CAR-PGa NEWSLETTER
Vol. 25, No. 2
An international network of researchers into all
aspects of role-playing games
February 2017
David Millians, Editor
Paideia School, 1509 Ponce de Leon Avenue,
Atlanta, Georgia 30307 USA
ARTICLES
Convention Report: Southern-Fried
Gameroom Expo
by Ted
Skirvin
I
attended the Southern-Fried Gameroom Expo in June of 2016. The convention is
focused on old style arcade games and pinball machines. For the 2016 con they
decided to add tabletop gaming. When I realized that they had not planned on
any convention-sponsored RPGs for the event, I contacted them and arranged to
volunteer to run a few games.
The
con had a large atrium area set aside for tabletop gaming. A convention
volunteer who has a huge collection of board games and card games made them
available con attendees. That is also the area where I set up to run RPGs.
Unfortunately, no one signed up for any of my games.
There
was a large room full of arcade games and pinball machines that were all set on
free play. My favorite arcade game from my youth is called Defender and I got
to play a lot of it at the con. I also got to play a variety of pinball
machines.
The
con also had some discussion panels. Some were about arcade games. There were a
couple panels about tabletop games and one was a Q & A with John
Kovalic.
I
recommend this con for anyone who likes arcade games. The fact it now has lots
of tabletop gaming only makes it more attractive.
The
SPIEL ´16 in Essen
Part One: From Game Exhibitions,
Heavy Metal, and the Post-Apocalypse
By
Carsten Obst
The game fair in Essen again proved the energy and
versatility of the game community. From October 13 to 16, 2016, publishers,
authors and fans met at the SPIEL ´16, which took place in seven halls of the
city´s fair building on 66,000 square meters (2015: 63,000). Around 174.000
visitors (2015: 162,000) tested, played, and bought games of all kinds. No less
than 1021 exhibitors (2015: 910) from 50 nations (2015: 41) offered their
products, among them around 1000 new ones (2015: also around 1000).
Despite these developments, there were incidents that
caused discomfort among regular visitors as well as among the exhibitors.
According to some sources Friedrich Merz Verlag, which organizes the fair,
increased the prices for renting sales stands. For exhibitors with a limited
budget, this became a serious problem. As a result small companies united to
rent a combined sales stand, while many comic-artists renounced their
participation. COMIC ACTION 16, which was part of the fair, suffered badly from
the absence of many freelance artists. Some people suspected, that Friedrich
Merz Verlag was trying to get rid of the small companies to increase the possibilities
for the large game publishers.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed my time at the SPIEL ´16. In
this article I will list a number of interesting German RPGs and comics, which
may be of interest for our readers. As usual I can recommend them all after
some rigorous game-tests.
My first target at the fair was the annual exhibition
of the Europäische Spielesammler-Gilde (“European Guild of Game-Collectors”).
This year they dealt with the topic “Gehn Sie mit der Konjunktur. Spiele als
Werbebotschafter” (“Go along with the Economy. Games as Advertising Advisors”).
The first part of the title is an allusion to a well-known song about the
“Wirtschaftswunder,” which German visitors understood at once. This exhibition
presented games that were used as advertising materials, either as an adaption
of existing ones or as developments for the respective purposes. Most of them
came from Germany, but some foreign ones found their ways to the exhibition
too. In 1993 Henkel, a producer of laundry detergents, offered “Das
Riesenwäscheleinenspiel” (“The Giant Clothes Line-Game”). Ritter Sport, a
chocolate-company, expanded in 2000 with “Der Schokoladenmarkt” (“The
Chocolate-Market”) of the popular “Die Siedler von Catan” series. In the same year,
the Medienverbund Donaukurier, a publisher of newspapers, presented “Auripolis,”
the history of the Bavarian city of Ingolstadt. RTL, a private TV-broadcaster,
released around 2006 “25 Jahre RTL Memories” (“25 Years RTL Memories”) to
celebrate its 25th jubilee. In the former German Democratic Republic, games
were also used as advertising materials. Filmfabrik Wolfen (“Movie-Factory
Wolfen”), a film studio, published in 1965 “ORWO Quartett,” a work to show the breadth
of movie production. A memory of an evil time is “Verlorenes Land” (“Lost
Land”). This piece showed pictures of the countries, cities, and colonies that
Germany lost after World War One. It was published after 1933 by “Der Führer”
(translation unnecessary, I guess), a local newspaper of the NSDAP.
Despite its English title “Metal Heroes and the
Fate of Rock,“ written by Sven Harder (Mantikore Verlag), is a German gamebook
with an unusual topic: the rise of a heavy metal band. The player takes over
the role of Taylor, a rock fan, whom the god of rock gives a special task: to
help an unsuccessful group to become the greatest rock band of all times. In
addition, he must also rescue the world by stopping the devil from destroying
the creativity of music. The way to the top is long and hard, full of tasks
like first local performances, winning music-awards, appearances in TV, or
solving internal quarrels. All stereotypes associated with the music business
are used here, combined with an ironic sense of humour. Three levels of
difficulty allow one to play the 1300 sections on 800 pages several times,
while the included music CD is part of the game. As special guest stars two
real female rock singers appear as NPCs: Jill Janus from the US-band Huntress
and Charlotte Wessels from the Dutch band Delain. Altogether “Metal Heroes and
the Fate of Rock” can be recommended to all fans of gamebooks but also to all
RPG-fans that lack a group in which to play.
