Those of you native to the Greater Toronto Area will know that there has been a lull in the local convention circuit these last few years. The folks here at <a href="http://www.hammergames.org">Hammer Games have noticed as well, and decided to do something about it.

Introducing: <a href="http://www.hammercon.ca">Hammercon, a full-day gaming event in Hamilton (Ontario, Canada) on Saturday October 17th!

The convention is focused on play, and will feature role-playing, board gaming, LARPing, wargaming and card gaming tracks. We do love our Friendly Local Game Stores, and will have several vendor booths present to serve your gamer addiction needs - but this is first and foremost a gaming con, not a trade show. Come to play games you've never played before! Come to play games you know and love! Come to meet new friends and to catch up with old ones.

Our tagline is "...something new", and we mean it. We all get nostalgic about our favourite childhood games, but conventions are also an opportunity to try new stuff. If you're really into role-playing, take a moment to try out that new eurogame everyone's talking about, or join the Requiem LARP to broaden your experiences. If you're really into d20, once you've completed that module, come experience a Shadow of Yesterday game - or vice versa. If you want to try something new, but you're not sure what, come chat with our staff and we'll help you find a game. We really want to!

Special guests include <a href="http://www.pen-paper.net/rpgdb.php?op=showcreator&creatorid=513">Robin D. Laws, who recently released <a href="http://www.glorantha.com/">HeroQuest 2 and <a href="http://www.pelgranepress.com/gumshoe/mutant/">Mutant City Blues. Expect lots of buzz and play of these games and more, and have a chat with the creators of <a href="http://www.firestorm-ink.com/fi_cybergeneration.html">CyberGeneration, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usagi_Yojimbo_Role-Playing_Game">Usagi Yojimbo RPG, and others.

We're hosted in the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Hamilton, close to any and all transportation, lodging, food and amenities (even office supplies, if you forgot your pencils). Buses, trains and highways all run close to the venue. Discount carrier WestJet flies out of the Hamilton International airport for more remote visitors. For those in the US, Hamilton is only about an hour from the border at Niagara Falls and about 3 hours from Detroit by car (plus, Canadian beer is to die for).

If you're planning to attend, you should know that entry cost is set very low, and your pass will cover participation in each and every game you'll have time to attend. More information, game schedules and pre-registration will be forthcoming. Please visit our <a href="http://www.hammercon.ca">website to sign up for our newsletter (or you can follow us on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/hammercon">Twitter, join us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=83834500927">Facebook, or register for our <a href="http://www.hammercon.ca/index.php?option=com_user&view=register">Forum - oh my!).

If you want to run or organize games, role-playing, board games, or otherwise, please fill out our <a href="http://www.hammercon.ca/index.php?option=com_chronocontact&chronoformname=eventSubmission&Itemid=10">game submission form or <a mailto:events@hammercon.ca>contact us by email. There will be many perks!

If you are a game designer who would like to showcase and even sell copies of your game at the con, we love you and desperately want to talk to you! Please email us at <a mailto:events@hammercon.ca>events@hammercon.ca.

Go (come?) Play!