[Deptheads] Intel from West Coast Meeplefest

[Eric Burgess]

Just got back from West Coast Meeplefest, an invitational board game
convention in San Jose with some intel:

1) Martin Wallace - Apparently Martin Wallace (who was supposed to be our
Guest of Honor for Orccon 2012) cancelled because the Kublacon folks got to
him at Alan Moon's Gathering of Friends and said he should debut in the U.S.
at Kublacon because it's 'The Premier West Coast Convention'. I was also
told that Kubla realizes that Gamex is getting stronger and they're bothered
that we've had so many marquee names come to our convention. They feel we're
cutting into their numbers and so they wanted to reassert themselves. The
one Kubla staffer there was quite proud to loudly proclaim that Wallace was
a big win for them. Pissed me off but Martin is notoriously flighty so I'm
not surprised. They are trying to ensnare Friedemann Friese away from us for
Kubla 2013 as well but I'm hopeful he'll still join us ahead of that because
he has some good friends here in L.A. he wants to visit when he comes. Very
annoying that they got Wallace to change his plans (he's said he'll still
come to see us in 2013 but after he's just been to Kubla it's a little less
appealing). I'm working on his replacement for Orccon 2012. We still have
Borg for Gamex 2012 and I'm betting on Friedemann for Gateway 2012 (when
we'll have Rich as well). I'm looking into Dirk Henn (Alhambra), Antoine
Bauza (7 Wonders) and still going back and forth with Uwe Rosenberg
(Agricola). Also circling back with Greg Costikyan (Old School stuff),
Donald Vaccarino (Dominion - but he's a nut!), Leo Colovini (Clans,
Atlantis) and Corey Koniecza (Fantasy Flight stuff). I also met up with
Qwirkle (just won the Spiel Des Jahres 2011) designer Susan McKinley-Ross
and she'd come down any time but she's less of a draw for gamers because
it's quite a casual game. She's a friend and just up North so we could add
her to another US guest sometime to fill it out. Suggestions from other
non-board game types welcome!

2) Pacificon have their own SoCalSmackheads - Apparently most of the board
gamers are draining away from Pacificon and going to Celesticon, a rival
Labor Day event. The organizers were actually at WCMF and apparently they
are building into the 250 range. That's part of what Pacificon are losing. I
heard a lot of negative energy about Pacificon as well - poorly organized,
bad facility and not enough going on.

...ERB
www.boardgamebabylon.com
www.strategicon.net
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