Month: February 2023

Current Convention Situation

I have some news on next year. It is not good news though.

The convention center will not let us book the convention center this far out. We will have to wait four months to properly book the center for next February.

I am looking at other places we could book, but they are all smaller. It would mean having to drop some things (panels, fighting demos) depending on what we are allowed to do and the space. Also we would not be able to add much new stuff to the convention.

I want to book February 10, 2024. Do I hold off and just book the Convention Center when I can and hope that date is open or just book another location.

What does everyone think. What would you like to go with: bigger space but unsure date or sure date but less space.

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Thank You

It has been a few days since the convention and I finally have gotten everything sorted out so now I can thank you all for coming. Thank you for making it a success. Thank you for having fun when I was too stressed out to have any of my own.

The con was not all I wanted it to be, but that did not seem to matter to anyone but me.

Now for some house keeping.

There was 245 paid attendees and all the vendors, guests, staff, and events runners.

We raised $1056 for the AFSP from the auction and raffle. Which I think is amazing.

Someone left a beige jacket tat the convention. Let me know if you think it is yours’s.

I want to make sure Third Floor Comics and WV Pop Con get a mention here since they were only unable to show up at the last minute but helped us out.

I want to know what you all think and learn to be better. Share your thoughts please. Send any complaints, feedback, or suggestions to Admin@DualCon.net

I have some people I want to give special thanks to. I am not very good at expressing myself at writing, too many thoughts in my head trying to get out at once, but I will try.

Special Thanks To:

Outer Rim, Anthony, Horror of Babylon, and Final Boss Con for being early and frequent supporters of me and the convention.

To all who helped spread the word of the event.

To all who ran games, sat on panels, and anything else to make the convention more interesting to be at.

Kat, Mossy, Paige, and those that stepped in whose names I do not know for handling the Cosplay Contest for me. I know you had to

Aaron for coming out and watching over the video games for me. You put in dedication to watching over everything. A true friend.

Jeramiah and Jessica for all your help in setting up and directing everyone.

My family who came out to help me, even if I was not the best at showing my appreciation or giving you directions: my mother, father, step-mother, my aunts (one paternal, one maternal), cousin, sister in law, and basically my second mother.

I hope you all will join in next year as well.

And the Adventure Continues

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Vendors and More

In case you have not seen the list of vendors we have.

The Variegated Velociraptor: handmade dice maker

Valiant’s Portal: New sibling run business. They sell a mix of gaming supplies and decorative items. Custom dice and dice boxes, card deck boxes, gaming related key chains and dice trays. They also build custom D&D terrain and display shelves. Most of what they build is gaming or cryptid themed.

Special Beam Designs: Custom Anime & Nerdy resin coasters

Mike’s Mini Figs: Seller of custom Lego minifigures

Dragon’s Den: game and comic store in Beckley with Warhammer, Magic, YuGiOh, Pokemon, Flesh & Blood and more

Resonant Media Arts: MD Boncher is an indie author of the Viking fantasy series “Akiniwazisaga” and the new pulp serial “Tales of the Dream Nebula”. A sci-fi series pitched as “Smokey and the Bandit meets Flash Gordon meets the Matrix meets Talespin.”

Forever Nerdy: homemade Crocheted Action Figures and Little Furries sensory toys which are stuffed animals with Squish balls inside them, as well as shoulder friends.

Two Tinkers: Contemporary Fine Art Gallery and unique gifts, handmade jewelry design and vintage items

Ramsey Creative Emporium: sell tumblers, shirts, keychains, resin, clay, sublimation, vinyl unique items.

Third Floor Comics: Your one stop for comics, toys, figures, cards, records, and games. In Nitro

Frontier Fiber Internet: come by for free premium giveaways and address checks for Fiber availability at your home or business

Yojimbu Inc: sell Manga, Plushies, Dice, Figure, TCG Cards, Decals, Stickers, Pokemon, Magnets, Clothing, Board Games, Decals, Gundam, Models, and Pins

Over in the “Writer’s Corner” of the hall.

