Ropecon 2016 (29.-31.7.) in Finland

[FinnLassie]

Hello dear forumites!

I was wondering if any of the Finns here will be attending Ropecon (https://2016.ropecon.fi/en/frontpage-ropecon-2016/) this year?(rope = roolipeli = role-playing game)
Or non-Finns. You never know who shows up. :smalltongue:


For those reading the thread not knowing what Ropecon is, it's Finland's very own RPG con devoted to table top rpgs, board games, trading card games etc. You can read more from the link above. :smallwink: The 'Chaos and Order' theme sounds like an interesting one as the themes always are and I'm eagerly waiting to see what kind of panels, workshops and campaigns there'll be at the con. My main goal every time is to join at least one game and be awesome... and try not to die. :smalleek: and go on a shopping spree - I need more dice jewelleryy...


I'm actually not entirely sure if I'll be attending myself as I don't believe any of my friends are around during that particular weekend... but if I decide to go, it'd be cool to say hi to other playgrounders!

[Eldariel]

I'll certainly be there. A friend of mine is a part of the "Valitsen sinut"-Pokémon musical and I've promised her to go watch it many times.

[FinnLassie]

Oh yeah, the Pokemon musical! A friend of mine has been talking about it quite a lot. If I remember correctly, her friend is in the crew. Or then she has just been extremely excited about it in general. :smallbiggrin: Hmm.. even though I'm not a fan of Pokemon myself it'd probably be a good show anyways! Back in the day the Hopeanuoli (Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin) musical was a rather joyful experience. Man, that project is old now that I think of it...

I'm glad that their new venue is in Helsinki, although Espoo has its fair bit of nostalgia. More space to breathe!

[Eldariel]

I've spent some time with the musical crew (last year's PopCult and Hanami to be precise, by invitation of my friend of course) and I can fully recommend it. It's a culmination of years of hard work, crowdfunding and enthusiasm. The group is awesome and I'm kinda jealous I never had the time to join myself :smallsmile: But yeah, Pokemon-fan or not, a good musical is a good musical and it ought to deliver.

I just hope there's time for something else too. There's the ball too and I'd really like to go but I'd have to practice the bloody formation dances again so as to not to make a fool of myself, and the practices would take one whole day off too. And I'd like to check out this year's Artemis. Assuming both Artemis and the ball will be organised as before, of course. The venue will take some getting used to as well. And then it'd be great to play some actual games and meet some people too. Man, RopeCon is always too short - but I guess that's a good problem to have :smallbiggrin:

[FinnLassie]

I've spent some time with the musical crew (last year's PopCult and Hanami to be precise, by invitation of my friend of course) and I can fully recommend it. It's a culmination of years of hard work, crowdfunding and enthusiasm. The group is awesome and I'm kinda jealous I never had the time to join myself :smallsmile: But yeah, Pokemon-fan or not, a good musical is a good musical and it ought to deliver.

I just hope there's time for something else too. There's the ball too and I'd really like to go but I'd have to practice the bloody formation dances again so as to not to make a fool of myself, and the practices would take one whole day off too. And I'd like to check out this year's Artemis. Assuming both Artemis and the ball will be organised as before, of course. The venue will take some getting used to as well. And then it'd be great to play some actual games and meet some people too. Man, RopeCon is always too short - but I guess that's a good problem to have :smallbiggrin:

Yeah, me and my friend discussed how far fan musicals have gotten in Finland. It's nice to notice there's a scene like this in the community.

I am a tad annoyed that I've already promised to be somewhere else on the 31st... I've found Sundays to be somewhat nice. There's still a lot of good things going on, but it's starting to get less and less busy.

Well... I used to work at the new venue from time to time and have been to some Expos there in the past, so as long as the layout is smartly designed, I think I'll be ok at navigating for the most part. :smallbiggrin: The ball has always sounded very interesting, but it in the end I've always been too shy to even consider attending... and I never have a partner to go with. :smallfrown:

This year I definitely want to get into a workshop! I've always missed those due to choosing interesting campaigns over them or having a limited time frame altogether.

[Frozen_Feet]

I'll be there as a GM again in case my education plans fail to kick off again.

[FinnLassie]

I'll be there as a GM again in case my education plans fail to kick off again.

What kind of games have you GM'd before at Ropecon?

[Vizzerdrix]

Awww. I was hoping it was a con for rope and related activities. :smallfrown:

[The Glyphstone]

I was expecting some sort of extreme climbing enthusiasts convention. Cause Finland is famous for its cliffs and mountains than everyone travels to climb on.

[FinnLassie]

We only have like one or two mountains, dear people... :D It's Norway and Sweden you're thinking about! We're more known for forests and the thousand+ lakes that we have. :smallcool:

But hey... time to travel to Finland and see what this con has to offer! :smallwink:

[Eldariel]

The ball has always sounded very interesting, but it in the end I've always been too shy to even consider attending... and I never have a partner to go with. :smallfrown:

You don't actually need a partner; most of the dances there are group dances so it doesn't really matter if you have somebody or not. Last year for there were only two partner dances - one scottische (basically walking jenkka) and one two-to-twirl (bordonian waltz, can be danced as traditional waltz). And if you danced as a follower, you need to know next to nothing for those two. If you want, I can be your partner though. I don't have a partner either so wouldn't be a problem.

[Frozen_Feet]

What kind of games have you GM'd before at Ropecon?

Last year I was one of the convention minigame/scenario design contest GMs.

Years 2012 and 2013 I was running my convention campaign ("Sormus") and held a summary lecture of it in 2014.

2011 I ran an urban fantasy/horror game.

[Jon_Dahl]

I have never been to Ropecon and this year won't be an exception.

[FinnLassie]

Last year I was one of the convention minigame/scenario design contest GMs.

Years 2012 and 2013 I was running my convention campaign ("Sormus") and held a summary lecture of it in 2014.

2011 I ran an urban fantasy/horror game.

Ah, cool. It's been three years since I've been at Ropecon, so my last time was in 2013. If you're doing a campaign again this year, feel welcome to give a shout for it here and I'll see if it's something I'd be interested in (or at least know the system well enough to play). Or a lecture, whatever it'll be. :smallsmile:


I have never been to Ropecon and this year won't be an exception.

Eh, not everyone's cuppa.


EDIT:
Whoops, forgot to quote this

You don't actually need a partner; most of the dances there are group dances so it doesn't really matter if you have somebody or not. Last year for there were only two partner dances - one scottische (basically walking jenkka) and one two-to-twirl (bordonian waltz, can be danced as traditional waltz). And if you danced as a follower, you need to know next to nothing for those two. If you want, I can be your partner though. I don't have a partner either so wouldn't be a problem.

Well, by partner I mostly mean someone to go with in general. I'm not too comfortable going somewhere new alone...

But yeah. I'll see if I'm interested enough and the dance doesn't clash with a workshop I feel like I'd really want to join. I wonder when they'll publish the con programme.

[Frozen_Feet]

I have a campaign planned, but if that's what I end up running depends on if me and my artist friend get the campaign souvenirs done this month. I've been lazy.

[Murska]

I will definitely be there, probably not working from Alter Ego's side of things though - I figured I'd spend this particular year just seeing what's there. I'll miss Dipoli for the interesting architecture, but we'll see what the new venue has to offer.

[FinnLassie]

Welp, just bought the tickets so I guess I'll be going. I also pre-ordered their t-shirt in the lovely shade of blue...

I wanted to volunteer as a member of the staff this year, but my time at the con is rather limited anyways (can't attend on Sunday)... maybe next year.

[CWater]

Guess I should consider going this time, it's been a few years since I last took part, properly anyway. I was there last summer, but as part of the first-aid personnel, so it was bit different :smallredface::smallamused:

I just don't know anyone to hang out with there, so I feel a bit awkward. ^^'

[FinnLassie]

Guess I should consider going this time, it's been a few years since I last took part, properly anyway. I was there last summer, but as part of the first-aid personnel, so it was bit different :smallredface::smallamused:

I just don't know anyone to hang out with there, so I feel a bit awkward. ^^'

I have no one to go with either, and that's why I kinda posted here... :smallredface: So I'd have some sort of company, at least for a little bit.

[Murska]

Well, I'm up for at least the occasional chat, why not.

[CWater]

Finns unknown to each other throwing a spontaneous meetup? Quite a daring plan.:smalltongue:

[FinnLassie]

Living two years in Scotland has done me no good... :smalleek: I mean... I've started talking to my upstairs neighbour...

[Frozen_Feet]

???

Ropecon is easy for finding people to hang out with. First you join a game, then when it's over you keep talking to the other players like you've always known them. Do it well and they won't remember at the end of day that your sole unifying factor is having played Monopoly at the same table. :smalltongue:

[FinnLassie]

After a game I tend to run into the toilets to wash my face with cool water and lock myself in one of the stalls for a moment to cool down from new-people-mind-explodes-can't-compute mode :smallredface:

That, or I've gone back to where my friends are.

