Never been to a convention...(should I go to Gen Con?)

[ShinHakkaider]

To each their own. That said, I have found very few truly obnoxious, hygiene & socially challenged gamers. They are great people in general, courteous, friendly and fun to be around.

I'm glad that your experiences have been different. I havent run into an overwhelming amount either, but the ones that I've run into have been just bad enough to put me off attending any events where the chances of running into them at a greater number is more than likely.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

GenCon is several kinds of awesome just for the EN folk that go. I hardly play in official games anymore, and maybe spent 4 hours in the dealer hall total (and that includes 2 hours working the ENnies booth). The friends I've made going to GenCon the past four years make each one better and better.

I'd suggest hitting some of the local-ish gamedays; meet some of the other gamers that are likely to be at GenCon, and then if you do go you've got some people to game and socialize with.

 

[jgerman]

To each their own. That said, I have found very few truly obnoxious, hygiene & socially challenged gamers. They are great people in general, courteous, friendly and fun to be around.

Let's not start handing out rose colored glasses. The odds of running into serious gamer-funk is pretty high at Gencon (or any con for that matter).

It happens, but it's not a big deal (usually). Certainly not a real reason to stay away.

 

[Jeff Wilder]

Let's not start handing out rose colored glasses. The odds of running into serious gamer-funk is pretty high at Gencon (or any con for that matter).

For what it's worth, I got nary a single whiff this year, and my roommate says he got only one noseful, in passing.

GenCon nowadays is not the GenCon of old, for both better and worse.

 

[Piratecat]

It happens, but it's not a big deal (usually). Certainly not a real reason to stay away.

Bingo. I don't stop eating fruit because every once in a while I run into a bruised apple.

GenCon - or any con, really - is what you make of it. I have had a spectacular time at every one I've been to. This year I played in 4 games with EN Worlders (Mouse Guard, Dread, AD&D, and D&D) and ran three games of Skulduggery for EN Worlders. I hosted the ENnies, had lunch with Keith Baker, trolled the dealer hall, went to freelancing seminars, ate sandwiches while drinking in a hallway at 2am, and almost went hoarse from laughing too much.

Honestly, I'd only miss GenCon under duress. EN Worlders are almost universally neat people and very good game masters.

 

[Rechan]

Here's my word of warning, and this goes for any con:

If crowds bother you, AVOID CONS.

Annually I went to a little convention that had around 2,000 attendees. I thought that was pretty good. Then I went to DragonCon, which had 22,000 attendees. It totally weirded me out.

GenCon has a few K more than 22k.

 

[Fiery_Dragon]

GenCon is my favourite time every year. Sadly, I wasn't able to make it this year, and I felt like I was missing Christmas.
I enjoy it mostly for the social aspects - and I'm surprised what good friends I've made at GenCon, people that I only see once a year.

If you can go with a group - a built-in social circle at the con - I'd say go for it.

 

[maddman75]

For what it's worth, I got nary a single whiff this year, and my roommate says he got only one noseful, in passing.

GenCon nowadays is not the GenCon of old, for both better and worse.

Same experience here, not a bit of Gamer Funk.

There was even a water outage briefly downtown, which filled me with dread. But it was all for the best.

 

[Varianor Abroad]

I had one whiff of Gamer Funk this year. Lasted about 5 seconds. Nothing to lose sleep over. The people on the commuter bus I take can be worse!

This year, Gen Con had, according to their site, 27,800 unique gate admissions.

 

[Scribble]

I'm planning on going next year.

My awesomeness is reason alone to attend.