Board gamers break out of the basement for FallCon 30

Imagine a family game night with hundreds of participantsand you'll start to get an idea of what Calgary'sFallConconvention is all about.

The annual board game convention started out with a few dozenhobbyists testing their skills against other playersat theMarlboroughCommunity Association.

Nowin its30thyear,FallConhas taken overtheSAITCampusCentre until Sunday,boastinga massive 1,200-game library with more than 800 players trying out the year's hottest new games before they buy.

"Modern board games are nothing likeRisk and Monopolyanymore," said BrentLloyd, one of theFallConboard of directors.

"The technologies and the mechanisms that [game makers] use, and the components that we use, have really, really gone up to make a really stellar experience now."

Because there are so many new games to try out,FallConhave trained staff to teach people how toplay many of the games so players don't get frustrated when leaning the rules.

"Somebody here knows how to play the game for sure, and we'll find somebody and we'll help you learn the game," Lloyd said.

Players can put an orangepylonon top of their tables to request assistance from anyone at the convention who knows the game.FallConalso have some games with a dedicated trainer.

'The games have been changedimmensely'

Lloyd said board games offera social experience for players of all ages who "go against the social media grain."

"Watching a movie is a very passive activity but board games are very social," he said. "It's that social experience, it's that community."

Similar to the orange pylons, participants can put a red cone on their table tosignalthat you're looking to meet some like-minded players.

While some might expectFallConto be an event for kids, Lloyd said mostattendeesare in their 20s or 30s.

StewartElle has been coming toFallConsince 1992 and said games like Pay Day and Monopoly used to be based on"living life."

"The games have been changedimmensely now they're much more intricate and much more involved," he said.

"Now we're fighting over the Nile Delta and time traveling and space shipsand fantasy battles and robots and steam punk and alternate history. There's just a huge number of different games now that are available that are so much more fun."

There's also less table flipping involved, hesaid.

Roll the dice on new games

On Saturday,FallConhosted a game auction where people sold their games to the highest bidder.

Luke Fauberthas been coming toFallConfor a few years and said his "healthy obsession" with games started with the strategy gameSettlers ofCatan.

"The auctionalways has some deals,"Faubertsaid."I've never bought anything from itbut this year I'm selling two games, so we'll see what happens."

There is also a board game flea market on Sunday for those looking to offload their library or find new games.

FallConholds board game nights all year round as part of theirFallCon365 Events. A full listcan be found onFallCon's website.

FallConis also a sponsor of the annualCanadian GameDesignAward, offering up-and-coming game designers a chance to show off their latest creations and walk away with prizes.

The event runsSaturday from 9 a.m. to midnight, and again on Sunday from10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the SAITCampus Centre.

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