The Mantikore Verlag expanded
the successful series about the village Schnutenbach with the new adventure and
sourcebook “Im Hort des Oger-Magiers” (“In the Refuge of the Ogre-Magician”),
which includes three adventures and the description of a village. All
information is given in a universal way, and so the book can be used for any
fantasy-RPG. In “Die Expedition der Zwerge” (“The Expedition of the Dwarves”)
the PCs join a group of dwarves, who want to explore a lost fortress. The
second adventure, “Im Hort des Oger-Magiers,” may be played with the first as a
mini-campaign. In the nearby mountains Szarokk, an ogre-magician, builds up his
dominion. When the PCs find his lair, it swarms of monsters. “Das Dorf im
Waisenwald” (“The Village in the Orphan´s Wood”) is a description of the
village of Stammheim. Located near Schnutenbach, its inhabitants make their
living from the wood trade. The description includes important NPCs, a
gazetteer of the village as well as information about relations, secrets, trade,
and local ghosts. Most conflicts here are social ones, but a tribe of
hobgoblins also causes trouble. Finally, “Spuk auf Burg Altenklamm” (“Spook on
Castle Altenklamm”) introduces a castle near Stammhausen. A young nobleman
hires the PCs as escort, when he attempts to reclaim it for his family.
Altogether “Im Hort des Oger-Magiers” offers a colourful and versatile expansion
of the “Schnutenbach” series, which can be used with a minimum of effort for
all fantasy-RPGs.
The fantasy RPG “Abenteuer in
Kaphornia” (“Adventures in Kaphornia” - Ulisses Spiele) was expanded with the
adventure “In den Fängen des Nixers” (“In the Catches of the Merman”), the
second part of the campaign “Die Straßen von Kaphornia” (“The Streets of
Kaphornia”). When the PCs explore the ruins of Old Kaphornia, a sunken city on
the bottom of the sea, the mission takes an unexpected course, confronting them
with mermen and a giant octopus. Afterwards they detect that the expedition
unleashed a curse, which endangers modern Kaphornia. Their attempt to find a
cure becomes a turbulent quest through the city, to islands, and into the world
of dreams, which leads back into Old Kaphornia. The adventure combines legends
with the fantasy genre but also parodies them with lots of funny ideas like a
magic-driven submarine, the strong room of a bank in a fantasy world, a corps
of mermaid-fighters, hints of the Cthulhu mythos, or a bakery with magical
equipment. If you do not take the fantasy genre too seriously, you should try
“In den Fängen des Nixers”.
The sourcebook “Dakardsmyr. Im Nebel
der Myrkansümpfe” (“Dakardsmyr. In the Fog of the Myrkanswamps” -
Uhrwerk Verlag) expands the fantasy-RPG “Splittermond”. It deals with the
Myrkanswamps, a territory inhabited by gnomes. Here minerals can be found,
which are important for alchemists. Therefore, the local economy is based on
the mining and trade of them. The swamp influenced the culture of the gnomes,
who differ widely from their cousins in other fantasy worlds. One chapter
describes the Myrkanswamps, informing you how to live, work, and survive there
as well as including a list of towns and places. Their economic rivalries give the
first ideas for adventures. Furthermore, the “Krakengrund” (“Kraken-Depths”) is
described, a sea connected with the ocean. Many legends are told about it, but
the krakens in the depths endanger all explorers. Travelling in the swamps is
another topic. The chapter about Dakardsmyr, the greatest town in the swamps,
includes a city guide, a list of NPCs, as well as information about guilds,
secret societies, administration, wealthy families, trade relations, and the
city guard. Two adventures enable gamers to explore the area. In “Die
Totengräber von Dakardsmyr” (“The Gravediggers of Dakardsmyr”) a crime must be
solved, while in “Bis zum Hals” (“Up to the Neck”) a flood endangers the city.
The new sourcebook gives “Splittermond” fans a unique setting with special
requirements, because skills for survival and travelling are here more
important than tons of magical equipment. With some effort, the Myrkanswamps can
be transferred to other game worlds too.
With “Die Surmakar. Unter gleissender
Sonne“ („The Surmakar. Under gleaming Sun” - Uhrwerk Verlag)
we get another new sourcebook for “Splittermond”. It describes Surmakar, the
greatest desert on the game world Lorakis. Obviously, the authors were inspired
by the mythic Arabia from “One Thousand
and One Nights” but combined it successfully with the fantasy genre. The
desert was settled by the Tarr, nomadic tribes of the wolf-like humanoid Vargr.
Of course, they are not the first who live there and not the only ones. A short history of the Surmakar offers first ideas
for adventures, like the search for sunken cities. The Tarr are described in
detail, including tribes, professions, magic, gods, trades, crafts, and
education. A gazetteer gives a comprehensive survey of the desert, its
settlements, important places, inhabitants, and dangers. Even Dwarves live here
and have built up an own kingdom. Its capital, the city of Wüstentrutz, is a
melting pot of people and cultures as well as a possible starting point for
adventures. Modifications of the character creation adapt PCs for the desert,
while rules are given for living, travelling, and surviving there. Two
adventures enable one to explore the Surmakar and the culture of the Tarr.
While “Im Auge des Sturms” (“In the Eye of the Storm”) is a search mission,
giving new PCs first insights into the desert, “Zügelloser Zorn” (“Unrestrained
Rage”) involves them in
intrigues in the city of Ranah. The sourcebook is a valuable expansion,
offering a setting, where survival skills and cultural adaptability are extremely
important. For other fantasy RPGs, the Surmakar can easily be adopted, while
the rules for life and travels in the desert are useful for all RPG systems.
The Uhrwerk Verlag expanded
its post-apocalypse-RPG “Gammaslayers” with the sourcebook “Postfalica 1.
