More than a fan service: Role Play Convention (RPC) 2017 in Cologne

What once began as one of many role-play conventions has now become one of the highlights of the year for many role players and fantasy fans: the Role Play Convention (RPC) in the cathedral city of Cologne. In 2017, the organizers of the event again invited prominent guests from film, television, literature and cosplay to the Koelnmesse exhibition halls in order to provide RPG fans with the setting for a huge community get-together.

From the village convention to the trade fair highlight

The success of events can be regularly read from the number of visitors. And at least they should have developed extremely positively in recent years, because the Cologne exhibition halls will once again become a catwalk for role players, cosplayers and fans of classic and modern fantasy in 2017. On May 27 and 28, 2017 the gates of the Cologne Fairto welcome fans from all over the world. The number of visitors is not really clear. Nevertheless, the entry statistics, which are mostly based on estimates, suggest that the event will be well received by fans. Of course, real role-players always appear in hordes, usually well disguised and equipped with more or less terrifying foam weapons.

The Role Play Convention is now taking place for the eleventh time, the ninth time in Cologne. The two premiere years, on the other hand, were celebrated in Münster. The number of around 300 exhibitors (as of 2014) shows that the RPC is anything but a niche event. Sponsors and publishers have long since discovered the Cologne role-playing and fantasy fair as an advertising platform for themselves and attract fans to their stands with tailor-made hands-on offers. In contrast to Gamescom, the RPC is a pure public and sales fair - you won't find a business area. Nevertheless, the Role Play Convention can definitely be described as the “little sister of Gamescom”, because the fan service is on a similar level - albeit on a noticeably smaller scale.

Cosplay: indispensable for the atmosphere

Brave heroes as well as terrifying monsters are part of a successful role-playing game setting. Colorful costumes therefore decide the success or failure of any convention. Ultimately, it is thanks to the committed cosplayers that the Role Play Convention in Cologne has become exactly the event that fans can experience on the last weekend in May 2017. Among the highlights for fans are certainly the appearances of the Startrooper Germany, a cosplay club with more than 150 members nationwide. Dressed up as storm troopers, comic heroes, Trekkie or characters from the Harry Potter universe, the members of the Startrooper serve pretty much every genre that the role-playing world has to offer.

The cosplayers therefore like to pose in front of the camera for fans and visitors. Because just showing off becomes boring in the long run, cosplayers who are particularly fond of detail can compete in a contest that will take place on Saturday, May 27, 2017 at 14 p.m. on the main stage. In addition to prizes in kind, the organizers are giving away 1.000 euros as the main prize. On the other hand, it is extremely unlikely that a fan dressed in sheets and with a hastily carved wooden sword has a chance of winning against the strong competition. In fact, good cosplayers are little stars in their industry - and there are a few of them on display at the RPC.

It can be played

Good games against always. And so it is not surprising that numerous providers from the video game sector as well as board games and tabletops vie for the favor of customers at the Role Play Convention. From the board game industry, major publishers such as Pegasus Spiel or Asmodee are present, offering fans of analog entertainment the right range of games. Ambitious board players, on the other hand, take part in one of the tournament events, for example to Krosmaster*.

Exhibitors at the gaming stations invite you to play games on the keyboard and mouse or on the joypad, which also features the new strategy game Dawn of War 3* can be played by Sega Europe.

The selection of exhibition content at the Role Play Convention is large and ranges from PC and video games to comics to pen & paper or live action role playing (LARP).

Assuming good weather conditions, the outdoor area should also become a meeting point for fans, cosplayers and LARPers. The outdoor area, designed as a medieval market, attracts with sales stalls, various action areas and a stage on which musicians present their vocal powers. With medieval music and a pitcher of mead in hand, even the most terrifying orc becomes a tap dancer.

Fantasy literature: orcs are not opponents of education!

It is precisely those green-skinned characters who prove that role playing and literature are not mutually exclusive. The same applies to role-players and fantasy fans: If you want to dive deep into the subject, there is no avoiding the right literary offerings. Not because every game comes with detailed instructions, but because storytelling is essential to the RPG sector.

So it is not surprising that not only illustrators but also book authors find their way to the Role Play Convention 2017. At the author's tables, visitors can meet their idols or listen to their stories at various reading events.

Tickets are available on site or on the Internet

The time will come in around a week. The gates to the fantasy worlds of the Role Play Convention 2017 will open for visitors on Saturday, May 27, 2017 at 10 a.m. Fans then have time to pursue their favorite hobby until the following day (18 p.m.). Tickets can be purchased on site at the box office for 15,50 euros or purchased in advance on the Internet. The advance booking price is 12 euros. The day tickets each include the travel costs for local public transport. The organizers point out that the tickets are available in a separate e-mail and must be printed out separately from the admission tickets. The guidelines for costume design should also not be left unmentioned at this point. In particular, the carrying of fake weapons is subject to controls, whereby foam weapons are generally considered to be unproblematic.

Fans can find detailed information on the costume design rules if interested >>> here <<<.