TempleCon 2009 February 5, 2009

And year four is upon us.



Each year, when launching the TempleCon website, I find myself slumped late at night in front of a keyboard attempting to hash out a new intro piece that will give everyone a glimpse into what we have planned, while at the same time getting people sufficiently excited enough to start making plans to hit the con.

I had a few such ideas in mind for this year. Most of them included giving you guys the usual fevered rundown of some of the new stuff we are cooking up on the operational front, as well as our big events, performances, hotel features, and other stuff you've probably heard me babble about online already. We'll still touch on all that stuff in a bit, but before doing so, I want to first focus on something else.

Usually in these intros we zero in on the "what" of TempleCon. This year, I want to focus on the "why." The reason for this is that in our travels this year on the Temple of Steam tour, talking to a lot of fans out there who have been to TempleCon in years past, we've been repeatedly asked the same question:

"What makes you guys want to do this?"

It's an excellent question. One that we have asked ourselves many times, and had just as many different answers for. Four years ago we started planning this event in the hope of revitalizing an increasingly stagnating gaming community in New England, and giving many people who simply couldn't find what they wanted out there an option. In short, we wanted to do something radically different. After TempleCon 2008, I think that I finally feel like I can safely say that we've achieved that goal, if nothing else.

However, the question still stands. Why do we do this? We still reach deep into our pockets to throw this party, and the planning cycle for a rapidly growing convention is increasingly brutal. Honestly, there have been times when we tell ourselves that there is absolutely no way we can keep this pace up, and then something comes along that makes it not only possible to, but impossible not to.

TempleCon isn't a side project for us. While everyone on the TempleCon staff leads a busy life outside of event planning, this is something we believe in, something we have great plans for, and something that makes us happy to bust our ass over in a twisted, sadistic way. This is why we instill an over-the-top level of showmanship in TempleCon. We want to bring you a world-class convention that doesn't cut any corners or sacrifice anything, because we think you deserve something like that by now.

And there lies the answer to the big question. You're probably expecting me to tell you that "we do this for the fans!" or some other tripe, and while that's still true, it's not the whole truth. We do this because we selfishly enjoy seeing all of you descend upon a luxury hotel in early February to have a gathering of epic proportions, and being the folks behind that. That is what feeds us, what drives us, and what makes us eat instant ramen and not sleep for 6 months. We do this for the grand spectacle, for the show. What a glorious spectacle and show it shall be!

This year, aside from all of the gaming you've come to expect, we're finally branching out into live music, and also asking some of the best DJs in the area to invade the hotel for the weekend. In addition, we have some stunning live performances in the works that we think you'll go nuts for. Being at our venue has finally given us the opportunity to go beyond just gaming with TempleCon, and I hope you'll enjoy what we have to offer.

Speaking of gaming, we're also beefing up our portfolio of board gaming by getting a fully-stocked open board gaming room together, as well as bringing in some exclusives. For our LARPs we've pressed a whole new crew into service to give you a far better live-action experience, and one you will not find anywhere else. Our usual staples of miniature gaming, CCGs, and RPGs, will be stronger than ever with even more finely-crafted terrain, exclusive sanctioned events, and more titles from the popular to the obscure. Our famous video gaming center will be getting some friends this year that we think you'll be excited about, as well.

We've made the effort to get even more high-profile events organized by the companies who produce the games to give you a more reliable and professional set of activities, while for the first time offering those same companies ample expo space. Privateer Press was a welcome presence in 2008, and you have ordered us to secure more of that, and we are damned proud to obey.

And yeah, we're still doing the steampunk theme. The Temple of Steam chugs on in 2009 while taking on an international flair, as we showcase flavors of the steampunk genre from all over the world.

So there's my usual rundown of what's in store, in case you missed it. Enjoy the website, and take advantage of everything we have to offer. Most importantly, now that I've told you why we do this, please don't hesitate to contact us to tell our staff exactly what you want to see. Chances are you'll find it waiting for you in Providence this February. Assuming it's not a live armored dinosaur wearing goggles... or something.

See you at TempleCon.

Official Website: http://www.templecon.org