Ruinenländer” (“Postfalica 1. Countries of Ruins”). It is the first part of a
projected trilogy about Postfalica, a part of the destroyed Germany that covers
the Rhineland, the Ruhr, Sauerland, Siegerland, the Weser Uplands, the
Teutoburg Forest, and the southern part of Lower Saxony. A timeline of the
events since the catastrophe, a gazetteer of the seventeen regions of
Postfalica, and information about the people who live there give a clear
impression of this post-apocalypse setting. One chapter offers detailed facts
about NPCs, organizations, languages, calendars, media, architecture, art,
traffic, customs, entertainment, slavery, laws, technology, education, and PSI powers.
A description of the merchant city Monitor gives a starting point for
adventures. The city administration has rebuilt a functioning society, but some
quarters the PCs should avoid! New talents, mutations, people, and character classes
expand the rules. “Postfalica 1” offers an extremely dangerous but challenging
background for any post-apocalyptic RPG, combining lots of ideas from this
genre. GMs and PCs get many options: survival, rebuilding the society,
searching for lost technology, mercenary missions, or building up their own
stronghold. There are no adventures included, but many hints for that. Highly
recommended! With the sourcebook “Ascheträume” (“Dreams of Ashes”) and the
adventure-book “Trümmerträume” (“Dreams of Ruins”) two more Postfalica-books
have been announced.
For the fantasy RPG “Dungeonslayers” (Uhrwerk Verlag) a new
adventure with the title “Der Schrecken des Sternenmeers” (“The Terror of the
Sea of Stars”) was available. Obviously, the author got the idea from the first
“Pirates of the Caribbean” movie: reports about a ghost ship with an undead
crew threatening the maritime trade spread in the port cities around the Sea of
Stars. Soon the PCs get involved, either as pirate hunters, as investigators
commissioned by a trading company, or as passengers of a merchantman. The
encounter with the ghost ship brings them to an old and forgotten castle.
Before the final showdown the PCs should detect what kind of threat they face
to ensure their survival. The adventure book includes information about the Sea
of Stars, rumors told in the harbors (which may even be true), rules for ships
and shipping, plans of the ghost ship, a description and history of the castle,
a list of NPCs, and new spells. A glossary of maritime terms allows players to
talk like a sailor or a pirate. With “Der Schrecken des Sternenmeers” we get a
successful transfer of pirate stories and maritime legends into the fantasy genre.
It can also be used for other fantasy-RPGs, if the GM wants to play an
adventure on the high seas.
The fans of the science fiction/near future RPG “Contact”
were delighted with the new “Opus Armatum. Research & Destroy.” This
compendium offers the members of Omega, the secret intelligence and military
organization that defends Earth against alien threats, the necessary equipment
and weapons to do their jobs. Advanced rules for mecha, drones, and hackers,
which include new skills like the drone jockey, are the first part of the book.
The following chapters deal with the modification of weapons, conversions of
vehicles, martial arts, archaic distance weapons, parachuting into combat, and
barriers against attacks. New rules for the construction, managing, expansion,
and improvement of bases offer more possibilities to build up a network of
strongholds. This base system gives “Contact” a special dimension, because it
allows the players a strategic planning to defend Earth. Then the actual
equipment guide begins. Here you find everything needed to combat aliens like
close combat weapons, pistols, submachine guns, shotguns, rifles, assault
rifles, Gatling guns, bazookas, lasers, flame throwers, and plasma weapons.
Grenades, ammunition, protective gears, drones, robots, computers, personal
equipment, cars, tanks, helicopters, planes, ships, submarines, mecha, and
spaceships complete the book, giving lots of possibilities to deal with hostile
aliens in an efficient (and very final) way. The statistic values are given for
“Contact”, but with little effort they can be converted for other RPG-systems.
“Opus Armatum” is a real must for “Contact” fans but can also be recommended
highly as a very valuable source for modern, near future, cyberpunk, and SF
RPGs. The “Star Trek” redshirts would be happy to get those weapons and
equipment. Superior firepower helps to live long and to prosper!
“Bergungskreuzer Möwe. Deutschland unter
Wasser” (“Recovery Cruiser Gull. Germany under Water“ - Uhrwerk
Verlag) is a new sourcebook for the German “Fate” edition. Again, a unique setting
is offered to “Fate” fans but also to GMs and players that like alternative
worlds as backgrounds. A spaceship of aquatic aliens attacked Earth in 1909,
trying to “aquaform” our planet. In a desperate battle the Royal Navy and
Germany´s Imperial Navy shot it down, but nevertheless the sea level rose. By
1982 large parts of the continents are under water, while history took another
course. Amongst other things the world wars never happened, and the technology
concentrated on the maritime sector. The sourcebook emphasizes the situation in
Germany, which is still a monarchy. Other countries are described in a short
way, giving the GMs lots of possibilities to develop own ideas. The “Fate” system
itself is expanded with new rules, skills, equipment, and archetypes for a
maritime background, allowing the creation of mariners as PCs and the
construction of ships. Appropriate lists support that. The aliens are the
special element of the setting. Their survivors still lurk in the oceans, while
the wreck of the spaceship on the bottom of the Atlantic attracts the interest
of many people. The players can explore this world either with own PCs or by
using the “Recovery Cruiser Gull” and its crew. All necessary information about
the ship and its crewmembers are included. Like in “Eis & Dampf” the author
succeeded in combining our real world with SF topics. The gazetteer of the
alternative Germany is a wonderful highlight, especially if you have
experienced the real Eighties. Several short adventures allow play in this
world. Battles against pirates, smuggling, treasure hunts in sunken cities, the
search for the spaceship, and attacks by the aliens are some dangers which
brave PCs will face. “Bergungskreuzer Möwe” is a real must fans of “Fate” and
of alternative worlds. Highly recommended!
