Finding the Magic at Magfest

It's the beginning of a new year, so you know what that means folks? That's right! Magfest has come and gone once again, and I am here to provide an overview/write-up to what I have considered to be one of the most consistently enjoyable convention experiences I've had for the last 5 years. Much like those prior years, Magfest 2017 was absolutely no exception in the now traditional fun factor, as tons of merriment was had, albeit in a more group oriented form, as I had at least two good friends around me at all times set to share.

Unfortunately it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, as this year marked a big change in Magfest's registration policy. As of this year, single-day registrations have went the way of the Dodo. Apparently Magfest's attendance numbers have shot up through the roof, and the convention can no longer afford to sell day passes, and instead has it set up to where one can only/must purchase a full-weekend ticket.

While I'm the kind of attendee who likes to go the whole four days of the con, I have several friends who honestly can only afford to go for one day out of the event, so removing the option of a single-day reg. is a huge disservice to folks like them, and can be a bit disheartening to say the least. Never mind the fact that the at-door premium for registration increased substantially too. What was once a $45.00 at-door fee increased to $80.00, and that inflated price has made me fearful of how the rising costs could hurt the convention in the long run.

Regardless of my semi-justified price tag worries, great times were had by all, so let's just jump right into it with the write-up proper!

This hallway looks like it's straight outta Star Wars right?

It's a small town inside of a hotel, that's pretty damn sweet.

Glorious Glorious Gaming

Of course you all knew that this segment was going to happen. Perhaps the biggest reason I ever attended Magfest has been for its free arcade gaming. From the long-lived classics such as Dig-Dug, Pac-Man, and Joust, to the modern titles of today, Magfest has some of the best arcade gaming experiences available to anyone willing to play. This year was somewhat notable in the regard that I finally got to play some of the newer titles that I've only ever heard about online.

As a fan of the immensely fun cabinets Virtual On and Cyber Sled, getting to play Konami's Steel Chronicle was pretty badass. The best way to describe Steel Chronicle is essentially to compare it to its contemporary rival in Sega's Border Break. Both games are exceedingly similar to one another in that you're playing a 3rd person mech shooter via joystick (in a semi-similar vein to Virtual On) while using a touch-screen interface for menu selections. What sets Steel Chronicle apart from Border Break is the online component to Steel Chronicle is meant for straight up team gameplay, as opposed to Border Break's team vs team paradigm.

Much like the game Monster Hunter, you can team up with other players in Steel Chronicle and take on enemies that you wouldn't be able to do solo. It's somewhat of a gimmicky novelty for sure, but it was one that made playing the game feel a bit more chaotic in the best way possible. Shouting orders to my teammates via scripted commands (or just giving a yell of what to do next to the cabinet players beside me) to take down an exceptionally large bug monster was a blast, and I even met a couple of cool people from the experience.

What can I say? Nothing like an old-fashioned bug hunt to bring perfect strangers together for a good time.

While I certainly got my share of missions in with Steel Chronicle, I also spent a fair amount of time simply playing older 2-D fighters. Garou: Mark of the Wolves, Last Blade 2, and Rumble Fish 2 are fighters I've highly considered to be on my list of all-time favorite titles, and all of them were available for play in arcade cabinet form. As much as I do enjoy the plethora of 3-D fighters from today (such as Tekken 7, Street Fighter 5, Mortal Kombat X or Killer Instinct) there has been, and always will be a place in my heart for the likes of 2-D pixel graphic fighting games. Getting to play a masterpiece like Garou on a proper SNK cabinet felt so good and so natural to me that it was almost like I had a coming home party playing that game alone. Unfortunately I didn't get as much time as I would've liked with Last Blade 2 or Rumble Fish 2, but just getting to line up and face some solid opponents was a gloriously old-school blast regardless of round count.

Bullet-hell a.k.a. Shoot 'em up games have never been my wheel-house exactly, but my friend Clear Skies and I got some major hours in on Radiant Silver Gun, despite my obvious lack of skill. I have no shame admitting that I'm a total ponce when it comes to the genre, but it didn't stop us from having an incredibly fun run-through all the same. If anything, I can say that playing Radiant Silver Gun for as long as I did, has made me to consider jumping into the Shmup genre proper, and taking it a lot more seriously than I have in the past. 

I know I could never forgive myself I didn't hop on at least one side-scrolling beat-em up at Magfest, and thankfully a rare/definitive classic SNK title, Sengoku 3, was on offer to meet that quota. I've always considered it an absolute crying shame that so few gamers are even aware that Sengoku 3 exists, so seeing it up for play at Magfest made me somewhat giddy with the knowledge that someone out there (in this case the owner of the game) loved Sengoku 3 just as much as me. Hopefully with the immensely fun/successful run I got to play through from start to finish with some younger, unaware players will ultimately result in turning them into fans of the game.

