Ropecon is the largest non-commercial role-playing convention in Europe organized entirely by volunteers. Each year it brings together both role-playing enthusiasts as well as professionals in the field of gaming. The three day convention offers over 1500 hours of program and over 500 different programs in various topics.
With such a wide variety of tabletop role-playing games, live-action role-playing games, board games, card games, miniature wargames and other role-playing related program to choose from, visitors of all ages and experience levels are sure to find something interesting to do all weekend. In addition to games and tournaments, Ropecon features a plethora of lectures, panel discussions and workshops about role-playing games and other related topics. Two major awards, the Golden Dragon and the Deed of the Year, are also presented annually at Ropecon for achievements and contributions to the Finnish role-playing game culture.
However, there is something even more essential to Ropecon than its diverse program: its atmosphere. Ropecon is organized entirely by volunteers: around 800 volunteers participate in the making of Ropecon each year. The convention weekend packed with diverse program is all planned and carried out in the spirit of “by gamers, for gamers”. Ropecon welcomes everyone interested in role-playing games and role-playing in all its various forms, from beginners to more experienced visitors. The organization behind the convention is Ropecon ry, a non-profit which aims to promote and develop the role-playing culture in Finland and whose main objective is to organize Ropecon each year. The main organizers chosen by Ropecon ry gather a team called the conittee to organize the next convention. In 2017 the conittee includes three main organizers and 42 other conittee members who are responsible for 25 different sections related to organizing the event.
The Golden Dragon and The Deed of the Year
The Golden Dragon is an annual award presented at Ropecon. First awarded in 2003, it is given out for long term contributions in the field of role-playing games, miniature wargames, card games or board games, or for other achievements and contributions to the development and promoting of the Finnish role-playing culture. Previous recipients of the award include Markus Montola, Jaakko Stenros, Mike Pohjola and Kersti Juva.
The Deed of the Year award is presented each year for a laudable project, publication or other significant contribution or achievement in the field of non-digital games. So far the award has been given out three times.
By gamers, for gamers – since 1994
Aimed at those interested in role-playing games and organized entirely by volunteers, the first ever Ropecon was held at Hotel Paasitorni in Helsinki back in 1994. The venue soon became too small for the growing number of active role-playing enthusiasts, so in 1998 the convention was moved to the Congress Center Dipoli in Espoo. Over its 20+ year history, the number of visitors to Ropecon has been growing steadily. In 2002 the number of visitors reached over 3000, compared to the few hundred visitors at the first Ropecon in 1994. The current record number of visitors was achieved in 2016, when over 4100 role-playing enthusiasts and other visitors followed Ropecon to its new venue at the Messukeskus Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre. Although leaving Dipoli, which is currently undergoing major renovations, was an end of an era in the history of Ropecon, the move to Messukeskus has opened up more opportunities for the convention to continue growing and improving.
Ropecon is organized by Ropecon ry
The organization behind the convention is Ropecon ry, a non-profit which aims to promote and develop the role-playing culture and the miniature wargame, card game and board game hobbies in Finland. Its members include other similar associations in the field of role-playing games that function either in the Helsinki Metropolitan area or nationwide, such as Alter Ego ry, Role-playing and Strategy Game Society of Southern Finland (Etelä-Suomen Rooli- ja Strategiapeliyhdistys ry, Greywolves (Harmaasudet ry), Dices and Tactics (Nopat ja Taktiikka ry), Otaniemi Role-playing club (Otaniemen RoolipeliClubi ry), Finnish Board Game Society (Suomen Lautapeliseura ry) and Finnish Live-Action Role-playing Society (Suomen Live-roolipelaajat ry). The Ropecon association makes the decisions on larger multiannual projects, grants and funding, as well as lending equipment owned by the association. The support offered by Ropecon ry makes it possible to organize events such as Arpacon, Solmukohta and Ropecon. Organizing Ropecon each year is the most well known and most important form of activity for the association. Ropecon ry is responsible for choosing the main organizers and setting the annual budget for the convention.
Ropecon in numbers
1500 hours of program
500 individual programs
4000 visitors
800 volunteers
1 shared passion
Any questions about the event? Contact us tiedotus@ropecon.fi