While it will certainly not change my enjoyment of the Con, my main objection to the article (among many lesser ones) is that it will work to arm the ignorant with more ignorance.  I probably wouldn't be as touchy about it, but I've got some family in Indy who have no clue about gaming except that "it's bad," and I would prefer to have better things to talk about around the dinner table than refuting this so-called reporter's drivel.

pedr:

It's worth noting (tho' I doubt it'll lead too many to pick up the magazine!) that the web article is 'extracts' from the full printed article. It's possible that the web-editor picked the most controversial bits, even possibly the bits he understood best, and that the original article might have more coverage of things that we think are missing. But who knows! The author certainly seemed to enjoy himself a great deal in the final round of Nascrag and at the party afterwards.

You mean there's a version of the article that's even LONGER?????

DaRat:

<insert tongue firmly in cheek>
With apologies to my wondeful wife: DARN IT!  I've obviously been hanging out with the wrong crowd at GenCon since I've been missing all of the orgies and particularly the gay sex that goes on as implied by the article!   Egads, I've been hanging out with the fringe crowd of GenCon goers, that happily married crowd that's obviously the fringe group!   Must ditch them this year. 

I agree, I must have not been doing the whole Gencon experience the right way apparently.  All I did was drink and play games... where was all of this sex I've been missing!

spamgorilla:

I only read the first paragraph (I'm not a....strong....reader....), and was amazed to see the part saying attendees come for the SEX!? I am so confused.... I've been to many GenCons (Wisc. and Ind.) and I've NEVER put GenCon and Sex together. I can't stop laughing.  Don't get me wrong. I like sex as much as the next person and, yes, probably think about it as much as the experts suggest men do.  But never have I thought of GenCon as a place to go for "sex".  Wow, I must be playing the wrong games, and hanging with the wrong crowds.  I been sooo nieve and ignorant.  I could have completed the statement "Attendees come for_______" with about 1 thousand other things before even thinking about the attraction of SEX?!  Awsome!  I'll be on the look-out this year GenConers!  I'm going to start opening stall doors to see all of you "getting it on"!

I never really equated Gen Con with sex, either. In fact, I always considered Gen Con a four day vacation from the complexities of sex and relationships and just have fun with my (platonic) friends. Apparently everyone else has been having gay sex at Gen Con but me.

If you read the whole on-line article you see that the guy is pretty much right on with the exception of three really offensive paragraphs and the fact that he (like every other writer) apparently can't see the 95 uncostumed gamers for the 5 costumed ones in his line of sight.

Offensive paragraph 1.

Of the Gen Conners roaming the halls of the convention center, at least nine out of 10 are males, and a good number of them are heavyset and pimply. They show up in their threadbare XL T-shirts with romantic mating calls like “Wenches Want Me” and “Girls are no substitute for PlayStation” stretched across their bulging torsos. And now, in my mind they all appear to be waddling up and down the hallways.

OK, factually innacurate.  GenCon is more like 70 percent male at this point.  And the waddling crack is just viscous.  Otherwise unflattering but true.

Offensive paragraph 2

Though he is a significant presence in the gaming community of central Indiana, and as devoted as any aficionado, Wells is far from the typical Joe Gamer. Most are single men in their 20s or early 30s with bleach-white skin and black attire. Many suffer from some combination of medical affliction, be it a runny nose/dandruff mix, an acne/pinkeye blend. They either talk constantly in a nasal, matter-of-fact tone, or they say little to nothing at all. Under no circumstances does the typical gamer wear a wedding ring, or for that matter stand purposefully in the vicinity of a woman. It’s not that he’s necessarily gay or doesn’t like women;it’s just that since mostly guys game, and gaming is mostly what those guys do, the situation rarely presents itself. When gamer girls are around, confusion, a sort of sexual disorientation, ensues.

Wow.  That ones a showstopper. I mean....wow.

 

To truly appreciate the impact Gen Con has on Indianapolis, all you really have to do is walk into the downtown Steak n Shake after midnight on the Friday of the convention. Every seat is filled with a Jedi Knight, a goblin prince or a mountain man who has finally decided that after two straight days of gaming, he needs a creamy milkshake and an order of cheese fries. Unfortunately, these characters haven’t realized that after 48 hours of nonstop gaming, they might also need a shower and a change of costume. The thick smell of grill-seared steakburgers is almost overpowered by that of intense body odor. Paranoid, I spray on another couple doses of cologne.

