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Dumpshock Forums _ Convention Information _ GenCon SoCal

Posted by: Grey Dec 15 2003, 05:28 PM

The turnout for the con was really disappointing, but from what I understand, that is because there wasn't a lot of promotion done for it. It was the first con I'd been too and really expected more people to show up. That isn't to say I didn't have any fun, because I did, but I think it would have been much cooler if it had had a good turnout.

Mad props go out to Large Mike! He was the GM for my team in the Shadowrun Tournament and did a fantastic job.

Posted by: grendel Dec 16 2003, 06:16 AM

I'm not surprised at the low turnout, although I think it was lower than I was expecting. I remember (and this will date me) the first Winter Fantasy fit into the two ballrooms available at the Milwaukee Airport Hilton. It grew over time, though, and I anticipate the same thing happening here. Especially since the first one turned out so well. The facilities were great, even if the a/c in the hall was a bit much.

Blitz did an excellent job organizing the Shadowrun and Dark Eye events, especially considering the amount of work required on such a short notice.

Posted by: Large Mike Dec 17 2003, 06:07 AM

It's nice to hear about mad props to me, but in truth, I was only the second best GM there. grendel had me beat, hands down. Not only that, but the biggest props go to Grey himself, for interrupting whatever he was doing and accepting Canadian gas money to get me to the airport.

Also, thanks to everyone who put up with the prick that shows up when I *really* don't get enough sleep. I'm just hoping they're short enough on labor that they invite me back next year.

Also, Cyberpunk 2020 till 5AM with The Mike Pondsmith was the highlight. Really. That, and gaming with people good enough to go travelling to GM. (I think we're officially known as 'the closest thing there is to a professional GM')

Posted by: Voorhees Dec 17 2003, 06:08 AM

Damn, I should have gone. I live in Central California.

Posted by: bitrunner Dec 17 2003, 09:12 PM

QUOTE

there wasn't a lot of promotion done for it

really?? i was constantly receiving stuff in the mail, both snail and email, about this con....not to mention the full page ads in the gencon book and a couple of magazines i saw....

what was the attendance like?? any numbers? how many tables of SR were offered, and what was the turnout?

Posted by: grendel Dec 17 2003, 09:59 PM

QUOTE

how many tables of SR were offered, and what was the turnout?

According to my schedule, we had five games on Thursday, seven games on Friday, five plus the tournament on Saturday, and one game on Sunday. Since I was only there for Thursday and Friday I can only comment on those, but I had three to four players for all my Thursday games and filled all of my Friday games. I even managed to fill an open game that I ran Thursday night. From what I understand, the tournament was originally supposed to be four games, but ended up collapsing down into two games due to lack of players. Overall numbers for the convention came in somewhere around 4000 for the four days.

Posted by: Large Mike Dec 17 2003, 11:43 PM

Somehow, though, all my games were full to capacity (except the tournament). So, this teaches a valuable lesson. Despite being bad at everything else in life, I'm an awesome GM.

In retrospect, I could see how the booth could have been set up to more efficiently drag in new players, but hindsight is 20/20. Basically, it boiled down to have an exiting and short demo/setting description and *attack* anyone who wandered by with it.

Perhaps I'll bring it up next time I'm at a con.

Posted by: Anathama Dec 18 2003, 03:34 AM

It was indeed small, as my first gen-con I was a bit disappointed. I didn't do much playing, although I did hit up the "What's up with shadowrun" meeting at 2 on saturday. Not a lot of people, there were 5 or 6 of us I think, but it was cool never the less. Even picked up survival of the fittest from the both, which I will unleash on my players this weekend. (Evil Grin)

Posted by: bitrunner Dec 18 2003, 01:55 PM

QUOTE

as my first gen-con I was a bit disappointed.

I know lots of cons, and I've known Gencon for many years, and SOCAL Gencon is NOT Gencon! They can call it whatever they want, but Gencon happens in the middle of summer somewhere in the mid USA....it's bad enough they moved it away from the Safe House and my ability to fly direct on Midwest Express!!

Posted by: Anathama Dec 19 2003, 02:25 AM

It was also at a notoriously bad time of year. Everyone has to save up money to get other people stuff, or if you happen to work in the retail industry, you have a snowball's chance in hell of getting any time off at all to go.

Posted by: The Jake Dec 20 2003, 02:27 AM

I had my heart set on going but my parents had flown in from Australia for two weeks and I really didn't know when I was going to see them again.

It was a tough call but Gencon will be there next year. My parents won't be (in the country at least).

- J.

Posted by: Adam Dec 20 2003, 03:34 AM

GenCon SoCal will be moving to an earlier date - sometime in November - starting in 2005. They simply couldn't get November dates in 2003 and 2004.

Posted by: BumsofTacoma Jan 9 2004, 08:24 PM

When is the next one? 2005, november?

or is there one sooner?

where are they generally held? or should i say where will the next one be held?

I wouldn't mind travelling to play.

Posted by: Grey Jan 9 2004, 11:54 PM

Its at the Anaheim Concention Center, in Anaheim CA. There will be one in 2004, but I guess the date isn't the best. Check the GenCon website for more info.