It’s the late summer, and tabletop gamers from across the country flock to Indianapolis, IN to participate in Gen Con 2012, gaming extravaganza par extraordinaire. For the first time ever, SJ Alpha editor John Bae and freelance writer Chris Turner descended from on high to partake in the fun.

A yearly Indiana tradition, Gen Con is the tabletop gamers’ Holy City.  Bedecked in everything from t-shirts to denim kilts, fans of board games, RPGs, card games, and any other kind of game you can think of all find their way to Gen Con. Here, at the entrance is Cardhalla 14, an entire city that con-goers built out of every type of TCG gaming card imaginable!

Throughout the exhibit hall, vendors sold everything from the basic to the outrageous. Lovecraft fans spread their primordial chaos from one stall while several others evened the odds with dragon-themed dice. Designers with new card-protectors, developers breaking into the board-game market, veteran artists with illustrious careers, and even costumers selling crowns and swords all had their place on the floor.

Of course, where would gamers be without gaming? Gen Con set aside an entire pavilion of the center exclusively for players to do what they do best.  

Too many smaller exhibits to count dotted the rest of the center. We saw a small library of vintage board games that players could try for a small fee. An all-classic arcade opened its doors to nostalgic gamers, and a maze for remote-controlled robots beckoned all to watch and play.

Busy as we were seeing the sights, passing out free goodies, and signing up new members, we were especially impressed by the overall friendly vibe. Even amidst the game play, there was more than enough room for casual observers, family members, and of course, the odd cosplayer to haunt the halls.

Be on the lookout for our follow-up feature with some juicy info about the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG!

Join the SJ Alpha crew at our next SJ Fan Meet-Up at NYCC! Oct 11–14! More details coming soon!

Related Links:
Events
SJ Fan Meet-ups
Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Official Site

by Chris Turner