SaltCON-Summer 2023: Six RPGs, a Game Swap and Two Big Concerts

SaltCON-Summer 2023 packed six roleplaying games, a game swap and plenty of familiar faces into a weekend that also included concerts by Duran Duran and The Cure. The convention was smaller than the spring SaltCON, but the tighter space made it easy to browse between games—and gave me a chance to see how several very different RPG systems feel at the table.

A compact convention with good finds

SaltCON-Summer, run by the organizers of the March convention, used about half of the convention center. Board games filled the main gaming room, while RPG tables occupied part of that space and a separate room. The layout was generally easy to navigate, though a table sometimes moved without notice. I had to track down one session after a room change, but found it in time.

Dealers set up along the large hallways, where it was simple to see what was available. There were fewer vendors than at the spring event, but one dealer I’d seen at previous conventions had a physical copy of the Shackleton Expanse Campaign Guide for Star Trek Adventures. I’d hoped to find a print copy of The Discovery Campaign Guide, but it may not have reached vendors yet.

The game swap turned up a copy of The Dark Eye, a fantasy RPG with a strong following in Europe. It’s been appearing on my radar lately, and the price made a physical copy an easy choice. I may not get to play it, but I plan to use it for the 2024 Character Creation Challenge. I also picked up a SaltCON badge holder, since I can see myself returning as long as the convention stays at its current venue.

Six games, six different table experiences

My first session was Dune: Adventures in the Imperium. The GM came prepared with fan-made reference sheets for newer players. The Skills and Drives sheet was especially helpful for keeping the game’s main character traits at hand.

Dune uses Modiphius’s 2D20 system, with changes to fit its setting. I noticed familiar elements from Star Trek Adventures, along with differences in how each game handles its own fiction. Both lean toward cinematic play rather than tactical combat, which encouraged our group to plan and work together. I played the spymaster and got to put that character’s skills to use. After this session, I could picture myself joining a Dune campaign.

Weird Frontiers was another highlight. The group embraced its strange Western setting, where a demonic incursion into the 1800s left a world scarred by creatures for heroes to hunt. My gambler—roughly a thief in Dungeon Crawl Classics terms—carried a magical deck and a long-range rifle. After every shot, I drew a card from a standard deck; its value could help or hinder the attack. Aces and eights, an unlucky combination in Western stories, turned up at awkward moments. I’d like to read more of the setting, and using my special DCC dice was a nice bonus.

Battlestations blends a board game with roleplaying. Our GM set the adventure in a Star Trek setting, starting with the board game portion: assembled pieces represented two starships, while unusual movement and overheating equipment shaped our options. That opening stretch left me feeling like I was hanging on for the ride. Once we shifted into roleplaying, I was more engaged. The GM showed me where the book explains character creation, confirming that the RPG side was part of the system. I’m glad I tried it, though I don’t expect to return to it.

On Saturday, I played Twilight 2000, revisiting a Poland devastated by World War III. Our session focused on a hex crawl: avoiding ambushes, attacking enemy troops and dealing with villages trying to survive. The special dice felt clunky, and the rules could get crunchy. I enjoyed reading some of the setting material in the GM’s copy of the players manual, though I wondered whether I’d prefer to explore that world using another system.

Sunday’s planned Old School Essentials session fell through when the GM came down with con-crud. It was considerate of them not to risk spreading it, but I was disappointed to miss the game. The RPG coordinator offered a replacement session. We initially expected Scum and Villainy, but the coordinator didn’t have it with them, so we played Monster of the Week instead. Our Western scenario gave me a chance to make a character loosely inspired by Indiana Jones. The light rules suited a quick pickup game, and the group had a good time.

My final session was a Star Trek homebrew I’d been looking forward to. It paired a basic physical combat system with a social combat system, where characters could respond with different approaches—such as honesty, bluffing or force—and rolls could weaken an opponent’s standing. The game’s creator watched as a friend ran the session, so we asked for a few rule clarifications along the way. The creator is considering an IP-free version and may share the rules for feedback. I enjoyed the session and would be interested to see where the design goes.

I’m already looking ahead to SaltCON-End of Summer. My wife bought me a ticket as an early Father’s Day gift. The event’s website describes it as larger than the summer gathering but smaller than the spring convention, so it’ll be interesting to compare its size and feel with the other two.

Two concerts to close out the weekend

Duran Duran played Saturday, with Bastille and Neil Rogers and CHIC as opening acts. The mix spanned music from the 70s, 80s, 90s and today. I’d wanted to see Duran Duran for years, but their Las Vegas residency had been outside my ticket budget. Seeing them on a standard tour made the long wait worthwhile. I’d hoped for a song from Big Thing, one of the band’s first albums I bought, but the group had too many tracks to choose from. Hearing the whole arena sing “Rio” with the band was a terrific moment.

The Cure’s Sunday show gave me better seats and ran for more than three hours. The ticket and merchandise prices felt reasonable, and I brought home a T-shirt. It was late by the time I got home, but the set made the long night worthwhile.

SaltCON-Summer gave me a useful sampler of RPG styles, from cinematic teamwork in Dune to card-driven gunplay in Weird Frontiers and social conflict in a Star Trek homebrew. I’m curious to see how the next SaltCON compares—and what that homebrew becomes. You can discuss the weekend on the TardisCaptain dot Com Discord server, or email me at Carl (at) TardisCaptain.com.