As I'm sure you're aware (if you have at least half a brain) from the title, today I will be continuing to discuss fan conventions and specifically Dragon*Con and similar Split Cons. (if you didn't catch the last one, click here: here )
So I won't be talking about Amalgamated or Single Track Cons, because, in talking about individual tracks of a Split Con you in effect talk about the corresponding Single Track Con. And an Amalgamated Con is pretty straight forward, everything is just in rows and every group is mixed, or sometimes slightly divided, but usually in those things there are enough cross genre types, as in Comic-Con, that everything still seems mixed up. For example, Star Wars could potentially, by someone unintelligent, be placed in the furries section because of wookies... they would be wrong though. And so instead of just not talking about Amalgamated and Single Track Cons I just did, great.
Anyways, Dragon*Con and other Split Track Cons divide up, duh, into different genres or if individual shows are large enough, then shows. For example there is an Anime/Manga Track and a Paranormal Track, which are genres, and there are Star Wars and Star Trek Tracks, which are shows (and books, and movies, and so much more). So if you are going to a Con, where do you go? You liked the first three movies of Star Wars, but you haven't seen the new trilogy yet, do you go walk through the Star Wars track? Are you qualified? Well, the way Cons work is you don't just get put where they think you should be, or where you are "qualified" to be, you go where you will enjoy things. Sure, you won't recognize some people dressed up like Anakin, or Darth Traya etc. but there will be enough things there that you will still enjoy it and have fun. But one important detail: if you see someone dressed up as a character you don't know, don't be an idiot and go up to him and say that it's not canon and isn't in Star Wars or whatever, because then you should die, and possibly will. And you know what? you probably deserve it too. So what if you go somewhere you don't know anything about? will you still have fun? The answer is maybe, I know people who will sometimes walk the Anime/Manga Track and they don't read or watch any of it, but it's just to laugh at all of the costumes and people. But if you want to know who or what someone is dressed up as, this is the only correct way to approach them: "Hi, that's a really cool/interesting/neat/detailed/(insert good compliment here) costume, are you from this track or what?" and if they don't tell you who they are in their answer: "cool! so who are you supposed to be? I am pretty ignorant of that subject." (say this even if you aren't ignorant) If you know who they are, congrats, you can say hi and chat for a bit, but if there's any possibility of confusion play it safe, getting someone confused with someone else is a good way to get nerd bombed.
So basically that's how it works, the main hall and cafeterias are generally melting pots for all the groups, so it's a great place to hang out and enjoy being there, and there are great shops and stuff too, As well as games, shows, talks, movies, food, parades, and more.
I believe I shall follow in Entropy's footsteps and give a challenge to our apparently non conversant readers, tell us about something you did or learned or bought at a fan convention, or ask a question about something you don't understand, or just comment period, or even argue with me over some small or large detail about what I wrote. Just talk, we don't even have trolls in our commenters.... (next week's subject....)
Live long and prosper,
King of the Blog
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