40 Years of Gen Con

by Robin D. Laws, Michelle Nephew (Editor)

In 40 Years of Gen Con , gaming guru Robin D. Laws chronicles the story of every gamer's lifetime. It's a history that reaches out to four decades of gamers to form a vast collage of the Gen Con experience from every point of view - from the gamers playing in the halls, to the staffers behind the scenes, to the exhibitors on the sales floor. 40 Years of Gen Con is a treasure trove of personal interviews with game industry insiders and luminaries like Dave Arneson, E. Gary Gygax, Ed Greenwood, R. A. Salvatore, and many many others. This epic collection of oral histories, photographs, reminiscences, and more tells the complete story of the best four decades in gaming!

Genres: Nonfiction, Gaming, Role Playing Games, History

168 pages, Hardcover

First published August 16, 2007

About the author

Writer and game designer Robin D. Laws brought you such roleplaying games as Ashen Stars, The Esoterrorists, The Dying Earth, Heroquest and Feng Shui. He is the author of seven novels, most recently The Worldwound Gambit from Paizo. For Robin's much-praised works of gaming history and analysis, see Hamlet's Hit Points, Robin's Laws of Game Mastering and 40 Years of Gen Con.

Reviews

[James Bowman · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting oral (and visual) history of the first 40 years of Gen Con... which also makes this kind of an oral overview of the RPG industry as a whole. It isn't perfect, mind: there isn't much on the European Gen Cons; the author admitted to correcting inaccuracies in some quotes (which, funny enough, makes the quotes themselves less accurate); and the details on inner workings get noticeably less frank once we hit the present day. But if you're interested in hearing RPG history from the people that made it, this is a must read. (B+)

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard to believe that Gen Con has been around for 40+ years. Heck, hard to believe that roleplaying games have been around for almost that long! And right there, in the space where believing these statements are, amazingly, true, is where 40 Years of Gen Con lives.

Robin Laws had his work cut out for him in setting out to put together this book. Made up of a pastiche of chronological interview quotes from a vast array of people associated with Gen Con throughout its history, the book gives you a transcribed oral history of this most central gathering of the Hobby Gaming Industry. From its days as a tiny gathering at chez Gygax, to its move to current and gigantic home in Indianapolis, you can follow the wonderful and weird history of the convention, and in many ways of the industry as well.

If I have one qualm about the book is that, personally I would have preferred an actual written-out narrative of the history instead of the put-it-together-yourself approach of the various interview segments. A thousand kudos to Robin Laws for having the patience and the archeological skills to assemble a narrative out of all those interviews, though; that alone should win him some sort of prize.

Our hobby, our industry, has officially entered its second generation of life, and we've already begun to lose some of the pioneers. I continue to be amazed that there has been no effort to create a biography of the hobby/industry up to now, though 40 Years of Gen Con is a fantastic proxy that deserves to be in every gamer's library.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've never been to Gen Con, but this was still an interesting book, particularly the sections covering the early years where the author presents things in such a way as to make a reasonable case for the event being integral to the growth of roleplaying games.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful book of recollections from Gen Con founders, organizers, exhibitors, and attendees. A real historical gem.

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm biased of course, but this was a really great look at the history of Gen Con. Robin did an excellent job of putting it all together; it's full of great stories and history.

[Brian · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish that there had been fewer architecture photos and more people photos. Anyway it was good, I liked it OK.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book that is full of interesting quotes from notable people and organized in such a way as to tell a compelling story.