Gaming means something different to everyone, and I-CON has games all weekend for everyone. There's so much that Gaming has its own separate schedule, chock full of games.
Even if you don’t have your own miniature army, there are still opportunities to try out some War Games (not WarGames). There will be demonstrations for Battletech, Elfball, Flames of War, Heavy Gear, Malifaux, Uncharted Seas, and Warhammer Fantasy, in addition to tournaments, scenarios, and open gaming all weekend. For any of the tournaments, remember to get to the registration panels for the games you want to compete in. There will also be “Wargame Widows,” featuring the “women behind the men behind the wargaming scene at I-CON.” This panel is something that shouldn’t be missed.
If you deal in cards instead of miniatures, we have plenty of Collectible Card Game programming this year. For the first time at I-CON, a Doomtown tournament will be held. There will also be Magic: The Gathering drafts, and Shadowfist and Yu-Gi-Oh tournaments. Remember to get to the registration panels for the games you want to compete in.
If you prefer the role of the dice, I-CON’s selection of Role-Playing Games this year, presented by RetCon, will not disappoint. All of these RPGs are perfect for beginners, and if you want to try something short, there will be some One-Hour RPGs, including They Fight Crime!, High Noon, Space Colony, and Booty. Also for beginners will be Savage Worlds on Friday, Werewolf: The Forsaken on Saturday, and Champions on Sunday. All three of these are ideal for players new to RPGs or are unfamiliar with character creation. The longer games include such settings as Dragon Age, Exalted, Mage, Mutants and Masterminds, Pathfinder, Shadowrun, Doctor Who, and Torchwood, among many others. Cam Banks will also be running the new Marvel Superheroes RPG, with a lucky audience member getting a chance to play with the pros. A full list of the RPGs and descriptions of the settings can be found in your collectible program guide.
We will also be running live-action role-plays (LARPs) for White Wolf’s Changeling and Vampire: The Masquerade (both of which are adults only), Escape from the Dungeon, Middlehaven’s The Hunt, a panel on the Camarilla (also adults only), and I-CON’s 3rd Annual Scavenger Hunt. There will also be I-CON’s Annual Texas Hold ‘Em Poker tournament, which requires no money but is adults only. The Celebrity Poker Tournament, our other card game, has dinner with our event coordinator at the Banquet as the first prize.
Gaming is also running some great panels this year, featuring our gaming guests. They’ll help you build an RPG character, talk about the different editions of Dungeons & Dragons, help you be a good GM, and teach you how to deal with difficult players. There’ll be World of Warcraft, Star Wars: The Old Republic, and Everquest meetups, a discussion of the gaming market’s evolution and where it will lead, and a meet-and-greet with the guests themselves. You’ll get a look at the industry through the eyes of female gamers, learn about gender roles in video games, and learn about indie game publishing. Guests will play Jeopardy!, talk about designing an original game, or about licensing and designing a game around your favorite TV show or movie. There will be panels that range from questioning the ethics and morals of the galactic forces in Mass Effect to preserving gaming artifacts for future generations to learn from, and much more.
Be sure to check the schedule grid so you know when your favorite programs are!
