JiffyCon June, and GenCon ruminations

[Emily Care]

Hey folks,

We're having another rpg con out in western Massachusetts.  This is the fourth JiffyCon. It's a one day rpg event, and we've had a wide variety of the usual suspects get run: Dogs in the Vineyard, Sorcerer, Inspectres, Capes, Primetime Adventures, Shooting the Moon, Shock:.  It's an event that's meant to be kid friendly--kid care available, and legos, videos and toys around to play with.  So many gamers are 30+ these days, having a family shouldn't be a barrier to having fun.  This time around looks like we will have some good playtesting going on: Vincent and Meg are running new games (Poison'd, V.'s pirate game, and Miss Schiffer's School for Young Ladies of Quality), and a very interesting game from Tom Russell based on the D&D inspired game in those Chick comic tracts that promised magic, fame and sex for playing rpgs (hey, why didn't that happen for me?). 

JiffyCon is inspired by the fellowship at GenCon--that's at the heart of the con for me. We always end the evening with dinner together, or share a nice lunch during the day.   At GC, dinner together is practically a sacrament. After spending the day working together with these folks, getting to know them under the most testing and fulfilling of circumstances: teaching them your game by demoing for them, learning about the game that they have put their blood sweat and tears into, and then talking, talking, talking, to GenCon goers about what they love about role playing, and making those connections to that game you played today. Telling this person how it touched you, or excited you and letting them make their own connection to what it could bring to their life, their gaming group.  And doing the same for your own game--watching someone "get it" and seeing their face light up. Then hearing someone else whose game you pitched earlier talk about your game, and put it in someone else's hands. 

There is no greater gift, in some ways, than this kind of love.

So, in some small way, I want JiffyCon to pass that spark.  The other great influence for making this happen has definitely been Dreamation, another strong indie con, though one less focused on sales and more about really getting to indulge in play of the games we've created and enjoy them with other folks who also really get it. 

And I already said this in a post I made at the knife fight site today, but for all this, I thank the Forge, and Ron and Clinton. Without this place, you guys, there'd be no JiffyCon, none of my games and all that love lost.  Muchas gracias.

best,
Em

[Ron Edwards]

Thanks Em.

Best, Ron

[Robert Bohl]

Crossposting per Em's request. I'll be there and running Misspent Youth and maybe more:

Misspent Youth is a roleplaying game set in the near future. The players collaboratively create a world and an antagonist, called The Authority, which seeks to destroy what your characters value. Features:

* Two kinds of traits: selection from archetype and open creation
* Conflict resolution in a craps game, rigged for thematic appropriateness, where you risk your youthful purity to be victorious
* Narrative control economy which encourages the introduction of thematic elements
* Rule bias toward player cooperation, but with short term advantage for betrayal
* Spotlight character rules

How far are you willing to compromise your ideals for the greater good or your personal glory? Find out.

[Emily Care]

Ron, it's all just the truth.

Thanks, Rob! Is this the game that you talked about at the Dreamation Roundtable? Did that seminar help your design process along?

best,
Em

[Robert Bohl]

Emily,

Yes it is, and the roundtable helped a hell of a lot.

[Ben Lehman]

Crossposted at Emily's request:

If I'm there, and I can find an appropriate group (mutual friends) I'll hold the door for adventures in the land of a thousand kings.

Adventures in the Land of a Thousand Kings is a game where you and a few of your close friends go to a magical fantasy world full of wonder to have adventures. You could, for instance, meet the king of dreams, play with the garden king, take tea with a talking mouse, or swim in slow, wide river waters.