Ropecon

{{Short description|Role-playing convention held annually in Finland}}

{{Multiple issues|

{{notability|Events|date=April 2016}}

{{primary sources|date=June 2013}}

}}

{{Infobox Convention

| name = Ropecon

| image = 230px

| caption = Gamers playing Artemis at Ropecon 2014

| status = Active

| genre = Gaming

| venue = Messukeskus Helsinki

| location = Helsinki

| country = Finland

| first = 1994

| last =

| organizer = Ropecon Society

| filing =

| attendance = 3,900

| website = http://www.ropecon.fi/

}}

Ropecon ({{IPA|fi|ˈropekon}}) is a role-playing convention held annually in Finland. The convention is one of the largest non-commercial annual events of its kind, having reached a record of "over 5900" attendees in 2022.{{in lang|fi}} {{cite web|title=Ropecon Twitter|url=https://twitter.com/ropecon/status/1553776335696412678|accessdate=1 August 2022}} The current venue is the Messukeskus Helsinki convention centre in Helsinki, the capital city of Finland.

Ropecon hosts a wide variety of different types of games, including role-playing games, live action role-playing games, collectible card games, miniature wargames and strategy games. The event also has a range of lectures, panel discussions and other presentations covering different aspects of gaming. Past guests of honor have included several prominent game designers, such as Steve Jackson.

Ropecon is organised by the Ropecon Society, a joint venture of several Finnish role-playing associations. The practical arrangements are made by the unpaid members of an organising committee and hundreds of voluntary workers at the convention. Any profits are used to support various other role-playing activities.

The name "Ropecon" comes from the Finnish language word "roolipeli", meaning role-playing game, but is also a nod to the English language word "rope", a vital piece of equipment in classic dungeon crawl role-playing games.

The Finnish culture ministry supported Ropecon in 2013 with funding.{{Cite web|url=http://yle.fi/uutiset/opera_nabs_biggest_share_of_festival_funding/6585099|title = Opera nabs biggest share of festival funding|date = 18 April 2013}}

The 2020 and 2021 conventions were turned into online events because of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.{{in lang|fi}} [https://2021.ropecon.fi/ropecon/ajankohtaista Ajankohtaista koronasta | Ropecon 2021]/

List of Ropecons

class="wikitable"
Year || Venue || Guests of honour
2023Messukeskus HelsinkiRoman Lappat, Shut up & Sit Down Podcast
2022Messukeskus HelsinkiAvery Alder, Vlaada Chvátil
2021Online
2020Online
2019Messukeskus HelsinkiLynne Hardy, Jon Hodgson
2018Messukeskus HelsinkiAlex Roberts
2017Messukeskus HelsinkiMonica Valentinelli, Anna Westerling
2016Messukeskus HelsinkiClaus Raasted, Ross Watson
2015Dipoli, EspooMichelle Nephew, Jason Morningstar
2014Dipoli, EspooLuke Crane, Jason Soles
2013DipoliKevin Wilson, D. Vincent Baker
2012DipoliPeter Adkison, Larson Kasper
2011DipoliFrank Mentzer, Erik Mona{{cite web|title=Ropecon 2011|url=http://www.ropecon.fi/pmwiki/index.php/2011/2011|publisher=Ropecon blog|accessdate=31 March 2011}}
2010DipoliKeith Baker, Friedemann Friese
2009DipoliL. Scott Johnson, Suzi Yee, Malik Hyltoft and Antti Malin
2008DipoliGreg Stolze, Chris Pramas and Peter S. Andreasen
2007DipoliRobin D. Laws, Emily Care Boss and Jakob Rune Nielsen
2006DipoliKenneth Hite, Bruno Faidutti, Olle Jonsson and Tobias Wrigstad
2005DipoliGreg Stafford, Bill Bridges and Claus Raasted
2004DipoliJohn Kovalic, Erick Wujcik and Emma Wieslander
2003DipoliJonathan Tweet, Ramon Laan and Martin Ericsson
2002DipoliJustin Achilli and Eirik Fatland
2001DipoliN. Robin Crossby and Tuomas Pirinen
2000DipoliSteve Jackson and Richard Dansky
1999DipoliMike Pondsmith and Rick Priestley
1998DipoliRay Greer and Mark Rosewater
1997Paasitorni, HelsinkiGreg Costikyan
1996PaasitorniTom Dowd and Andy Chambers
1995Messukeskus HelsinkiA joint event with Assembly demo party.Sandy Petersen
1994PaasitorniSteve Jackson

References

{{reflist}}