The summer convention season is almost here and will be by the time you read this. This year I opted for one major consolidated trip (both DonCon and Origins) as the timing of these plus our Summer collate left me with the choice of dropping things or making a three week gala out of it (I chose the latter).

This will be our second trip to DonCon (actually it is called the WBC, but DonCon seems to fit in my mind better). It remains to be seen how this will pan out (one data point isn't enough to generate any trend predictions). It was also hard to get a read on things last year-for example, there seemed to be quite a few guys in attendance, but they were all squirreled off into different rooms (typically for the entire con under lock and key) so it was difficult to grasp how many were actually there. As a dealer, our volume was about 1/3 what we'd get from Origins. As our first time there, this wasn't surprising.

Origins has been entrenched in Columbus now for six (seven?) years and the torch is about to be passed from Andon back to GAMA as the organization responsible for running it. Aware of the problems GAMA had in the past, they are taking great pains to attempt to make the show's operation good. Think what you like about Andon and/or Wizards of the Coast but they did run a reasonably tight ship as far as the con went. The occasional stepped on toe is just part of the package when you build something that big and complex, but as a whole, the show ran smoothly and courteous help was available when and where needed. When we needed something, typically the guys on the beat went out of their way to help out. Many thanks to John Pavia and the gang at Andon who made it happen.

As far as I know, GAMA will retain the Andon practice of leaving the con in one location, though there is a chance they might go back to the traveling road show. That has the benefit of having Origins located where "different" groups of gamers are, but the downside that firmly established organizations and locations of support will not be possible. This makes an already complex task even more complex. It might be best for them to just continue to grow the con where it is.

This also leaves me confused as to the future status of GenCon (you probably know more than I about this). At this point last year, I was under the impression that Andon was moving GenCon to Indianapolis, which left the door wide open for moving the two cons under one roof at some time in the future (which I would have said I fully expected). Now, I'm not so sure that any of that will happen (to include the projected move to Indy).

What will become of these cons? I can't really say. They provide a certain glue to the hobby by allowing players to meet one another and with the manufacturers. That allows for the interchange of ideas and to put faces with names which is important to keeping a personal sense of community. This is different than the sort of close but at arm's distance feeling one gets from the boards. On the other hand, only a fraction of the available players can or choose to partake in these cons, so it may be that the cons give an exaggeration to the input and perceptions of those who do go.

The hobby is strong enough to support player cons (like DonCon), but I wonder about the strength needed to support industry shows (like Origins). In fact, Origins itself would be strained quite a bit if it wasn't for all the card companies and players in attendance (not enough hardcore wargamer dollars there to float the boat). The advantage the player con has is the low overhead (comparatively) as no large exhibit hall/convention facility must be rented (though it sure seems that DonCon will need bigger digs soon!). The industry shows suffer from a lack of an industry to support them. This matters not to the players (who have a real renaissance of good games to play these days), but the volume of cash just isn't what it is in other "real" industries.

Andon has made a great effort at making Origins a better show and to a great extent they have succeeded quite well. The folks there should be commended for the exertion applied on the show's behalf. Rather than the usual round of carping and whining, those folks need to hear from all of us thanks for a job well done.