[Eldariel]

I often talk with people a bit post-game. Later they greet me and I'm puzzled, trying to buy time to figure out who I'm talking to again. A few years of such accumulation makes for an awkward number of these.

[FinnLassie]

Just read about the "Etuilulippu" (queue-jump ticket). Any thoughts on it?

And signing up for the games in general... I'm a bit scared that I won't fit in a game that I'd like to join, even with the queue-jump ticket. :smallfrown: Not to say that the paper & pencil form of signing up was exactly the best ever.

[Lethologica]

I keep coming across this thread title and getting a very, er, different impression of what kind of con this is. :smallredface: (So of course I'm posting here to make the thread even more noticeable for myself via check mark. Great plan.)

Sounds like a posse is brewin'. I approve of posses brewin'. There's a big puddle between me and the con, though, so have fun y'all.

[Murska]

Oh man, it might be difficult to get into UHKA this time around... :P

I hope they manage to get Artemis operational as well.

[Kensen]

Most definitely going to Ropecon. Going to play some Pathfinder and maybe run a game. And hopefully there'll be many interesting seminars and panels and such as well!

[FinnLassie]

I'm kinda hoping that there'll be some newbie friendly games since I kinda want to get out of my comfort zone (which is mainly D&D 3.5) and try out new systems and worlds.


But yeah. It'd be nice to meet up with folk even if it's just to say hello. :smallbiggrin: :smallredface:

[Frozen_Feet]

My game for the year is called "Vetehisten virsi". The system is Lamentations of the Flame Princess

[FinnLassie]

My game for the year is called "Vetehisten virsi". The system is Lamentations of the Flame Princess

*squints eyes* I have a feeling I've possibly been in one of your games before. Then again my memory might be playing tricks on me, but ya never know...


ION: I'm finding the schedule a bit hard to follow... I need like a calendar mode or something. ... it's also really hard to choose between games and panels after not having played tabletop rpgs in about two years. :|

[Frozen_Feet]

It's possible.

Anyways, my games are apparently held at Saturday 11:00 and 16:00, and Sunday 11:00.

[FinnLassie]

I'll see if I can make it to one of your games. Would be interesting! Will you have ready made characters or is character creation involved?


Also, what have people thought about attending otherwise? Not sure about what panels I'd like to see yet at all, but games wise I am totally going to go for the Fiasco one. I've always wanted to try it sooo bad.

[Eldariel]

One of these events: I don't really have the time to delve into the programme before Friday so I have no idea where I'll be going there. But I'd be down for at least running into GitPers there. That said, there doesn't seem to be much of an interest in an actual meet-up of any kind so I wonder how we'll actually find one another.

[FinnLassie]

:smalltongue:

But yes, I'm definitely down to see people. It's hard for me to pin point an actual time that I'm going to be available at the moment, but peeps who want to meet up deffo send me a PM :smallsmile: I'll figure out how I'm gonna go about on Thursday, or tomorrow at the bus travelling down to Helsinki...

[Murska]

Yeah, I don't have very concrete plans as to where I'll be, because I don't enjoy planning this stuff in advance, but if there's any set times or places people intend to meet feel free to ask me to join, I'll try and make time.

[FinnLassie]

I mainly look for at least one game that I want to hop in before the con and have a rough idea of interesting panels and discussions, but otherwise I'm not too fussed about stuff.

Friday I'm interested in a couple of panels that are in the evening, otherwise I'll be roaming around aimlessly checking out demos and having a bit of a shopping spree with the little money that I've saved for this event. If I can make it on time I'm probably gonna try to get in and experience what kind of a GM Frozen_Feet is at 11o'clock on Saturday, and Sat night I'll be shoving myself into a game of Fiasco that's on from 20 to midnight. Will probs pop out to eat at my mum's place inbetween since she doesn't live too far away from the con venue, but yeah, I'm available most of the time.

Any random suggestions for a time & location to meet up at?

[CWater]

I probably will be able to be there only on one day. Most likely Saturday, it's got most stuff happening, so that's also the biggest chance of finding something interesting.

I'm ok with meeting people, though I'm really kind of awkward in person. ^^'

[FinnLassie]

Yay!

And it's ok. I'm horrible when meeting people for the first time, especially if I've not seen what they look like beforehand. :smallredface: Do you think you'll participate in any tabletop rpgs on Sat, CWater?

[CWater]

Yay!

And it's ok. I'm horrible when meeting people for the first time, especially if I've not seen what they look like beforehand. :smallredface: Do you think you'll participate in any tabletop rpgs on Sat, CWater?

I don't know yet, maybe. I've never played TTRPGs at a con before, though I've often thought about it. Should check what they have.

And yeah, that's me too with people. ^^"

[FinnLassie]

I don't know yet, maybe. I've never played TTRPGs at a con before, though I've often thought about it. Should check what they have.

And yeah, that's me too with people. ^^"

The first time I went to one was with a friend, but then I've started to go alone. It's somewhat daunting... but at the same time, it's kind of refreshing after you shake off the awkwardness of the beginning. :D

[Frozen_Feet]

I'll see if I can make it to one of your games. Would be interesting! Will you have ready made characters or is character creation involved?


Both. I have empty sheets and filled ones from past games.

[FinnLassie]

At the con. If anyone needs to contact me, pop me a PM and I'll give you my tel.nr. It's the best way to get my attention esp. From 7pm onwards.

[Frozen_Feet]

Thanks to FinnLassie and Eldariel for joining my game. Hopefully I'll see more of you in the future.

[Eldariel]

Likewise, thanks for the game, Frozen! It was great and I do like the concept - with these kinds of parties, it just keeps getting increasingly more interesting. In fact, it was the only game I had time for over the whole weekend (the whole rest of my weekend was basically dance practice, ball, the Pokémon Musical, meeting people) so I'm glad it delivered. Speaking of which: Finn, thanks for the exciting adventure your party had left behind :smalltongue:

And it was great meeting the lot of you - Finn, CWater, Murska & Frozen. As always, there's way too little time to talk but hopefully we'll indeed be seeing more of each other in the future! The meetings this weekend would've probably never taken place if not for Finn's initiative (and some luck in how our schedules worked out), so special thanks to you for orchestrating most of this :smallcool:

I'll have to say though, the whole Con is so darn short there's barely time for anything: I'd like to tabletop (so many great games!), dance, meet people, LARP, play Artemis, play boardgames, play MTG, play Werewolf, boffer-fight and participate in some of the lectures and other program (e.g. the Pokémon musical this year - I'm so happy I finally got to see it) but alas, one needs to eat and sleep and then there's time for maybe 8 4-hour events over the whole weekend (but the dance practice and the ball are 6 hours each). Essentially 2½ full days is just such a short time to enjoy all of one's hobbies and meet dozens of people.

[FinnLassie]

Yep, thanks for everyone! As awkward as I am and end up babbling aimlessly when nervous, it was a good time seeing you all.
I feel like after organising the UKitP Scotland meet up on Scotland's side (although many thanks for Albatross for booking the space, and thanks for everyone else for bringing them games) I've gathered a "oh what the hell, why not" kind of an attitude when meeting up with forumites & taking initiative. It's fun.

Frozen_Feet as a GM 6/5 would recommend, I don't think I've had this much fun in a long while. Perfect comeback to tabletops for me. Could you please take a pic of Jormatar and send it to me or put it up here? :smallwink: It seems like I didn't snap one of her before ripping it off from the notebook. Can't wait to see what the future for your campaign will look like... :smallcool:

I'll be GMing next year, based on the Fiasco game that I took part in during Saturday evening. It uh... it ended interestingly and my character ended up being a complete young-men-obsessed psychopath. Dunno if it'll be another Fiasco or if I'll transfer the characters and their back stories to another system. Gotta find a good & easy non combat system for that one though. :smallconfused: Hmm. Anyways, it'd be fun to see peeps joining that game.

Hope you all had a good time!

[Murska]

Yeah, it was very nice to meet you, although my time for conversation was cut short by a rival mafioso from the Assassination LARP. I'll be around next year as well, maybe have time for some games together.

[FinnLassie]

It was somewhat hilarious to be interrupted in such manner. :smalltongue: but yup. Maybe next year there'll be a... uh... a more organised meet up. :smallredface: Board games seemed fun so that's an option.

But that's something to worry about next year...

[Murska]

Yeah, it's rather traditional to spend the event-less night hours playing board games (when weaker people sleep). :smallsmile:

[FinnLassie]

I heard that the board games section this year got super, super packed and they had to expand the area - which is nice to hear. Man, now I feel like playing Red November for some reason...

So how did you all like Messukeskus as a venue?
I mostly had vietnam war - esque dramatic flashbacks from the time I used to work there (and Hartwall Areena) at Hesburger. All of my sympathies and cheers to the folk who spent their hours behind the counter.

