7th-9th April is Conpulsion! Edinburgh’s Ultimate Roleplaying and Tabletop Convention!
If you’re anywhere near Edinburgh, then don’t miss Conpulsion this Easter!
It’s basically Valhalla for geeks, a temporary Nerdtopia — think Burning Man, but with less sun and more dice.
We’re talking two and a bit days of actual table top gaming in a popup community that you wish would just settle down and start its own township!
It’s Scotland’s biggest weekend gaming convention, and it is a splendid experience. (See reviews for 2014 and 2o15)
There are dozens of roleplaying games squirrelled away in the Gothic venue’s labyrinth, all refereed by experienced GMs. These run morning, afternoon and evening, so it really is possible to roleplay solidly for two days.
There are whole areas devoted to modern board and card games, some of them entirely new, plus various LARP games and panel discussions.
There’s also always wargaming going on, especially X-Wing and Warhammer 40K, but also games you won’t have heard of, or are yearning to try.
The atmosphere is inclusive and have-a-go, with roleplaying sessions aimed at a range of ages and experiences, and board and wargames hosted by enthusiastic demonstrators.
Overall it’s a really good chance to try out — or at least, watch — the kind of games that look tempting but are a bit too expensive to just buy on the off-chance that they are any good. It’s also the place to pick up copies of games without having to pay shipping — a refreshingly retro experience in an era when the Internet is usually cheaper.
In September, Word on the Street takes place in major cities all over Canada, though not necessarily on the same day. In fact, if you live in Ontario, as I do, you could conceivably participate in both Ottawa’s and Toronto’s events.
Last weekend I attended Can-Con as a Special Guest. The Guests of Honour were Eric Choi (Science), Tanya Huff (Author), Sam Morgan (Agent, JABberwocky Literary Agency), and Sheila Williams (Editor, Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine).