Huge GenCon news.

[kanithardm]

So its not gonna be in indy next year???? But i was gonna go for my first time next year and i already have the trip planned

 

[ColonelHardisson]

So its not gonna be in indy next year???? But i was gonna go for my first time next year and i already have the trip planned

What are you talking about?

 

[Ottergame]

Me, either. But these things tend to be kind of organic; if GenCon forgot its roots, presumably the game companies (especially WotC) would exert counter-pressure, or abandon it for some new start-up.

This is exactly what happened to E3. It forgot what it was intended to be, an industry only trade show. It got to the point that it was a circus for kids and swag-seeking dorks, and that you couldn't actually WORK there as an industry tradesman. And so, the big names started pulling out for their own shows or for smaller venues. The E3 people saw the writting on the wall, and decided to try the abort/retry/fail option as opposed to trying to chug along with what was failing them.

 

[Mercule]

First of all, GenCon isn't just D&D/RPGs. I'd guess *maybe* half, with CCGs and minis and all the rest taking up half. Not to mention the anime crowd and all the other events. So its not like they'd be sullying the 'RPG purity' of GenCon by allowing other stuff.

I'm sure there is a very high cross-over from RPG/CCG/etc gamers to video gamers.

Fair enough. I think Henry nailed my concerns pretty well. I haven't made it to a Gen Con, yet, but I'd like to, and have a certain image of what I'm going to be interested in. As long as they have RPGs and wargames, I'm good. I couldn't care less about the computers, but I couldn't care less about the cards, either.

 

[TwinBahamut]

I really think the naysaying of this move is a little unwarranted. It might be the people I game with, but I think Gencon's traditional focus and video games go very well together. Almost everyone at my college's gaming club enjoy both tabletop RPGs and videogames (anime too). Many play MMORPGs. I have borrowed videogames from my DM, and after some D&D sessions I have sat down with other players to play videogames. Games are games.

Also, it is not like all the horrors, or even the presence, of E3 will be folded into GenCon. From what is being reported, the Consumer Electronics Show will be picking up a lot of the slack in the industry, and conventions like PAX will be picking up the slack in overall game fandom.

 

[JoeGKushner]

I fail to see any relationship between computer games and D&D/RPGs.

How about computer games that simulate D&D/RPGs?

 

[Diremede]

I fail to see any relationship between computer games and D&D/RPGs.

Well there are several relationships between computer games and D&D, specifically D&D. D&D online, forgotten realms games from the 90's, neverwinter nights, neverwinter nights 2, temple of elemental evil was transformed to a PC game, etc. Like I stated before I don't see anything wrong with these games being at GenCon, but only if they are specific to the GenCon theme, ie., a PnP game turned video or a CCG turned video. Considering WoTC puts their brand name on the games like Neverwinter Nights 2, and Neverwinter Nights Tactics, and collects revenue from the those games most likely, I would say WoTC or any other publisher whose game is being incorporated on both fronts has a definite interest in promoting said video games.

 

[Evil Monkey]

So its not gonna be in indy next year???? But i was gonna go for my first time next year and i already have the trip planned

What are you talking about?

Perhaps they are seeing the mention of GenCon SoCal and GenCon Indy and not realizing that they are two separate shows that are both held each year?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Since E3 downsizing was done at the request of the game development companies, conventions can want to be the new E3 all they want. They'll get second-tier and below developers at best, for the most part. I don't know how many times consumers are likely to go to conventions where they can see all the games except the ones they want. Not many times, I suspect.

 

[kenobi65]

Yeah, I wonder what they plan on doing with the RCA Dome. Its replacement is supposed to be ready in time for the 2008 football season, and I assume they'll tear down the old stadium after that.

Yes; the plan, as announced last year, is that once the new football stadium is completed, they are going to tear down the RCA Dome, and expand the Convention Center into that space. So, Indy'll have a bunch more space available for GenCon...in about 4-5 years.