Sexy Spotter Leila Hagitsuki

The star attraction of the whole arcade had to go to none other than Konami's Silent Scope: Bone Eater cabinet. I've seen plenty of note-worthy cabinets in the thirty plus years I've roamed this earth, so trust me when I say that I've never seen an arcade game quite as impressive as this. Oddly enough,  it turns out this bad boy was released all the way back in 2014, and I was completely clueless to its existence. Imagine my surprise when I got to lay eyes on a brand-new Silent Scope game, let alone one with this much effort put into it to make it a truly next-level arcade experience.

Much like the previous Silent Scope games, this cabinet comes with the requisite sniper rifle set-up, but for this new adventure it was also packing in four omni-directional fans around its frame to simulate actual wind currents that can affect a shot. That isn't even considering its glasses-less stereoscopic 3-D dual layered screens that provided mission data, accentuated targeting reticles, and displayed kill-cam play-backs for spectators. Words almost fail to describe how unbelievably cool and advanced looking this cabinet was to behold, and everyone (rightfully so) wanted to get in on the action. It breaks my heart to know that there will probably never ever be a proper home-console port.

Despite my many recent gripes with Konami as a gaming company, I won't deny that they knocked it out of the park with this game. Silent Scrope: Bone Eater truly was the bell of the arcade ball at Magfest this year, and has walked away with the distinct honor of being the most incredible arcade cabinet I have ever seen in my gaming life. If nothing else, I just want to say good on you Konami for making such an undeniably sexy game, not to mention that gorgeous spotter companion character who helps you throughout the missions. My friends and I couldn't get enough of this gorgeous piece of machinery, and I know if I had the necessary cash right now, I would without a doubt buy this sucker in a heartbeat.     

Pinball Paradise

Another non-mystery at this point has been my well accounted affinity for pinball. This year Magfest really outdid itself, as this was the largest selection of pinball tables I've ever seen at the con. Ranging from classics such as Pinbot, Black Hole, Twister, and Black Knight 2000, to the more recent tables such as Medieval Madness, Tron: Legacy, and The Big Lebowski, it was a veritable smorgasbord of whatever table you wanted, as you were more than likely going to find it. Granted, not all the beloved classics like Elvira: Scarred Stiff, Hook, or Jurassic Park were present, but we had Terminator 2, Starship Troopers, ACDC, Flash Gordon, Indiana Jones, and Fun House to fill the gap.

Most of my wizardry was spent playing the likes of The Sopranos, Medieval Madness, Bride of Pinbot, and The Big Lebowski. I'm a sucker for triple deck tables (such as my all-time favorite table Haunted House, which sadly wasn't there) and The Big Lebowski stands as the only other triple deck I've seen that was just as engaging to play as Haunted House was. Not to mention that it's The Big Lebowski people...

Without a doubt we spent a vast portion of Magfest doing nothing else but playing pinball, but to Clear Skies, Zilof, Crybringer, and myself, there was no other better way to spend time. Sometimes all we geeks need is a solid fight for the high scores to have a rip-roaring blast.

Slim Indies

Unlike last year's Magfest, the indie games for 2017 were somewhat slim pickings. That doesn't mean there weren't titles there, but compared to prior cons, this was borderline anemic. Outside of a very small handful of new games (none of which left a lasting impression unfortunately) most of the notable ones were hold-overs from previous events..

Don't get me wrong, it was still fun playing Nothing Good Can Come of This, or Crystal Brawl. All of the returning titles are just as fun, engaging, and solid as they've ever been, but if nothing else I just wished that we could've had some newer blood so that I could simply have something to look forward to. Not to be rude, but I feel like I can only see Guns of Icarus holding the main floor but so many times.

Cosplay Chasm

For the first time in my Magfest attendance, my group and I didn't get out to any of the concerts being held. I frankly consider it a shame too because Machinae Supremacy was there again, and from what little I could hear (and feel) they certainly rocked the house. At minimum I can say that I did watch some bands performing in the halls (like Super Soul Bros.)  but that isn't really the same is it?

At least there was tons of excellent cosplay this year, and you best believe I went around grabbing as many photos as I could. While I'm still lacking in a nice camera to truly indulge in photography effectively, I feel I did get some pretty sweet shots. From Rocky Horror Picture Show to Teen Titans, to Overwatch, there was seldom a fandom that wasn't represented in cosplay form at Magfest 2017 and here they are!

Boba Fett

Xmas Sonico

Gorgeous Mei

The Red Ranger fights with a Green spirit.

Don't know the character, but she looks cool.

Ashley Riot as Mjr. Kusanagi

Cindy is ready for work!

