THE LOOP — A former firefighter and a one-time dolphin trainer at Shedd Aquarium are teaming up for something completely different: a new Downtown gamer convention.
ValorCon, featuring scores of computer, video, live-action and tabletop games, will run Oct. 16-18 on the third floor of the Block 37 mall, 108 N. State St.
The new convention is two years in the making by Thomas Glen and Timothy Sauerman, two Chicago natives who feel the city lacks a true, large-scale gamer convention. Sauerman, a former Chicago firefighter, and Glen, a former dolphin trainer, hope ValorCon's wide array of activities will bring together gamers of all stripes.
"Gaming is evolving past the image that it garnered in the '90s and early 2000s as being a little bit of a boys club," Glen said.
ValorCon's floor plan at Block 37. [ValorCon]
The convention will feature casual and competitive games, with options including Super Smash Bros., Minecraft, and Magic: The Gathering. ValorCon will also allow guests to play Artemis, a live-action "starship" bridge simulator akin to "Star Trek," and "Dark Tower," the first-ever electronic board game that was discontinued over litigation.
There will be individual game tournaments with prizes, and, like in Harry Potter, guests can also sign up for one of four "houses" competing for an overall "House Cup."
The games will begin at 5 p.m., Oct. 16. A three-day pass is $55, and prices for individual day passes vary. Visit ValorCon's website for a full schedule of events.
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