Why the lack of Historical Miniature games at Genghis Con?
I attended Genghis Con in Denver from 2000 to 2016. I stopped attending after attending the Sister convention to Genghis Con...Tacticon in 2016. Why did I stop attending these conventions in Colorado? I was done with paying to only run games at the conventions. Yes, some years I did pay for a visitor badge ($10) to attend. I am of the opinion now that if all I want to do at the convention is run a four hour historical miniature game, why should I have to pay? I guess you could argue that I should pay something for using the facilities. My counter argument is maybe only the players should pay. Unlike board gaming, we typically do not join in the game, we run the game and have sunk a lot of money and time into making the scenario/game.
I am not alone in no longer interested in attending Genghis Con or Tacticon. Our club membership and many Historical Miniature Gamers throughout Colorado have stopped running games at the conventions.
I think there are other conventions which will do a better job than the management of Genghis Con, like Hexacon. I'm sure there are other game types which are doing great at Genghis Con, but Historical Miniature Gaming is not. I want to host games at Genghis Con, but under the current pricing scheme, I have no interest.
So about the 2019 Genghis Con pricing, how does the convention compare to the Colorado Military Historians club:
Genghis Con
Single day: $35.00 plus $1 per game
Saturday, 9am-2am
Assume 3 slots, each 4 hrs each (12 hrs)
Cost per hour: $3.17
Colorado Military Historians
1 year membership: $50.00
12 meetings, each 5 hrs each (60 hrs)
Cost per hour: $0.83
Based on this comparison, you are paying about four times as much for one hour of Historical Miniature gaming at Genghis Con compared to CMH. The game experience is exactly the same. Genghis Con was better back in the day; for example a winner of a game would get actually get a trophy.
For gamers out there that want to play some awesome Historical Miniature games in Colorado, I recommend visiting CSGA in Colorado Springs or CMH in Denver. Also Hexacon, West Wars or Veteran's Wars conventions.
Maybe some day I will host a game at Genghis Con again.
HI
ReplyDeleteEric you hit the nail on the head.
I have been going to Genghis con since the first one in 1977. I have been running games since the early 1980's. Since the Convention stop be locally owned ( and a Not for Profit organization), I have stop going or running games.
I have also been one of Conventions Miniature Coordinator and Know it takes a lot of work to put on a convention. The problem is the Game Masters are the ones who make the Convention worth going to.
They are the entertainment that the customers are paying for. I do Large and expensive game, not to make any $$$, but because I like running them. I can't see any reason why I should pay to work for free.
I understand the costs but with no GM's there is nothing for the customers to enjoy at a convention. I understand Board games and RPG take up less space and time, So Are more profitable. Many conventions, that were once just a small gathering of gamers are become profit centers.
In my previous work I saw what happens To Comic Convention as soon as it became big business and it not a pretty picture. I also think some large National Conventions are worth the cost and the trouble to run a game , but not in the Denver area, So, I go out of state to run games, which is a shame.
Bill Daniel
Good to hear your comments Bill. Gamers at GenghisCon are missing out on your great games.
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