Play NYC: An Inherent Problem With Conventions

There’s an inherent problem with artistic conventions. As a concept, they are a great idea. They allow an opportunity for like-minded people to gather and discuss their business and passions. It’s also an opportunity for fans of that passion to interact with the people who create it. But the act of creation is different than the act of demonstration. It’s the social side of sharing their work that a lot of creators get hung up on. It’s not enough to make a thing. One also has to be able to sell it, and great creatives aren’t always great salespeople, which is on full display during any sort of convention.

A video game convention highlights this problem more than most. When it comes to a comic convention, shy creators who aren’t that good at social interactions can often hide behind their books. It’s as easy as handing someone a book they might like and having them read it. A video game creator can do something similar with a controller. They can simply hand it over and ask someone to play. But video games are complicated. Reading a book is so much easier. Games can crash, characters can get stuck, and players can struggle with the controls. There is a certain amount of engagement that needs to happen in order for the interaction to be a successful one.

Play NYC brought this into focus for me. There were many games that I played where I felt detached from the game’s creator. They would either not have the skills to properly communicate what their creation was about or not have the sales expertise to being open, warm, and receptive to their intended audience. This doesn’t necessarily mean they were trying to make a sale, but, rather, they lacked the social charisma to put their work on full display. It’s a shame because a lot of them are quite good at what they do. It was evident that they were passionate about their creations and wanted to share them with the world. After all, why else would they be there? I guess it’s just one of those disappointing and regretful aspects of the industry that some of the hardest working creatives are ill-equipped to present their own work.