What keeps you from going to GenCon?

[Ashrum the Black]

I think my pregnant wife would kill me if I ran off for an entire weekend one month before she is technically due.

So next year I may corrupt my wife and my brand new son and bring them along.

-Ashrum

 

[Abraxas]

Other - Intense dislike of crowds and I am a wierdo magnet - where ever I go, the absolutely oddest/most disturbed person in the place will find me and want to talk - and I'm not allowed to carry a tazer.

 

[Hodag]

Location, Location, Location

I'm not going because it's in Indiana. Any other state (including Iowa and Kansas) I'd go, but not Indiana!

 

[GoodKingJayIII]

It's very expensive, but mostly I have trouble finding people to go with. I like to have a few friends so we can get rooms together and what have you. Makes things a little cheaper, and generally more fun.

 

[diaglo]

Back in my day, we used dried pine needles. And we liked it that way!

corn cobs.. put that in your pipe and smoke it.... has a whole new meaning for some.


truthfully a whole bunch of these possible answers apply for me this year.

the big one was the unexpected out lay of money for the home repair.
but my wife doesn't game. so part of the time getting a vacation without her to a gaming convention doesn't happen often.
getting the vacation hours from work can be hard to get too. depending on staffing issues.

distance isn't really an issue. it took me not that long to drive it in 03.

i like conventions mostly. was disappointed that all of my scheduled games cancelled. and disappointed with the lines. but hopefully things have improved... but i'm not holding my breath on these isssues. as when i went to Gen Con years and years ago. they existed then too.

 

[Pbartender]

Money, time and two small children.

Either I could go, or my wife could go. It just wouldn't be fun if we both can't go.

 

[Templeton580]

*

 

[Abulia]

I'm used to going for free. Of the six GenCons I've been to, I've paid for none. Of course, I was working the entire Con, but even "working" at a convention (either at the booth, demoing games, or coordinating events) is pretty low-key/high fun.

So, honestly, I'm not sure what it is that I'd do at a Con where I wasn't working. Four days of pickup gaming, standing in lines, and wandering the dealer's floor doesn't sound that good from the other side of the convention floor.

Besides, Origins is better to "meet-and-greet" and get things done if you're an industry pro.

(Plus, I miss the Safe House.)

 

[EricNoah]

They get into a brawl with a couple of Trekkies who, they tell police, "Show up every year." The Trekkies claim that they are visitors from the future, sent to observe this historic battle. Then they have to do the re-enactment in a parking lot, due to conflicting festivals.

Plus there were two Lincolns at that battle.

 

[ssampier]

When I was younger, Gen Con was like a mirage in the desert, a destination dedicated to geeky persuits. I didn't have a lot of gaming friends, so it seemed natural to want to go.

Now that I'm older and I have the money, it doesn't interest me as much; gaming with strangers and spending hours with other geeky people is not as exciting as once was.

Besides, the Man won't let me off work for two days (tried to swing a four day weekend in July and got shot down). The distance is another concern, driving all the way to Indiana doesn't sound like much fun.