"Adepticon 2022 Chicago going on now" Topic

Largest Miniature convention in the US of A -

Any blogs or youtubes posting daily updates on the action, please post to share. Thanks

All of the photos I'm seeing is GW…and one of the P3 Painting Contest.

Is Adepticon still GW-centric? I thought it had expanded.

Adepticon is bigger than Historicon? I would have to see the numbers. I do see they have some 90 venders which is a lot more than Historicon has been getting lately. Can't make it this year but have enjoyed Adepticon in the past.

Historicon attendance for 2019, the last show before Covid, was 2300. In 2019, Adepticon had 6500 attendees. So, yes, it is bigger.

Elmo is having a great time. Yes, I play GW games. The Historical Games are at another hotel so I won't get there. I'll save Little Wars for that.

I find the Vaccine Mandate to be a farce as usual. Much of the convention is in public areas of the venue meaning you will *gasp* be near possible unvaccinated! Plague Monk Mrs Elmo has had the run of the place.

Welcome to your Health Theatre.

Wow! I did not realize that Adepticon was that big. I have attended and thought it was smaller. Maybe I am missing areas of play.

It's probably even bigger since they moved all historical gaming to another hotel which I don't remember that being done in the past. I know last time I went they had to use another location for parking as they filed the huge parking lot of the hotel and shuttle bus everyone to the hotel.
For those old timers the original Adepticon was run at the same time as Little Wars years ago in the same hotel but in separate banquet halls and had as many people there as Little Wars had. This happened only once or twice that I can remember.

Fun Youtube Video, trip to Adepticon, only 14 min. long.

In a hurry skip to the 7:30 mark and he is inside the hall.
For those that are not aware of Adepticon now, good view.
He is in just one hall, [there are many] it has the Legion and XWing tables with the dealer hall in the middle, far side is 40K tournaments. The Dealer area is excellent as you can see, a ton of good game vibes. Please note the people, lots of 20, 30, and 40 year olds walking about. We were there the last two before Covid and it was excellent, 6,500 gamers is crazy.

YouTube link

The detail and beauty of the fantasy and science-fiction figures is staggering.

Tumbleweed is right on, the miniature hobby is alive and red hot!!

From the historical side this is a good lesson for us.
In the short video I posted, watching you will notice the stage with the support structure over it, it has lights and camera's. This is for the main games in the Star Wars Legion Tournament, it is filmed and live streamed on the net with a team of commentators much like a NFL game. The halls have this also!!!! Here is a very long clip from yesterday's action, do not watch 11 hours but just fast forward to the 1:30 to 1:40 to watch split screens of multiple views of the table top, watch split screens of the table with action cards shown along the side, with views of the dice box rolls. These gamers are living in a world that most historical gamers do not even know exists. It is not depressing, it is up lifting, 1,000's of young gamers taking the hobby forward with TECH sprending it world wide.
Now image this with a very developed game system, skirmish WWII fighting on the Eastern Front, it would be epic and these gamers would and could relate. A New world.

YouTube link

The Future ----

Just watching this, live stream 40K team championships.
The stage has the overhead cam, so you can look down on the game, it is epic. The commentator team is discussing the action as the film crew cuts from overhead to the camera's on the field for side views. Just like on TeeVee you see the scroll with the team score showing. Comments streaming from gamers watching worldwide, it is on fire.
P.S. I do not play 40K, it's about tech and presentation,

YouTube link

From the historical side this is a good lesson for us.

I can imagine what a historical live stream would be like: 45 minutes of rules explaining followed by 4-5 people on each side trying to move models with no idea what is going on.

You would get comments on how the 8063rd Fubar regiment did not have that sabretache until 1823 and it wasn't Mauve. When charged, there would be a debate about how troops were trained to form emergency square. You would also see the people on the left napping while the right side runs down a laundry list of modifiers to resolve the melee.

Mr. Elmo -

Fun point yet true, as a GM you look and ask where is "Jimbo" to find out he is hanging around a game two tables over. Then asking 'did Eddie leave', it is his turn then being told 'no he went with his friends to get some food he will be right back, but it's Eddie's turn now. All true things.
During 2019 at Adepticon we watched tournaments that use time clocks, chess clocks. It was a thing never seen before, the gamers would not look you in the eye, no talking, their eyes fixed on the table to watch ever move. The key is time, being able to react when it's your turn. It is a game on crack it moves so fast, extreme tension can be seen and felt. We strive for history in our games, but the use of a time clock brings real time to the game, mental strain which is combat. The game experience has a mental tension/pressure that is a realism to a skirmish game that we do not have. Thinking on this, I'm not sure we 'want'. I am drawn to this, check out the youtubes to see this game play, new ways?

John Simmons-

You bring up a good point. What do we "want"? A good GM will have his own tempo in play. They maintain the pace of the game. Keeping the players moving, interested, active and and involved. While it may not be 100% all the time, it is after all just a game.

"Mental strain that is combat"Hmmmmm. After three deployments, dozens of FTXs and Live fire ranges, I have had my share. If I want tension now, I will play along with an episode of Jeopardy, or a First Person Shooter game.

What do I "want"? Well not real time games, I am too old to play three full days of Gettysburg that way. But I do want to be able talk to the GM, both sets of players and even passers by. Comment on the paint jobs and terrain. I want to look into my opponents eyes and gauge their intentions and reactions. Perhaps take a break for snacks or dinner. I want all the social interaction that goes with it, after all it is just a game.