   

Hmmm, hurtful but probably fairly accurate.  Except that, again, he noticed three people in costume and missed the other 70 in the room.

 

So if you could pull those three paragraphs out of a 12 page article, it's not too bad.  It's the viewpoint an outsider got hanging out with four sexually active 20 somethings who are pretty hard-core gamers.  He gets hung up on some of his preconceived steroetypes and misses the point that this is just a game to most of us.  That it's recreation not pre-occupation.

 

It's also pretty funny that he thinks Nascrag is a typical RPG. 

 

I'm reminded of this apochryphal quote..."So, other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?"  If you can get past those few paragraphs it would have been kind of a cool article.

 

That article is so full of crap I can't even get through it. I find it hillarious honestly. I don't fit the sterotypical "gamer chick" by any means, and so for me its kinda just like "HAHA UR ST00PID" I mean honestly there is the whole scene of smelly pimple faced losers that can't get laid and see this as some means to get some, which I can speak from experiance, been invited back to FAR too many hotel rooms by member of "the basement crew" but on the other hand there are tons of completely normal people there. And as for gays, I never noticed, but then again I'm not out looking for that lol. I want this guy to come hang out with me this year, since well I don't fit the stereotype and always get the "Oh your here with your boyfriend" I think I could suprize him how "normal" people are dorks too.

Bubba Ho-Tep:

I think I figured him out, he was trolling for gay sex and he found it.  I know thathere are plenty of forumites that has various sexual orientations, but why should we just pick on the gay ones?  Just look at some of the hetero guys and gals ( I won't name names, right Mike), I know that there are going to be hook-ups at the con, jeez, there are hook-ups at any con..

I don't think anyone is picking on gay forumites, or gay Gen Con attendees. Not at all.

I just think it's funny that a piece on Gen Con spent so much time focusing on gay sex. It hardly seems...representative, let's say...of 90% of people's experiences at Gen Con. Wouldn't you agree? Even those attendees who are gay...I doubt that their experiences at Gen Con are focused around sex. I sincerely doubt it.

But hey...love whoever you want to love, sleep with whoever you want to sleep with. As long as it's not kids or corpses, it's fine by me.

 

But...I do have an idea for an event next year: Q.u.e.e.r. Die for the Straight Guy! 

 

"I have a dream. I dream of a day when men are judged, not by their partner in bed, but by the content of their Characters!" :D

lovest1274:

Here is a link to a recent article in Indianapolis Monthly regarding Gen Con.  It's started some buzz here in Indy among the gamer communities. 

http://indianapolismonthly.com/monthly/article.asp?articleID=3

I couldn't make it through this article.  I thought this type of gamer bashing was a thing of the past.  I do not think of myself as a god, druid, wizard, nerd, or any of the other things that this article would have people beleive I do.  This article is full of the worst gamer stereo types that exist.  I game as a passtime.  I runn a game and have several friends over to play it.  We don't think of ourselves as our characters outside of our game.  I certainly don't think of myself as a god just because I run D&D games.

I detest the term nerd.  I am NOT a nerd. I have social skills.  I have friends.  I am married.  I have three children.  I am active and respected in my church community.  I have am respected and successful in my carreer.  I may be a geek cause I love geek culture but I am NOT A NERD.  If you don't know the difference between the two then you should not be writing an article about gaming.

The story is about a gay person who loves gaming.  I respect that and send out props to those in the gay community, keep reaching for that rainbow.  But most gamers are not gay and in fact most gamers enjoy products with scantily clad women.

Imagine this article about any other subculture and you would have people shouting from the rooftops that this was stereotyping.  But we just lay down and take it.  This is exactly the same.  Gamers are NOT social misfits on the whole.  We are responsible citizens who pay taxes and contribute to society.

Disgusting.

 

Tom Javoroski:

But...I do have an idea for an event next year: Q.u.e.e.r. Die for the Straight Guy! 

I like it! Grooming tips, game room decorating tips, and gourmet gaming snacks! But what are the odds of getting the Q.u.e.e.r. Eye guys as Gen Con guests? Probably only slightly harder than getting the Mythbusters. Or have they already had their 15 minutes?

(BTW: I can't believe Q.u.e.e.r. got bleeped. It's OK. I can say it. I'm one of them. )

WoodForSheep:

spamgorilla:

Wow, I must be playing the wrong games, and hanging with the wrong crowds.  I been sooo nieve and ignorant.  I could have completed the statement "Attendees come for_______" with about 1 thousand other things before even thinking about the attraction of SEX?!  Awsome! 

