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metallian suggested I make this a full entry, so I've decided to take his advice. Basically he asked me to elaborate on the differences I saw between anime and gaming conventions. My reply was:Sure. Now, this is probably not as great a divide at the smaller gaming convention level as it is at the Origins/GenCon level, but it seems to me it's still there.
At gaming conventions, there are two main drives for attendance: buying stuff (less so at the smaller ones) and gaming. Mostly gaming. At anime cons, the drives for attendance are a) finding out more about anime, b) seeing more anime, and c) partying and celebrating anime, whether through cosplay, J-pop, fan fiction discussions, buying manga and DVDs, etc.
Gleaning this wholly from my experiences, it seems that the anime-con attendees are more diverse (in age, gender, ethnic background, and sexuality), more willing to publically embrace that diversity, more socially inclined (I sat in on a GREAT panel entitled "Sex in Fancom" that discussed the finer points of social cues, getting laid, and what not, specifically at conventions), and really less inhibited about the stuff they love.
Their hobby/obsession invites participation, though costuming, writing, film, music, general discussion, art, etc. Game conventions seem more focused: they're about gaming, but in a very consumer-oriented way. It's all about what's coming out, how you play with it, what are these companies doing, etc. It's rarely about new stuff the fans are doing with the game, new art they're drawing for it, new costumes they've made to dress up like a character in the game, new adventures they're writing, etc. Part of this is undoutedly because it's a lot harder to get a grasp on something so nebulous as opposed to the art-based visual medium of anime, but it's there nonetheless.
I mean, the panel selection is a good example of the differences. They had life drawing workshops, media arts workshops, writing workshops, stuff on getting professionally published and working with editors, voice acting workshops, etc. All very much participation-oriented. I sat on two writing/editing panels, one about the game industry specifically, one about just general writing life habits. Both were far better attended than any similar panel I've been to at Origins or GenCon. The rooms were roughly 75% full for both, if not more.
Another example: A-Kon had an arcade brought in. I don't even want to think about how much money the DDR machines alone brought in. They had a whole section set up for Lazer Tag. They have a whole computer gaming center as well, but I don't think it got nearly as much play as the video games and Lazer Tag did. They had more traditional gaming areas too, but most people wanted to get out and actively do stuff. The LARPS were very well attended, probably more than the regular gaming from appearances.
Also, while there were a few non-bathers, the number of people exhibiting less-than-welcoming hygiene were pretty few. Con Stank was only really present in the elevators, which were terribly overworked (typically with 12-14 people in one at any given time) and had no climate control or ventilation inside them. Most of the con attendees I saw (and had to ride in an elevator with) were within a healthy weight range and took care with their appearance, even if they weren't cosplaying. I mean, picture trying to fit 12-14 of your average gaming-con attendees into an average size elevator, for one. It'd be a rare thing.
You guys have any opinions on the matter? I'd be interested in hearing them.
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Great topic!
Date: 2004-06-10 12:33 am (UTC)From:Which is kind of sad, because I know that I’m not the only gay gamer who will throw money at the feet of a company that seeks my patronage. I don’t even play much White Wolf, but they get my money for actually having LGBT characters in their games.
I’d travel well out of my way to attend a gaming con with a GLBT friendly atmosphere. However, I’m pretty sure it doesn’t exist.
This is another reason I’m sorry I’ve missed the anime boat. I really wouldn’t mind going to a con where the participants are not mostly overweight guys with shower-phobias who are hell bent for leather to tell me about their Drow dominatrix and her magical whip of stripping +3.
(sigh)
If only I could break my ‘but it is a CARTOON!’ prejudice….
Re: Great topic!
Date: 2004-06-10 01:51 am (UTC)From:While I can't contribute anything to the points Anaka has raised on account on not really being in the 'I go to Cons' group of gamers, I have been to enough to recognise the people you are refering to. Thank you for creating the mental image of the average gaming con-patron so aptly that it makes me laugh coffee through my nose and all over my desk. :oD
Re: Great topic!
