X-Con World 2010

Voted Best Costume - X-Con 2010

X-Con World 2010

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending X-Con World 2010 in Myrtle Beach, SC.  It is a small blended con, with interests including comics, anime, horror, sci-fi, gaming, etc.  Back in March, when I  started this site, my idea was to have a Geekcentricity table with T-shirts and other goodies.  Unfortunately that didn’t work out this year.  Hopefully that will be an option for next year as Geekcentricity continues to grow.

I have to warn you.  This look at X-Con 2010 will be focused primarily on the con’s gaming track, along with the sights observed at the con because that was the area in which I primarily experienced the con.  Several other members of the Geekcentricity staff were also at the event and hopefully will have different experiences of their own to share.  If you’re interested in guest-writing anything else about X-con 2010 here at Geekcentricity, please contact me at webmaster@geekcentricity.com for information.

The Gaming

A few months ago, I decided to offer my services running games at X-Con.  I was stymied at first, but I was eventually put into contact with SCARAB.  SCARAB is an association of South Carolina Area Role-players and Boardgamers. They are based in Columbia, SC and were in charge of the gaming track at X-Con this year.  They are also hosting their own SCARAB gaming con in Columbia, SC on January 14-16 2011.  I am definitely planning on being in Columbia in January and am hoping for the opportunity to run some games again.  I hope to see you there.

Wait… Where was I?  Oh, right.  X-Con.  Got it.

Dresden Files RPG

When I first contacted Del Collins of SCARAB through Facebook and inquired about running games at X-Con, I received a prompt, professional, yet friendly reply.  I was immediately welcomed into the fold and treated with respect and kindness.  Del and all of his fellow SCARABites were open and friendly and I felt extremely welcomed the entire weekend.  It wasn’t at all cliquish like some of the gaming gatherings I’ve experienced.  I was immediately a part of the tribe.

I was there to facilitate a few games of Fiasco, but the number of role-playing and board games offered was staggering.  Unfortunately, the demand for gaming wasn’t as high as anticipated.  I was fortunate to get in one game of Fiasco and even more fortunate to have the opportunity to play in a number of other games.  On Friday night, I got to play in a crazy game of Geiger Counter.  It is a cooperative rpg, similar in style to Fiasco, but focused on creating a horror movie-like experience for the players.  We ended up playing teenagers on a field trip to a LEGO museum, terrorized by a hideous LEGO monster that tried to turn us all into half-human/half-LEGO monstrosities.

On Saturday, after playing the Castle Ravenloft board game, I facilitated a session of Fiasco.  The players chose the “Transatlantic” playset (not the one I would’ve chosen for a first experience, but I allowed them to choose and they loved it) and quickly developed characters on the first transatlantic voyage of the R.M.S. Leviathan.  There wasn’t a Leo DiCaprio or a Kate Winslett among them.  They came up with unique characters including a disgraced former boxer escaping Ireland to a more promising career in the States, down-on-his-luck Irishman with a sworn oath to protect a seductive jewel thief transporting a stolen marquee diamond across the Atlantic, and a detective pursuing the arrest of his career.  All four characters were bound in a web of deceit that culminated in a third-class rebellion aboard the ship.  The boxer was left penniless and devoid of reputation.  The Irishman failed in his oath and ended up in the brig.  The jewel thief was relieved of his stolen diamond and left in the bowels of the ship with his throat slit.  The detective recovered the diamond and returned home to a commendation.  It was an excellent session.  One thing I found was that, as the action intensified, the pace of the session accelerated.  The second act lasted about half as long as the first.  The players loved it and we all had a blast.

Zombie Survivor Dungeons & Dragons with SCARAB

On Sunday, I played in a game of Misspent Youth with the same GM who ran the Friday night Geiger Counter game.  We played a group of teens on an experimental island run by a computer corporation turned religion who was attempting to control the world through implanted computer chips.  It was a lot of fun and I was really sorry that the session had to be shortened due to time constraints.

Other games that happened during the weekend included the Dresden Files RPG by Evil Hat Games, Dungeons & Dragons (2nd & 3rd editions), Star Wars RPG, D20 Modern, Shadowrun, Zorcerer of Zo, Dogs In the Vineyard, the Castle Ravenloft board game, Dragon Delta (all presented by SCARAB) and Cyclades (presented by Sean Torrens of Myrtle Beach Gamers), among others.  There were also video games available on both the XBOX 360 and PS3, Heroclix and Magic: The Gathering tournaments (the M:tG tournament was hosted by the Dueling Ground, our LGS) and several tables of Warhammer 40K.  It was an incredible weekend of gaming and meeting new friends.  I can only hope that in the future, more gamers come to X-Con to share in the fun.

The Sights

Other than the gaming track, there was much to see and do at X-Con 2010.  The cosplayers had a great time, Jonathan Hickman and Tim Seeley were there, the vendors had some great products and Ren & Stimpy creator Bob Camp was a huge hit.  Since some genius claims that pictures are worth a thousand words (EACH?!?), I’ll let some photos do the talking.  I know that our very own Nick Dewsnap also has some photos to post, but if any of you have any photos of X-Con 2010 you would like to submit to Geekcentricity, please contact me via email (address given above).  Also, remember to contact me if you were there and are interested in writing a guest post.  Also, for interviews and other X-Con highlights, visit Jason & George’s DBLR podcast, episode 40.

Castle Ravenloft Board Game

lining up at the zombie make-up booth

Warhammer 40K

Star Wars RPG

playing video games at X-con

shopping for comics

Joe from the Dueling Ground

gaming at X-Con

cosplayers

loli cafe girl

Jason at the DBLR booth

Your Turn

Were you at X-Con?  Do you have some stories or memories to share?  Do you have any thoughts or suggestions for future X-Con events?  Please share them with us in the comments below!