Convention attracts game enthusiasts Rick Dixon and Andrew Malone, Conference coordinators, woric the registration table at the gaming convention. By JOHN LAPOINT The Greensboro Science Fiction Fantasy Federation, a student organization with 75 members at UNC~ Greensboro, held Hexacon, its annual gaming convention on Nov. 22-24, 1996, in the Bryan School of Business Building. m Games at the convention included Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (AD&D), Shadowrun, RoboRally, Laser Challenge, Star Wars Live~Action, and the popular card game. Magic: The Gathering. The cafeteria area was reserved for card games such as Magic. i/ti/X. ' * The Role-Playing Same Association (RPGA), a group for players of games produced by the TSR company, had AD&D games for club members only. The most popular game by far was Laser Challenge, which ran in 20-minute sessions throughout the entire convention. Similar to the older game, Laser Tag, players wore targets around their necks and carried Laser Pistols that shot invisible light waves, setting off the targets. Divided into teams of 2 or 3, players ran through the halls of the building, trying to shoot each other enough times to take players out of the game. By far the most fun game was the Star Wars Live-Action game run by Kevin Tredway, UNC-G s tudent. It was very much like pretending to be Luke Skywalker or Han Solo the way kids do, only with rules to handle combat. The game was set in a time period on a space station. The players were divided into one of 4 teams; Rebels, Imperials, Mining Guild, and Black Market, all of whom were vying for control of the station. Costumes and props, such as toy blaster rifles, added to the effect. Players acted out what their characters would do and interacted with other players' characters. Combat was resolved by drawing cards from a deck. The person drawing the highest card won. A computer game room was set up so that convention attendees could test the new Quake game, similar to the popular computer game Doom. In the Dealers* Room, participants could purchase T-shirts and Magic cards. Also in the Dealers' Room was a table for the fantasy-science fiction fan club. Interstellar Beinghood of Aliens (IBOA), which held a meeting at Hexacon. Discussed at the meeting were plans to march in the Greensboro Christmas parade dressed as aliens from Star Trek, the new Star Trek movie, and up coming parties and conventions. Part of the fun of the convention was not only playing the games, but also meeting people with similar interests to discuss previous game experiences. A similar convention, Stellarcon, is being held at the Holiday Inn in Greensboro in March. Students interested in gaming or science fiction should contact the Science Fiction Fantasy Federation at UNC-Greensboro, 910-334-3159. l^aCarico's ItaCian Cuisine "QoCc[s6oro's LittCe ItaCy" Serving since 1951 ^PftiHy Cheesesteaks, cHicl^n & vea[parmigiana, and more 100 Center Street (Donmtozim QoCdsSoro f1 731-4040 Conference participants play Star Wars Live Action game at Hexacon '96. PHOTO: JOHN LAPOINT I - A' ^ ^ i ^ Come Get kf Mnae: SrM{«nft|JP HOBBIE QUEST 112P. S. Berkeley Blvd. Adamsville Plaza 751-2992 ^