Article on Gen Con in Indianapolis Monthly Magazine

[Barak]

I think it would, if only to get them to reconsider how they approach such subjects. The Internet is evergreen and that article isn't just about 2005, but about gamers in general. Besides, it wouldn't hurt if they revisit the issue and give the convention more attention for 2006 and beyond. Perhaps if they do a better follow up article they will link to it from under that one so that it doesn't seem like that publication's final word on the matter. Lots of good reasons to drop them a line, I think.

I'll try going halfway with ya. Might be worth dropping the 'zine a line. The writer? Not so much.

 

[hexgrid]

Portions of the article are definitely insulting, but the author does seem to have made a genuine effort to immerse himself in the convention.

He did go so far as to participate in three rounds of the NASCRAG tournament (and win,) afterall.

 

[MojoGM]

But we're talking about an article about the 2005 GenCon. Would any opinion about it sent now really have any effect?

I did find it odd that they run the Gen Con 2005 article in the august issue of 2006....but they may do something on this years Gen Con, and it would be nice if they did it a little differently than this one.

Man, if you didn't know what Gen Con was, you'd think it was one big, smelly gamer orgy...(**shudders on the visual image that brings up**)

 

[Ed_Laprade]

I read about three paragraphs and quit. I've got better thing to do with my time than waste it on that kind of crap.

 

[Meloncov]

About half of that article was a good explanation of the con for non gamers. The other half needs to be dragged out and shot.

 

[Henry]

One boy, a large, round youth wearing a shirt emblazoned with an orange-and-red dragon stands and raises his flabby arms. “Bring forth the virgins!” he yells. “We must appease the gods beyond these doors. We need lots of virgins.”

Perhaps he’s forgotten where he is.

Yeah, he's in the middle of a bunch of people who've come to GET LAID, according to you! Sheesh.

Well, it's one side of Gencon, anyway.

 

[Barak]

Actually.. Having thought about it some more, the article comes close to the opinion that I, a gamer who doesn't go to cons, have of GenCon. So it might not be that far from the truth,

 

[AntiStateQuixote]

Wow! All the hate . . . I thought it was hilarious! I laughed my ass off!

Yeah, the stereotypes were bad, but who cares? I don't fit any of them . . . except maybe the beer-bellied football fan.

I guess it does put gamers in a bad light, but it's not like we (collectively, not individually) didn't earn that reputation. There are enough of us that match the stereotypes that I believe the article is a fairly accurate view of many, if not most, gamers. I was at GenCon last year. I saw the same people he saw.

 

[freebfrost]

Wow, that was one of the most one-sided, stereotypically written pieces on gamers that I've ever seen.

I wonder if Rehagen would consider writing such an article with that same tone about the Indy 500 fans... or the Colts fans... or (insert political party) conventioners...

Somehow I don't think he would, yet there's obviously no thought on his part or that of his editors as to how this article portrays us.

Sad.

 

[Henry]

I'll admit something, though -- as Brent_Nall says, there's a heck of a lot of truth in there.

What's missing, though, are the average joes, the Doctors, Lawyers, Mechanics, Marines, Realtors, Videographers, and Police Officers who are vacationing at Gencon to kick some butt, connect with friends they see once a year, party at the Red Garter or similar, and talk gaming crap pretty similar to what was mentioned.

Instead, they focus on the equivalent of the sports fans who paint themselves blue and stand yelling and screaming in -10 degree weather.

About the best treatment of gamers is the Boston-area piece from about three years back called "They're game -- are you?" It actually showed it as something cool that everyone could enjoy.