BioWare At Gen Con 2004

By Jay Watamaniuk August 25, 2004

Of Klingons and Critical Hits

While I did not see a White Rabbit, I knew something was up when someone asked if I would hold his battle axe so he could take a picture of the woman in orange tiger stripes and black fur bikini. I complied because sometimes you just need to go down that rabbit hole...also, it isn't a good idea to disagree with a guy who not only owns a battle axe, but also is probably hopped up on Jolt cola and Twinkies.

Yes sir, this is Gen Con, the very center of the universe for gaming enthusiasts across the globe. Tabletop games, from Dungeons and Dragons, to Shadowrun, to Magic the Gathering, and Munchkin card games of all types from independent publishers were being played with gusto by the teeming thousands at this year's con in Indianapolis. Gen Con brings everybody together for what is billed as "the best four days of gaming." You'll see costumed fans, professional artists, T.V. and movie personalities, and young and old come and search through the hundreds of retail booths looking for that certain piece of gaming history, comic, miniature figure, medieval weapon. Many are saying hi to an online friend face-to-face for the first time. This was the second year for the con to appear in Indy after a long run in Milwaukee. It has grown from its humble beginnings 37 years ago of a small group of friends meeting in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin (Geneva Convention = Gen Con) to more than 26,000 gamers gathering to share their passion.

New to Gen Con is the growing presence of video games in what has been traditionally a pen and paper event. More and more space is being used by publishers, such as Microsoft and Atari, to show off their latest and greatest games. Myself, PR Lead Teresa Cotesta, and Lead Designer Kevin Martins, came down to show off BioWare's next console action-RPG: Jade Empire. In addition to showing off two new areas, new creatures, and a new player character to the press, Kevin participated in a panel discussion on Saturday on the future of console, PC, and online roleplaying games hosted by Microsoft.

Yes, but is Gen Con, y'know...weird?

Well, yes it is. That is part of the strange elixir that gamers bring. Curious sites, sounds, and smells (oh my) assault the senses for the week. It's wacky, weird, and just plain surreal, but nothing seems odd after your fourth sighting of a Stormtrooper, Viking chieftain, or Starship crew. Locals may turn and gawk, but they all eventually shrug, nod knowingly, mutter "It's that Gen Con," and continue on their non-magical, non-mechwarrior way, muggledom intact.

As BioWare's Community Manager, I find Gen Con is a chance to talk with roleplaying fans of such devotion that they are without peer. They are why BioWare makes games--for the slightly crazy, slightly off-beat gamers who simply want to be a part of a great fairy tale.

Although I never did hear story of the Tigerlady.