BrigadeCon 2016
I had a Burnsian experience with BrigadeCon this year as my best-laid plans went agley indeed. I was able to help out in the lead-up to BrigadeCon both ‘out front’ in mentions during RPGaDay, as well as in some video promotional material. I was also able to assist a bit ‘behind the scenes’ in most of the original edits of the site’s material. In other words, I got to experience the joy of giving, which was awesome, but this was tempered by getting to experience none of the fun of playing, which is less awesome. It is, however, much, much better than not being involved at all. Unlike those who benefit from the convention, I am free to seek games on my own time and in my own way.
In proving foresight may be vain:The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ MenGang aft agley,An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,For promis’d joy!
This year BrigadeCon raised $2317 in total from 53 direct donations and the success of the T-Shirt campaign leading up to the day. This exceeds the donation of previous years and bodes well for future years of the convention. I feel that this year, our third, the convention really got its feet under it and had a clear sense of purpose. This was good to see. The convention is about helping children in hospital via the Childs Play Charity, and brings this about by hosting a gaming convention – not the other way around.
To see the many events which took place, and there are hours upon hours of them, there are video galleries on the BrigadeCon homepage. The 2016 pull-down menu has them divided by type and includes the countdown videos, the opening ceremony video, the games, the panels, and the closing ceremony among other related content.
Another increase this year was among the number of sponsors. Many sponsors have stayed with us through each year, and each year the level of sponsorship has grown, so that more and more attendees have the opportunity to win digital and physical prizes from some of the most amazing gaming companies out there. You can check out the full list of sponsors, winners, and prizes here.
I had hoped to participate as a GM for three games, but had to cancel them due to obligations of both work and family. Unlike previous years, however, I did get a chance to see some of the convention events live. That was a nice treat to salve the bitterness of my disappointment. I was able to see some of Tim Harper’s Mutant Future session, and with great juggling of time and opportunity, I was able to follow Sebastien Allard’s Buckaroo Banzai session. Later in the convention’s 24hr run, I was able to catch bits and pieces of two excellent interviews by Nathan Lyke, one with Pat Kilbane, and one with Major (Retired) David A. Wesely. Both are worth watching.
The games that I intended to run, which I hope will make an appearance either next year, or in some other way were to be a Ubiquity-powered game of supernatural threat and revenge using All for One with a dash of Leagues of Gothic Horror, a mystery using the Amber diceless rules as found in Lords of Gossamer and Shadow, and a cross-dimensional thriller using Mythras (RuneQuest 6) for Luther Arkwright – Roleplaying Across the Parallels. My hopes were dashed, and several weeks before the con, I had to withdraw them. There was some thought given to a sequel to The Pork-Chop Express and the Convoy of Liberty, but I wanted to show the settings tied to each of my chosen games in their ‘native’ state, rather than a mash-up with others.
It no doubt seems like activity here and on the YouTube Channel has been slowing down of late, and that is not an incorrect assessment. Things have been happening, but it has been hard lately to get the time to share them. The time I have has been used for doing the things, and no time has been left to write or vlog about them. There are a number of different things which have been accomplished, however, and they will start appearing soon.
For now, though, I would like to add my thanks to the primary organizers, hosts, and troubleshooters of this year’s BrigadeCon. Congratulations on an enjoyable convention, and on achieving such great improvement in the convention’s primary mission!
#BrigadeCon
#Wearethebrigade
Casting Shadows 