“Die grüne Fee, Geschichten aus Eis und
Dampf“ („The Green Fairy. Stories from Ice and Steam” - Uhrwerk
Verlag) is a booklet with six short stories for the German “Fate” setting “Eis
& Dampf”. In the form of an old pulp magazine they give us good impressions
of the life in a steampunk world that must deal with the effects of a new ice
age. “Lotte” tells about the search for a Jack-the-Ripper-like serial killer in
London. “In 80 Tagen durchs ewige Eis” (“In Eighty Days through the eternal
Ice”) sees a female journalist participating in a race around the icy world.
Guess whose novel inspired this story. “Der Schlüssel” (“The Key”) gives an insight
into the legends about air pirates, while in “Männerballet” (“Ballet of Men”)
an assassin completes a mission. “Vom Waldorf-Asteria zur Quelle des Nils”
(“From the Waldorf-Asteria [no misprint] to the Headwaters of the Nile”) tells
about the hunt for a map that shows the origins of the Nile. Finally, in “Das
Mädchen auf dem Eis” (“The Girl on the Ice”) a day in the life of Irmchen is
told, a poor girl who assists a gravedigger. The stories are completed with
posters, advertising, and news from the world of “Eis & Dampf”. Thus, the
booklet gives lots of ideas for adventures. The PCs may participate in the race
around the world, join a Nile-expedition, answer a mysterious advertising, or
gain Irmchen as a contact. By the way, the title is a hint to the French drink
absinthe, which has a green colouring.
NEW MATERIAL
FROM
HAWKE ROBINSON
Robinson,
Hawke (2017 January 27) The Wheelchair Friendly RPG Trailer Second Tour. http://www.rpgresearch.com/blog/rpgtrailer-tour-2. Upcoming February 2 to
4 tour from Seattle to Portland and back.
Robinson,
Hawke (2017 January 29) Adventures in Middle Earth group two. http://www.rpgresearch.com/blog/ame-group-2-jan-29. Standardizing RPG
rules set for therapeutic work.
FROM
JOHN BOARDMAN
Byrd,
Christopher (2016 December 18) Fumito Ueda’s ‘The Last Guardian’ is a gaming
masterpiece. The Washington Post, E14. Review of video game.
Byrd,
Christopher (2017 January 15) Oculus Touch gaming: Welcome to the future. The
Washington Post, E14. Virtual reality games are game changers.
Gibson,
Caitlin (2016 December 8) For gamers, an escape without pause. The Washington
Post, C1 & C8, C9. Social and cognitive hazards in modern video games.
Slotnik,
Daniel (2016 December 7) Peter Vaughn, 93, Master Aemon in ‘Game of Thrones’.
The New York Times. Obituary.
Staff
Reports (2016 December 7) ‘Game of Thrones actor who often played villainous
roles. The Washington Post. Obituary of Peter Vaughn.
Suellentrop,
Chris (2016 December 22) Mario’s Not-So Super Sexism. The New York Times. Gender
stereotypes in the popular game.
CONVENTIONS
New listings this month were provided by Paul Cardwell and Lou
Zocchi, others are urged to submit information. If you attend a convention,
be sure and check the conventions table and let us have a copy of the fliers
(or at very least the when, what, where, and contact information) for upcoming
conventions available there. CAR-PGa is international, so this includes
anywhere in the world.
Dates, precise venue, contacts' URLs or phone numbers, and other
information, where missing from this list, would be particularly appreciated.
"[LARP]" means only LARP events as many RPG cons include
at least some LARP, as likewise applies to the mention of specific game
systems. The same bracketed information applies as well to game systems when
the con will have only those games present.
To get more face-to-face meetings of the membership, we list who
will be going to what convention, if they will tell us. Get this type of
information in at least two months before the convention itself, so we can run
it at least once. Support your local cons by helping in the staff. It is a good
way to promote RPG and you generally get in free for the brief time spent
helping.
A review of any attended convention afterwards for the Newsletter
would be appreciated too. These reviews should include demographic data such as
attendance, percentage male/female, white/ethnic minorities (or what- ever is
the majority/white/others), games in addition to tabletop RPG, and more
subjective matters such as unusual events, quality of games and dealers' room,
encouragement of new gamers, and whatever seems worth reporting. We need to
work to restore CAR-PGa's reputation as the media's go-to on gamer
demographics, especially since the media are still citing a study that cut off
all those over 35 - at a time when that was the median age of gamers - it is
closer to 40 now - which indicates we also need to work on recruiting younger
players, although some increase in college age players at conventions has been
noted.
Conventions are currently being compiled by archivist Paul Cardwell,
1127 Cedar, Bonham, TX 75418 or plcardwell@gmail.com so send them there.
February
2017
1-5: Winter Fantasy, Grand Wayne Center, Fort Wayne, IN; wintfan.baldmangames.com
3-5: Ambercon Northern Ireland, Belfast; ambercons.com
3-5: Captain Con, Crowne Plaza, 801 Greenwich Ave, Warwick, RI; captaincon.com
3-5: London Anime Con, London Metropolitan University, Rocket
Complex, London; londonanimecons.com
10-12: OwlCon, Rice University, Houston, TX; owlcon.com
10-12: Rapier, Jacksonville Airport Doubletree, Jacksonville, FL; rapiercon.com [mostly board and miniature]
10-12: Seishun-Con, Atlanta Marriott Perimeter Center Atlanta, GA; seishun-con.com
11-12: Kontakt, Yildiz Technical University Davutpasa Campus,
Istanbul; kontaktconvention.com
16-18: U-Con, Dortmund; dortmund-in-2017.com
16-19: Capricon, Westin Chicago North Shore, 601 N. Milwaukee Ave,
Wheeling, IL; capricon.org
16-19: Dreamation, Morristown Hyatt, 3 Speedwell Ave, Morristown,
NJ; dexposure.com
16-19: Genghiscon, Radisson Southeast Aurora, CO; genghiscondenver.com
17-19: Anime Milwaukee, Hyatt Regency, 333 W Kilbourne Ave,
Milwaukee, WI; animemilwaukee.com
17-19: Bashcon, University of Toledo Student Union, 2801 W.
