Salt Lake Gaming Convention 2017

There are different types of gamers who play a wide variety of games. Going into the Salt Lake Gaming Convention with that basic premise is enough to understand that every attendee would be looking for their own style of entertainment in the convention hall. I will not go as far as to say everyone in attendance found the specific item they were looking for, but I did not find anyone who wasn't enjoying themselves.

The South Towne Expo Center was the location for the 2017 Salt Lake Gaming Con. This is the third year of the convention and all have been at the same location. Last year shortly before the convention Salt Lake Comic Con took on part ownership of the convention and there were differences I noted where this convention was better with the input of their experience. But, the gaming was in the forefront, or more in lines with the layout, what bracketed this event.

When entering the hall, attendees had the main electronics gaming floor to their right. During the two days of convention the pre-set areas and the open gaming tables had a regular sense of buzz. A number of islands were set up where on each of the four sides games were being played which were sponsored. Open gaming tables were for participants who brought their own equipment and tapped into the event by finding other players and competing on different levels. Behind the players was enough room that fans of the games, or the players, were able to stand or sit. Some spots were three to four deep, and there was still ample room to move around without having to press through.

Professional gamers were present and where the tournaments. On the electronics side there were two viewing areas set up where fans could watch the action on projected screens. And everyone had the chance to participate in a tournament if they desired.

There was pinball (no quarters required). Around two dozen machines were set up back-to-back and there was competition play taking place. In my younger days this was more my style of arcade play and there were machines that I remember playing. There were even analog games dating back to the fifties. And, if you are fan of the pinball experience, they even had Captain Fantastic.

At the other end of the hall were the tabletop games and they had their tournaments as well. Starting on Friday was a Warhammer tournament. On Saturday there was a Star Wars Miniatures. Participants unloaded their armies and their fleets and the battles ensued.

There were other games available s people brought some favorites, or borrowed from the library of games provided by SaltCon. It didn't look like SaltCon had brought their whole library, but there was a large selection of games that people were not left with walking away without something.

A section of tables were also set up for role-playing games (RPGs). Both the Adventurers League and the Pathfinder Society were present and were running games from almost the time the convention started to the time the tables were closed. They were not alone. Tables were also occupied by conventioneers playing other RPGs.

Virtual Reality was represented by at least a half a dozen locations in the middle of the floor. They were mixed in with vendors covering what participants were looking for. Along with electronics and games was merchandise to remember the convention and to promote particular kingdoms of the greater realms of geekiness that we represent.

This wasn't just for the older geek either. Along the back of the hall were several areas of activities designed for the up and coming gamers of the next generation. A zone was marked off for younger players where they could play their own games. With them along the back wall was a nerf zone and a LARP arena where everyone was invited to step in and take up weapons in fun-filled battles.

Along the front of the hall was where you could find the guests of honor. The talent that brings the games to life were available to meet with and collect autographs and photos.

Just outside the main arena were additional rooms where panels and presentations were held. Having them outside wasn't an inconvenience because we are not talking about having to go on a hike to find the locations. And, they were away from the main floor so everything was at a level where people could be heard. These events covered aspects of gaming creation, artistic talents, voice artists, podcasting, and some other areas of interest. And one room hosted the Cosplay competition. But, cosplay is never limited to the stage during the competition.

Cosplay was present, like a constant thread, from beginning to end, from one side to the other. There were the professionals showing what they do with amazing talent. There were booths of cosplay organizations (Umbrella Corp., Jurassic World, Ghost Busters, Heroic, etc.) who were raising awareness to causes with their talents. And, those who were there enjoying sharing in the fun of their favorite fandoms. I think many of these overlapped for even those who said they were there just enjoying the fun had some great costumes.

Salt Lake Gaming Con is developing to showcase the different aspects of the gaming world. Where many believe there to be great gaps, here for two days those gaps were bridged. Old friendships were reinforced and new ones created. People were finding the joys they have come to expect from the games they already knew, along with finding new avenues of expression they hadn't realized they would enjoy.

I stopped for a few minutes at the end of the convention to "drop a quarter" into a pinball machine. As I walked up to one (Party Animals) which was just vacated a girl was asking her parents about the machines she had never seen before. They at first tried to explain. Then the man playing the game near where they were standing offered up his machine so she could experience a game. The family was playing pinball together when I finished my game and walked away.

For me that is what gaming is about, and that told me the convention was a success.

 

Photos were provided by Rob Sandberg.

You can also find more at Utah Geek Magazine.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

You can also join Guild Master Gaming on Google+, Facebook, and Twitter (@GuildMstrGmng).

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Photographer Giving A Personal Look to Cosplay

Part of Chris Carroll's work for a local copslay group

There are a number of growing interests that are associated with gaming. Cosplaying is one of those areas of interest. I have seen Cosplayers at every convention I have gone to over the last couple of years. These have not been only the larger media style conventions, but every convention I have gone to. People enjoy sharing their enjoyment as a fan for the characters they enjoy, wherever that character comes from.

Cosplaying has risen, but there is still a strong base of people who do it just for the fun and want to be able to remember what they did by the looking back at the pictures they took with their phone. Others are looking to create something a little more special. This led me to interviewing a local photographer/artist, Chris Carroll. I knew this man before he moved away from Utah. We gamed together then and recently reconnected when he was planning his move back.

