"What's the Worst Game Convention You Have Ever Attended?" Topic

No good listing an annual convention by name. My best and worst conventions were both Cold Wars.

Since it's the subject, worst was the infamous Timonium Cold Wars. You needed a bus to get from the motel to the convention site, but even that didn't work because they'd placed a handful of "prestige" games at the motel. Main location was "can't hear yourself think" noisy, too. Afterwards, one of the organizers said the problem with the convention was that they hadn't gotten banners made for non-club games, so he never did get the point.

Lessons learned:
1. all events within walking distance or one another, and if at all possible, within walking distance of motel rooms.
2. Noise (and light) levels are important. You must be able to see games and merchandise, and conduct games and merchandise without shouting. If you don't understand noise and light levels, have at least one member of the con committee who does.

I haven't attended many conventions, and the only ones I have attended I had no complaints about (aside from somebody stealing my Monster Manual back in 1992. But that wasn't the convention's fault).

I used to travel to conventions regularly but find now that I have ample opportunity to game locally without the expense of the travel.

Been to a couple of Conventions that I would have been better off not attending but that is long ago water under the bridge and had nothing to do with the convention themselves but rather the parts I was involved with at the time.

Never plan a convention on Mothers Day weekend.

I did a VERY early Pacificon when it was very small and didn't have much going on. Not a dig; I've been spoiled by HMGS showcase cons for decades now.

I am still trying to forget the Timonium fiasco!

Every convention is better than not being at a convention.

I never had a bad convention. Not even with flooding men's room! 🙀
Bad games do not count. I've had several.

Raynman, the Timonium Fiasco must never be forgotten. They'll try it again if we do.

Never been to a bad one. I have enjoyed them all.

I've had some bad experiences, but I don't think that makes a con "bad."

Have enjoyed every one, beats playing solo

Been to plenty of wargame (as we say in the UK) shows but none of those listed.

Agree that, in general, all were worth going to so classing one as worst seems churlish.

+1 on Timonium.

The only good thing about that show was the horse archer reenactor!

Of this list the only one I have attended is Salute, and therefore it must be the worst one from this list I have attended.

However it is worth stating that I have always had a good time at Salute.

FalCon

I have to say that I enjoyed Timonium but I was much younger and less irritable at the time. As DeRuyter mentioned, the horse archer was the great.

My worst was Origins when it was run by Atlanticon back in the late 70s. The horror stories from there are why HMGS was founded.

GaryCon. Held in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, in March, at the old Playboy Club resort east of town. The venue is overpriced (lodging, food), the parking situation is terrible, it's too crowded. The rooms are so loud you have to scream to be heard as player or GM. The level of No-Shows at events is staggering. Both years I've been there there's been a surprise snowstorm and this last time, I (and a lot of other folks I heard from) got home and immediately were floored by a flu bug that evidently ran riot thru the con attendees. It's a plague pit!

But other than that it's quite good?

Well, there was one Spartan International held in '71, IIRC. The Thursday and Friday events were held at a VFW post on Long Island; the Saturday and Sunday events at the Hotel Pennsylvania in NYC (fabled in song, but its glory sadly faded)

Not as well organized as it needed to be.

'Twas notable for first demo of computer gaming I'd seen (called 'Space War', IIRC, with a couple of white dots on black screen) and showing of the _Drang Nach Osten_ (monster boardgame by Game Designers' Workshop)