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Warpcon | |
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Status | Active |
Genre | Tabletop gaming, role-playing games |
Frequency | Annual |
Venue | UCC Student Centre |
Location(s) | Cork |
Country | Ireland |
Inaugurated | 1990 |
Organised by | WARPS |
Warpcon is an annual wargaming and roleplaying convention held at University College Cork in Cork, Ireland. As of 2010, the organiser's reportedly described it as "Europe's largest student-run gaming convention". Beginning in 1990, it is run every year, during the last weekend of January. WARPS (the UCC Wargaming And RolePlaying Society) is the organiser of the event. Each year, Warpcon hosts RPGs from a range of systems, CCGs, tabletop wargaming, LARPs and other games over the weekend. The 20th anniversay event, in 2010, reportedly hosted approximately 700 attendees.
Events and features
Warpcon stages a charity auction where various things are sold, previously including signed first-edition and pre-publication books, slots to appear as a character drawn by John Kovalic in a Steve Jackson Games card game or in Dork Tower, rare collectible cards, Jayne Cobb's hat (as worn by Adam Baldwin in the TV show Firefly, and the first ever My Little Cthulhu plush toy. It takes place on the Saturday night of the convention, and proceeds go to a local charity.
Each year various CCGs from Magic: The Gathering to Yu-Gi-Oh! are hosted at Warpcon. Warpcon 28 featured a regional event for L5R which attracted over two hundred people.
RPGs and LARPs from many different systems are run each year, with some based on the theme of the convention. Wargames at Warpcon usually consist of Warhammer 40,000, Warmachine, X-wing, and historical wargaming.
In past years, Warpcon has featured writers and artists as special guests. They sign merchandise, occasionally run events such as games-making workshops, and dinner with the special guests is one of the items regularly sold at the Warpcon charity auction.
The closing ceremony is where the prizes are awarded. These include best trader, best RPG scenario, best LARP scenario, and best staff member. It is also where the Spirit of Warpcon is handed out, a perpetual award given out each year for contributions to gaming in Cork.
History
In 2006, the Diana Jones Award for Excellence in Gaming was awarded to "Irish Game Convention Charity Auctions", including Gaelcon and Warpcon. Warpcon was known for its Saturday night Club Warpcon event where the convention sold tickets to a private night club in Cork city.
Previous special guests have come from a range of different backgrounds. Warpcon 17: John Kovalic, and Gar Hanrahan. Warpcon 18: John Kovalic and gameworkshop's Jervis Johnson. Warpcon 19: John Kovalic and David Nykl. Warpcon 28: John Kovalic. Warpcon 29: Ross Mullan.
As a part of previous Warpcons, on the lower grounds of University College Cork, the UCC Medieval Renaissance society has run a "Battle of the Flags" event. The 'Flags', as it was commonly known was the 'rebated steel' medieval combat competition open to anyone who has fought or trained with the society previously.
References
- "About Warpcon". warpcon.com. Archived from the original on 29 November 2012.
- ^ "Student wizards and goblins prepare for battle". irishexaminer.com. Irish Examiner. 27 January 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
- "The Diana Jones Award 2006". dianajonesaward.org. Retrieved 19 May 2007.