KantCon: the Morning After or Day 2
By Cape Rust
The sensory overload that KantCon day 1 created, caused a severe case of verbal diarrhea (thanks to my wife Laurie for listening) and had my mind so full of gaming, sleep came slowly and fitfully. In fact I had the kind of sleepless night that I normally have when my regular gaming group is starting a new game. If I’m running the game my plot twists dance through my head and if I am a player, I think of at least 20 different builds for my character. KantCon had the same effect on me and adding to the euphoria were all of the fellow gamers I had met, and the energy that their time and creativity had generated was buzzing around the inside of my head like a fly that keeps hitting the window, but keeps trying anyway.
As exhausted as I was, I awoke at around 6:30 A.M. (my daughter’s cat Smokey was a contributing factor). For a brief few seconds I thought about skipping my normal morning shower, then the thought of Con funk hit me. Yes I was tired, but to skip a shower, especially heading into day 2 of a Con, is inexcusable! I get being tired and I understand the desire to get back to a place where everyone is like you and enjoys the same things that you do, but there is no need to let your fellow Con goers smell you before they see you. After I hit the 3 Ss (if you have to ask, forget about it) I kissed my wife goodbye and headed out for day 2.
I was surprised at just how full the Con was at around 9:30 in the morning. The first session started at 9:00 A.M. and I purposefully dragged my feet so I could avoid the temptation of bumping a paying player out of a game, by coming in a little late. All of the tables seemed full, sure there was an open chair here or there, but the place was alive with activity. Even the atrium (open gaming tables) tables were packed. I shouldn’t have been surprised, but it was 9:30 in the morning on a Saturday and there were this many geeks who had been up for a while and were here gaming. Isn’t it amazing the lengths that we are willing to go, the things we are willing to endure, to game?
The Con staff seemed chipper, but I suspect the bags under their eyes were well earned. Watching their interaction with the Con goers reminded me of just how much work goes into what is actually a very intricate operation. Coordinating all of the games, the site, registration, prizes and volunteers is a herculean task. I recommend you keep this in mind when you attend your next Con. If there is a mix up in you gaming schedule or things don’t go quite as you might have expected, take a deep breath, find a staff member and ask for help. Don’t yell and scream at them, they’ve been up for hours doing everything in their power to make the Con more fun for you. Nothing goes perfectly, remember that and give them every chance to succeed. Wait, it is almost time for that Ingenium game hosted by the folks at Silver Gryphon Games, stay tuned, I know you Kant wait.
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