Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
"Basically, if you like games, this is the place for you to come. You can play old favorites or find new favorites," says Michael Ross, host of The RPG Academy, the successful podcast for which Acadecon is named.
Role-playing games, a type of narrative or storytelling tabletop game, have surged in popularity in recent years.
"Role-playing games would include games like Dungeons & Dragons or Pathfinder, or others that are less well-known, like Savage Worlds," Ross explains. "Some of them are more combat-focused or strategy-focused; some are almost completely rules-free, shared narrative games."
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Ross says there will also be round-the-clock boardgaming going on at Acadecon.
"Not necessarily the 'Monopolies' of the world, but games like Catan," Ross tells us. "Basically, if you watch Wil Wheaton's Tabletop, a lot of the games that he showcases on his show are things that you're going to be able to try."
With The RPG Academy podcast and Acadecon, Ross and friends hope to drum up new interest in hobby gaming, as well as provide an opportunity for enthusiasts to play.
“We want this to be an on-boarding experience,” Ross says. “It's a smaller convention compared to a lot of others. You're more likely to be able to find a game that you might be comfortable with. So we have scheduled events that people can look at online, but we also have a bunch of tables that are just designated as open-play.”
Acadecon will also welcome several game designers and personalities that are well-known within the gaming community.
“One in particular that I'm a big fan of is Keith Baker,” Ross says. “He’s probably most famous for writing the campaign setting called Eberron, for the Dungeons & Dragons game.”
Baker also designed a popular card game called Gloom.
Ross says Acadecon will be a stress-free, low-pressure event for gamers.
“It's easy-going, laid-back. If you want to game, you'll be able to find a game. If you want to take a break, you're going to be able to find a few moments to yourself,” he says.
“Our goal is to demystify what it means to play role-playing games,” Ross tells us. “It's just a bunch of friends hanging out, telling stories, and usually joking, more than anything else. We want to give some advice on how you get started, and how you become better at the game.”
Want to go?
What: Acadecon Gaming Convention
Where: Dayton Convention Center, E 5th Street, Dayton
When: Non-stop gaming from 12 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11 until 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13
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