“I Activate My Tide of Iron!”
(This was an article written for my magazine writing class, in the New Yorker’s Talk of the Town format. It went over very well, though I feel bad for casting gamers in a negative light once again.)
“Kill it! Kill it in the face!”
“I’m a bugbear! Didn’t you notice? It’s what we do!”
“How many hit points did that goblin bring you down to?”
These statements and more filled the main convention hall of the Hyatt Regency Crystal City on Saturday, March 1st. Hundreds of people assembled there for one reason: to play Dungeons & Dragons.
The convention, called the D&D Experience, summons players from all over the world every year. This year was special, however. The corporate caretakers of D&D announced that June would bring major changes to how the game is played. The convention would be the first chance for the public to try out the new rules, and decide for themselves if it’s worth upgrading (and paying $35 and up to purchase new materials) or stick with the old version they already own.