Author Shelly Jarvis

Artist Huntress Studios

Henlo Press: an “artists first” independent publishing company focused on cultivating and encouraging creativity.

Joining Katwoman Cosplay to judge the Cosplay Contest

Mossly Kenzie

Sparkletime Store

Attending Conventions

Tsubasacon

CharCon

WyvaCon

Final Boss Con

Beckley Gaming Expo

Causeacon

Pikeville Comic & Toy Convention

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DualCon Map

W1Shelly Jarvis BooksN1TsubasaconN17Fyre GamesSVariegated Velociraptor
W2Huntress StudiosN2CharConN18Mon River GamesS2Valiant’s Portal
W3Horror of BabylonN3WyvaconN19Lasso GamesS3Special Beam Designs
W4Rand Geek Culture WVN4Final Boss ConN20Henlo PressS4Mike’s Mini Figs
W5Kanawha Valley Astronomical SocietyN5Bryan LarchN21Terry BartletS5Dragon’s Den
W6Outer RimN6Noble QuestsN22JD ByrneS6Resonant Media Arts
W7Imperial LegionN7Lesser Earth GamesN23John RussoS7Forever Nerdy
W8Barony of Black StoneN8Oh CrapN24Gary VincentS8Pikeville Comic Con
W9Katwoman CosplayN9Pithy ProductionsS9Two Tinkers
W10Mossly KenzieN10Arthos WorldS10Ramsey Creative Emporium
W11Sparkletime StoreN11Lonely Hero GamesS11Third Floor Comics
N12Blue FalconS12CauseaCon
E1American Foundation for Suicide PreventionN13Charlie West PinballS13Beckly Game Expo
E2Charity RaffleN14USS MountaineerS14Frontier Fiber
E3Life SizeN15Board Game HouseS15Yojimbu Inc
FiguresN16Derek Croston
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Charity Raffle

In addition to the Charity Auction we are going to have a Charity Raffle for some items as well. This is a way to raise some more money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention WV Chapter.

We will have autographed pictures from Luci Cristian, Austin Tindle, Tia Ballard, Marty Grabstein, plus some overnight hotel and restaurant gift certificates. Plus we have games and graphic novels from the Board Room in South Charleston and Hurricane.

We have the items on display at the front near the entrance. You can buy tickets there for $1 each. Write your info on one of the tickets, tear them apart, place one in a box for the item you want to try and win, keep the other ticket.

We will start pulling winners after the Auction at 5pm. We will have winners ready after the Cosplay Contest at 6pm.

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Eating at DualCon

I want to share some information about grabbing a bite to eat during the convention. Now the convention center does not allow outside food, but there are some options.

The convention center will have their concessions stand open from 11am to 3pm for snacks and drinks. Are vendors Yojimbu Inc will be selling Japanese snacks as well.

The Town Center Mall next door has a food court with some options. There is also a Shoney’s with in walking distance

Charleston has several unique and tasty restaurants around town to check out as well.

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Play to Win Games

Blue Falcon Board Gaming will be running some Play to Win Games for DualCon.

The rules to enter are simple. Checkout the game from the game library at Blue Falcon’s booth. Play the game, return the game. Get listed in a drawing to win the game. Enjoy.

You start checking out games at the start of the day till 6pm. All games are due back from playing at 7pm. The raffle drawings for each game will be at 7:30pm.

Games are Gloom and Murder of Crows donated by Atlas Games; Berried Treasure and Battle of Legends Volume Two donated by Restoration Games; Orc, Orcs, Orcs donated by an attendee; and finally Burst My Bubble donated by Day Dream Games in Princeton from the creator of the game who could not make it to the con.

If you do not win any of the games, we will have a second chance drawing to win one of three Sandbox Adventures modules from Headless Hydra Press for 5E.