Bancroft, Toledo, OH; bashcon.com
17-19: Boskone, Westin Boston Waterfront, 425 Summer St, Boston,
MA; nesfa.art/boskone
17-19: Con of the North, Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West,
Minneapolis, MN; conofthenorth.org
17-19: Farpoint, Radisson North Baltimore North, 2004 Greenspring
Dr, Timonium, MD; farpointcon.com
17-19: Bashcon, University of Toledo Student Union, 2801 W.
Bancroft, Toledo, OH; bashcon.com
17-19: MGA Con, 5171 Eisenhower Pkwy, Macon, GA; mgacon.com
17-19: Midgard West Con, Jugendherberge, Burg Blankenheim; midgard.westcon.de
17-19: RadCon, Red Lion, Pasco, WA; radcon.org
17-20: DunDraCon, San Ramon Marriott, San Ramon, CA; dundracon.com
17-20: OrcCon, Hilton Los Angeles Airport, 5711 W. Century Blvd,
Los Angeles, CA; strategicon.net
17-19: Pensacon, Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E Gregory St,
Pensacola, FL; pensacon.com
18-21: New York Toy Far, Jacob Javits Convention Center, New York,
NY; toyfairny.com
23-26: Hoop and Stick Con, Ravenwood Castle, 65666 Bethel Rd, New
Plymouth, OH; ravenwoodcastle.com/ hoopandstick
23-26: PrezCon, Doubletree Hotel, 990 Hilton Heights Rd,
Charlottesville, VA; prezcon.com
23-26: Total Confusion, Best Western, Marlborough, MA; totalcon.com
24-26: Adventurecon, Eidelstedter Bürghaus, Alte Eibagaustr.12,
Hamburg; sdnv.de
24-26: Anachrocon, Atlanta Marriott Perimeter, 246 Perimeter
Center Pkwy, Atlanta, CA; anachrocon.com[steampunk]
24-26: Fire and Ice Convention, Manitowoc County Expo Center,
Mantiowoc, WI; fireandiceconvention.com
24-26: Gamicon, Cedar Rapids Marriott, 1200 Collins Rd NE, Cedar
Rapids, IA; gamicon.org
24-26: GalaxyFest, Antlers Hilton, 4 S. Cascade, Colorado Springs,
CO; galaxyfest.org
24-26: LepreCon, Goldsmith Hall, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland; leprecon.ie
24-26: Mysticon, Holiday Inn Tanglewood, 4468 Cathrey Rd, Roanoke,
VA; mysticonva.con
24-26: VisionCon, Hilton Branson Center, 200 Sycamore St, Branson,
MO; visioncon.net
24-27: Con Nooga, Chattanooga Choo Choo, Chattanooga, TN; connooga.com
March 2017
2-5: Emerald City Comiccon, Washington State Convention Center,
Seattle, WA; emeraldcitycomicon.com
2-5: Salt Con, Davis Conference Center, Layton, UT; saltcon.com
3-5: Cincycon, Butler County Fairgrounds, Cincinnati, OH; cincycon.org
3-5: CoastCon, Mississippi Coast Convention Center, 2350 Beach
Blvd, Biloxi, MS; coastcon.org
3-5: ConDor, Sheraton Four Points, San Diego, CA; condor.org
3-5: Gadcon, Holiday Inn Express, Aberdeen, 1050 Beards Hill Rd,
Aberdeen, MD; jestergamesmd.com
3-4: Game It Forward, GP Event Center, Springdale, AR; nwgameitforward.com
3-5: Genericon, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY; genericon.union.rpi.edu
3-5: GnomeCon, Ramada Inn, 301 Governor Treulen Rd, Pooler, GA; gnomecon.org
3-5: Gryphcon, University Center, University of Guelph, 158-50
Stone Rd. E, Guelph, ON; gryphcon.org
3-5: Ludica, Strada Statale 33 del Semione, 28, Milan, Italy; ludica.it
3-5: Made in Asia, Brussels Expo, Brussels, Belgium; madeinasia.be
3-5: PlatteCon, Ullsvik Hall, 1 University Plaza, University of
Wisconsin Platteville, Platteville, WI; platteville gaming.com
4-5: Bremer Spiele-Tage, Bremer Volkshochschule, Bremen, Germany; spieleninbremen.de
4-5: Terminal City Tabletop Convention, Bonsor Recreation Complex,
Burnaby, BC; terminalcitytabletop.com
10-11: Twister Con, Sheraton MidWest City, 5750 Will Rogers Rd,
MidWest City, OK; twistercon.com
10-12: Cleveland ConCoction, Sheraton Cleveland Airport,
Cleveland, OH; clevelandconcoction.org
10-12: Fogcon, Walnut Creek Marriott, 2355 N Main St, Walnut
Creek, CA; fogcon.org [primarily writer workshop]
10-12: Joelanta, Marriott Century Center, 2000 Century Center
Blvd, Atlanta, GA; Joelanta.org
10-12: Lexington Comic Con, Lexington Convention Center, 430 W
Vine, Lexington, KY; lexingtoncomiccon.com. com
10-12: Madicon, Festival Conference Center, 1301 Carrier Dr, James
Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA; madicon.org
10-12: Revelcon, Brookhollow Crowne Plaza, Houston, TX; revelcon.com
10-19: South by Southwest, Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton
Springs Rd, Austin, Texas 78704; sxsw.com
11-12: Joelanta, Marriott Century Center, Atlanta, GA; joelanta.org
