By David Jenkin
Every year,
rAge fills the Ticketpro Dome with hoards of gamers, and every year there is at least one area at the centre of its buzz. Somewhat predictably, this year it was virtual reality (VR). The technology’s mainstream early adopters were represented, with winding queues snaking from their stalls of attendees eager to sample the immersive VR experiences.
For many, as with every other year, the biggest highlight was the NAG LAN (local area network). For the duration of the weekend, a total of 52 hours, roughly 2 500 avid gamers sacrificed sleep and comfort in order to be a part of the networked multiplayer action.
It was also an opportunity to shop, with retail stalls offering hardware and software, geek merchandise, gaming apparel, comic books, graphic art and, of course, games. Role-playing and collectible card games were also represented, with an area set aside to host those battles. Plenty of other tech gear was on offer, from micro drones to 3D printing, and a range of gaming-friendly food was available too, biltong and nuts in particular.
Adding a vigorous dose of colour and spectacle to the event were the cosplayers (costume-wearers, for the initiated), who put great effort into crafting elaborate and detailed costumes of their favourite characters from games and pop-culture.
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