The First Time the Doors Open to the Exhibit Hall
That is the crowd I've been in so many times while waiting for the doors to open. There's an excitement in the air as everybody has their day planned so they can get the stuff they really want before it goes to that guy over there who's far less deserving of it than you are, who does he think he is anyway? The flood going through those doors for the first time every year is tons of fun, but Exhibitors, get your stuff together and get there with more than 15 minutes before the doors open. Navigating that dense of geek without proper readiness is dangerous to the uninitiated.
Your First Smell of Indianapolis
Indianapolis in summertime effing smells. There is a point every year that I know that I'm at GenCon, when I cross the street to get to the Steak and Shake, and as I hit the middle of the street, an overwhelming stench hits my nostrils. No, it's not the Con geeks who haven't showered, it's only Wednesday, after all. It's the smell of the backed up sewer system that happens to Indianapolis every summer. I don't think I'll ever get used to it. I hope I don't, too.
Your First Time Getting Put in Jail
Klingon Jail, of course, or as I hear it's called these days, the Fandom Jail and Bail. The Jail has been operating for longer than I've been going to GenCon. For a small donation (which all goes to charity), you can have a group of alien warriors find your friends, take them to jail, and make them recite poetry in the original Klingon, the way Shakespeare always intended. Best $20 I ever spent.
First time Seeing Cardhalla
Cardhalla is a part of the Con that starts off as nothing. As people need a rest or grow bored, they come to Cardhalla and build a huge card city out of spare CCG cards. Near the end of the Con, people come to throw quarters (which are donated to charity, geeks are very charitable) to destroy the town. Make sure to stop by Saturday afternoon to see it before it's untimely demise. A completed Cardhalla is quite a sight to behold.
Your first altercation with a beggar
People, a piece of advice I will give you right now is to travel in groups. The first year GenCon came to Indianapolis, I didn't have any trouble with any beggars. The last time I was there two years ago, it was getting a bit scary. I had a ragged looking man come up to me asking if I wanted to see the "Fastest Man" or some such, and I politely told him I wasn't interested. I then got accused (loudly) of being racist and thinking that he was begging (when in truth he was just running a shell game). Fortunately I was able to escape with the help of friends, but look forward to seeing girls crying on the street, men slumped over in front of the Steak and Shake, and the occasional scary person coming your way. Remember, the Sky Walk is your friend.
The First time the Escalator Stops
At some point during the Con, this escalator pictured here will break. While I've never been able to figure out why, my guess is that an Extra Large T-Shirt is also called a "Gamer's Medium". I'm predicting the first break down will be Friday afternoon, and then again Saturday morning. You've been warned.
First Costume you See
I did a Google search for GenCon Costumes, and had to pick this one because I saw her in person and saw those wings go from folded to unfolded like we see in the picture. I still remember how well done they were. There's a lot of fantastic costumes as GenCon, and gaming spans several different genres, from fantasy to sci-fi, to combat fatigues, there's always something to look at.
The First CountDown
I don't really have a good picture of this one, but the final 30 minutes of GenCon are frantic. Dealers who have been standing on their feet for four days are ready to go, and the Con goers are running around trying to get the last few things they need (and hopefully at better prices!). Stay for the last 30 minutes, as they crowd roars at the end to bring another GenCon to close, it's just an experience that you should be a part of.
Me on the other hand, I've already done that, and will be far on the road out of town to beat the traffic ;). We'll see you next week, but until then, keep coming back to see what other topics we start up, and of course, share your own GenCon firsts with us in the comments or on Twitter @videogamingat30.
