jen-kon, n. 1) a frenzied gathering of thousands of game players, industry professionals (and amateurs), and those who make money off them. 2) held every year in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 3) Derived from GENeva, as in “Lake GENeva, Wisconsin” and “CONvention,” as in “Big party where people wear funny hats.” 4) Operated by TSR, Inc., inventors of “D&D” and formerly the most profitable hobby gaming company in the U.S. 5) Where an intrepid IMG reporter found lots going on with computer games....
GENCON Computers: General Use
Since computers are anywhere, it’s not surprising that there were a few at GenCon, pulling their weight as general purpose workhorses. A Toshiba 610 CT laptop served to print out schedules for Anime’ showings, for example, while a few technomonsters sported PDA’s for this, that, and the other usage.
People playing games that require lots of dice rolling or intensive record-keeping also brought their micros to the show: computerized random numbers and instant print-outs helped those managing fields of lead, pewter, and plastic miniatures as well as those folks trying to keep eight teeny-bopper AD&D players on-task.
In the dealer’s area, computers were used for a variety of purposes, the most general of which being to demonstrate or illustrate a product. Second Nature, Inc., a company developing a graphical, first-person on-line role-playing game (sorry, only PC in development) set up their color monitor to attract potential designers, writers, producers, and techs. They ended up signing lots of folks up for their Beta test.
Do we care? No. What are we really looking for? MechWarrior 2. OK.
Activision
Activision had a booth at the ‘con. It was consistently mobbed, even though they only had two computers running, and they weren’t for Joe’s to sit down and play MechWarrior 2. These guys were handing out CD-ROM demo’s of various games and generally listening to people say “what a cool game you guys made.”
Current Activision Mac Activities:
•MechWarrior 2: On the street. Big sales are encouraging Activision to keep Mac entertainment software in the pipe.
•Spycraft: Developed in conjunction with the PC version, this is on the street.
•Elk Moon Murder: Developed in conjunction with the PC version, this is on the street.
•Muppets Treasure Island: Developed in conjunction with the PC version, this is on the street.
•Zork Nemesis: On the Street.
In another GenCon article you can read about the 32 networked PC’s running MechWarrior 2....
Mindscape / SSI
These guys had a large footprint on the dealer area floor. Between the two of them about twenty Really Fast PC’s and Playstations with Really Big Monitors were blasting out various games. ‘Con goers could sit down and kill a few, uh, minutes, and rest their feet at the same time.
New from Mindscape for the Macintosh: well, uh, nothing. Sad but true, this turned out to be a common state of affairs. While some companies are fervently sticking with the Mac, the Big Lie that Apple is going down seems to have taken a toll on development projects.
Mindscape is unveiling a new strategy in game software, however: many of their new titles are going to be Internet savvy. Chessmaster 5000, for the PC, for example, won’t just be a game on a CD, but also a server/on-line service with information about chess, on-line opponents, and so on. Part of the game purchase includes access to the web component.
Unfortunately, Mindscape’s current position is that only the most popular PC games will be ported to the Mac. There is brighter news from SSI, however. Due in May of ‘97 is a game called “Imperialism,” like “Civilization but better, more strategic,” according to SSI’s K.C. Conroe. Like Mindscape, PC ports for the Mac are in Limbo, and “Imperialism” is a concurrent development project.
And if you haven’t heard enough “no Mac” news yet, Catware, an SSI external developer, is working on a PC only game called “Star General.”
Acclaim / Magic, the Gathering
Two different computer games based on Wizard’s of the Coast’s phenom collectible card game are in the works. Acclaim’s is a realtime 3D strategy game (overhead view) with internet and modem play options. A release date of mid-November is currently on the calendar, but as with all such dates, keep it in pencil until you hold a copy of the game in your hand.
Once again, development is taking place only for Win95 and Saturn platforms, not for the Mac.
Microprose / Magic, the Gathering
The “other” MtG game mimics card play (head to head or head vs. AI duels). In development now for about two years, the AI has apparently been giving the programmers migraine headaches. Also only for Windows 95, Microprose is planning to license to an external developer the rights to a Mac version. Why not in-house? Apparently the last few Mac titles lost the company money: not necessarily because the games were awful, but possibly because distribution of Mac software is difficult in our PC-dominated superstores.
Westwood Studios
All that sad news about the lack of entertainment software development for the Mac got you down? Thinking of running out and getting yourself a clunky-if-speedy PC?
Stop right there. Westwood Studios to the rescue! These guys had an intense display: big screens, big speakers, and a good hand with crowd control (fifty conventioneers chanting “Westwood” carries!). Here are some Mac projects they are working on as part of their “big Mac commitment.”
•Command and Conquer: due in the fall, players will be able to play over the internet against other C and C players, regardless of platform. The bonus for Mac users is the game will be in hi-res!
•Monopoloy: Yep, officially licensed from Parker Brothers, this is due in the fall.
•WChat: live chat program, an accessory for net gaming and integrated into various games, due for Beta testing in the fall.
•Kyrandia: Malcolm’s Revenge: already out!
Other Cool ‘Con Stuff
Walter Koenig, classic trek’s Chekov, was at the ‘con for autographs, and this reporter saw the man himself slouch past on the Mezzanine of the Hyatt, looking very human. Ensign Kim from Voyager was also at the ‘con, but he seemed a bit bored by it all. Science Fiction authors Timothy Zahn and Michael Stackpole were at the ‘con, along with a slew of paperback writin’ types such as Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.
The Safehouse is a restaurant/bar that is chock full of flavor: cross Get Smart with 007 and you begin to get the gist of it. Not only is finding the place somewhat difficult, but you have to know the password to get in. Finding the Safehouse is easier than it used to be, however, as they now have a big red sign in addition to the demure bronze plate stamped “International Exports, Ltd..” If you shell out some bucks you can buy a card that lets you in the secret entrance, however.
Ed Debevic’s restaurant is a high-volume family place about six blocks from the convention center. Every so often the live D.J. puts on a particular tune and the wait staff (dressed as various 50’s and 60’s icons and rude to boot) hops onto the countertops and boogies. For those who need a place to park, Ed has a parking garage (that would be “Ed Debevic’s Parking Garage,” of course) right next door.
So that’s a little bit about GenCon. Why should you care? Well, I’ve explained this before, but what the heck. The ‘con is run by the folks who essentially invented role-playing as a game (“D&D,” ‘way back in 1972). Computer role-playing games owe their start to the paper-and-pencil version. In addition, new CRPG’s are often derived from their paper-and-pencil forebears: the Ravenloft CRPG’s, Dark Sun CRPG’s, and Alien Logic (set in the Skyrealms of Jorune) are only a few examples of CRPG’s based on paper-and-pencil RPG’s. (And I’d be willing to bet that the designers of such popular computer-only CRPG’s as Ultima and Wizardry played RPG’s and derived inspiration from them for their computer games...but that’s another article.)
And therefore? If you like CRPG’s, cultivating an interest in ‘cons like GenCon can’t hurt. Heck, all the stuff I’ve written about I discovered by going to GenCon. By going to a ‘con yourself, who knows what you might find? Fun? New games to play? Opponents? The sky is the limit....
Keep your eyes peeled for GENCON, Part Two: The Multiplayer Future is Now--even more about fun computer games at the ‘con!
