#nerdconvention

Last week, I went to Gaming Con in Sandy. I wasn’t originally planning on going since I’ve kind of been con-ed out since SL Comicon, but I had an open Saturday and a free ticket, so hey, why not? 

This time, I did very little of the usual con stuff since I was sitting at a table on the gaming floor for most of it, but here’s some stuff I did: 

I got my tarot fate read by a kid who plays Pathfinder with his family every week for their podcast. Despite the fact that he kept calling me Maddie (I never correct people anymore), he seemed pretty spot on with the usual fortune-telling vagueries like “you have an inner strength that you’ll need for upcoming adversity” (briar patch card), “you are quiet and strong, qualities you have learned from your past” (mountain man card), and “your future is friendly” (unicorn card). It was cute anyway, and he was very excited to share his tarot set with people no matter what. 

Since Scott isn’t in the country to nerd out with me, I decided to get him a gift. Enter Vegeta Wolverine, painted by Steven Oaks. Goodness golly, of all the crossovers. It’s simultaneously awesome and hilarious with its satiric machismo and comic-god sex appeal, and Scott loved it when I sent him a photo. Right now it’s hanging on my corkboard, staring at me through the power level scouter - a poor replacement for my husband but a fun reminder nonetheless. 

The main reason I was there was to help my uncle as he showcased his game Realm Warfare on the gaming floor. My last involvement with the game was when I did the concept art for the characters about 10 years ago, back when I was pretending to be an artist. Needless to say, the game has definitely evolved since then, and Kerry has now launched a Kickstarter campaign to produce the final product. He’s been working on the thing for nearly 20 years now, tweaking the mechanics, designing and drawing the content, playtesting and advertising, and all the other junk that comes with putting a product together. Now, you may think that 20 years is a bit excessive, but just by way of explanation, Realm Warfare is “Fantasy Multiplayer Expandable Board Game Chess Series,” so it’s definitely got a billion factors to tinker with. 

The original set can play up to four people, and involves both the strategy of chess, the patience/impatience of Risk, and the imagination of fantasy battle. Games are always different, and because there’s a dice rolling element, even new players can beat seasoned veterans which means that even people as bad at strategy games as I am can still have a fighting chance. There’s magic, hunting, damage counters, extra pieces, shooting, and character statistics to keep under control, and despite its complexity, it’s pretty simple to pick up if you know your way around a chess board. 

Anyway, the reason I wanted to bring this all up was because I just wanted to say that this Gaming Con reminded me that no matter what your hobby is, it’s cool if you’re brave enough to share it with others. Doing is what matters. Creating. Practicing. Trying. Fighting. Honing. Sharing. Craft is all about putting yourself out there, rendering yourself vulnerable before the audience and hoping someone will smile. I’ve spent so many years hiding my talents because I get nervous when people look at me, but that’s something I have to try. That’s the real lesson I’m trying to teach myself with this blog really. I’m sharing my thoughts with you duders, half hoping you won’t read it while forcing myself to realize that some of you do. :) I’ve got stuff to say. I’ve got talents I want someone to see eventually. I may as well start getting over my self-critic, perfectionist inhibitors and just share what I have. I mean, these guys did it at con: a nerdy kid with a tarot card set, an experienced comic book colorist with a funny idea, an imaginative relative with a 20-year project. Why not? 

Check out their projects here: