Origins Game Fair

I have attended this convention three years in a row. Usually, they have Saturday passes that are cash only, and you get to go check out the con after a very short wait. This year, there was an over 2 hour wait just to pay for the privilege of getting into the convention. Since my first year of attending this convention, it seems like the organization is on the decline, which is unfortunate.
I have found the website to be confusing and misleading and registration in general to be a messy process. The vendors hall is fairly well laid out, although there were cords and odd spots in the floor that one could trip over.
That said, the vendors themselves are usually awesome, and if you go in looking for specific deals, you can usually find them. I can’t speak to any of the events that happen at the con, because I don’t really go to those. Two stars are more for poor convention planning than anything else. Hopefully, this improves, but I am not sure I want to bother going next year.

This place, if they hadn’t changed last year, would have had a much lower score. The badges have always been painfully expensive, but you had to buy a badge to play games even if you were just going to check out the merchants. This did badness to the merchants and to those who wanted to come just to look around.
I am not a gamer, I am, however, a painter of miniatures and a cute things aficionado. The years I got to attend were wonderful, btu I ended up spending an absurd amount and not getting a lot out of it. This is truly a geek haven. It gives you chances to ogle and explore, and meet some of your favorite artists.
Now that they have the badges just for shopping, I think it’s worth the money to take a drop in. The is just too much cool stuff there. You can also win some amazing paint sets in miniature contests.

Origins! Eff yeah! This is my kind of local event. A huge, huge, huge gaming industry trade show, one of the biggest– a sort of temporary mecca for board gamers, war gamers, role players, collectors, and the just plain curious.
My real complain against Origins in the past has been addressed, too, much to my pleasure. It used to be that to do anything at Origins, even look inside the dealer’s room, you had to buy an expensive badge– the same badge a kid who planned on playing 24 hours straight of sponsored D&D games would have to buy. Starting this year they offer a non-​gaming badge, though, on the cheap; a pass into the dealer’s room and exhibit halls that doesn’t get you into any official gaming events. I can live with that!
The gaming industry is alive and well– maybe even in the throes of a renaissance. Origins is a great place to see who plays games– namely, everybody. I’ve seen 80-​year-​olds square off against six-​year-​olds in games at Origins. Inspiring nerdity for everyone!

Once a year nerds, dweebs, dorks, and geeks reign supreme as Origins Game Fair descends upon Columbus. Overtaking the Hyatt, The Greater Columbus Convention Center, and most of The Short North, this gaming convention brings in gamers from all across the country.
Despite having over 15,000 attendees, Origins never feels overwhelming. This is probably because it’s an incredibly organized and well oiled machine. If there’s anyone fit to run a convention, it would be the people that freak out over miniature gaming.
Passes for this 4 day convention can be pretty pricey. Discounts if you are a child, teacher, or a vet! If you volunteer to run a number of games you’ll receive discounts as well. In 2008 Origins made available a $ 3.00 daily wristband that granted the wearer access to the exhibitors hall and dealer hall. This was really nice for the less hardcore gamer and for someone who was just looking to buy some new games.
Walking up and down the aisles in the Dealers Room is only the beginning of the things to do at Origins. A book the size of a small phone book provides you a list of every game, table top RPG, LARP (Live Action Role Playing), and lecture happening throughout the long weekend. Many you will have to sign up to play in advance, but there are a fair number of rooms set aside to start a board or card game.
Origins is a family friendly convention, especially during the day. There are plenty of tournaments and championships of various board games and CCGs. At night it’s fun to people watch as nerds down the liquid courage needed to hit on that girl with the elf ears.
If you live in Columbus and you are a casual gamer, there’s no excuse not to hit up Origins, especially with the new super affordable $ 3 wristband.