In Arizona, I headed an organization that eventually started up a gaming convention. That convention, RinCon ((Playfully named after the Rincon mountains on Tucson’s eastern side.)), is still going strong — this year it will be held September 30 through October 2nd ((Head to RinConGames.com for more info!)) in beautiful Tucson, Arizona.
I’m going to briefly talk about two of my favorite memories from that convention: Berin Kinsman‘s run of Sea Dracula and Jason Corley’s Ghostbusters game.
In the inaugural convention, we had two large rooms walled off in the Tucson Convention Center. Boardgames and CCGs on one side, RPGs and minigames on the other. ((So many things went wrong at the convention, so many things went right. I could write a whole series of articles breaking down those first few RinCons.)) I was playing a boardgame while Berin ran Sea Dracula in the other room.
Now, gaming conventions are a bit noisy in the gaming rooms, but it was okay in the boardgame section. Then suddenly, there was a noise. A grand noise. Sea Dracula was being run and I’m not sure if I’m exaggerating here, but there was about a dozen people at and around Berin’s table going through the RPG hall in a conga line.
Sea Dracula is about Animal Lawyers at Court. Singing is involved.
“See that guy running the game over there?” Berin asked, pointing at Jason. “He’s a real lawyer. Everybody gets XP when we mess with his game.” Jason loved it. They called on some of his players to give testimony in a completely different game.
It was loud and crazy and glorious.
Later that same convention, I played in one of Jason’s midnight Ghostbusters games. ((If you haven’t played in a game GMed by Jason, you’re missing out. He claims to be “The Best GM in Tucson” and nobody has tried to refute that.)) Ten people at the table. We go in, bust some ghosts, do a lot of damage, and then we take a bathroom break. We all come back and Jason has us line up against a wall. Okay, we think. Look left. Look right. Turns out our Ghostbusters had all been arrested.
That was a clever moment, but it’s also a great thing to do in a late night convention gaming slot: right in the middle of the block, he got the players to their feet and stretch and move. We were good to go for the next hour and a half. Jason’s sneaky that way.
One year ago: Favorite Free RPG
Last year, it was Lady Blackbird. This year, it would still be Lady Blackbird if Vincent hadn’t just made the first edition of Apocalypse World available for free on his website. I’ve written a lot about AW in previous days (and will in the next few, I’m certain).
Two years ago: “Do you own a copy of Nobilis?” aka “What is the most intellectual RPG you own?”
No, I still don’t have Nobilis. I jumped through a couple of hoops to get to having Cortex Plus’ Smallville be my answer. But even now, I’m still not certain how to apply the word “intellectual” to RPGs. And to the aside I wrote when I revisited that entry: I’m working on laying out another book by Nobilis‘ creator for her Chuubo line.
Jason is a damned fine GM, but you’re definitely no slouch in the GM department either, my friend. 🙂