One of the questions I get asked often is about my weekend plans. Sometimes the question comes around the time of SaltCon. Why do you go to conventions? That is a good question. My family has also asked me this question on more than one occasion. The answer might help tip you to the side of coming to conventions and experiencing the fun.
I know the first thing that pops into my sister’s head is definitely the people that LARP (Live Action Role Play) in the park down the street. Respect for the people showing up in the public park and running around pretending at Dungeons and Dragons. Plenty of people also dress up at the local Comic Con. I have been to the comic con as well. I have mad respect for people in the effort they make to dress up. Some of them do really amazing jobs and it is really fun to see what they do.
This is not the experience I go for when I sign up for conventions. The first thing that makes me want to go is people. That is not surprising when people talk about this hobby. One of the main reasons that people like board games over, say, video games is the interaction with other people. I have met some wonderful people I am happy to call friends at conventions. Being able to see friends that I don’t see on a regular basis is a huge plus.
Another plus is being able to get games to the table that I have wanted to play but we have not been able to set aside the time for. We at Meeple Nation never have a shortage of new games that we want to play. I have issues with Kickstarter, (not just with my wallet) that by the time a game shows up I am no longer as interested in it as it was. So they sit on the shelf for a time until that inspiration comes back. We get to playing some amazing games like Gloomhaven and play it so much we run out of time for new games. So a few days set aside just for games provides more time to play the games we just have not played yet, or in a while!!
Just recently at Bryce Con Andy and our friends Will and Douglas played a marathon session of Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle. They, with an alternating 4th player, played through all seven years of the game! They did not go into the convention with that plan, it just started. But with the time set aside for board games at a convention that was an epic choice. Only at a convention have I met 50 people who would like to play Ultimate Werewolf. Playing games late into the night like Crossed Clues with moments that make you laugh so hard spittle drips out. Nathan hosts a game show in SaltCon spring. To see him put on his best Richard Dawson is a blast and always fun.
In short, I like the experience of playing games and meeting new people and looking for those moments that make me laugh when we recall them at a later date. I personally cannot wait to have all new moments like these at the next convention I get to go to.