It wasn't the apocalypse, just the fifth annual B-CON, Bradley's Gaming Convention.

B-CON, which is sponsored by the Medieval College Society, is a gathering of role-players who participate in games including Dungeons and Dragons, Battletech and Magic the Gathering.

We hope to "attract people from not just Bradley but from surrounding colleges," said MCS Secretary Brian Day, who coordinated the event with MCS Vice President Chad Stevens.

The two-day event was attended by more than 50 participants.

Eleven different traditional role-playing games were run on Saturday. Sunday was devoted primarily to board games and card games, such as Magic the Gathering.

A Japanese animation festival also was held throughout the weekend.

MCS had permission to use the entire Student Center for the weekend, yet with the low turnout the majority of the activities were in the basement.

“(This was) not like a grand success but it still exceeded our expectations," said Day. "This is the best it's been since the spring of 1995.

"For a rebuilding year, I think it went well," Stevens said.

Day ran a game entitled Call of Cthulhu at B-CON.

"Imagine the 'X-Files' set in the 1920s," Day said. "You are an investigator of the paranormal.

"(Role-playing) is a good way to pass the time. It's a good way to use your imagination for something," he said.

An added event, a Live Action Role Play, was timed to coincide with B-CON but was not formally affiliated with it.

In the Live Action Role Play, instead of pretending to be a character the participant actually becomes the character.

The game was based on a city under Nebraska called NewRotica.

About 20 people were involved in the event, Stevens said.

The city is run by a "computer that is pumped full of magical energy and is dreaming about monsters.” Stevens said. “A lot of the interaction is with the computer."

Each of the characters are mystical creatures, such as elves and goblins, trapped in human bodies.

Stevens said his one regret is the timing of the event.

“Last year’s B-CON was on the same weekend as the Missouri Valley Conference Basketball Tournament," he said, adding that this year's turnout was hampered by a Live Action Role Play in Bloomington and a preview of a new Magic the Gathering Card Set in Chicago.

MCS meets regularly 8 p.m. Thursdays in the Student Center Atrium.