Date: 2004-06-10 07:22 am (UTC)From:I mean, there was a cute little lithe guy wandering around in a midriff-baring costume top and low, low pants (who could pull off both looks) and a sign on his chest declaring himself "the Yaoi Fairy." It doesn't get a lot more open than that.
And the thing about the "it's a cartoon" prejudice? Most of the people there know absolutely it's just a cartoon. Just like people who enjoy comics, they follow the storyline and like the character development and just appreciate the art involved (which can sometimes be stunning).
To address another point, I think one of the reasons things aren't more open at gaming cons is that sexuality is denied wholesale. Games aren't supposed to have sex in them. Hell, gamers aren't really supposed to have sex. No one ever goes to a gaming convention with the hope of getting laid, except for people who tend to be doomed to fail. No one ever addresses that. And now that more and more women are entering the gaming scene as a whole (and convention scene in specific), it's becoming more difficult for the hetero group to keep that under wraps. We talk about not becoming stalkers, but we don't talk about healthy romantic communication beyond that. I think something similar applies to the gay and lesbian contingent -- any sort of sexuality is frowned upon, as a threat to the group as a whole.
I think that honestly, gaming as a whole would grow exponentially if we could find a way to bring it out of our parents' basements and rec rooms and into a little bit more of an adult atmosphere. I don't believe we need to add sex to everything, but rather to acknowledge it and make room for it to grow, especially when we all get together.
Re: Great topic!
Date: 2004-06-10 07:34 am (UTC)From:I absolutely agree with your point here. And I think that a lot of it has to do not only with fans but also gaming companies and their marketing strategies. I mean, honestly, other than the idiot-bait cheesecake covers of some remarkably bad d20 products there isn't much sexuality in RPGs at all.
I'd go as far as to say there isn't any adult sexual behavior represented that I can think of, offhand. Even those characters who have a defined sex life (like say some of the Aberrant characters) are more like the platonic ideal of a person with a sex life.
I think the only cure is really going to be more people getting their significant others into gaming. It seems to me that it would be harder to get flustered by a hint of sexual activity in the game when the GM was hanging off your headboard screaming 'CRIT BABY! NATURAL FREAKIN' 20!' last night.
...
Or maybe that’s just me.
Re: Great topic!
Date: 2004-06-10 08:46 am (UTC)From:Without interpersonal relationships then gaming would be v. boring. And you don't get much more interpersonal than sex. Of course... this could just be because I watch too much anime. ^_^
Perhaps this is why more chicks play stuff like Exalted, where the romancey aspect is in all the sidebar fictions. IMHO, "OMG, you're hopelessly in love with the Prince of Town, but he's engaged! And you're not even sure if he likes you! Oh no! He's been kidnapped by a dragon! Now's your chance!" is a little more interesting than standard "Kill kobolds for gold." (embarrassed) OMFG, I'm suck a fucking chick...
Re: Great topic!
Date: 2004-06-10 08:51 am (UTC)From:@_@
Re: Great topic!
Date: 2004-06-10 08:59 am (UTC)From:Re: Great topic!
Date: 2004-06-10 09:57 am (UTC)From:Re: Great topic!
Date: 2004-06-10 09:04 am (UTC)From:Ok, maybe not. But it might mean a boom in women gamers in a few years. I don’t know of anyone who thinks of that as a bad thing.
As a side note for Tangency types: If the tent peg meme goes global through the RPG community, I'm going to have A2K brought up on charges
:D
Re: Great topic!
Date: 2004-06-10 09:10 am (UTC)From:Re: Great topic!
Date: 2004-06-10 09:13 am (UTC)From:The first and only RPG I am aware of that is targeting a female player base.
As for tent pegs, I'm not getting into that. I still twitch once in a while, thinking about that thread. ;)
Re: Great topic!
Date: 2004-06-10 07:37 am (UTC)From:And the fact that I am absolutely certain I am missing 99% of the cultural subtext of any anime I watch. It is frustrating to not understand why certain things happen or what certain frames mean.
Re: Great topic!
Date: 2004-06-10 08:40 am (UTC)From: