Convergence Convention 17th-19th March

As I mentioned previously, there were two conventions with a significant RPG element  running in the same weekend - Concrete Cow and Convergence.

Concrete Cow is devoted to RPGs, has been running for a couple of years and is a one day event in Milton Keynes.

Convergence is a more general tabletop gaming convention, with RPGs bring one,of many elements. This was the first time it has taken place. It's a three day event in Stockport. I think it's a a bit bigger than Concrete Cow.

My friend, Paul Baldowski, attended with his wife, Fil, running their exemplary "All Rolled Up" stall. (If you don't own at least one ARU, yet, then you should.)

Paul's kindly allowed me to cross-post his report:

"ConVergenceUK - Day #2...

Yes, Day #2. Work and commitments to celebrating St Patrick's Day with friends meant that All Rolled Up didn't make an appearance on Day #1. However, we read good reports from Dirk the Dice (Chris of Grognard Files fame).

I can't possibly stretch to the detail of a report like Mr Burley - if only because I'm typing this on Day #3 while nursing a coffee and listening to Fil preparing to leave for Day #3.

The venue is on a business estates off the side of the A6 south of Stockport. It's within walking distance of the centre - and the train/bus station - and close to numerous eateries. They have a potholed parking area around the back of the building, but there’s also free parking nearby and ready access to the road if you want to take a quick hop on a bus.

ConVergence sits in the midst of the massive open play area at Element Games. In a building that looks like it might turn feral at any moment, up a steep stair, lies the amply stocked game store with a double door tucked away at the back. Beyond the door lies a large hall with a bar on the right, just inside the door and three columns of tables, two of them seven deep and four across. The plain wood tables offer enough room for your average game of X-Wing or Age of Sigmar.

When we arrived, various games had already kicked off. A small X-Wing competition, with a dozen players, a Dicemaster competition with about a dozen players. A couple of tables set aside for demos by Warlord Games and Third Law fronted an area further back set aside fro roleplaying. The back wall held a display of scenery and battlemats available for ad hoc wargamers. Great set up.

 We had four tables at the front and set ourselves up with all the usual fare - game rolls, dice trays, counters, wipe cards, pens, and a smattering of Cthulhu Hack. As Element Games sell dice, that’s the only thing we didn’t bring along.

Three or four sessions of roleplaying ran in roughly four slots from 9am through to very late in the evening. Wargames and X-Wing ran from around 10am through to early evening. There were enough spare tables on the Saturday that you could have set yourself down at a spot to play a boardgame or spot of Warhammer. Element Games run it like a rental during normal business hours, outside of a con like this - you pay for a spot and give a small deposit if you use the mats or scenery. Again, nice set up.

As traders, we had a fair day. About what we’d expect from a small event, with a slow start that picked up as the day went on. A few games of Pathfinder ran. Richard August ran a game of Achtung Cthulhu!, but using The Cthulhu Hack rule set. Dirk the Dice ran a Runequest powered game of Luther Arkwright. The ambient sound level was fair - I’ve tried to run a roleplaying game in far noisier environments. It might be different tomorrow when they have a massive X-Wing tournament running (that’s now, actually… and the noise level remains manageable).

The bar sells snacks, drinks (soft drinks, hot beverages) and if you get yourself organised you can get a slice of a Subway platter. The location meant we managed to grab a breakfast wrap from a local cafe in the morning (and on Sunday we grabbed something from McDonalds, just across from the railway station). If you travelled from further afield, you could certainly find some accommodation - whether the Holiday Inn Express across from the station, through to one of many local B&Bs.

Chatted with the organisers. Everything seemed to run seamlessly. A nice first event, with plenty of interest - and they had a lot of enthusiasm. I think this could turn into something rather good. Another event for the underserved north of England."

Thanks, Paul!

The organisers have told me me that if I had attended, I would have found players for my RPGs during the middle sessions, when things were busier. So it seems like a good convention to attend. They're going to try to avoid double-booking with other conventions next year. (Good luck to them! The convention scene seems to be getting busier all the time.)