This is the first official event coverage for the blog, so I was looking forward to it for a good while. I haven’t been able to attend other local gaming-related events such as ESGS and Pinoy Gaming Festival, so I saw this as my chance at catching up. While I’m only able to publish a post about it already a week after the fact, I was able to put together a video tour of GameCon PH as coverage.
GameCon PH 2017 was a 3-day event focused on various aspects of gaming in the country. The first day hosted seminars for game developers and artists, and the next two days hosted an exhibit that showed off the best of the Filipino gaming scene. With that said, I put “Day 2” in as “Day 1” in the video. Yeah, I got confused, but perhaps it may be excused in this case.
Somehow, I was able to get free access for that Saturday (that’s full disclosure). That doesn’t really happen to me at all, so I have to thank RED Wizard Events for the hook-up.
My Experience in GameCon PH 2017
GameCon PH was the kind of convention I like as there was focus, unlike with ToyCon 2017 (which I’ll talk about next in a blog post or video). But then again, ToyCon has been going on for a long time now and they had the resources and guts to expand, while GameCon PH is still a fledgling event still looking to take off.
Here are some of the things I encountered in GameCon PH 2017, namely booths whose proprietors deserve more attention and/or made a significant impression.
SparkLab
- Featuring 3D printing, laser etching, etc.
- SparkLab has an 800-square-meter maker space in Diliman.
- Address: 118 Matahimik Street, Teacher’s Village, Quezon City
- Facebook Page
PhilRobotics
- Featured drones, animatronics, etc.
- Base for Day 2 RoboRumble competitors.
- Promotes local robotics.
- Facebook Page
Mind Museum
- Had a fruit piano.
- Address: J. Y. Campos Park, 3rd Ave, Taguig, Metro Manila
- Facebook Page
VR Philippines
- Had an HTC Vive demo.
- Also displayed an Asus ZenFone AR.
- Facebook Page
Game Developers Association of the Philippines
- Oculus Rift animation exhibit and demo.
- There was a livestream with green screen at the back, but I wasn’t able to get more information.
- Facebook Page
Game Ako
- Livestreamed a let’s play of Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy.
- Sold some old games on the cheap.
- Facebook Page
Ludus Distributors
- Sold Magic: The Gathering, Dice Masters, Marvel HeroClix, Warhammer 40,000, and so on.
- Facebook Page
The Dragonforge
- Sold a wide assortment of dice and tabletop games.
- Address: 317 Katipunan Ave, Quezon City
- Facebook Page
Gaming Library
- Wide assortment of tabletop games.
- Had a playing area where people could play tabletop games for free.
- The King of Tokyo games on stage were theirs too.
- Regularly hosts free playing areas in different events, including ToyCon.
- Recently hosted All aBOARD 2.0 in Greenbelt, which hopefully becomes a regular thing (again).
- Official Website
- Facebook Page
ATI Huion Tablets
- Cheaper alternative to Wacom graphic tablets.
- NOT mobile tablets. Those are different.
- Some artists say they’re pretty good.
- Facebook Page
Lego
- It’s just good old Lego. Is there more to say about it?
- Facebook Page
iAuxis Philippines
- Distributes the Remix Mini by Jide Tech.
- Certainly more powerful than my old Ouya.
- I might buy a Remix Mini if I have some spare cash and if I can’t find another use for my Ouya.
- Facebook Page
RetroGamerPH
- Sells retro games, consoles, and accessories.
- Located at Monumento, in Victory Central Mall.
- Facebook Page
Jellyfish Education Consultancy
- Sends interested parties to Japan for language studies.
- Program for students and prospects seeking full-time employment in Japan.
- Also offers Nihongo classes in the country.
- Had kendama toys to play with in the booth.
- Address: Philippine Stock Exchange Center East Tower, Unit 902A, Ortigas Center, Pasig City
- Facebook Page
Seizmore Fin
- First-person shooter made in Unreal Engine 4.
- Developed by 4 CSB students over 3 months.
- Shown in conventions since last year.
Garrison: Archangel
- Third-person competitive mech combat game.
- Being developed by Indigo Entertainment.
- Approved in Steam Greenlight (before Greenlight got axed).
- Now in alpha, available for free download in their Itch.io Page
- Facebook Page
Conquered
- Terraria-style game with real-time strategy elements.
- Developed by Lordd Lazaro.
- Now on early access in GameJolt.
- Facebook page
The Letter
- Not featured in the vlog, but I did see it there.
- Visual novel by Yangyang Mobile.
- Now available on Steam.
- Facebook page
Ragnarok Online
- The game that made me flunk my freshman year in college, even before it began.
- Shut down by Level Up Games back in March 2015.
- Acquired and reopened by Electronics Extreme.
- Official Website
- Facebook Page
Other Comments
With all things considered, I learned a lot from making the GameCon PH 2017 vlog and actually finishing it. There have been past attempts at event vlogs, but I’d be out of my depth and usually enter the “self-loathing” stage that results in me quitting on projects midway. However, with this one, I had a breakthrough and figured out the basic system for producing the kind of event coverage I wanted.
I didn’t want to make montages or run-in-the-mill vlogs with noisy background audio, but tours that took viewers through events like they’re still happening. I also wanted to promote the people behind the booths and talk about what they have to offer, as well as poke fun at stuff for kicks. I wanted it both serious and lighthearted at the same time, and balancing that is what I think would make for a complete experience.
With this vlog, I can put most of my event coverage woes to bed. This and that ring announcing gig in Manila Wrestling Federation helped me overcome a bit of my social anxiety when it comes to whipping out a video camera and talking over it.
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