More than 900 gaming enthusiasts from across the country travel to attend an annual gaming conference hosted by UT BASH.

BASHCon XXVII will be the place to be Friday through Sunday, Feb. 17-19, in the Student Union. UT BASH, a nonprofit student-run organization, hosts this annual tradition.

“As a student-run organization, we are very proud to be part of the UT community. The annual conference is our way of inviting everyone to experience the new world of gaming,” said Qusai Al Shidi, president of UT BASH.

The conference is free for UT students and employees; for the public, it’s $10 a day, $15 for the whole weekend, or $25 for the weekend plus a special badge, which includes a T-shirt.

BASHCon will run from 5 p.m. to midnight Friday, 9 a.m. to midnight Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.

Some of the events this weekend will include role-playing games, board games, card games, video game tournaments and miniature games. A board game championship series also is set to take place.

New to the conference is the Tesla II BattleTech Cockpit Simulator Pods — fully enclosed, multiplayer virtual combat simulators that feature seven screens, more than 90 control systems, and a 12-speaker surround-sound audio system.

“The event provides a fun and relaxing opportunity to learn about new games and meet great people. Our group is willing to take the time and teach those who may not be into gaming or want to sharpen their skills,” Al Shidi said.

The conference also will include an anime marathon and open board games.

For more information, go to BASHCon.com or e-mail coordinator@bashcon.com.

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