(no subject)

[eurydicebound]

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.

Comments

[fatwetdog.livejournal.com]

I've never been to a gaming con, but I think one way to liven it up might be to get the anime fans to come. There is a lot of crossover, but there could be more. Lots of anime-style costumers are theater people, and most of the gamers I know who were successful at getting girls in their gaming groups did so by recruiting actresses who were in to fantasy or comic books.

Add things like laser tag and DDR to the gaming con. Stuff where you actually have to move. (But not SCA fighting. I walked by an SCA fighting room once and the cloud of stink sent me crying home to my mom.)

If you stick a costume contest in something, the cosplayers will come. They're a competitive lot. They'll go *anywhere* for a contest. One of the biggest tickets these days is Dragoncon, because the Dawn Look-Alike Contest is hyper-competitive and comes with a $1000 check, so it's like this big brand of "I AM THE BEST AND HOTTEST COSPLAYER THERE IS!" (and no one really thinks cosplay is an art. It's a crafty thing, and everyone knows it is just playing dress up. "Cosplay" just makes it easier to google for.)

I think Cosplay looks like it did some *WEIRD* things to the anime community! Like... it made it hot!! @_@ When I went to my first con like 4 years ago, everyone was like on the lower end of average-looking. But as I look around cosplay.com now, *everyone* is a really attractive chick between the ages of 16 and 21. They're all fit dancers who want to become fashion designers. It's so... weird!! I'm like "OMG, since when did all the cosplayers get hot?!"