Nina rocking Wonder Woman again.

Cute Star Fire

First Zarina cosplay I've seen.

Delightfully Deadly Millena

Tifa Lockhart

Fantastic Kefka

EXOT1C Dynasty's amazing Scorpion.

Rayden Shocks

Guess you could say I'm a FAN of Kitana's.

Jade

Perhaps the best cosplay photo I've taken.

This Jill is no sandwich.

Kneel before Zod!

Ruby Rose is ready for action!

Can't go wrong with 90's Rogue.

Columbia/Little Nell

A great shot of Yuna.

Catwoman and Harley Quinn

The Silent Hill Nurses.

Cindy, Prompto, Noctic, and Lady Lunafreya.

Juri and Cammy team up.

Realm and Gau show us how to dap properly.

The Kombat Kast assembles.

Rayden and Scorpion have unfinished business.

Now they must kung-fu fight!

In Conclusion

There wasn't much in the way of personal free-time for me throughout most of 2016. Despite my best efforts, I was overwhelmingly preoccupied with tasks at my work, or at my home, so there wasn't a whole lot time left over at the end of my days to unwind and just game. I think that's why a vast portion of Magfest 2017 was utilized as fundamentally a means of getting back in touch with my somewhat neglected inner gamer. While I didn't get to play every single game I wanted to, I do feel that I effectively rekindled my love for gaming, and left the con (oddly enough) with a rejuvenated spirit to the notion of sitting back and playing some games.

All too often it's easy to find one's self falling into the pit of a homogenized daily grind, devoid of fun or pleasure. With Magfest 2017, I reminded myself how important it is to just let go, and allow myself to enjoy the moment.

From my recording with John and Ellen (which will be posted to BCR soon enough) to having nothing more than a nice long chat with my friends about what videogames actually mean to us as individuals, everything about this Magfest seemingly traced back to rediscovering the magic that made us love this medium to begin with. I feel I can say that the magic is still there, and it's strong as it's ever been.

Awesome Con, Awesome Time

Three years ago a new convention emerged in the Washington DC area, going by the name of Awesome Con. Moving its boisterous title aside for a second, I'll admit to having wanted to attend this show since its humble(ish) beginnings. While none of these factors definitively make a con experience for me per-se, it was tempting to see another event being held at a relatively local venue, that was exceptionally cosmopolitan (in regards to the types of fans it attracted) and had a low/affordable cost of entry. Despite my desire to attend though, I've always had several other cons on my schedule, which made trying to fit Awesome Con in a bit of a hassle. For these past three years I had to sit back and wonder to myself if this premier gathering was as amazing as some past patrons have claimed it to be.

Thankfully my long wait to be a part of Awesome Con has finally ended, as of June 5, 2016 I got to attend, but only for the day.

Regardless of my brief stay, I feel I can confidently state that Awesome con is every bit as awesome as the moniker implies, and oddly enough, the moment I knew I was truly in for something special was when I got in the "registration line." I put quotations around those words, because there essentially wasn't a line to speak of there. In all of my years/travels with conventions, this was perhaps the most efficient registration process I've ever been through. Within five minutes I had my badge, and three of those five minutes were spent filling out the appropriate papers. Never mind that I was an at-door purchase, as opposed to the pre-reg attendees whose line moved even faster.

I know that a simple experience such as going through a registration line isn't exactly indicative of what a convention can honestly offer, but this was certainly one hell of a first impression. Far too often I hear wait times in lines as the consistent complaint when it comes to anyone being at a convention of any type. I understand that every convention out there has its own set of troubles, and that some things are easier said than done, but there have been so many occasions where I've even found myself in a slog of a line that really did taint my overall enjoyment of a show. No one likes to wait for hours on end for pretty much anything, and when you've sometimes got to do it in a sweltering summer sun, the inconvenience of it all can add up to a very bad time. Thus, the level of organization Awesome Con exuded on this one aspect alone was nothing short of invigorating to someone like me. If more conventions possessed even half of Awesome Con's performance here, I can say assuredly that at least a third of con-goers would have one major complaint completely wiped.

A Certain Sheild

Life-Goal Achieved!

One of my first encounters of the con was the Hall of Heroes: Super Hero Museum. I'll be frank and say these guys were the real deal, and had some serious chops when it came to their display. From Iron Man's destroyed car from the first film, to Adam West's actual Batman costume, to nearly countless issues of comics and toys, every bit of super hero history in the media they could get their hands on was beautifully displayed.

As great as all that was, the one item there that truly got my attention was none other than the actual shield of Captain America from Captain America: The First Avenger, autographed by the entire cast of the movie for proof of authenticity. While I've never explicitly stated it here on the blog before now, I'm a bit of a Cap fan, as I've absolutely loved all of his films in the Marvel cinematic universe.

