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Hello, I have a couple of questions for you, but first let me give you just a touch of background. My buddies and I re-entered (some for the first time) the hobby several years ago. We don't get to play a ton, but would like to try to plan a trip to a tournament this year. We would probably NOT play, just walk around and experience a cool / nerdy convention. During the course of talking, one of my buddies had suggested Adepticon because he heard that it was the largest event in the US. I had mentioned that Las Vegas Open would be cool, because we also love gambling, and Vegas is just pretty awesome in general. So:

1. Is there a date set for the next LVO? The only date I see on the website is from Feb 2016.

2. Are there any other tournaments to consider?

3. What tournament would you recommend just for the "walking around" experience (including nearby activities, nightlife, etc)?

Thanks for the help, guys!

I'd be terrible not to at least mention nova. It's among the big 3 with lvo and adepticon, located in the heart of Washington DC, and big with a metric ton to do if you aren't in a tournament. You can't go wrong with lvo, nova, or adepticon.

Suks wrote:
Hello, I have a couple of questions for you, but first let me give you just a touch of background. My buddies and I re-entered (some for the first time) the hobby several years ago. We don't get to play a ton, but would like to try to plan a trip to a tournament this year. We would probably NOT play, just walk around and experience a cool / nerdy convention. During the course of talking, one of my buddies had suggested Adepticon because he heard that it was the largest event in the US. I had mentioned that Las Vegas Open would be cool, because we also love gambling, and Vegas is just pretty awesome in general. So:

1. Is there a date set for the next LVO? The only date I see on the website is from Feb 2016.

2. Are there any other tournaments to consider?

3. What tournament would you recommend just for the "walking around" experience (including nearby activities, nightlife, etc)?

Thanks for the help, guys!

1. Most likely sometime in Feb, 2017. Probably 1st or 2nd weekend.

2. LVO, Adepticon and NOVA are the Big 3 here in the US. There's also the ATC, which is the largest team event here in the US, however, there's not much to do there if you're not playing.

3. Vegas. There's nothing like being able to walk the streets with an open bottle of beer (or whatever your favorite drink is) in your hands. Of course the food, nightlife and gaming isn't too bad as well.

Suks wrote:
Hello, I have a couple of questions for you, but first let me give you just a touch of background. My buddies and I re-entered (some for the first time) the hobby several years ago. We don't get to play a ton, but would like to try to plan a trip to a tournament this year. We would probably NOT play, just walk around and experience a cool / nerdy convention. During the course of talking, one of my buddies had suggested Adepticon because he heard that it was the largest event in the US. I had mentioned that Las Vegas Open would be cool, because we also love gambling, and Vegas is just pretty awesome in general. So:

1. Is there a date set for the next LVO? The only date I see on the website is from Feb 2016.

Date is set at Feb 3rd-5th 2017. They have a new website specific to LVO www.lasvegasopen.net

2. Are there any other tournaments to consider?

3. What tournament would you recommend just for the "walking around" experience (including nearby activities, nightlife, etc)?

Thanks for the help, guys!

I went to LVO 2016 and it's was an absolute blast but this year it was still more of a multi-game tournament then a true con that you can wander around in and experience much if you aren't actually in an event or class. Put another way this year it was nothing like a Pax or GenCon despite being an awesome tournament centric event. However next year they are ramping up to be more con-like with more classes, demos, gaming company booth presence, cosplay, etc.

That said there is so much to do in Vegas that LVO may not need a con-feel to be a great experience for you and your buds.

Also they are looking for volunteers to help setup and run things so if you aren't planning on playing that could be a cheaper way to attend and still get to experience the event. Been tempted to do that in 2017 myself.

I can't speak to Adepticon or Nova directly and both are on my bucket lists.

Suks wrote:
We would probably NOT play, just walk around and experience a cool / nerdy convention.

no, you'd regret not playing at all. Play in a casual event or narrative campaign, or in my favorite: combat patrol. Outside of the main competitive tournament you'll find lots of players at your same skill level and hobby depth.

Vegas is best for things other than gaming. Adepticon is great for all things tabletop gaming. I haven't been to NOVA but you should consider it if you're on the East Coast (best coast).