I never really equated Gen Con with sex, either. In fact, I always considered Gen Con a four day vacation from the complexities of sex and relationships and just have fun with my (platonic) friends. Apparently everyone else has been having gay sex at Gen Con but me.

Don't look at me, I am not having sex with anyone at con, gay or otherwise.

I must be doing something wrong, OBVIOUSLY.

*rolls eyes*

To the left of the article is a link "Contact Us."  I think EVERYONE should contact the Indianapolis Monthly and tell them how you feel about this gamer bashing, stereotyping, and poorly written article!

WoodForSheep:

Tom Javoroski:

But...I do have an idea for an event next year: Q.u.e.e.r. Die for the Straight Guy! 

I like it! Grooming tips, game room decorating tips, and gourmet gaming snacks! But what are the odds of getting the Q.u.e.e.r. Eye guys as Gen Con guests? Probably only slightly harder than getting the Mythbusters. Or have they already had their 15 minutes?

(BTW: I can't believe Q.u.e.e.r. got bleeped. It's OK. I can say it. I'm one of them. )

I'm telling you, it could be a hit. Get five gay gamers, pick one horribly befuddled straight guy, and let them loose in the Exhibit Hall with a camera crew.

"Let me see your dice...OH MY GOD! Those will never do. Over here we have the Chessex booth...I really think you should get something that goes with the new mauve character sheets we got you."

They could whip up a costume for his favorite character, again from stuff for sale in the Exhibit Hall. It'd be great!

 

(I was also surprised the q.u.e.e.r. wasn't allowed by the censor. I watch enough Bravo that it's just another word to me :)

When I first opened the thread and started reading, I was furious. How could someone be like that? But then, as I read on, I started giggling.

Why was I angry? That's the reaction he was hoping for. I finished reading it, and kept giggling silently to myself and thinking. How did he pick out that group of Con-goers for his article? Did he walk the line and find the geekiest looking bunch he could? Perhaps. It's also possible though, that they ran an article in a previous edition of the magazine asking for Con-goers to write in if they'd like to be the subject of a magazine article. But, how did they pick the group if that's how it went? Who knows. Hell, what Con-goer wouldn't write back to the magazine and say "PICK ME! PICK ME!" I would have.

Anywho. I think the last line of the article pretty much sums it up pretty well...we're all nerds in our own ways. And there's nothing wrong with that.

You are correct Tom.  I just have to sit back and laugh now.  I hope he comes and has a good time at the con, maybe he could go see Ron Jeremy and get some pointers. 

Bubba Ho-Tep:

You are correct Tom.  I just have to sit back and laugh now.  I hope he comes and has a good time at the con, maybe he could go see Ron Jeremy and get some pointers. 

after sleeping on this one, I do find it pretty funny that the article basically goes like this:

 "gamers are icky people who don't belong... but I just won NASCRAG holy crap!!!111 I roXXor!"

I almost bought that when i saw that there was a GC article but i didnt want to spend the 6 bucks.  Didnt miss to much it seems :P

Tom Javoroski:

"Let me see your dice...OH MY GOD! Those will never do. Over here we have the Chessex booth...I really think you should get something that goes with the new mauve character sheets we got you."

Mauve?!?! Tell me you did NOT just say that. I thought the whole point of this thread was to break down stereotypes. If those stereotypes were true, then the 'fabulous' gay part of me would cancel out the 'socially inept' gamer in me and I'd just be normal. And we know that's not the case.

I'll let you in on a little secret. Gay people don't go through half the crap that the Q.u.e.e.r Eye guys put those poor breeders through. We just watch them fall for it and laugh our asses off. 

Just another note...and my two cents worth...I saw the pictures a few of you posted of the author of the article...are we sure that's him? I mean, looking at the picture of the group, I would have pegged him as the short, chubby, brown headed guy on the far right. Not the one with the look of "***! I just helped them win NASCRAG." That's just what I think. :p

Seanaci:

Just another note...and my two cents worth...I saw the pictures a few of you posted of the author of the article...are we sure that's him? I mean, looking at the picture of the group, I would have pegged him as the short, chubby, brown headed guy on the far right. Not the one with the look of "***! I just helped them win NASCRAG." That's just what I think. :p

I believe you're describing Pedr, one of our fellow forumites.   

Um, I thought the main college-gamer "protagonist" guy that the author describes (in unflattering terms) in his article was a cutie...

Pffffft on that laughable tool (kudos to Tom on that one - my new favorite term).  Pffffft, I say!