Gencon….  the reputed “four best days of gaming.”

Okay, I haven’t been to a lot of other fan conventions to really test that slogan, but I still look forward to it every year….  although I would still like to go to Dragon Con, Comic Con, the Anime Expo, E3, PAX, the San Diego con,…  you get the idea.

Games, movies, book… they reflect our culture in subtle ways.  So, I went into Gencon with my eyes wide open.  I wanted to see if I could spot anything and I think I did.

—  First, there was a not-so-subtle lack of booth babes.
(Booth babes, for those who may not know, is a slang term for attractive women who stand around booths in fairly skimpy costumes.   Their purposes are to be ogled, have their pictures taken, and to attract attention to the merchandise.)

Booth babes is a fairly honored role because the woman has to be physically attractive, be able to pull off some kind of cosplay, and know enough about the game/merchandise not to come off as a complete ditz in a male dominated industry.

Most booths lacked babes.    Even the ones that had babes seemed to be conservatively dressed when compared to previous years.     I think the most “revealing” was Samus Aran from the Metroid games.  (Think a blonde in a blue skin-tight body suit).    However, while the babe was blonde, she was short and the suit wasn’t really all that skin tight.  Actually, it looked a little big on her and she was more Olive Oil than Jessica Rabbit.

Most of the more revealing costumes where from the attendees… and I really wouldn’t call them revealing.  There was nothing cut so low or hiked so high that made me wonder if Jason had an unrequited high elf fixation.

Of course… as usual….  there wasn’t a hot Joker, barbarian, or gladiator walking around either, much to my regret.  Meh.     There’s always literature.

Anyway, Gencon really pushes it’s line of promotional clothing.    You know.  These are the exceedingly over-priced coffee mugs, shirts, bags, and jackets.  Oh, and dice.    Can’t forget the dice.

Some of the models wearing the Gencon merchandise on their advertisements actually — looked — like gamers.  There were really tall guy, plump women, big guys, all wearing Gencon shirts and jackets, their pictures taken as if they where lost in complete and mystical thought or praying for a call from Publisher’s Clearing House.

In past years, the models look like they just hiked down a mountain, but lacked stress, sweat, or body odor.

This is how society is reflecting on this particular gaming convention.

It’s interesting…

And, I’m done.   I don’t know where to go from here.

Nights.