My friends and I arrived Wednesday morning about 11:30. GAMA (the GAme Manufacturing Association) had a new check-in system where everyone was emailed a barcode to be scanned and that would print your pass and event tickets. I heard negative stories (of course), but for us the check in was quick and smooth.
Last year and this year the Miniature's area has been moved to the last, back, smallest hall in the center. In it's former place was the 'Board game Area'. For the first time, Board game companies were set up here. Each had it's own segregated area, and in that area were tables to run demos, hold events and sell merchandise. And sell they did. The Exhibit Hall doesn't open till 10am on Thursday, but when we walked in Wednesday 11:45, the place and the rocking and the registers were ringing.
Hall entrance, facing left:
Hall entrance, facing right:
All week, till 11-12 o'clock at night, this is where the action and the money was. ORIGINS has become a board gaming show.
Now, don't get me wrong. As a miniature gamer I was able to fill my weekend with all sorts of blowing things up, charging things down and generally cause all sorts of havoc in the know universe. I had a good time:
Wednesday; Armored Predators and Kings of War.
Thursday; Injurious Games Mek vs. Mek and the Kings of War MEGA Battle.
Friday; Blackwater Gulch, Armored Predators (US Army vs. Alien Invaders, 1950) and The SMITHEE AWARDS.
Saturday; Wings of Glory and Ultimate Waterloo.
Sunday; Necromunda.
But I left ORIGNS feeling unfulfilled. Kinda like when you have a craving for some type of food and when you eat it....it doesn't hit the spot.
The Miniature's area had vendors too; Reaper, Wyrd and Cool Minis or Not were set up there.
The Exhibit Hall was full. VERY few of the Vendors dealt with miniatures. There was the usual assortment of clothing shops, both Fantasy and Steampunk. Artists, foam and real weapons dealers, card companies. Someone was selling jewelry with "healing stones". And of course booth after booth of board game companies. They seemed to have the largest areas. The Hall never seemed packed with people though..... like in the old days....
GAMA claims on their Facebook site that attendance was up. From their site:
We had great attendance this year! I know everyone’s waiting on the numbers:
· Unique attendance 15,938.
...
· Turnstile attendance was 43,791.
Based on what I saw, most of those people must have been in the Board game room, the CCG events and Sunday only Fair Passes. The only info I got from Exhibitors I know is, "Wasn't the best, wasn't the worst." and "Traffic was light."
After the Exhibit hall closed, ORIGINS seemed to die out. The Game Companies in the Board game hall still were hopping. People gamed and made purchases there till 10-11 at night. This is where most people seemed to be. The Big Bar on 2 was mostly dead and Saturday night at 12:15 am, the food court had about a dozen people in it. In the past, these were ROCKING with drinking and gaming.
ORIGINS has changed in the years it's been in Columbus. In my opinion GAMA is making decisions they feel are in the best interest of their member companies. They have molded ORIGINS to be a family oriented board gaming show. There isn't anything wrong with this; from the perspective of the companies who set up shop in the board gaming area, this decision worked out great! But as a miniature's gamer...ORIGINS has left me behind.
In closing, I'd like to thank GAMA and all the sponsors who made ORIGNS happen. I wish them all the best and continued success with the show. I'll be back, but probably just for a day or two. I'll get my miniature gaming fix at the smaller, local events.
If you'd like to see all the pictures I took over the week, you can see them here:
http://s194.photobucket.com/user/Evad77/library/ORIGINS%202015?sort=2&page=1
Here is a picture of me and my new found friend. My wife says I can't keep him......
Thanks for reading,
Dave
Based on what I saw, most of those people must have been in the Board game room, the CCG events and Sunday only Fair Passes. The only info I got from Exhibitors I know is, "Wasn't the best, wasn't the worst." and "Traffic was light."
After the Exhibit hall closed, ORIGINS seemed to die out. The Game Companies in the Board game hall still were hopping. People gamed and made purchases there till 10-11 at night. This is where most people seemed to be. The Big Bar on 2 was mostly dead and Saturday night at 12:15 am, the food court had about a dozen people in it. In the past, these were ROCKING with drinking and gaming.
ORIGINS has changed in the years it's been in Columbus. In my opinion GAMA is making decisions they feel are in the best interest of their member companies. They have molded ORIGINS to be a family oriented board gaming show. There isn't anything wrong with this; from the perspective of the companies who set up shop in the board gaming area, this decision worked out great! But as a miniature's gamer...ORIGINS has left me behind.
In closing, I'd like to thank GAMA and all the sponsors who made ORIGNS happen. I wish them all the best and continued success with the show. I'll be back, but probably just for a day or two. I'll get my miniature gaming fix at the smaller, local events.
If you'd like to see all the pictures I took over the week, you can see them here:
http://s194.photobucket.com/user/Evad77/library/ORIGINS%202015?sort=2&page=1
Here is a picture of me and my new found friend. My wife says I can't keep him......
Dave
