an odd observation, but it was in fact my experience that people at Gencon were kinder and more polite than almost any other crowd I can remember. Bumping into people or trying to squeeze past a cluster of gamers was common in the crowded hall, and every time it happened to me the other person would turn to politely apologize. I struck up numerous friendly, non-awkward conversations with total strangers sitting next to me (on those occasions when I'd seek out a nice bench or patch of floor to sit down on and relax for a bit). Company representatives smiled at you, enthusiastically answered questions, and thanked you for your interest/purchase (you'd think that would be a requirement for a job that involves selling products to customers, but it's a welcome change from the "Why are you wasting my time, stupid customer?" attitude you get at your local grocery store cashier). People loved what the convention was about, and it resulted in fun, polite, and often humorous interaction with strangers you don't know but with whom you share a general common interest.
Call it a minor point, and one that might be localized entirely within my particular Gencon experience, but let's just say it was a more pleasant social environment that your typical visit to downtown Chicago (or downtown anywhere). People were in high spirits, everyone who was there was probably quite excited to be there, and it showed in the conversations and interactions I saw.
- Gamers are funny. I mean that gamers are funny in the sense that a strong sense of humor is almost built into the hobby. I've noted before, and saw confirmed for me at Gencon, that gamers as a group possess a refreshing ability to mock themselves for their own excesses and quirky interests. Many popular game-themed, gamer-created cartoons have sprung into being over the last decade (especially in the last several years) centered around the theme of making fun of the games we play and the people who play them. Of the two "shows" I went to at Gencon--a hilarious play called "Celebrity Deathmatch d20" and a viewing of the fan-made film "The Gamers"--both were chock full of good-natured gamer mockery infinitely more amusing and specific than the cries of "dork! nerd!" you might hear from outside the gaming community. I think that gamers (and probably most other hobbyists) are marked with a pleasant ability to not take what they're doing too seriously... or if they are taking it too seriously, at least they're willing to mock themselves for doing so.
When the lights came up during the intermission of "Celebrity Deathmatch d20," a gamer near me shrieked melodramatically "Turn down the lights--it burns!" I love it.
Those are three points that struck me at Gencon. It was a fun and enjoyable experience, not least of all because it offered gamers a chance to page through books with titles like "Ten Million Ways to Die" and "The Book of the Wyrm" without having to do so nervously confined to the "graphic novels & other weird stuff" section of the local Barnes and Noble. I hope I can attend next year, and if I do get the chance, I look forward to extending my stay to include a bigger portion of the convention's four days.
