Small Civilizations

Almost a year in the planning, the first official convention of the Civilization community Apolyton.net was held in Timonium, Maryland on the weekend of July 7-8, 2006. Attendees came from as far away as Greece and the Netherlands and as close as Baltimore. But not as many as had been hoped.
“I’m a little disappointed in the turnout,” lead organizer Dan Quick admitted as he surveyed the room of about 20 diehard Civilization fans. He chalked up the low registration levels to last-minute uncertainty over the cost and location, uncertainty that almost scuttled the entire convention. But, in spite of the numbers, he considered the convention an acorn from which a larger and more regular convention could grow.
Those who did come had the privilege of rubbing shoulders with designers and producers from Firaxis and Big Huge Games. “You can’t cater to the hardcore audience when you design your game,” said Barry Caudill of Firaxis Games. “These guys are your evangelists. It’s a privilege to give a weekend to these guys.”
Besides getting the chance to meet Brian Reynolds and Sid Meier, Apolyton’s members played Rise of Legends and Civilization IV against one another and members of the design teams in the comfort of the corporate offices. Civ IV designer Soren Johnson’s early elimination from his own game’s tournament caused some comment, but was testimony to the skill of the true fanatic.
The official convention program included autograph and Q&A sessions with Reynolds, Meier, and Johnson, formal presentations from developers and scenario designers, and Apolyton-led presentations on FreeCiv and the Diplomacy variant of Civ IV multiplayer.
The small number of registrants meant that each and every attendee had a chance to get up close and personal, making this gaming con much more intimate than most based on best-selling games. And the industry pros involved seemed equally pleased by the familiarity of the event. “I’m always amazed by the enthusiasm surrounding Civ,” said Meier. “These are the people you make the games for. Without them, my job wouldn’t be possible.”

This article originally appeared in Computer Games Magazine #190