NMRA Membership - Model Railroader Magazine

ATLANTIC CENTRAL

So I take it the convention was not what you expected? Shame you won't tell us in an objective way so that others, and the NMRA, might know what you feel is wrong.

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OK, I will not talk badly about the NMRA in here, so let me try this... I will tell you about the convention experiences I am used to. Conventions are supposed to be fun, fun, fun, and more fun.

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I go to A LOT of conventions. This is my annual convention list:

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HMGS Hurricon, Orlando, FL, Wargaming

HMGS ReCon, Orlando, FL, Wargaming

MegaCon, Orlando, FL, Comics, Gaming, Anime

MetroCon, Tampa, FL, Cosplay, Anime

Holiday Matsuri, Orlando, FL, Cosplay

Adepticon, Location Varies, Wargaming

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These are the conventions I attend whenever possible:

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HMGS Historicon, Fredericksburg, VA, Wargaming

GenCon, Indianapolis, IN, Gaming

DragonCon, Atlanta, GA, Fantasy Gaming

ReaperCon, Denton, TX (Rah Rah Rah), Miniature Painting

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These conventions are all at hotels, or convention centers attached to hotels. So, as you can imagine, there a lot of people at these hotels that have nothing to do with the insanity (fun) going on with "that group of weirdos" over there.

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Here is what we do at all these events without exception....

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1) The contests are open to the public, or at least visible to the public. We love to show off what we are up to. The best way to recruit the public is to put your best efforts on full display.

2) The public is welcome, and encouraged, to join in. If you run into me at a gaming convention I am going to get you to play a game of the railroad themed "Ticket to Ride", and maybe even try to introduce you to a "Crayon Rails" game like "Empire Builder."

3) The public is encouraged to buy an event pass and completely submerge themselves into everything we are doing. How can you sustain your hobby if you are not a welcoming group.

4) The dealer room is open to only convention pass holders, but there is usually an "artists alley" where small producers can sell their wares. Artists Alley is always open to the public without a convention pass.

5) There is no elitism. If you are a new participant and your Cosplay is just a red cape, helmet, and a plastic hammer it does not matter. If your want to Cosplay as a Minion just by wearing a yellow T-shirt, overalls, and scuba mask, we will welcome you. If you are just starting in wargaming and your painted army looks poor, you can still put it on the table and roll dice. We will help you improve your painting skills. If you are just learning a game system, we have beginners events to help you along.

6) If you accidentally wander in, we will not ask you to leave. We will suck you in and make you one of us! Bwa hah ha ha ha! Welcome to the hive mind!

7) We usually have something set up to bait curious passer-bys. Paint-And-Take tables are common. If you get to try something, you are far more likely to join up.

8) We embrace the fact we are adults behaving like children and enjoying a childish pastime. We "own" it, and we are proud.

9) We welcome the next generation and the nonsense they bring with them. We don't turn away the Cosplayers that do new weird stuff. The HMGS crew has accepted the Zombie Apocolypse and Warhammer silliness. We keep our hobby fresh. Being stuffy would get us nowhere.

10) WE DRINK ADULT BEVERAGES... A LOT! We dance. We watch movies together. We eat in large groups. We laugh loudly.

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How much of this do you think happened at the NMRA convention?

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Like I said, I am not going to talk about the NMRA convention in any negative way, but they were in ORLANDO for heaven's sake. The place where adults go to be children. It should have been so much more.

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-Kevin

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