Dicehead Comics & Games (located in Chattanooga and Cleveland, TN) is organizing the event, but they have received a lot of ground level support from game clubs in East and Middle Tennessee. Shane Grubb, one of Dicehead's owners, really raved about the prize and game master support the convention has received from Battlefront/Gale Force 9.
I think this all-games convention is what the region needs. I can't recall anything like it in East Tennessee, ever. Folks really have to travel to Nashville, Atlanta, or farther to enjoy a good game convention. Here's to more good gaming in the Southeast.
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While I agree with you that gaming needs more regional/local exposure, the cost of entry always strikes me as prohibitive. I can't think of a convention in the UK that charges anything remotely like this. Hardly going to bring in new recruits, is it?
ReplyDeleteGood point. I don't know if game conventions pick up new recruits for the hobby - at least to the few that I've attended over the years. My guess - and it's just that - is that more new folks are brought into the hobby by seeing people play assorted games at game stores (whether open games or tournaments).
ReplyDeleteAs for prohibitive costs, I suppose it's a matter of perspective. $25 is pretty good for a convention of this size (I think they are expecting about 400 folks this year) in the US. Take into account that players within a 2 hour radius (which would include Atlanta) might not have to deal with lodging fees, this seems like a bargain for the locals. If I play 12 hours worth of games and get to see old gaming chums (that I only see at the shows), I figure it's worth my $2/hour).
One of the great things about the UK - and this is just my impression - is that there are gaming conventions going on every month and that at least some of them would be within easy reach (100-200 miles). Is it really that easy to make the UK shows or is this a fantasy I cherish? The few times I've been to the UK, I knew there were shows nearby, but I couldn't break away from exploring historical sites and stuff to check them out.
I agree with you on the value of the event as a player, but some people might like to watch and check out the scene, or the latest stuff for sale. The easy answer might be for the convention to have a day/spectator pass for say $5 or $10. I'm not an accountant, but would you rather have one player at $25 or 5 potential players for next year at $5/head? Or both?
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