One of the panels I attended at Gen Con was ‘Diversity in Gaming.’ I expected it to be about ensuring an inclusive environment for all people in the games industry. Instead, it was three staffers from Paizo, the company that publishes the Pathfinder roleplaying game, discussing their company’s policies on inclusiveness.
Not what I expected, but still worthwhile.
As most of you know, I was able to attend Gen Con last week. It was my first time ever to attend a convention (apart from the small local one that doesn’t really count). I had no idea what to expect from conventions in general, nor from Gen Con in particular. Needless to say, I had ridiculous amounts of fun. I got to play lots of games, see lots of panels, learn lots of things, and of course, buy lots of games. I have a lot of ideas for articles about my time at Gen Con, so look for those in upcoming weeks. Just a small sample of some of the entries I’ll be writing include:
And more! So this space is going to be pretty busy over the next couple of months. Be sure to check back weekly to see if I’ve managed to get something new up.
But in the meantime, I thought I’d start out with an overview of the convention itself. This is going to take the form of two sections: a description of the convention in general, and a guide to what to expect for people who’ve never been to a con.
My first to Gen Con in Indianapolis was a blast. I drove down there Thursday morning. I had some problems trying to figure out where I could park. I wasn’t able to make it to the Writing Comics: Writing Women Friendly Comics seminar since I got there later then I intended. I picked up some generic tickets and wondered around trying to find a program.
There are a number of events that might be of interest to transgender gamers at the upcoming Gen Con in Indianapolis this year. Tabletop Gaymers is hosting their annual “Queer as a Three-Sided Die” seminar along with a number of events that are transgender inclusive. Alexa Heart, a transgender cosplayer, will be hosting seminars on cosplay as well as one on coming out in the gaming culture.