I went to Gen Con for the first time in my life, and apparently, I’ve lived to tell about it.
I had two main goals: to play games and meet people who work in the gaming industry. I ended up playing a lot of games. However, I got so caught up looking for interesting games that I failed at the second goal.
A couple of strange things happened. I almost collided with one of the Dungeon Dudes, who was carrying a large load of nachos. I passed a few other YouTube notables in crowds, but I didn’t want to interrupt their con. I’d swear in a court of law that I saw Pedro Pascal scurrying about with a large bag of RPGs and a concerned look on his face. That has to be impossible because I’d imagine he’d be swarmed by fans.
On Sunday, I overheard this line, “If we get to the airport four hours early, we can squeeze in one more session.” Hardcore. Gotta love it.
Below is a list of the games I played and the seminars I attended.
Games Played at Gen Con 2024
“Three Hoods and a Baby” – System: Caltrop Core
- A Robin Hood-themed session set in the year 1149.
- Character: Alfwerd, a lord robbed of his birthright by evil Prince John, now leads a band of outlaws who steal from the rich and give to the poor.
- Pros: I was able to get into character, and the system was quite simple. Several of the other players became very engaged.
- Cons: Some of the players were confused by the premise and didn’t realize we were supposed to be outlaws.
“Tomorrow’s Messengers” – System: Cypher System, Setting: Predation
- Descendants of future time travelers trapped in the prehistoric past searching for clues of their ancestors.
- Character: Aaris, a survivalist, jungle tracker, and friend of dinosaurs.
- Pros: This was my first time playing the Cypher System, and it was interesting and fun. The setting pairs limited resources with high-tech and dinosaurs. Enough said.
- Cons: I rolled nearly double-digit critical fails.
“Great Lake Avengers” – System: Hero System
- Avenger rejects sent to protect the Midwest.
- Character: Street Hawk, a small-time hood who was killed and brought back to life as a streetwise martial artist superhero.
- Pros: Complex and engaging story. I was able to really get into Street Hawk’s character.
- Cons: The game began at 8 am, and it took a while for everyone, including me, to wake up a bit. The system required loads of math, not good at 8 am after a late night.
“The Gorgon’s Gaze” – System: Star Trek Adventures
- Dispatched to find out what happened on a first-contact mission that went terribly wrong.
- Character: Thy’ran, an Andorian security officer who ended up being the doctor.
- Pros: All of the players were creative and willing to work together.
- Cons: The pre-generated characters were all NPCs pulled from the rulebook. They were either martial or not even in Starfleet, yet the mission was a Starfleet Away Team solving a problem involving science and medicine. My character had the highest Medicine score (a 2), so I became the doctor out of necessity. Several player characters had nothing to do the entire session.
- Brief Aside: I don’t know what my problem with Star Trek RPGs is. I seem to be under an ill star. I love Star Trek so much (see my videos about GM tips from TNG), yet I’ve only been able to play in a handful of sessions.
“Hull Breach” – System: Streamriders (playtest)
- A Firefly-like crew hired to transport a recently discovered artifact.
- Character: Folker, a space warlock.
- Pros: The GM and the other players were awesome.
- Cons: I wasn’t able to get into character, probably my fault.
“Into the Flare” – System: Ashen Frontiers (playtest)
- A fantasy post-apocalyptic setting where most metal has been destroyed.
- Character: Penta, a giant barbarian former gladiator.
- Pros: Creative world-building.
- Cons: Again, I wasn’t able to get into character.
“First Taste” – System: Shadowrun 6th ED
- A runner team just trying to grab a few snacks, and a gang picked the wrong convenience store to attack.
- Character: Gung Ho, an orc Street Samurai with a shotgun.
- Pros: Finally, after years, nay decades, I got to play Shadowrun. It was a fun combat encounter.
- Cons: It was only a two-hour session and not a four-hour one.
“The Inbetween” – System: Memories of Tomorrow (playtest)
- A special group of operatives who travel the galaxy fixing wrongs by drawing forth images and objects from memories.
- Character: Dr. O’Conner, an engineer and scientist with Doctor Octopus-like tendrils and an odd resemblance to a very tall Bob Ross.
- Pros: Engaging from start to finish. Wildly creative players and GM. I was able to get into character and help the group. Innovative game system.
- Cons: The game system is not yet on sale. I would have bought it right then and there.
“Operation: Lifeguard” – System: Essence 20, Setting: G.I. Joe
- A squad of fresh GI Joe recruits goes on their first mission.
- Character: Wandering Soul, a Korean martial artist possibly with mystical powers.
- Pros: I was slapped in the face with a bucket full of nostalgia.
- Cons: The session was a little disjointed and slow to get going.
“For Those About to Rock” – System: Shadow Scar
- A group of operatives from around the multiverse attempt to stop demons from destroying worlds.
- Character: Hugo Roth a broken veteran of World War One who was recruited to help protect the multiverse.
- Pros: The setting is imaginative and fun. I really got into character.
- Cons: The room was so loud I could barely hear the GM.
“At Land’s Edge” – System: 13th Age 2 ED (playtest) Link to 1st ED
- A living dungeon is breaking through the surface of the world, imperiling all life.
- Character: Thaylos, a Dark Elf Paladin who as a baby was found in a sealed tomb by grave robbers.
- Pros: I have wanted to play 13th Age for a long time. The other players were creative and engaged.
- Cons: It was 8 am on the last day of the convention, and I was exhausted.
“Void Sickness” – System: Good Strong Hands
- Investigators are tasked with finding the source of a taint in a neighboring village. The setting was Labyrinth and Dark Crystal-esque.
- Character: Mossgroom, a stonekin made of granite who is not very smart but is very kind and loyal.
- Pros: I really got into character, and the other players were super creative. The system was simple and unique.
- Cons: It was the last day of Gen Con, and I was wiped out.
Seminars Attended Gen Con 2024
So, You Wanna Work in Tabletop?
- A panel of industry folks discussing how they and by extension you could get a job in the gaming world.
- Pros: Some useful tips and etiquette on contacting established industry professionals.
- Cons: A lengthy discussion on dealing with burnout in an industry that 99.9% of people in the audience do not work in.
The First Superhero: A History of The Scarlet Pimpernel
- Background and history of the novel The Scarlet Pimpernel.
- Pros: The presenter was extremely knowledgeable about the subject.
- Cons: The presenter ran out of time and had to hurry through some interesting material.
Tracy Hickman: My Life in Miniature
- Stories and anecdotes from the creator of Dragonlance and Ravenloft.
- Pros: A heartfelt and warm ramble with a massive dose of appreciation for fans.
- Cons: I had to leave right at the end to get to another event.