Convention season has begun once more. The Flames Rising crew has a few favorites and we’re always looking for more places to check out and new events to try. While did not get the chance to attend WisCon right here in our hometown, there is always next year.

Coming up in the next few weeks are Origins Game Fair and Wizard World Chicago, both of which I hear are a fun time. We just might be stopping by WWC on Saturday June 28th, so let me know if you will be attending.

An upcoming convention we would love to check out is GenCon Oz, taking place July 3rd – 6th in Brisbane Australia.

The next big convention for us, and a personal favorite of mine, is GenCon Indy, taking place August 14-17 in Indianapolis, IN.

The countdown has begun and gaming enthusiasts all across the country are planning their annual trek to Indianapolis in anticipation of what gamers everywhere know to be as The Best Four Days in Gaming. With 91,000 turnstile attendees, Gen Con Indy is understandably the place where consumers and the industry come together to see and play all that is gaming. For the sixth year in a row, the event will be held at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, taking place August 14 through 17.

The Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design (AAGAD) and the Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) proudly announce the nominees in all categories for the 34th Origins Awards.

Game retailer attendees at last week’s GAMA Trade Show in Las Vegas reviewed the list and selected the finalists in each award category. From those finalists, attendees at the Origins Game Fair and members of the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design will select the ultimate winners of the 34th Origins Awards.

This year’s winners will be announced during the Origins Awards ceremony at the Origins Game Fair in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday, June 28, at 8:00 p.m.

Retailers at the GAMA Trade Show will select finalists this week

The Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design (AAGAD) and the Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) proudly announce the semi-finalists in all categories for the 34th Origins Awards.

“It was a good year for the Origins awards,” said Phil Lacefield Jr., chairman of the AAGAD. “We had plenty of contenders across the board. The jury members did a great job.”

“The Origins Awards give our industry a chance to reward excellence in all facets of gaming,” said Anthony Gallela, GAMA’s executive director. “The award categories recognize games of all types, as well as fiction, non-fiction, magazines, comics, and more.”

For the past, five years Flames Rising has been fortunate to publish content from some interesting folk. From musicians to up-and-coming authors or horror fans, our reviewers have come from all walks of life. Flames Rising review Lynne Thomas is no exception. Here Lynne opens up and describes her fascinating job as the Head of Rare Books and Special Collections at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL, where she focuses on Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror literature.

Come take a look at this awesome day job, and learn how you can help preserve the science fiction, fantasy and horror books you love to read.

OshCon (October 11th & 12th) has just posted sign-up forms on their website for Dealers and Game Masters. If you are thinking about checking out this great little convention this fall I highly recommend it. There are always games going on throughout the weekend. The convention includes a mix of RPGs, card games, board games […]

Flashback Weekend 2008 By Day – Flashback Weekend features Chicago’s most complete Horror/Movie Memorabilia convention featuring Celebrities, a stunning dealer’s room, costume contest, special events, and… By Night- Horror Party Central featuring Charles Band, the New Millennium Theatre Company, the First Annual Flashback Weekend Zombie Pinup Beauty Pageant, and much more! www.flashbackweekend.com

For many GenCon Indy veterans, this year’s convention had several noticeable changes. The winds of change were blowing through the vendor booths and demo areas, as evident by a stronger focus to video, card, and board games than in previous years.