Despite not being quite over Fringe, having started college again and throwing self into volunteering in the arts duties, I was super excited to come along to Tabletop Scotland with co-editor – and Tabletop Scotland veteran – Girdy.
Having only launched in 2018, Tabletop Scotland has quickly established itself as one of the biggest and most beloved gaming conventions to attend in the UK, with thousands of geeks flocking to the convention every year.
It’s the first time the event’s been held at the Royal Highland Centre, but considering I didn’t know what to expect anyway, I was came prepared for just about anything. And, armed with our press passes, we aimed to “divide and conquer”.
Intimidation factor
Although I still consider myself a newbie to TTRPGs, let me make this clear by saying that, firstly, I’m not your average newbie; I’m a newbie with a press pass, so I’m really wearing two hats for this convention.
Firstly, I’m aware it’s my job to speak to people and not get too distracted by shiny things, and secondly, I want to also enjoy the experience, maybe buy some dice, do some gaming etc.
As a first-timer to Tabletop Scotland, I wasn’t too intimidated by the idea of being around people. As a newbie gamer, I was a little more intimidated by the idea of gaming with people I don’t know, and who don’t know me – would they be welcoming? Would my inexperience annoy people?
And as a member of the press, I was probably most intimidated by the idea of keeping my cool, managing to stay on track with so much going on around me, and making sure I’m getting Geek Native what it needs. In other words, I didn’t want to let Girdy down or make things more difficult for him.
So, that’s the kind of headspace I was in going into Tabletop Scotland for the first time.
Navigating public transport
Like a lot of people, we decided to get to the Royal Highland Centre by tram, getting off at Ingliston Park & Ride. It was Friday. Self and Girdy had lunch first, and then hopped on the tram from Haymarket.
When we got to the other end, we may have walked through a field, thinking it was a shortcut. Reader, it was definitely not. Regardless of which way we chose, we did find it a bit of a trek, with sometimes less than pedestrian-friendly routes, and confusing signage.
In fact, Girdy is still bamboozled by the blue signage that promised to take us to the north entrance of the Royal Highland Centre, then seemed to just vanish.
I’ll say that once you’ve done the walk a couple of times, you’re grand – and Google/Apple Maps will make sure you don’t get too lost.
Friday at Tabletop Scotland
We arrived in the early afternoon on the Friday, and after getting our names ticked off a list to collect our press passes, my first impression was that it was a bit quieter than I had first imagined. After all, many people are at work, and it makes sense the con probably wouldn’t be in full flow yet.
I’d say, if large crowds make you anxious or overstimulated, Friday’s probably a good day to get there, because there’s a bit more space to move around and you’re able to take your time a bit more when talking to stallholders (and there’s so much to see!).
In hindsight, I probably should have made the most of this. No matter.
I was able to talk to some stallholders, browse some dice, and go over some essential Geek Native stuff with Girdy before heading to a seminar (Fantasy & Folklore – more about that below), having food from one of the vans (a very basic burger and fries), and heading to our first game of the weekend.
The game (which again, I’ll go into more detail on below) started at 7pm and we were done by around 10pm – in other words, packing up and going home time!
Saturday at Tabletop Scotland
Saturday was a whole lot busier, and it was great seeing the contrast between the two days and soaking up the atmosphere. I feel like the Saturday buzz of the place helped me on my mission to just SPEAK TO EVERYONE and I got some great video, interviews and little quotes.
I had good chats with people who had made it to Tabletop Scotland from far and wide, including games creators, zine makers, modular scene-makers, figurine makers, dice makers, artists, and… all the people who maybe aren’t creators themselves, but are there to provide valuable support (like coffee!).
I also bought my (affordable) new shiny dice! They’re very pretty. I may not have needed them this weekend, but I am pleased nevertheless.
I still didn’t manage to speak to everyone I wanted to, but I did get to see lots of familiar, friendly faces and catch up with friends and acquaintances I hadn’t seen in a wee while. I also got a lot of interesting and unexpected content just through chance, which was lovely!
The overall feeling about Tabletop Scotland’s new venue was a positive one, at least from the stallholders and visitors I spoke to. Stallholders were impressed by the organisation, the footfall, and the overall impression of the Royal Highland Centre as the new home for the con.
I’ll also add that despite the buzz and the crowds, and all the queues, I never once had to queue to use the toilet. So, that’s always a bonus!
Stalls, stalls, stalls
The main hall is obviously the heart of Tabletop Scotland, and it’s filled with stalls and also plenty of gaming tables for you to go and play new (or old) games with friends.
The stalls are a great opportunity to be able to chat with game creators, experience demos, and browse and buy everything from dice (including dice made of bone!) to games, zines, art, puppets and loads more where that came from.
I can imagine easily spending an entire weekend just looking through everything and trying new, fun games out. I also enjoyed picking up many different kinds of dice, including some super expensive ones I wouldn’t normally get to touch!
And, of course, there’s also the Bring & Buy table, where people were given 10-minute slots to browse and buy what they wanted – which I’ve seen someone refer to as “Supermarket Sweep for nerds”!
Let the gaming begin!
The two games I was involved in were Dragonbane – Riddermound, and Neon City Overdrive. I was glad Girdy was with me for the first game, and I had a good time despite my character, Bastonn Bloodjaw, having the absolute shittiest day.
Okay, he got in a couple of decent hits, but apart from that he was getting slaughtered! I quickly relaxed in the gamer atmosphere, as everyone seemed friendly, open and there to have fun. The gamer community is generally incredibly welcoming, and that’s the exact vibe I got from TTS.
When it came time to join Neon City: Overdrive on Saturday, I was feeling very happy and confident to be there with strangers, and I had a great time. It was a very fast-paced, cyberpunk-style TTRPG with a real emphasis on story and action.
For this one, I got used to the rules really fast (they’re pretty intuitive) and had a lot of fun with my character, Minerva Mischief. It also helped that I was able to choose pretty much any weapons I wanted, so I chose really high-tech gear that served me well. But I’ll review this game separately!
Sitting through a seminar
Myself and Girdy decided to attended a seminar on Fantasy & Folklore, and its use in TTRPGs. It was an interesting discussion to listen in on, with a fairly soft start, before going into some heavier subjects such as cultural appropriation.
Girdy asked a couple of questions, the answers of which were kind of skirted around a bit, but one thing that came from it was Adam Blackwell’s hot take when he suggested that “cultural appropriation might not be the watchword for caution and refusal that it often is” (Girdy’s words).
This less than satisfactory answer, the can of worms we were hovering over, and the whole experience in general, prompted Girdy to write his own blog about this, which you can read here:
Overall, it was a thought-provoking seminar that made me ponder on what’s acceptable, what isn’t, and whether we’re all just kind of feeling around in the dark a bit here.
However, just personally, I think I’ll either go for all three days (schedule allowing) or skip the seminars next year – at least whilst I’m wearing my media hat.
Overall
I had a fabulous time at Tabletop Scotland, and felt like I achieved everything I set out to do. I experienced a new thing, I networked and got plenty to write about, I played some games, I bought some dice, and I spent time with friends.
I still feel that the gaming community is an incredibly welcoming place, and my experience this weekend has only reinforced that feeling. As a newbie, I didn’t need to be nervous about not knowing how demos work, asking stupid questions to stallholders, or annoying people with my inexperience at the gaming table.
If I didn’t know something, people were all too happy to help and made sure I understood how a thing worked. And that meant I didn’t once feel awkward, and just had a lot of fun. Now, I can look forward, and start planning, for next year!
Did you go to Tabletop Scotland this year? What was your experience, and how does it differ to mine? I’d love to hear from you.
