GGE 2012 Complete Coverage

Pics
Dr Macro/Mottzilla Pics:

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Main Stage/Player meetings

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On going tournaments

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Group Pics

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Other Pics

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Videos
Time lapse of the GGE being set up

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Dr. Macro and Mottzilla

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Game systems walk around!!

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Interviews

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Coming fresh off the weekend and what was the Grassroots Gaming Expo 2012, I thought it would be appropriate to write up my interpretations of the weekend. This was actually my first LAN event outside of a gathering at a friend’s house, I’ve done many of those, but finally this weekend got the opportunity to sink my teeth into a real event! If you’re not familiar with the Grassroots Gaming Expo, this was actually the second year it has been in existence. The GGE is a collaboration of classic, modern, mobile, arcade games, independent movies, table games, and more; coming together for a weekend of non-stop fun and entertainment.

The GGE takes place in Ottumwa, IA which amazingly enough is known as the Video Game capital of the World. The city garnered that name by being home to Twin Galaxies, which is the organization that tracks video game world records. Twin Galaxies was founded by a man named Walter Day who I had the brief privilege of meeting at the event. Twin Galaxies became known as the official gaming scorekeeper during the 1980’s and even hosted the first North American Video Olympics in the fall of 1982. Today, the Guinness World Records considers Twin Galaxies to be the official supplier of verified world records to the annual volume. I had heard a lot of negativity prior to my trip to Ottumwa, and was nervous for what was in store. Not too surprisingly however, I found Ottumwa to be no different than any other town in Midwestern USA. Sure there a boarded up shops downtown that have been put out of business by todays big-chain mega stores; but show me one town that hasn’t and I’ll show you a hundred that have. There was no shortage of hospitality, as I met two of the most genuine and down to earth people in any of my recent travels; Liz and Josh Bollinger, the founders of the Grassroots Gaming Expo.

They started the Grassroots Expo as something to give back to the community. The Bollinger’s seem to be dedicated to preserving the community, as well as promoting charities such as Childs Play in the process. They aren’t just community organizers however; Liz who is known in the gaming community as Kitty McScratch, actually holds over 100 records, many of which are in dance games such as Dance Central 2. Her most recent attempt was for longest motion gaming marathon, playing a motion based dance game for something like 18 hours straight, quite an accomplishment I must say.

One of the great things about the event was the variety of things for you to do. Upon entering you had vendors selling classic games, stickers, and other various goodies. On the opposite side was a fantastic tournament set up put on by the guys at Midwest Electronic Gaming. Including a couple of rows of t.v.s with Xbox360s, several rows of tables for PCs, a stage with a projector display behind it, and more neon lights then you could shake a stick at. But where the event really draws its character from is just beyond that; several rows of classic consoles and arcade machines. I consider myself to be somewhat knowledgeable in the classics, but even I was blown away when I saw systems such as Odyssey, Vectrex, Bally, Intellivision, Commodore, and more. The best part was that these systems were all hooked up to tvs ready and waiting for you to play. I actually spent a very large amount of time playing Keith Courage for Turbo Grafx. Keith Courage was not the most enjoyable game, but I can officially say I have played a TuboGrafx, and that right there made my weekend.

The event was something I will never forget. The ridiculous amount of time that I spent gaming over the weekend, the astonishing amount of great people I met within the community, and the amazing dedication to a family friendly environment for people of all ages to enjoy. The Grassroots Gaming Expo deserves every amount of recognition it gets, and a whole lot more. When the event schedule goes up for next year, forget the naysayers about the city of Ottumwa, forget how far it is to drive, and whether or not it will fit into your busy schedule. But make it a point to take a trip down memory lane, and enjoy one of the most unforgettable weekends that you can have right here in the Midwest, at the Grassroots Gaming Expo 2013.

-Dr. Macro

Iowa Gamers Online