So I help to run Expo, but what do I think of it?
I have the problem that over the course of the weekend, I don’t get to
see a lot of the convention, not the way everyone else does, I’m needed on the
front desk most of the time and those times when I’m off the desk, It’s because
I’m sorting something else somewhere in the building. To get actual time to go and enjoy what I
helped to build?
None of that I fear...
So here it is from the point of view of one of the people most involved
in the convention. I don’t see the
convention, but you know what I do see?
Everyone else...
When people come into the con, they have to go right past me. There’s a few that go in the other way, but
sooner or later, if you’re in the con with a ticket, you’re going to go past
me, and that gives me a perspective that very few people share. You know what
else I see?
Smiles...
Everywhere...
This is something that brightens my heart in a way that I can’t easily
describe. I remember Gencon in the days
of Loughborough and Manchester, in the days of Olympia and yes, even in the
days of Minehead, and through all of it was that joyous revelation that I was
amongst gamers.
People just like me...
Now I appreciate that the world has enough trouble with one of me, but
as I look at all those people coming in, I see the people who’ve come distance
to be there with us, and not just short distances, we had a number of people
from the America’s this year, many more from Europe, and all of them coming to
see the show and have a good time there.
Last year we ranked in the top five shows in the world, and I have no
apologies here, I intend for us to one day be number one.
Impossible?
Twenty years ago, Gencon Milwaukee was the same size as us, and now it’s
a juggernaut. We’re not in America, and
I know how that reduces our numbers, but I don’t care...
I have a dream...
I have a dream that one day gamers will no longer fear to tell their office
mates or their friends on the work site what they do in their own time, that when
someone brings out a board game, everyone doesn’t look at them like they need
to grow up.
I have a dream that the entry requirement for gaming will no longer be
overweight white guy with beard, that there will be a place where it doesn’t
matter what colour, gender, or orientation you are (And if I’m using the wrong
terms, someone correct me, because this is important), you’ll be able to arrive
at the convention and be treated no
different from anyone else. That
whatever you play and whatever you do, it will not mark you in any way from
anyone else, that there will no longer be board gamers and roleplaying gamers...
That there will only be gamers...
And you know what?
It’s happening...
I look around this year and I see families, I see children, I see the
next generation in the scout troop that turned up on a trip, in the school
group that landed on Sunday morning where last year they arrived in the
afternoon. I see married couples where
one side is unconvinced, but they want to see what it’s all about because their
other half is so enthused by it, and when they come out, they see what all the
fun is about, and they want to come back next year, not only to be with their
spouse, but for themselves...
And why does it work?
Because we only have one rule at the convention, and it’s don’t be a
dick...
We understand it’s impossible to cater to every single wish of every
single person, because many will have completely conflicting opinions and that
always leads to a dead end. So we don’t try,
we concentrate on making the environment safe for everyone, so that whatever you want at our convention, you’re no
different from anyone, you don’t have to worry that you’ll be victimised or
preyed upon, you won’t be looked down on and you won’t be any different from
anyone else.
You’re a gamer, just like everyone else there...
For myself, I concentrate on making things better for everyone, I
concentrate on making the little changes so that the big ones will follow. This year, on the Sunday, I shook hands with
over a hundred people, every one of them had come to the desk to say the same
thing.
“Thank you.”
Thank me?
I only built this, it’s all of you that make it what it is, it’s all of
you that come here every year and make it better, it’s you that live my dream
every year, and every year it’s you that convince me to try harder, to make it
better, to bring more people in, to think up new things, to spend those long hours
making sure that everything works, and I am thankful to you all for that...
So what do I see in Expo?
I see the future, I see the chance to make the gaming world not just what
it wants to be but what it needs to
be, and I’m a dreamer, but I’m a believer, and I believe that this can be done...
So I have a personal thank you list for the Expo, and it goes like this...
The Expo Team – Richard Denning, Tony Hyams, Mick, Pat, Jane, Caroline,
Lindsey, Margaret, John, it takes a team to make something like this happen,
and it’s good to have the people you can trust with you every step of the way.
Paco Jaen – For believing in a better world with the same intensity as
me
Monte Cook and Shanna Germain – For travelling across the world to be
with us this year and being some of the best ambassadors for the hobby I’ve
ever met
My people - Adrian Scully, Alex Lane, Allison Reid, Amy Williams, Ben
Counter, Ben Wilson, Bruce Cunnington, Carl Matthews, Carol Tierney, Chris
Brockley Blatt, Chris Daly, Chris Manning, Chris Turnbull, the masterful Colin
Foster, Dan Jewell, Darran Sims, “Iron GM” Dave Harrison, David Maher, David
Winterbottom, Declan Feeney, Richard Williams, Fin Patterson, the inimitable Gary
Loveridge, Gary Tierney, Graham Spearing, Ian Hambly, Ian Hawthorne, Ian
Sandford, Jason Nelson, Jay Bush, the irrepressible Jinnie Cracknell, the true
professional John Buston, Kenny Beer, the indefatigable Kevin Rolfe, Les Fry,
Liam Gulliver, Lynn Yin, Mark Steedman, Martin Gowdy, Matt Lewis, Matt
Wrycroft, The gentleman Matthew Dawkins, Matthew Rihan, the legendary Max
Bantleman, Michael Wall, Mick Hand, Still smarter than the average bear Neil
Gow, Nick Riggs, Wild man Nick Tyrell, Nicola Barnes, Nigel Clarke, Paul
Baldowski, Paul Lawrence, Paul Rimmer, Pete Douglas, the inspirational Pete
Griffiths, Phil Lucas, Phil Masters, the Master of the Path Rob Silk, Robert
Yates, Robin Poole, Scott Dorwards, the craftsman Sean Connors, Shawn Comiskey,
Doyen Simon Burley, Simon Kenny, Simon Matthews, Snowy, Sonya Dunbar, Steve
Pearce, Steve Pettifer, Steven Martin, “Stop retraining my minions” Terry
Thampillai, Tony Parry, Tony Porrett and last but by no means least, my constant
companions through adventure, John Wilson and Sue Wilson.
Next year will be better...
