If you are going to talk to board game publishers, the best place to do so is Gen Con. Gen Con is a yearly convention that started back in the 70's and took off when D&D became popular. I had read about Gen Con in the back of Dragon magazine and always wanted to go!
I've been to big conventions like the San Diego Comic Con, E3 and CES but nothing could prepare me for Gen Con. It is absolutely amazing. There is so much to see and, more importantly, so much to do. There are games to play, demos to try, shopping, meet-ups, auctions, shows, parties, dinners, awards ceremonies - most are open to the public.
There are spectacular cosplayers and one-of-a-kind experiences like True Dungeon and BattleTech. Everywhere are signs of people's love and talent to gaming.
There was a hall filled with custom made gaming tables - each one of them a work of art.
There were over 60,000 attendees at Gen Con but to be honest, it only felt crowded when we were waiting to enter the exhibit hall. Everyone was extremely well behaved and orderly. It was one of the most pleasant crowds I've ever been in.
We had a couple playtest sessions of Rayguns and Rocketships that were very productive! Thanks to those who showed up to play. The final game will be even better thanks to your feedback.
So what's next for Rayguns and Rocketships? I met with several big-name publishers and I'm just waiting to hear back from them. Keep your fingers crossed. With some luck, maybe Rayguns and Rocketships will be for sale at the next Gen Con!