16-19: All-Con, Crowne Plaza, 14315 Midway Rd, Addison, TX; all-con.org
17-19: CJMC, Cintermex, 4400 Ave Lázaro Cárdenas, Monterrey, Mexico; ecreativo.com
17-19: ConnCon, Sheraton Stamford, 700 E Main St, Stamford, CT; conncon.com
17-19: CosCon, Vagabonds Hall, Butler, PA; circleofswords.com
17-19: Princecon, McCosh Hall, Princeton University, Princeton,
NJ; princecon.org
17-19: Shuto Con, Lansing Center, 333 E Michigan Ave, Lansing, MI; shutocon.com
17-19: TN Game Days, Franklin Marriott Cool Springs, Franklin, TN; tngamedays.com
17-19: Toronto Comicon, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto,
ON; comicontoronto.com
18: Concrete Cow, Old Bath House, 205 Stratford Rd, Wolverton,
Milton Keynes; mk-rpg.org.uk
18-19: Keks Con, Kulturtreff Hainholtz, Voltmerstr. 40, Hanover: keks-con.de
18-19: LANtasy, Peakes Arena, 3100 Tillicum Rd, Victoria, BC; lantasy.com
19: Zuiderspel, Klogebow 50, Eindhoven; klogebow.nl
23-24: AdeptiCon, Renaissance Schaumburg, Schaumburg, IL; adepticon.org
23-26: Gary Con, Grand Geneva Resort, 7036 Grand Geneva Way, Lake
Geneva, WI; garycon.com
24-26: Eville Con, Holiday Inn, 7101 US 41, Evansville, IN; evillecon.com
24-26: Furry Fiesta, Intercontinental Dallas, 15201 Dallas Pkwy,
Addison, TX; furryfiesta.org
24-26: Hydra, Brookfield Scout Camp, Rd 1 562 Moore Valley Rd.,
Wainuiomata, Wellington, NZ; nzlarps.org [LARP]
24-26: Mace West, Doubletree, Asheville, NC; justusproductions.com
24-26: Marmalade Dog, Bernhard Center, 1903 W. Michigan Ave,
Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI; marmaladedog.org
24-26: MidSouthCon, Memphis Hilton, Poplar & I-240, East
Memphis, TN; midsouthcon.org
25: Egocon, Holiday Inn, 1001 Amber Ave, Stevens Point, WI; discoverwisconsin.com
25-26: Armegeddicon, Holiday Inn Worthington, Columbus, OH; animepunch.org/armageddicon
30-April 2: Game Storm, Red Jantzen Beach, 909 n Hayden Island Dr,
Portland, OR; gamestorm.org
31-April 2: Albacon, Best Western Albany Airport Inn, Wolf Rd,
Albany, NY; albacon.org
31-April 2: Anime Boston, Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA; animeboston.com
31-April 2: Nashicon. Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center,
Columbia, SC; nashicon.com
31-April 2: Protospiel, Best Western Plus, 5105 S Howell Ave, Milwaukee
WI; protospiel-milwukee.org
31-April 2: Simcon, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY; sa.rochester.edu/simcon
31-April 2: Who's Yer Con, Wyndham Indianapolis West,
Indianapolis, IN; whosyergamers.org
31-April 2: Wondercon, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA; comic-con.org
April 2017
1-2: Gem City Comic Con, Dayton Convention Center, Dayton, OH; gemcitycoomiccon.com
1-2: PLAY, Modena Exhibition Center, Modena, Italy; play-modena.it
1-2: Tupelo Comic Con, Tupelo Furniture Mart, Bldg 5, 1879 Coley
Rd, Tupelo, MS; tupelo.net/events/tupelo- comic-con
1-3: WillyCon, Student Center, Wayne State College, Wayne, NE; wildcat.wsc.edu/clubs
6-9: Ambercon, Embassy Suites Detroit-Livonia, 19525 Victor Pkwy,
Livonia, MI; ambercon.com [Amber diceless only]
6-9: Furry Atlanta, Marriott Marquis, Atlanta, GA; furryweekend.com
6-9: Tekko, Lawrence Conventioner, Pittsburgh, PA; teamtekko.us
7-8: Conpulsion, Teviot Row Student Union, Bristol Square, Edinburgh; geas.rg.uk/conpulsion
7-9: 221B Con, Marriott Perimeter Center, 246 Perimeter Center
Pkwy NE, Atlanta, GA; 221bcon.com[Sherlock
Holmes]
7-9: Anime Matsuri, George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston,
TX; animematsuri.com
7-9: CodCon, Turner Conference Center, College of DuPage, 425
Fawell Blvd, Glen Ellyn, IL; codcon.com
7-9: Conglomeration, Ramada Plaza, 9700 Bluegrass Pkwy,
Louisville, KY; conglomeration.info
7-9: ConQuest SAC, Crowne Plaza, Sacramento, CA; conquestsac.com
7-9: CyPhaCon, Lake Charles Civic Center, Lake Charles, LA; cyphacon.org
7-9: Gaming Hoopla, Holiday Inn Gurnee, 6161 W Grand, Ave, Gurnee,
WI; gaminghoopla.com
7-9: Istrakon, Spomen dom Pazin, Croatia; istyrakon.hr
7-9: Kawaii Kon, Hawaii Convention Center, 1801 Kalakaua Ave,
Honolulu, HI; kawaii-kon.org
7-9: Lunacon, Westchester Marriott, 670 White Plains Rd,
Tarrytown, NY; lunacon.org
7-9: Wizard World Comic Con St. Louis, America's Center, St.
