Conventions
Image: Michael Stanton IIA few thoughts about Aaron Allston, Star Wars novelist (among other subjects) and game designer, who passed away last week.GenCon Game Fair was a great time once again this year. As usual, new games, new releases, news, previews and more filled the Indianapolis convention center and surrounding hotels. GenCon reported today that there were nearly 50,000 unique attendees, up 20% from last year. So it's big and only getting bigger. Every type of tabletop game seemed to be represented, and there were a lot of board games this year. Clothing booths seemed to expand over past versions, usually with some sort of fantasy or steampunk focus, if not T-Shirts. At least two booths featured quality looking fezzes with logos or art on them, most likely thanks to Dr. Who. Several former kickstarter projects and games also appeared on the show floor.
And, of course, there was the Star Wars gaming news and releases...
My Star Wars Edge of the Empire adventure Beyond the Rim released at GenCon on Thursday...and sold out sometime Friday afternoon!
FFG announced at the InFlight Report that it should reach stores in 3-4 weeks.
The new beta for the next core book, Age of Rebellion was also released. I worked on that as well, but most of my contribution isn't in the beta.
More on all of this coming in this week's Star Wars Wednesday blog post.
Star Wars Celebration VI marked my second journey down to Orlando for the great gathering of Star Wars fans. I had a fantastic time at Celebration V, and eventually worked out a way to go again this year. Though they were held once every 3 years, I hear they're moving it to every two years, as it was this time around. Hopefully, it won't always be the week after GenCon. That said, it will probably be the week OF GenCon at some point.
Anyway, having nearly not fully rested up from GenCon the week before, not to mention the day job in between, I hopped an early Thursday flight, to arrive just before noon.
I had a great year at GenCon this past week. Friday, especially, was a good day. In the afternoon, the new Star Wars RPG Edge of the Empire was announced. I'm one of the writer/developers. See my Star Wars Wednesday post for the rundown on it and how it upped the excitement level for the entire show.
On top of that, the ENnie Awards were that evening. My D&D product Monster Vault: Threats to the Nentir Vale took a silver ENnie in the Best Monster/Adversary category. It was my first ENnie win, and a blast to be able to walk up on stage with my fellow writers (Brian James and Steve Townshend - Matt James was elsewhere) and lead developer Jeremy Crawford to accept the award. I told my wife, when else do I ever get to make an entrance to the tune Back in Black (which was WotC's selected acceptance music)?
Other GenCon comments and events in no particular order:
It is time for GenCon once again. As far as Star Wars is concerned, this means checking out the new X Wing Minis game from Fantasy Flight. I also hear there is a group running a Wizard's Star Wars Minis tournament, with new maps from Christopher West. Saga and d6 RPGs continue to show up on the schedule, as well as in pick up games.
It is also ineresting to see where people with interest or influence on the games show up. This year, the Order 66 podcasters have turned into a full on game company, complete with a booth and product to sell - their kickstarter success, the Edition Wars card game. Chris West will also be around with new maps on offer. Rodney Thompson continues to help develop the new version of D&D. I expect others will also reappear along the way.
I see from my site stats that a few eager GenCon 2011 attendees/players found my old post on CHAOS D&D, some through a google search. Thanks for the interest! I've gone back and edited the plot info out of the entry, but reading it may still give a way some spoilers on how the game itself is played. Though that in and of itself is not a secret (CHAOS has been running for years at ShaunCon and KC Game Fair), it's still more fun for some people to experience it first hand.
As to the plot info earlier readers or players may have read/played, CHAOS plots have a way of developing over time (and even in game), so I'm sure it won't be exactly the same this time around.
For those who aren't following all of that, the Roleplayers Guild of Kansas City, Ltd. is running two rounds of its long running Chaotically Hysterical Association of Systems (CHAOS) event at GenCon 2011.
No, I didn't make it to D&D Experience (DDXP), though I would have loved to go. I haven't been since it was called Winter Fantasy. And 2nd Edition was current. And it was in Wisconsin. Anyway, Wizards is hosting a number of seminars, starting off today with a discussion of new products. There is a bit of new info on Monster Vault: Threats to the Nentir Vale, out in June. Much of this has been released before, some not:
There are at least two websites liveblogging the DDXP seminars, the host Baldman Games and Critical Hits. It is interesting in that they are both using google docs, but different approaches. For the Products Seminar, baldman's version has a lot of detail, but updates in chunks of information at a time. Critical Hits' version is showing up live as it is being typed. You get more of a feel for the flavor of the event/audience, but less specific info.
Any fan of the game ought to read both. It's the most up to date info available right now. Also, check out the seminar live blogging over the rest of the weekend.