Luminyrkki 2016 report

Luminyrkki is a gamer's event in Pori, Finland. I was invited there as D-oom Products to check it out and sell my stuff at a booth. I am a conclave and event newbie, this was only third I've ever attended. First was Otamocon 2015 I had at my yard and house, second was Tracon Hitpoint which also was first Tracon focused on roleplaying games.

Even though Luminyrkki is gamer's event, it has almost nothing focusing on roleplaying games. That's where D-oom Products stepped in!

PREPARATIONS

Easy part was to print lots of material I have published. I already had print pod copies of titles like Temple Of Greed and Mead & Mayhem, so D-oom Products was well stocked.

One big thing, what I am so glad happened, was to get Finnish beginner friendly boxed sets of Myrsky Sankarit to the table! Big thanks to +Mike Pohjola and Finnish mainstream games and toys publisher Tactic. It was absolutely fantastic to get one bigger name to represent there.

As you already might know, the stuff I publish are adventures, zines, sourcebooks and things like that. I thought I need some core rules, as I was only seller carrying roleplaying games. Well, Myrskyn Sankarit was one of the best things that could happen being not only a boxed set including everything to start roleplaying, but also it is a Finnish product.

I ordered a bunch of Basic Fantasy 3rd edition books, but they didn't arrive before the event (they arrived two days later, bummer!). I wanted to have core OSR rules, easy to understand and versatile, but also inexpensive. Basic Fantasy would have been a perfect pick, but damned be living in Finland! Everything takes so long to arrive here! I sent +Chris Gonnerman message explaining that I'll order some Basic Fantasies to sell for above reasons, so he was informed. Now I got Basic Fantasies, and it am not sure how stupid and silly it would be sell them via my webstore. You know, because of Lulu and at cost price. Maybe I'll keep them until next event or con... Bummer.

I also ordered some dice sets (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20 and d%) but they haven't arrived as I write this. Luckily I had some bulk dice, but it would have been awesome to sell these rpg dice sets. Dice are something which always sell. People like dice, yo! Luckily these dice sets are an article I can and will sell at my webstore.

SETTING UP

The location, youth center, was very good, next to downtown. Easy to go to. Ground floor was for video games and basement was for board- and wargames. Basement was actually a disco so there was plenty of space. It was great, as all wargaming happened on a lowered dancefloor and sales tables were above it. People had to walk past us to get to the dancefloor, and I had a great view to where all the interesting action happened. At the same level where sales tables were, there were tables to play boardgames and whatnot.

This is my table. Not only rpg material and dice, theres also music cds, stickers (It's Wizard Time! because Finland needs gonzome), and caps.

D-oom and his neighbor, Sotakone. First time I met Sotakone at Tracon Hitpoint. They are awesome, and as we already knew each other, it was easy to talk with him. The best.

Sitting behind my booth and enjoying the view. Later a bus load of christian youths arrived to get some gaming on.

Only few steps forward from my booth this view opened. X-Wing and Warmachine/Horde were very popular games. And there also was Malifaux demo going on.

The two times I've seen Sotakone at events, they're always well stocked!

HOW DID IT GO?

In my opinion the event was extremely well organized. I enjoyed it a lot. I wanted to play something, but naturally most of the time I was tied behind my desk. In the picture above of Sotakone's table you can clearly see all the Malifaux stuff. And damn was I sold to it! Sotakone was really professional and enthusiastic explaining me the game and understanding what I want from a miniatures game at the moment. I went to see the demo a couple of times, but always I saw a customer at my table at those times, so I didn't have a change to observe the demo gaming. But I already knew, that is a game I want!

About sales, I am happy. I knew there will be all kinds of gamers, and they are there to focus on boardgames, wargames and (beat 'em up) videogames. I knew maybe there is not that much interest in roleplaying games, but my advantage was to be only company carrying roleplaying games stuff. I had a personal goal, and I beat it 150%! So I was more than happy! It wasn't great, but enough and more. I did set up a goal when beat I'd buy Malifaux Starter Set, but I didn't beat that goal. That goal was quite high as I wanted to carry some money back to home. I was only 60€ short from that goal! So close!

But you cannot attend a con or an event buying nothing, right? So I bought myself miniature paints starter set.

HOW MANY PARTICIPANTS?

200 who bought ticets + staff members and VIPs. There was also my Dungeon Master for a fifth edition D&D game we are about to start. He is not only a Dungeon Master, but also a rapper! I already knew him from Facebook (and one failed project, not his fault, though). Later I found out that this Facebook buddy was not only a musician but also a gamer. We had met over Skype, so Luminyrkki was a perfect place to meet face to face!

Jaakko "Kookko Jaskinen" Koskinen fount D&D Starter Set at swap meet. Inside the box is some sweet OSR from D-oom's table. And he's wearing OSR tag-cap he bought. Go Kookko yo!