Louis, MO; wizardworld.com
8-9: Game-on-icon, Hartman Union Building, Plymouth State
University, Plymouth, NH; psugaming. wordpress.com
8-9: Just a Game Con, Corvallis Elks Lodge, 1400 NW 9th St,
Corvallis, OR; justagamecon.com
8-9: Marble City Comiccon, Knoxville Convention Center, Knoxville,
TN; marblecitycomiccon.com
13-16: Frolicon, Sheraton Atlanta Downtown, Atlanta, GA; frolicon.com
13-16: Norwescon, Doubletree Seattle Airport, 18740 International
Blvd, SeaTac, WA; norwescon.org
14-17: Conquest, Melbourne High School, Forest St, South Yarra,
Melbourne, Vic; conquest.asn.au
14-17: Eastercon, Hilton Metropole, NEC, Birmingham, UK; eastercon.org
14-17: Eyecon, St. Scholastica's College, 2-4 Avenue Rd, Glebe,
Sydney, NSW; eye-con.com
21-23: Cape Comic Con, Osage Center, 1625 N Kingshighway, Cape
Giradieu, MO; cape-con.com
21-23: Chicago Comic Expo, South Bldg, McCormick Place, Chicago,
IL: c2e2.com
21-23: Filk Ontario, Toronto Airport West, 5444 Dixie Rd,
Mississauga, ON; filkontario.ca
21-23: JordanCon, Atlanta Marriott, 246 Perimeter Center Pkwy,
Atlanta, GA; jordancon.org
21-23: No Brand Con, Chula Vista Resort, Wisconsin Dells, WI; nobrandcon.org
21-23; Starfest, Marriott & Hilton DTC, Denver, CO; starland.com
22-23: LuxCon, Forum Geeseknäpchen, Luxemburg; luxcon.lu
27-29: Vaticon, UCD Student Centre, Dublin, Ireland; vaticon.ie
27-30: Calgary Expo, Stampede Park, Calgary, AB; calgaryexpo.com
27-30: Game Days, Tall Cedars of Lebanon, 2501 Putty Hill Ave,
Pikesville, MD; gamesclubofmd.org
28-30: Constellation, Cornhusker Hotel, Lincoln, NE: constelationne.net
28-30: Fire and Ice Convention, Manitowoc County Expo Center, 4921
Expo Dr, Manitowoc, WI; fireandiceconvention.com
28-30: HavenCon, Doubletree Austin, 6505 N I-35, Austin, TX; havencontx.com
28-30: International Steampunk Symposium, Crowne Plaza Blue Ash,
5901 Pfeiffer Rd, Cincinnati, OH; thepandorasociety.com/symposium
28-30: M2X, Edward Village, 600 Town Center Dr, Dearborn, MI; midwestmediaexpo.com
28-30: Midwest Media Expo, Royal Dearborn Convention Center, 600
Town Center Dr, Dearborn, MI; midwestmediacenteer.com
28-30: OdysseyCon, Radisson Hotel, Madison, WI; odysseycon.org
28-30: Omegacon, Lodge at Crooked Lane, 24271 State Rd 35N, Siren,
WI: omegacon.org
28-30: OzCon, West Plains Civic Center, 110 St. Louis St, West
Plains, MO; oz-con.com
28-30: Penguicon, Westin Southfield Detroit, 1599 Town Center,
Southfield, MI; pinguicon.org
28-30: Planet Comicon, Kansas City Convention Center, 301 W 13th
St, Kansas City, MO; planetcomicon.com
28-30: Pretzcon, Ralston Arena, 72nd & Q, Omaha NE; pretzcon.org
28-30: Pyrkon, Miedzynardowe Targi, Poznan, Poland; pyrkon.pl
28-30: RavenCon, Doubletree Williamsburg, 50 Kingsmill Rd,
Williamsburg, VA; ravencon.com
28-30: Sci-fi on the Rock, Sheraton Newfoundland, 115 Cavendish
Square, St. Johns, NF; scifiontherock.com
28-30: Steampunk Symposium, Crowne Plaza Blue Ash, Cincinnati, OH; thepandorasociety.com
28-30: Teck-Con, Mehrgenerationenhaus Linde, Kirchheim unter Teck,
Germany; rsct.net
28-30: UBCon, Student Union, SUNY Buffalo, Buffalo, NY; ubcon.org
28-30: Zenkaicon, Lancaster County Convention Center, Lancaster,
PA; zenkaikon.com
29-30: IzmirCon, Tepekule Kongre Merkezi, Izmir, Turkey; izmircon.org
29-30: Super Bit Con, Oklahoma Expo Hall, State Fair Grounds,
Oklahoma City, OK; superbitcon.com
May 2017
2-5: Eternal Convention, Castle Stahleck, Bacharach; eternal-con.de
5-7: 1d4Con, Comfort Inn, Martinsburg, WV; 1d4con.com
5-7: Ad Astra, Sheraton Parkway North, 600 Hwy 7, Richmond Hill,
ON; ad-astra.org
5-7: Demicon, Holiday Inn Northwest, 4800 Meroe Hay Rd, Des
Moines, IA; demicon.org
5-7: Furry Down Under, Mantra on View, 22 View Ave, Surfers
Paradise, QL; furrydownunder.com
5-7: Gojotekicon, Holiday Inn Express, 1392 Enterprise Pkwy,
Ashland, OH; gojotekicon.com
5-7: Lexicon, Clarion Convention Center, 1950 Newtown Pike,
Lexington, KY; lexicongaming
5-7: PDXAGE, Holiday Inn, 8439 NE Columbia Blvd, Portland, OR; pdxage.com
5-7: San Marino Game Convention, Palace Hotel, San Marino; sanmarinogame.com
5-7: Steampunk World Fair, Radisson of Piscataway, NJ; steampunkworldsfair.com
5-7: WHOlanta, Marriot Century Center, 2000 Century Blvd NE,
Atlanta, GA; wholanta.com
6: Spiel mit den Wölfen, Stadtmission Wolfsburg, Mühlenpfad 2,
Wolfsburg; spiel-mit-den-wölfen.de
10-11: Lion Rampant Open House, Branford, ON; lionrampantimports.com
12-14: Anime St. Louis, St. Charles Convention Center, St. Charles,
MO;
12-14: ChupacabraCon, Wingate Hotel, 1209 N IH 35 North, Round
Rock, TX; chupacabracon.com
12-14: Marcon, Hyatt Regency Hotel, 350 N. High St, Columbus, OH; marcon.org
12-14: Outlantacon/Gaylaxicon, Atlanta Marriott Century Center,
2000 Century Blvd NE, Atlanta, GA; outlantacon.org
12-14: Sferakon, Faculty of Electrical Engineering &
Computing, Unska 3, Zagreb, Croatia; sferakon.org
13: OG Con, Orange Grove Public Library, 12135 Old Hwy 49,
Gulfport, MS; facebook.com/events/
18-21: Geekway to the West, St. Charles Convention Center, St.
