Nintendo Okie

October 23^rd will see the return of the Oklahoma Video Game Exhibition in Tulsa, OK.  This event sees people from all over the area and states surrounding Oklahoma get together to celebrate classic gaming in all it’s glory.  The event is hosted by Jesse Hardesty and he sat down with us to discuss the event, how it got started and some of the more memorable things that have happened in OVGE’s past.

Thanks so much for joining us to talk about the OVGE.  Can you introduce yourself and tell us a little about your history?

Thank you for taking the time and asking me.

My name is Jesse Hardesty. I’ve pretty much had a passion for video games since I first found and learned how to hook up an old Odyssey 300 my mother had in the closet back in the late 70s. From that moment on.. I was hooked. It was the fascination of being able to interact with objects on the TV. I’ve lived in Oklahoma my entire life and for most of that…right here in Tulsa. I’m more of a collector than player of the classics these days, but I do love hooking up my old 2600 or similar system and showing my sons what was state of art back in the day.

What can you tell us about the OVGE.  When did it get started?  What brought about the idea of doing a classic gaming convention in this area?

To sum up the OVGE, I would say it is a gathering of collectors, enthusiasts, and people as a whole to celebrate, play, learn, and just enjoy the history of video games and how they came about. I started the OVGE originally in 2003. At that time it was known as the OKGE. However, that abbreviation belonged to a certain utilities company so I changed the name to OVGE.

The idea for the OVGE came about just after I attended the Classic Gaming Expo in Vegas back in ’02. I was awe struck at all the cool stuff to buy and see. So when I got back I began to think about what it took to do something similar (smaller scale of course) in our area. Hence the OVGE was born.

Can you tell us about some of the people and groups who will have tables at the show this year and what they’ll be bringing to the event?

The OVGE usually has quite a mix of things to see and do. We have vendors from both local and from out of town from other states that bring lots of used and new games, memorabilia, and publications devoted to video games. We also have lots of exhibitors who bring stuff of their own to sell and to show. We’ve had pretty much nearly any and every console system to ever be released displayed and setup for play at our show at some point. The really neat and semi unique aspect of the OVGE is that the exhibitors all try and have a theme around their display. That is instead of just bringing a little of everything, they will focus on one part of their collection or company. We have one exhibitor who brings nearly everything Pac-man. Another who is devoted to fighter style games…etc.  We also try and have a handful of arcade cabs on hand setup on free play for the attendees to enjoy. We’ve had classics like my personal Frogger, to a 1978 Space Wars, and a rare cocktail sit down Joust.

What is the most memorable event that happened in the past during one of the shows? 

There are several so I’ll speak about three of them. The first would be when George Sanger came to the ’04 event. He and his buddy sat down and played some classic computer game tunes on their guitars! For those that don’t know George Sanger composed the music to great games like Zombie Ate My Neighbors, Wing Commander and lots of others. The second thing I remember was in ’06 I believe it was. A couple of teenagers bought an N64 system from one of the vendors. Then the guy started to re-enact the Nintendo 64 kid routine right there in the middle of the aisle! It was pretty funny and unexpected.

But what I remember most is the look on little kids’ faces and their parents when they come into the room and say things like “Wow! Look at all the games!” and the joy in their smiles when one of them wins a door prize.

What is it about classic games that have people flocking to events like this?  Why do you think these games have been able to stand the test of time?

This isn’t as easy to answer because everyone that attends my show comes for different reasons. Some come to relive their youth as they see the old systems and games they grew up with. Families come to give their kids something neat and fun to do. Collectors come looking to trade and buy to add to their collections. But most of all I believe and I would hope everyone comes because they have a really fun time at the event.

The games have stood the test of time due to their simplicity and addiction factor of “just another go and I can get a bit further…” Or “I know I can beat my score if I play again and really focus…”. Simpler games tend to appeal to the masses more. More complex games tend to be more of niche among gamers. Some might disagree with me on that last comment, but I’ve found this to be true. My own mother loves video games. But she only likes simpler ones that don’t require much thought or skill. Easier for her to zone in and just lose herself to the game. I think most people really seek that in games and that is why they play them.

Do you see any games coming out during this generation that people will remember as fondly as games like Pac-man or Super Mario Bros.?

Sure, we have these games already. HALO, God of War, Unreal Tournament, Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto…etc. The difference is that these games will be remembered by the Generation I of today.  I’m curious what future games we’ve yet to see come about and the impact they make.

Is there anything or anyone that hasn’t been to the show that you’d like to see at the event in the future?

Of course! I would like to have more gaming celebrities in the future come and be a part of our event. I  would like more vendors from out of state to attend and show everyone what they have. I would like for more artists both music and visual to come and play at the shows, more arcade games…etc. But all in all I just want to see everyone continue to have a good time and leave smiling.

Where do you see the OVGE going from here?  

I honestly don’t know. There have been suggestions to expand it to things like a 2-day event, or even every 6 months instead of just once a year. Things like that. But I honestly don’t think the show needs to expand much more than it already has. Sure it isn’t on the grand scale of other shows like the Midwest Classic, CGE, or E3, but that is because I’m not looking to compete with those shows. I’m only interested in bringing the same diversity, history, and above all fun of those larger shows to our more personal event here in Tulsa.

I want to thank Jesse so much for joining us today.  We here at Nintendo Okie are very much looking forward to the event and hope you’ll come out and join us.  The event is being held on October 23^rd, here in Tulsa and the cost at the door is $5.  You’ll have opportunities to purchase classic games, game consoles and maybe even some arcade machines.  There will be live entertainment on hand, tournaments for you to test your skills and so much more.  We encourage everyone to come and join us.  If you would like to find out more about the Oklahoma Video Game Exhibition check out the official website at http://www.ovge.com.