Gen Con is a massive gaming convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. This year was my third time attending the convention, and I learn something new each year which makes the next year even better. It is the second time that I have presented at the Trade Day, attended by librarians, educators and gaming entrepreneurs including game designers, and game store owners the day before the convention opens. I presented with my friend and Teachers in the Dungeon podcast cohost Dan Reem as we discussed strategies to integrate game stores, schools, and public libraries in building gaming communities. The presentation went well, and like the previous year, we gained a good amount of insight from our audience.
It was a great way to start the convention. Then, Thursday morning came and there were 4 full days of a gaming convention! Here are my Top 5 moments of the 2024 Gen Con:
5. Hanging out with friends: I was fortunate to attend the convention with my good friends Dan and Marc who are a part of D&D games that I play at home, and we also work together. We had time to hang out with our friend Adam Watson of Kentucky Educators for Role Playing Games. We played game demos, ate at the food trucks, played a little pinball, and walked the show floor looking at new games and art. I also had the opportunity to visit with Michael Witwer, co-author of Art and Arcana; Margaret Weis, co-author of DragonLance; listener, Gabriel from Bucky Productions; Dan Crawford of Kings and Cabbages; Ryan Calhoun of Cephlopod Studios and more. Meeting up with friends is quickly becoming a top reason to attend Gen Con.
4. Starfinder by Paizo: In 2023, I had the opportunity to play a Starfinder game which was an enjoyable experience and kept me interested in this RPG system. I purchased the core rule book and the beginner box. So, in 2024, I signed up for another game, but this year, I used the beginner box to create a character for the game. I sat down Thursday morning at 8:00am for a 5 hour gaming session, and I had a wonderful time. The game was led by an experienced GM from Salt Lake City, and I played with two young men from southern Indiana. The boys hadn't played Starfinder before, but were experienced D&D players. We all had a great time learning the system, and our GM was super patient in helping us to have fun and learn the game. I am a believer and happy to find a science fiction RPG I enjoy. I went to the Paizo booth later that afternoon and continued to build my Starfinder collection of books.
3. My new favorite game: In 2023, I visited the Czech Games HQ where they host their store, demos, and game playthroughs. I played Galaxy Truckers, which I love, but I had my eye on a new game titled The Lost Runes of Arnak. I never had a chance to play Arnak in 2023, so I had to wait another year to try this out. On Thursday night in 2024, I finally had the chance to learn how to play The Lost Runes of Arnak, and it has quickly become my favorite game to play! Besides the cool archeology theme, I love the combination of worker placement and deck building. I had a chance to play this game several times (see Moment #2). This is a highly recommended game if you are in the market.
2. Late-night games: We were fortunate in 2024 to have an onsite hotel room which was a first for us. This opens up several opportunities for evening activities in addition to a chance for downtime during the day. We discovered the open gaming area where players can play games all hours of the day and night. It was here that we played The Lost Ruins of Arnak in addition to Grand River Glass works. Dan, Marc, Adam and I all played late into the night Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. This open gaming room is where the essence of Gen Con is realized.
1. 50 Years of Dungeons and Dragons: This by far was the highlight of 2024. There were many activities with the creators and stars of Wizards of the Coast. I attended the 50 Years of D&D in history books with Michael Witwer, David Ewalt, Jon Peterson and Ben Riggs moderated by Matt Forbeck. This was a great discussion of many turning points of the game through the years. The United States Post Office was on hand to release the D&D stamp set which went on sale Thursday, August 1. I was also able to secure a ticket to pick up the 2024 Players Handbook which was offered for sale a month prior to its general release. D&D also had a massive presence throughout the entire convention with live plays, a ballroom of games, and several panel sessions.
This convention is an amazing spectacle of table-top gaming. If you plan to attend in 2025, be sure to secure your badge early as the 2024 convention was completely sold out.
