Your First Convention

Many new gamers ask, "this is my first con, what should I bring and think about doing at the convention?" Well, here are a few tips:

PERSONAL TIPS:

  • Follow the law of 6/2/1. A Minimum of 6 hours of sleep, 2 meals, and 1 shower a day. REMEMBER these are MINIMUMS!
  • Dont get Con Crud - Bring a hoodie/sweater. It will be warm wherever you go, however they will crank the AC up and parts of the room may be much colder than the outside. Don't get sick sitting under an AC vent. This is known as con crud, and is horrible when you have to work with this malady.
  • Drink lots of water and eat regularly. Many people get so lost in the fun, they dont drink or eat. You will suffer for this later. See Con Crud above.
  • Pace yourself. Sleep on a regular basis. Being so tired on Saturday that you can't enjoy the day because you stayed up 20+ hours a day the previous 2 days hurts.
  • Did we say Bathe everyday? Many people think taking a half hour of grooming per day cuts into their gaming time, IT DOES NOT! People do remember that stinky person, and is that really the impression you want to make?

PLANNING THE TRIP TIPS:

  • Feel free to use the con rate at the hotel to stay a few extra days and check out the local area. It's up to you, but if you don't get out too often, make the most of your trip and vacation.
  • Bring a power strip for the hotel. We all have lots of electronics to plug in and charge. You don't want your cell to die while you tweet or post to people to make them jealous do you?
  • Bring money to buy games/food/drinks. There will be vendors, a flea market, and an auction. This also means that you need to be prepared to ship said games or get them home by some means. I usually bring an extra box. My first con I did not know about these fantastic things, and kicked myself for it. You dont hav eto buy anything, but T-shirts are always a cool keepsake.
  • Can I show up early? - Yes you can, sometimes you can walk the convention area to see where things will be, and you can always arrange to meet some of your internet friends before the con to get in a game or a meal.
  • Do I need to bring games? The quick answer is yes. Other people will have games there, the con will have games there in a library as well. However, if you want to make sure you get to play in a tournament or even play a game you love, then bring it. Some people won't be able to as they are flying in, but if you can you should bring games. The convention wont be able to have 10+ copies of each game on hand, so please Don't expect them to provide all of the games.
  • You may want to plan a few hours of activities each day. Some conventions charge for tickets to special events, so check their website. HOWEVER, always leave yourself some free time for pick up games, food, and just checking out cool stuff!

ANXIETY AND MISSING OUT TIPS:

  • You wont get to everything, so enjoy what you experience and find.
  • Don't be afraid to ask people standing around if they want to play a game, or if there is room for one more. Most gamers want more people to play with and usually don't mind teaching a game either. If you don't you may not get to play all the cool games you want to.
  • Don't stress out about it being your first con. EVERYONE is here to have fun. Don't let anxiety that FOMO creates, you may miss something cool, but you will have fun!
  • MOST IMPORTANTLY Relax and have fun.
  • Please join the Facebook group from the menu for more discussion if you have questions.