What I Did on My Summer Vacation
Origins, the biggest, bestest war game convention ever! Christmas in June, new releases by the dozen, something new, different, and exciting for every taste and preference! Oh boy!
Top to bottom: Richard Garriet, Jon Southard, and Bill Jaffe.
I think I feel about Origins the way our grandfathers must have felt about the State Fair, or the circus coming to town. A wonderful feeling of anticipation, saving my money, planning my schedule, reading everything I can get my hands on about it. I LOVE to go to Origins, as I have since '75, and this year was no exception.
Getting Ready
On arrival Thursday, the first thing I discovered was that my pre-registration paperwork was at the dealers' area, and that the dealers' area was a LONG ways awaythat is about half a mile from the dorms and Student Union buildings. And, it was uphill. Being a typical over-30, overweight, out-of-shape wargamer, I drove.
Parking was excellent, but the line for dealer registration was very slow. There were perhaps a dozen people in line when I arrived, and more than an hour later I got my paperwork. Dealer set-up was supposed to start at noon, but was delayed 'til three.
The dealer area itself was probably the largest I've ever seen at an Origins. Five aisles of dealers, perhaps 100 Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) members selling their wares at 300 tables. Since this was in the Towson State University fieldhouse, there were basketball backboards overhead.
There were also several restrooms on all sides, and a snack bar in the hall outside. The air conditioning was so efficient it was uncomfortably cool at times. Parking was plentiful, and a very efficient shuttle-bus service to the dorms ran at all times during dealer hours.
Friday, I discovered what I thought was the best feature of the dealers' area. Behind the rolled up bleachers were balconies overlooking the main sales floor, and many game demonstrations were held up there. This made it easy for GAMA members' staffers to host events without being across campus from their booths. It gave the gamers something to watch during the slow parts of a demonstration, and it had visual appeal even from down on the sales floor. it also gave gainers a good reason to go across campus to the dealers' area.
The Big Day
Saturday is when everything hums at Origins. Folks who can only make it for one day go on Saturday. This year, crowding was never a problem, even around the many computer displays. Steve Jackson Games Inc. and Game Designers' Workshop had displays of new and/or upcoming releases available for hands-on demonstrations. Origin Systems had a Macintosh showing soon-to-be games, as did Digest Group Publications (Traveller's Digest). Fantasy Simulations, Time Space Simulations, and Microprose Software all used computer displays, and all stopped traffic in front of their booths (marketing directors, take note!).
Steve Jackson Games Inc. had demonstrations of the man-to-man combat system from GURPS in play at their booth. Game Designers' Workshop had games of Operation Market-Garden running at their booth, and as always, one could play Conquest with the designer at that booth. The Avalon Hill Game Company had demonstrations for Deluxe Advanced Squad Leader on the upper level, even though they had no rules for the game yet. The advertising posters at their booth started out, "so we lied ..." and went on to blame it all on "a nameless Avalon Hill executive ..."
I would like to close by thanking Wes Coates for running the dealer area. It's a thankless task to be the one person everybody comes to with all the complaints, and he did a great job. Everyone, gamers and dealers, came away happy.
More Origins '85
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© Copyright 1985 by Dana Lombardy.
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