What can I say? I'm a sucker for the classic pulp-storytelling method.

Moving on, I had an opportunity to snap some photos of the shield, and (for a few minutes) got to legitimately hold it! It's almost needless to say, but it was like a dream come true to strap on the shield, puff out my chest, and stand next to Iron Man.

I think I honestly reverted back to a ten year old mentality, as the second I had it fully on my arm I immediately wanted to start running around with it. The weight of the shield, while notable, didn't hinder my ability to move around, and for a minute made me feel like the power of justice and freedom itself was coursing through my very veins.

Then I had to give it back.... and return once more to reality.

All the same, it was still pretty damn incredible to be able to hold the shield, and in a sense, hold a one of a kind piece of cinematic/super hero history in my hands. My hat also goes off to the gentleman who was kind enough to help take the pictures you see here to commemorate the momentous occasion. This will certainly be something I'll never forget, at least unitl I develop Alzheimer's disease.

Just to show it's legit.

This proud geek moment brought to you now in full color!

Celebrity Encounters

The legendary Ron Simmons... Damn!

Another thing that happened was some of my (albeit brief) run-ins with a few of my more favorite celebrity figures who were guests at the convention. Getting to talk with the likes of Ron Perlman, Karl Urban, Michael Rooker, Peter Capaldi, Summer Glau, Grey Delisle, and Charles Martinet was right up there for me with holding Cap's shield for five minutes. Think about it, I got to shake Hellboy's hand, fist bump Dr. Leonard McCoy, hug River Tam, whistle with Yondu, high-five Super Mario, and joke with The Doctor.

That isn't even considering that when I met Ron Perlman, I also got to (very quickly as he was en route to a panel) show him my artwork. While I can say that he's a very dry (and blunt) voiced man, he complimented my art, and even said he'd love to have something from me! I also got to meet the one and only Ron Simmons (Farooq to some wrestling fans out there) and even got to hold his WCW World Heavyweight Championship Title. As a wrestling fan growing up, he was always one of my more favorite performers, and getting to finally meet him in person was outstanding. It's also endlessly hilarious to me that Mr. Simmons looks almost exactly like one of my best friends Joe Silver. 

Then there was my chat with Grey Delisle. For those who don't know, she's up there with the likes of Cree Summer and Tara Strong as being one of the most prolific female voice actors in the industry today. She provided the voice for the character Princess Azula from one of my all-time favorite shows (Avatar: The last Airbender) to the entire female cast of G.I. Joe: Resolute, so meeting her was kind of a big deal to me. We talked about her history in comedy, music, and voice acting, all of which culminated in a tight hug and a mutual appreciation for the audible arts.

Unfortunately I totally forgot to have my voice recorder handy with me to do any quick interviews (which Grey Delisle said she was more than willing to do) so I wasn't able to preserve any of the conversations I had. Regardless, it was nonetheless a stupendous series of encounters I got to have at the con. It isn't often these days that a convention actually has guests that I'd love to meet, let alone wait in line to talk to. Much to my chagrin though, a lot of these guests were charging for photos, except for Ron Simmons (hence the one picture) so I guess you guys just gotta take my word for it that I managed to meet some of these kick ass people.

Cosplay Chronicles

While I wasn't able to get as many photos as I would have like to for Awesome Con, the ones I did manage to get turned out plenty good enough. One of these days I swear I'm going to get a much better camera than what I currently own, til then we do have these pictures.

The Juggernaut

Judge Anderson

Fallout Survivor w/Dog

90's Rogue

Rose Quartz

Oolah

Sofia Sivan as Jessica Rabbit

Kit Candela's Red Sonja and co.

The Pink Ranger

Mystique

An awesome Elder Scrolls cosplay

A Jawa, because why not?

Nina rocking it as a Green Latern.

Hello ladies, it's the Old Spice guy.

Kaneda!

Rufio!

Blue Beetle and Booster Gold

Agent Carter

Come on Back Now

While my day was ultimately a short one at Awesome Con, it certainly was memorable. Seeing as how some conventions (such as Gencon) have been becoming more difficult in the recent years to attend, I feel this will make a more than adequate replacement. From the celebrities, to the Wild Bill's Olde Fashioned Soda that everyone was drinking there (myself included) Awesome Con gave me exactly what I wanted and more. Getting to explore the new D.C. Convention Center was pretty nice too, as it's where Otakon is moving to next year!

There was clearly more that Awesome Con had on offer, I simply just didn't have the time to experience it all. I know that some of the panels held were a blast from what I've heard, and the free arcade gaming was something I only got to quickly indulge, but the exhibitor's hall was more than enough to tide me over for the duration of my stay. Next year I'm without a doubt making it a point to be awesome!