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Guest Streamer MystiqueSiren

MystiqueSiren is a full-time streamer of Wonderlands and Borderlands 3 with some variety sprinkled in. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands Creator Team Member and 2K Nextmaker! She loves looters, shooters, hack ‘n slash, and adventure games!

She will be a the Henlo Press table for all the meet. Along with several panels.

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Parking at DualCon

Wanted to let everyone about where they can park for the convention. Parking at the convention center is $5 and with Disney On Ice there I have a feeling it will get crowded. There is also parking at the Town Center Mall across the street for $2. I have also seen people being able to park at Shriner’s next to the convention for $5, but I do not know how they work or are open.

The Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department has some info on other places to park in Charleston. Just might want to figure out how far from the convention center it is though.

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Update: Panels At DualCon

There will be various roundtables with our guests sharing their knowledge and experience. Plus some talk on mental health for those who deal with their own problems or those who know people who do. All panels are one hour with 30 minute gaps in between. Panels rooms are in the West Hall 2 at the back of the hall. The ‘rooms’ are separated by a curtain so try not to disturb the other room.

Panel Room 1

RPG Creator Roundtable at 9:30am

by Pithy Productions, Arthos World, Bryan Larch, Noble Quests

Talk to creators of RPG systems, modules, and worlds. Hear how they created their works and brought them to market.

Board Game Creator Roundtable at 11am

by Lesser Earth Games, Richie Ray, Critically Absurd TV, Lonely Hero Games

Hear from the creators of various board games share how they created their game and got them published.

Video Game Creator Roundtable at 12:30pm

by Derek Croston, Fyre Games, Mon River Games, Lasso Games

Hear from the creators of various computer games share how they created their game and brought them out.

Podcast Roundtable at 2pm

by Random Geek Culture WV, Horror of Babylon, Too Opinionated, Board Game House

Hear from our Podcast Guests about how they run their shows

Streamers Roundtable at 6:30pm

by Horror of Babylon, JP Gotrokkits, MystiqueSiren

Talk to some streamers about how they stream, what they do on them, and how to do your own.

Character Development (Star Wars LARP) at 8pm

by the Imperial Legion

This panel will go over the basic foundations of building a character for a Star Wars LARP and how to be indepth and reasonable for roleplay

Dual or Duel: The Relationship between TTRPGs & Video Games at 9:30pm, for 90 minutes

by Olivia Serio

Board games and video games often feel like two sides of the same coin. Or the same side of two different coins. What are the strengths of each form and where do they overlap? How have these worlds been bridged in the past and how can they build each other up looking forward?

Panel Room 2

Local Fandom Clubs at 10am

by Outer Rim, Imperial Legion Barony of Blackstone, Garrison Corellia, USS Mountaineer

Talk to members of some local clubs and organizations based around various fandoms. Learn about finding, joining, participating, and starting your own.

Writers Roundtable at 11:30am

by John Russo, Gary Vincent, JD Byrne, Terry Bartlet, Henlo Press

Hear from some writers on how they come up with their stories, write out their work, and get their work published.

Cosplay and Mental Health at 1pm

by Katwoman Cosplay, Mossly Kenzie, Paige

Katwoman Cosplay and friends discuss mental health in the cosplay community and how to combat the bad sides of our thoughts.

Gaming and Mental Health at 2:30pm

by John Prentice, WV AFSP, MystiqueSiren

A round-table discussion on how gaming can help the mental health of players and learn what you can do to help your own.

Cosplay 101: From Creation to Content at 6pm

by Katwoman Cosplay

Cosplay 101 with guest Katwoman Cosplay on almost everything you need to start cosplaying!

The Horrror of Babylon LIVE | Uzumaki by Junji Ito at 7:30pm

by Horror of Babylon

Welcome to “The Horror of Babylon”, your favorite horror book club podcast. Join us as we delve into the depths of literature’s most warped minds. During this special LIVE episode, we will host a discussion of Junji Ito’s iconic manga, Uzumaki.

Talk to the Con Director at 9pm

by Nicholas Anderson

Talk directly the Convention Director Nicholas Anderson.

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