Charles, MO; geekwaytothewest.com
19-21: Anime Central, Donald E. Stephens Convention Center,
Rosemont, IL; acen.org
19-21: Keycon, Radisson Hotel, 288 Portage Ave, Winnipeg, MB; keycon.org
19-21: Motor City ComicCon, Suburban Collection Showplace, 46100
Grand River Ave, Novi, MI; motorcitycomiccon.com
20-21: Beer & Pretzels Games Weekend, Town Hall, King Edwards
Place, Burton on Trent; spiritgames.co.uk
20-21: Berserkon, Inn on Lake Superior, Duluth, MN; berserkon.com
20-21: Flower City Comic Con Rochester Riverside Convention
Center, 123 E. Main St, Rochester, NY; fceroc.com
20-21: Game-o-Rama, Atlanta Marriott Perimeter, Atlanta, GA; game-o-rama.com
20-21: Southern Geek Fest, Forrest County Multipurpose Center, 962
Sullivan Dr., Hattiesburg, MS; southerngeekfest.com
20-22: Mobicon, Outlaw Convention Center, 1 S Water St, Mobile,
AL; quest=con.com
25-28: MegaCon, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL; megaconvention.com
25-28: Momocon, Georgia World Congress Center, 285 Andrew Young
International Blvd, Atlanta, GA; momocon.com
26-27: Hamburger Spieletage, Hamburg Haus Eimsbüttel, Doormannsweg
12, Hamburg; hamburger-spieletage. de
26-28: Cherry Capital Comic Con (C4), Grand Traverse Resort, 100
Grand Traverse Village Blvd, Traverse City, MI; cherrycapitalcon.com
26-28: ConQuesT, Sheraton Kansas City at Crown Center, Kansas
City, MO; conquestkc.org
26-28: MantiCon, Hilton Minneapolis/St. Paul, 3800 American Blvd,
Bloomington, MN; manticon.org
26-29: Balticon, Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace, 202 E. Pratt
St, Baltimore, MD; balticon.org
26-29: BayCon, San Mateo Marriott San Francisco Airport, 1770 S
Amphlett Blvd, San Mateo, CA; baycon.org
26-29: Clockwork Alchemy, Double Tree Hotel, San Jose, CA; clockworkalchemy.com
26-29: Gamex, Hilton Los Angeles Airport, 5711 W. Century Blvd,
Los Angeles, CA; strategicon.net
26-29: Kublacon, Hyatt Regency, 1333 Bayshore Way, Burlingame, CA; kublacon.com
26-29: MediaWestCon, Ramada Inn, 7501 Saganaw Hwy, Lansing, MI; mediawestcon.org
26-29: Miscon, Holliday Inn Missoula Downtown, Missoula, OR; miscon.org
26-29: Nexus Game Fair, Hyatt Regency, Milwaukee, WI; nexusgamefair.com
26-29: Paizocon, Doubletree Seattle Airport, 18740 International
Blvd, Seattle, WA; paizo.com/paizocon
30: Lilac City Comiccon, Spokane Convention Center, Spokane, WA: spokanecomicon.com
31-June 4: NTRPGCon, Westin DFW Airport Hotel, 4545 W. John
Carpenter Fwy, Irving, TX; ntrpgcon.com
© Copyright 2017 by the Committee for the
Advancement of Role-Playing Games (CAR-PGa), ISSN 1071 7129. The CAR-PGa
Newsletter is a monthly publication. For more information contact David
Millians, Editor, Paideia School, 1509 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia
30307 USA, phone (404) 808-1070, fax (404) 377-3491, e-mail millians.david@paideiaschool.org. Back issues are
available. Contributions of material from the membership are urged, and the
byline is responsible for content. Deadline is the last weekday of the month,
email preferred. Permission is granted to copy anything in the Newsletter,
provided we get a credit line in the publication copying it, and it doesn't
have someone else's copyright on it. Information, including details on joining
CAR-PGa, can be obtained on the Internet at car-pga.org.
