StellarCon 27 Review

StellarCon 27 Review

This year, StellarCon as a little different for me. I was so focused on finding and buying a house that it kind of took a back seet. I ended up proving that I could handle Game coordinating without putting so much work into it like I had in the past. But I think I was lucky this year because I had very few problems and the ones that did pop up fixed themselves.

Because I worked StellarCon, my perspective may have been a little different than others. I would like to hear anyone elses view of things, however.

This year, StellarCon was in the same hotel MACE has been in for the past several year and the hotel I and my family stayed in for my wedding. I am quite familiar with that hotel by now, so that reduced the amount of complications for me. Of course, the hotel is nice, and I will never have any complaints about it.

However, for a Con like StellarCon, I am not sure it works. Even though I like gaming and am partial to that, StellarCon has tried to be a general con for all fans in fandom. Well, I am not sure this hotel is suited for that kind of Con. Additionally, the layout they gave me gave the Con a somewhat strong gaming appearance, because the first three or four rooms the people saw were gaming of some kind. But Ihad no complaints.

The dealers room was exceptional as usual although I have to admit that I didn’t spend a lot of money. I bought a ring and that’s about it. My wife made up for that in the art room. The amazing thing was the success of the art show. Kudos to the art show planners.

I missed a lot of the main programming Friday, focused on mostly gaming. Saturday I saw the costume contest, which was OK, I got something in the auction. But of the main proigramming, that’s about all I participated in. I think I was having too much fun with gaming.

Gaming the entire weekend was busy, and a success in my book. A lot of traffic for everyone, so I was pleased.

However, I got a sense from people that other than gaming (and all the GMs and players seemed to be satisfied), the Con lacked something. I know that there wasn’t too many parties going on. THe 501st STs were a travelling party that offended a few people with their revelry, and the Nth Dregree magazine has a good party going on although I knew no one there and wasn’t enjoying just standing there not talking to anyone.

Friday night I spend playing a card game with some guys from our area and Saturday night we hung out at some partiues but ended up at the DragonCon party. Both nights we were not in bed before 2 AM.

So although it was a little subdued at times, I suppose I didn’t get the same sense everyone else seem to convay. I got my fill of gaming and friends, enjoyed the company of old friends and got to know a few acquatances better. If they were looking for a party con, they probably were a little disappointed, but I guess I am getting old.

Overall, I think StellarCon was a success, and I’ll be in on it next year, where ever it is.