Ropecon

Ropecon is both the largest Finnish roleplaying convention organized every summer since 1994 and the association behind it, Solmukohta and other stuff. With more that 3000 visitors each year, it's considered to be the largest non-commercial roleplaying convention in Europe. The three day convention is held in late July or early August. For long it was held in Dipoli conference center in Espoo, but has moved to Helsinki Expo and Convention Center from 2016. Ropecon offers different programs and activities covering the role-playing game field including, not only larp and tabletop, but also board games, miniatures and collectible card games. The program contains games, tournaments, lectures, panels and workshops. Entrance fee to the event is 28 €.

Brief History of the event

The first Ropecon was organized 1994 by Niko Mikkanen. Later on it was first organized by Aalto University roleplaying club ORC and then by Ropecon association. The first events were held in Paasitorni and Messukeskus. From 1998 to 2015 the event was held at conference center Dipoli and its vicinity located in Otaniemi, Espoo. Starting from 2016 it has been held at Helsinki Expo and Convention Center in Pasila, Helsinki.

Association

Behind the convention Ropecon, is the association Ropecon. Its purpose is to promote, build up and improve roleplaying, collectible card gaming, boardgaming and miniature gaming in Finland. Not only it organises the roleplaying convention Ropecon every summer, it has also organized Solmukohtas 2004, 2008 and 2012 and Arpacon conventions for beginners at 2009 and 2010.

The association uses the profit it gets from the events to support projects in the Finnish roleplaying scene. It has supported financially different kinds of roleplaying events, larps, conventions and gatherings, published one roleplaying book and two academic books about roleplaying and lends its walkie-talkies and other belongings to different kinds of roleplaying events for free.

Ropecon association has both other associations and individuals as members.

List of Ropecons

Guests of Honor

From the first event Ropecon has brought Guests of Honors to diversify the event. First larp-GoH was Eirik Fatland at 2002 and the most of the larp GoH:s have been from Nordic countries.

1994: Steve Jackson
1995: Sandy Petersen
1996: Tom Dowd & Andy Chambers
1997: Greg Costikyan
1998: Ray Greer ja Mark Rosewater
1999: Mike Pondsmith & Rick Priestley
2000: Steve Jackson & Richard Dansky
2001: N. Robin Crossby
2002: Justin Achilli & Eirik Fatland
2003: Jonathan Tweet, Ramon Laan & Martin Ericsson
2004: John Kovalic, Erick Wujcik & Eliot Wieslander
2005: Greg Stafford, Bill Bridges & Claus Raasted
2006: Kenneth Hite, Bruno Faidutti, Olle Jonsson & Tobias Wrigstad
2007: Robin D. Laws, Emily Care Boss & Jakob Rune Nielsen
2008: Chris Pramas, Greg Stolze & Peter Schønnemann Andreasen
2009: L. Scott Johnson, Suzi Yee, Malik Hyltoft & Antti Malin
2010: Keith Baker & Friedemann Friese
2011: Frank Mentzer & Erik Mona
2012: Peter Adkison & Larson Kasper
2013: D. Vincent Baker & Kevin Wilson

Kultainen lohikäärme

Kultainen Lohikäärme, Golden Dragon is the award given to lifetime achievements on the Finnish roleplaying field.

2003: Lauri and Jyrki Tudeer, brothers who came up with Fantasiapelit, our first and still largest roleplaying and gaming bookstore.
2004: Magus Laaksonen, the editor-in-chief of Magus roleplaying magazine.
2005: Ville "Burger" Vuorela, Finnish roleplaying game wright.
2006: Risto "Nordic" J. Hieta, columnist who write about roleplaying and computergaming on different magazines between 1985 and 1998.
2007: ELF Vesala, one of the main persons starting Finnish larping at early 1990:s.
2008: GNiko Mikkanen, the man who found Ropecon.
2009: Killeri Kivimaa, a prominent member of the Finnish roleplaying scene, main treasurer of Ropecon and SuoLi for more than a decade.
2010: Mike Pohjola, larpwright and roleplaying designer.
2011: Markus Montola and Jaakko Stenros, roleplaying academics who edited Nordic Larp.
2012: Toni Niittymäki and Markus Bremer, the founders of Lautapelit.fi (formerly known as Safe Haven), a prominent Finnish board game publisher, store and importer.