gx-con

I wrote this a few years ago on my LJ when I got really pissed off at a convention I attended.  This started me off in the rocky path of being a convention reviewer.  I wanted change and I knew that unless people discuss it then it would not happen.  It stirred up a hornet's nest and it prompted 80 comments on my LJ.  I hope the following comes up as a good read. 


Last Sunday, I went to the GX-Con, the first console gaming convention in the country.  The event was organized by GamEX Magazine, from what I gathered is a console gaming magazine.  They were to have game demos for the next generation consoles like Nintendo Wii, Microsoft XBOX 360, and Sony Playstation3.  They also advertised a gaming tournament and cosplay only from their approved list of games.  I was rather excited to go because I was expecting something different.

Anyway, I was there early at around 10 am.  I was alone as everyone I knew who were coming were late.  Good thing I met a friend of mine on the way in.  When we got in, someone gave us this small piece of paper with instructions on how to play the games.  I didn't quite understand the instructions at first as there wasn't any signs to point you in the right direction.

The convention space was small.  In fact, my friend and I circled the place three times in like 30 minutes looking at everything that was available. I cannot begin to emphasize at how small the place was and how little there was too see.  That alone was disappointing. What we found rather odd was that we weren't actually able to identify where the gaming demos were.  I mean if you were just wondering around, you won't notice it unless you were actually looking for them.  Like I said, NO SIGNS.

AniCon '08 was held in SM Megamall at Megatrade Hall 3 last October 05, 2008. This was to be an Anime, Console, & Online Gaming Event. You can see the details of the con from the Otakuzine website at http://www.otakuzine-mag.com/.

I later found out that this con used to be the original GX-con which was revamped and renamed to Anicon. In my opinion a good move as the previously mentioned con did carry some, or in my case a lot, of bad blood. As a critique, I believed that it was my duty to re-evaluate the convention.

They held the convention in the same space they held it last year, which is by far the smallest convention area of the three Megatrade Halls. As you can imagine, it was cramped. From what I hear, the convention organizers got the Trade Hall at half price because no one had booked the location. The management of SM saw it fit to lease the hall at reduced price instead of leaving it unused on Sundays. This kind of caused last minute preparations for the convention. One of the exhibitors, whom I personally know, was given like a week for them to prepare for the convention. Talk about cramming.

I went with a friend to the convention. We paid PHP100.00 each for the entrance. This year they had freebies, not that it's important, but it's definitely welcome. I don't mind not getting freebies if I feel that it was worth my time and money to come. Though I wondered why they changed the freebies they were planning to give out last minute. Not a big deal for me, really.

eep... no space.  >.<