Gamers roll the dice

Abigail Sullivan / IC

Choose your character and jump in the game this weekend at the 31st edition of BASHCon, the University of Toledo’s annual hobby gaming convention.

Spread across the entire Student Union, BASHCon aims to celebrate traditional and modern games such as role-playing games, board games, card games and video games.

“I guess the biggest thing you can expect to see at BASHCon is a bunch of like-minded people coming together to talk about board games and video games, as well as a vendors’ hall which is going to incorporate many different fandoms,” said Ben Wieland, staffing coordinator of BASHCon and president of BASH, the student hobby gaming organization that runs the event each year.

Throughout the weekend, attendees can participate in RPGs, cosplays, miniatures games, workshops, panels, live-action RPGs, board games, computer and console tournaments, card games, arcade cabinets, demonstrations, mock combat and more.

A featured event during the convention is a charity Android: Netrunner tournament led by Jacob Merkle, the sales coordinator for BASHCon. The game pits two players, one representing a selfish megacorporation and the other representing a vigilante freedom fighter, against each other in a dystopian, cyberpunk future.

All proceeds from the tournament will go toward Gamers Outreach, a gaming-based charity that helps provide equipment, technology and software to help children cope with treatment inside hospitals.

BASHCon will also feature its first indie game showcase, also led by Merkle. Volunteer staff members will teach event attendees how to play games created by independent game developers. This showcase is to show people that they can make their own board games if they want to, according to Max Barnt, event and program coordinator of BASHCon.

“[The indie game showcase] is allowing smaller, somewhat unknown gaming companies and different types of games to reach out to more people in the community and to receive publicity,” Merkle said.

This is the first time since 2013 that BASHCon will welcome a special guest: actor and voice actor D.C. Douglas will participate in a panel, signings and a Q&A session, and will also be playing games throughout the weekend. Douglas is most known for voicing Albert Wesker from Resident Evil and is “an all-around hilarious guy,” according to Barnt.

“That’s one thing that we’re really excited about … it’s something that I don’t think many people would want to miss,” Merkle said.

Barnt said people should attend the convention because there will be something for everyone to enjoy.

“The way I see it is, we are giving back to not just the UT community, but the general community as a whole. We put on this event free of charge for UT students, faculty and staff every year and there’s just so much going on and whatever kind of gaming you like, even if you don’t necessarily enjoy gaming, there’s almost always something for everyone,” Barnt said.

Barnt also said the students in charge of BASHCon are all volunteers and who dedicate their time because they deeply believe in the event.

“I just want people to know that our volunteers are that: they’re volunteers. We’re all college students here and we’re putting a lot of stuff on the line to help bring this event to not just the UT community but the community in general. We all believe in this event, which is why it’s going on BASHCon 31 and we just want to make sure that people have a good time,” Barnt said.

Merkle said students should go to BASHCon because of the immense variety of games that will be there for serious and casual gamers alike to play and learn.

“It’s a phenomenal experience. We try to cover all types of nerd culture I guess you would say,” Merkle said. “We try to make it as entertaining as possible for all types of people, not just people who are seriously into it but also more casual-like people.”

Fun is Rule Zero of BASH, according to their website, and that’s why Wieland said students should go to the convention.

“Students should go to BASHCon to … support an organization that’s been around for 31 years now, and … to have a good time and have fun — to find other people that are just like them. Everyone likes to play a game once in a while and these are a bunch of people who like to play games all the time,” Wieland said.

Wieland said for those who have never been to a convention before, BASHCon is a good one to go to since it’s smaller than most. His favorite part of the annual convention is getting to see the people who come year after year.

“You get to know those people really well and it’s really cool to get to see them again … it’s just really cool to see all those same people and make those connections with them,” Wieland said. “It’s a great time to just come and have fun over the weekend when not a lot of things are going on and just see how a convention works.”

BASHCon is free for UT students, faculty and staff. Otherwise, a weekend badge is $20 or $15 for a single-day badge. For $30 — or $10 for UT community members — attendees receive a commemorative T-shirt and a pass to many events for free. For students, faculty and staff who are not from UT, there is a $5 discount on all admission types.

BASHCon will run from 5 p.m. to midnight on Friday, 9 a.m. to midnight on Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, you can visit http://www.bashcon.com.