[Eldariel]

Yeah, it's rather traditional to spend the event-less night hours playing board games (when weaker people sleep). :smallsmile:

Or Werewolf. I used to play Werewolf all night but nowadays that I spend 6 hours dancing (= physical exhaustion) and travel by car, I've unfortunately ended up wasting all those sweet hours driving home and sleeping instead :smalltongue: (though being tired and hungry, I was careless enough to speed to a radar on Saturday amounting to a 200 euro ticket so it seems my solution doesn't entirely safeguard me against problems caused by tiredness either >_>)


I heard that the board games section this year got super, super packed and they had to expand the area - which is nice to hear. Man, now I feel like playing Red November for some reason...

I, for one, would love to play a full game of Eclipse... Then again, that'd take half a day off Con so perhaps not there.


So how did you all like Messukeskus as a venue?
I mostly had vietnam war - esque dramatic flashbacks from the time I used to work there (and Hartwall Areena) at Hesburger. All of my sympathies and cheers to the folk who spent their hours behind the counter.

Well, the floor (or rather, carpet) of hall 101 is horrible for dancing. Or horrible doesn't really cut it: more like "absolutely appallingly atrocious". Both, the Pokémon musical dancers and all the ball participants seemed to agree on that fact. You basically can't slide your feet at all; you have to take everything as a step. Even pirouette en pointe is difficult to do there in spite of the minimal contact surface.

That's my only real complaint though. As a venue it was spacious enough for the various programmes, it was easy to get to by train (though by car, parking in the hall was ridiculously expensive and finding parking space otherwise was a tad tricky), the various rooms served their purpose well enough and it felt simpler than the whole setup at Otaniemi once I got used to it. The reputation of Messukeskus as one of the best possible sites for conventions or expositions is certainly warranted, I find. Though I don't really like the surrounding Pasila - it's a soulless concrete jungle compared to the lush Otaniemi or Helsinki proper.

[CWater]

I am slow to respond... Yeah, pretty decent con and it was cool to meet you, even briefly!:smallsmile:


Yeah, it was very nice to meet you, although my time for conversation was cut short by a rival mafioso from the Assassination LARP. I'll be around next year as well, maybe have time for some games together.
Hey, that was awesome! Added to the whole con feeling :smallbiggrin:



Well, the floor (or rather, carpet) of hall 101 is horrible for dancing. Or horrible doesn't really cut it: more like "absolutely appallingly atrocious". Both, the Pokémon musical dancers and all the ball participants seemed to agree on that fact. You basically can't slide your feet at all; you have to take everything as a step. Even pirouette en pointe is difficult to do there in spite of the minimal contact surface.

That's my only real complaint though. As a venue it was spacious enough for the various programmes, it was easy to get to by train (though by car, parking in the hall was ridiculously expensive and finding parking space otherwise was a tad tricky), the various rooms served their purpose well enough and it felt simpler than the whole setup at Otaniemi once I got used to it. The reputation of Messukeskus as one of the best possible sites for conventions or expositions is certainly warranted, I find. Though I don't really like the surrounding Pasila - it's a soulless concrete jungle compared to the lush Otaniemi or Helsinki proper.

Messukeskus has it's good and bad sides, true. I liked that all the activities were in the same building (even though it is a bit of a maze) and that it didn't feel cramped and the air was (mostly) fresh. Shame for the lack of green, though I must say this arrangement must have been so much easier for the organisers.

It's a mystery why they decided to put the dancing where they did. :smallconfused: Surely there would have been other (better) places.

I'm half decided to try dancing myself next year. Maybe. It looks like fun. :smallredface:

[FinnLassie]

One of the highest honours in Finland - Ropecon got into Fingerpori (http://www.hs.fi/fingerpori/s1306062669643)! :P


And yes, Messukeskus has its ups and downs. A lot of the downs did have to do with signs. The big screens that you pretty much only could see in the entrance hall were nice, but otherwise... I think I talked to CWater about how some of the smaller signs were a minger and made it hard to figure out where for example the merch area was. When you walked into Hall 5 there was just an A3 sized white paper on a white background pointing to the area and it was hard to spot - Hall 5 is huuuuuge. I got lost and confused and it wasn't fun, but hopefully next year we'll have it better :smallsmile: I left feedback about it and AFAIK I wasn't the only one. :smallbiggrin:

Hmm, I wonder how they'll fix the dance floor stuff next year since the floors are somewhat industrial (or horrifying, why is there dirty carpeting upstairs?! why is there carpeting in the conference section in the first place?!??!!) ... perhaps they just have to get some kind of a ... mat that fixes the issue. Like a dance floor mat. I don't even know if those exist. :smallconfused:

Biggest bonus goes to air conditioning in the tabletop rooms. Pure heaven. Mmmmmm.