SEQUIM — A small group of gamers looks to bring fans of all ages across the North Olympic Peninsula together for a new gaming experience this August.
OPTTACON, short for Olympic Peninsula Tabletop Association’s Convention, is the idea that grew from Jeff Tingelstad and Travis Britten as an all-inclusive gaming experience set for Friday through Sunday, Aug. 3-5, at the Guy Cole Event Center in Carrie Blake Community Park, 202 N. Blake Ave..
It’s the first of what Tingelstad, a real estate agent at JACE Real Estate in Sequim, hopes becomes an annual event bringing tabletop game fans together to play, encounter and share games, and connect with the gaming community.
Tingelstad launched a Kickstarter campaign online and exceeded his $1,009 goal to cover costs and purchase games for prizes. The online campaign ends at 11:12 a.m. this Sunday.
Some of the advance ticket options include a one-day pass Aug. 4 or Aug. 5 that costs $11, or $17 for a two-day pass with various other packages available for families and an exclusive Friday night session with pizza.
Tickets will go live on the association’s website http://opttacon.org/ and be available at the event’s doors, too.
“I think the trend for board games is growing and we’re seeing conventions growing for them,” he said.
“Games are for everyone.”
Tingelstad said when most people think of board games, they think of Monopoly or Risk, but with Kickstarter and the Internet, “We’re in a real Golden Age for gaming.”
“A lot of new games have higher quality components and are more developed,” he said. “Some have sold millions of dollars in inventory.”
Tingelstad said they’ve sold about 40 tickets and he hopes for at least 100 people to attend the convention.
The convention will feature a large selection of games in its free-to-play library, play-to-win section along with vendors, and games being led by volunteers to teach newcomers.
“Games range from short, 10-minute card games to really involved two-three hour board games,” Tingelstad said.
Major game companies have donated games for the event’s play-to-win section, too, he said.
OPTTACON’s Kickstarter campaign says organizers also are considering a board game auction, board game exchange and a cosplay contest.
As a sampler to the convention, a gaming group, Meeples of Sequim, hosts opening gaming at 6 p.m. Wednesdays at the Sequim Library, 630 N. Sequim Ave.
Organizers are continuing to advertise the event locally including through its prime sponsor AnimeKat and online.
They’ll also appear at Raincon, a pop culture event, June 15-17 in the Rainforest Arts Center in Forks to promote OPTTACON.
For more information on the event, visit http://optta con.org or https://www.kick starter.com/projects /2110566857/opttacon-2018.
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Matthew Nash is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach him at mnash@sequimgazette.com.