Although originally from Utah, Chris Carroll started as a photographer on the east coast. He originally took up photography as a hobby, then worked as a contract photographer. But because of the influences of his younger days playing games and admiring the art of people like Todd Lockwood, he wanted to do more.

He saw how computer art was growing and its ability to create fantastic scenes. He also saw how cosplay was growing and the wearable art people were making to embrace their favorite characters, games, movies, etc. He started working on how he could combine the art of his photography with the art generated within a computer, and the art others were wearing.

According to Chris, the early pieces he created in 2003 sucked. But he kept working at it so he could create something he could be proud of. He attended classes and taught himself so he could create unique pictures—pieces of art—by combining the three elements. His driving force has been the honoring of the work people put into their cosplay outfits. Now, he creates works going beyond just taking a picture.

Each finished piece is a story. Starting with the picture of the individual, Chris then combines elements into the background. His goal is to create a picture a person can come back to and find something new.  For him, the creation of the story, within a single frame, is important. This is a time consuming process and not just a click and shoot endeavor.

Chris Carroll

Driven to do justice to the work people put into their outfits, Chris spends time to create a piece of art for the individual he is working with. This means he creates each piece on its own. Most single frame works take about a week. He creates, edits, creates more, and will continue until he has something he feels tells their unique story.

Coming back to Utah meant Chris left the groups of cosplayers he was working with, but his art reached his home state. Recently he worked with the local cosplay group, The Umbrella Corporation—Utah Hive, and has started showing more of his talents on the local scene. The Hive’s Facebook banneris Chris's work. The size of the work is different than his single shots—making it one of the most complex pieces of art he has created to date. He also did the this cosplay centerfold for Utah Geek Magazine

Working with the Hive, and Scott Sneedan at DIY Studios, Chris took a number of still photos of each member of the group in the banner. After that day of shooting, it took him over a month working on his computer to create the final piece.

You can check out more of his work that he shares publicly on his Facebook page or at Studio CMC on Deviant Art (you are forewarned that Deviant Art also has pictures of mature matter). He also shares some of his work on Facebook.

When you are looking for something that might bring your cosplay character to a fuller realm of existence, this might be the style of work you are looking for.

Chris still pushes himself to do more. He feels the time and effort are worth it, saying, “It is satisfying to hear a person gasp when they see their picture.”

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

You can also join Guild Master Gaming on Google+, Facebook, and Twitter (@GuildMstrGmng).

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Salt Lake Gaming Con 2016, A Look Back

2016 was the second year for Salt Lake Gaming Convention. An event to celebrate, share, and promote the community of all types of game players. This year's event was larger than last year's. Some of last year's attractions and events returned to share space with new ones.

People were arriving at the convention as individuals, families, and groups of friends. They were coming to compete in one of the many tournaments, to support their fandom, and to see what this group is really about.

Entering the convention, these smaller groups arrived into a welcoming community. People were meeting old friends and making new ones. There was opportunity of getting to know others who have similar likes, either with the conventioneers, or with groups who were representing their causes and fandom. People stopped strangers to complement their cosplay, or they discussed games they were watching. They were talking to people they didn't know over the move they saw on the big screen, or what it was like after the demonstration of virtual reality. The strategy talk around the X-Wing Miniatures was similar to those around the viewing areas of Heroes of the Storm. Afterwards, they walked away as new friends, acknowledging them later as they passed.

You may have been in one of the many tournaments or contests taking place. There were also the supporters of the competitors, a cheering crowd (sometimes loud and sometimes whispers) of fans looking for the favored cosplay, and the next strategic move. All of them joining together with the goal of winning, but, more importantly, for most, of being involved.

Some were not ready for the official contests, and there were plenty of other varieties for enjoyment and fun. There were soccer moms grabbing nerf blasters and foam swords. There were families sitting at game tables. There were young children interacting senior citizens as they showed their costumes (in both directions). People were with people without regard of who they were before walking through the doors.

Along with supporting already known interests people were finding new interests and new causes. We have the areas we enjoy and what we like to do, but people who might not try a role-playing game, or Live Action Role Playing (LARPing), were signing up and giving it a try, just to see, and finding they enjoyed it. There were groups supporting interests like veterans and children. It was something to see members of B.A.C.A. (Bikers Against Child Abuse) talking and laughing with a group of zombies.

This is what gaming conventions, like Salt Lake Gaming Con, are about. There are events taking place during the convention, but it is about the building of community. There is the ability to bring together people with common interests, even if they didn't know they had the common interest before arriving. People were looking for one thing, and found more. They left with memories and memorabilia they could share with the friends they came with, and tell those who didn't. Some had made new friends they'll see at the next convention, or get together between times.

The people make events like Salt Lake Gaming Con as enjoyable as we want them to be. Watching, participating, and interacting with the people at the convention, I could see the atmosphere of enjoyment and fun. There were many smiles and jokes being shared by the conventioneers as they were leaving, and many a child who just wasn't ready to leave.

Salt Lake Gaming Con is now partnering up with Salt Lake Comic Con and I am looking forward to seeing what we get to participate in next year.

I would like to thank Salt Lake Gaming Con and Utah Geek Magazine for the opportunity of attending the convention.

If you have any comments, questions, or critiques please leave a comment here, or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

You can join Guild Master Gaming on Google+, Facebook, and Twitter (@GuildMstrGmng).

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