air_n_darkness: (fangirl)
One of the things I've given up over the past eight years or so is my involvement in the gaming industry, both as a participant and industry worker. Oh, I've dabbled around with some games here and there, but overall, I've not done much. In the past two years or so, I've really been missing the conventions, the people, the play. I've missed the ebb and flow of the industry. It was something I truly loved participating in, but there were quite a few strings and memories- good and bad- attached to it, so I've not been too serious about trying to get involved again, really. Last year, I considered going to GenCon, but couldn't afford it on my own, and no one seemed interested in really trying. It was a half-hearted attempt at best.

This year, my friends Julie and Travis invited me to attend with them and their family. All I had to worry about paying for was my entry, food, and spending money. Honestly, with the way my year has been on a financial level, it wasn't the best decision, but I chose to go anyway. I needed the break on pretty much every level. Plus, I've never gone to GenCon as an attendee. I have always worked the event, pulling long days taking tickets for TCG events. I usually would get a couple hours off to hit the dealer's hall on Sunday, and would do dinner and drinks with the team members, but never really just enjoyed the event. So getting to take four days to just play was a novel concept to me.

Of course, me being me, I couldn't do that. An RPG that I've gotten rather interested in over the last year, thanks to [livejournal.com profile] tek2way, called Shadows of Esteren (SoE) put out a call for booth volunteers for the weekend. I offered up my Thursday and Sunday, which they eagerly accepted. I had already purchased my ticket, so that helped them out, and was told I'd receive a small gift for assisting. Nice, but I wasn't expecting much, given they are small press and all. I volunteered because I wanted to do so. I am more comfortable at large, crowded events when I have a "homebase," a role to play, and I am a salesperson at heart. Volunteering helped me out as much as it helped them.

Aside the first: One of the main reasons I was willing to help out, is that SoE is a French import, and I would get the chance to work with the developers of the game. SoE is a low-fantasy, medieval, gothic horror setting- think Game of Thrones meets Ravenloft, and I was eager to talk with them. I wanted the chance to pick the brains of the people who created such a rich setting, and to give back to them a bit. SoE is the first RPG I've gotten truly excited about since Deliria. The SoE books have won numerous awards for game design, art, and development, and just getting to chat with the guys at my leisure was going to be a treat.
Once more, into the fray )
air_n_darkness: (goomi)
I have a spectacularly cool Decepticon logo shirt now...

And a cap that says CSI: Arkham
air_n_darkness: (Default)
Well, I have once again made my way through the corn to GenCon Indy. And, wonder of wonders, I have a hotel room to myself. No worrying about other people's schedules. Yeah!

I got out of town a bit later than intended, but still made it to the Westin Indy around 7ish (8ish Indy time). Something I find amusing- I am in the EXACT same parking space in the garage as last year. Something I DON'T find amusing- parking has increased from $18 per 24 hrs to $23 per 24 hrs. Which means I'll be paying around $100 just for parking my freaking car all weekend. That is most definitely the poo. The next Magic player that complains to me about paying $7 for all day parking at one of our Prereleases will get my foot up his ass.

I did talk to some of the hotel staff; its apparently a permanent hike, not just an inflated rate for con weekend. And the garage isn't run by the hotel, so no validation. Guess I know where some of my per diam is going.

I know some people had issues w/ the Westin last year, but I've always liked staying here. They have comfy beds:).

Dinner was nice, if a bit slow. I ate at Shula's, a steakhouse here in the hotel. Pricey, but I really didn't feel up to walking up Illinois Ave, looking for cheaper eats. The steaks are amazing, the wait-staff excellent, but the food delivery's a bit slow. There was an older couple, I'd say in their late 40's, seated next to me, and we started chatting while waiting for a food. Turned out, they were from Tennessee as well- just from the other end, round Knoxville. They were on the last leg of about a month's worth of traveling around visiting their kids; they'd decided to stop of in Indy for a couple of days before heading further north for his parents 62nd wedding anniversary. Which is just totally awsome.

I'm working the Yugi monster again. I'm a bit sad; most of my good friends are either working the other stages, or working the later shifts. Which means I'll likely be dining alone in the evenings. Ah well.

Anyway, I'm probably calling it a night soon. I never sleep well the first night, and tomorrrow will be a long day.

TTFN
air_n_darkness: (goomi)
So, I've decided spending the money on a broadband card/supscriptions for the laptop was worth it. We travel so much, and hotel's charge waaaay to much for internet. Oddly enough, the nicer the hotel, the more likely they are to charge for internet, I've noticed. But anyway, that means I can update daily, even from the event! Wheee!

It was a super-slow day for me, which wasn't unexpected. Last year Gen-Con actually cancelled all the Thurs events except VS because the Thurs attendance sucks. No such luck this year, but they should have.

To start with, I have wound up working the Yugi-monster this weekend instead of VS. I don't really mind working on the Yugioh stage, but I was looking forward to being on the VS stage again; I know so many more of the players. But I have officially become Kristen's (scorekeeper-guru) minion from now on, so I go where she goes, and she switched to Yugi. At least I get along w/ her and Dave(registration support guy and our on-site lawyer:) really well.

I did discover today that I am not completely devoid of nurturing impluse. Kristen has her two-month old daughter, Erin, with her. Well, Kristen was off solving a crisis, and Erin woke up from her nap, crying. Usually, I'd a) ignore the cries in the hopes that Kristen was on her way back or b) call Kristen on the radio and go "help". But she sounded so pitiful...and it doesn't help that she's such a tiny thing that she looks like a little doll. I picked her up and cuddled her till she fell back asleep. Damn her cuteness power! I was bewitched I tell you, bewitched!

Still don't want one though:P

We actually cancelled two events because of lack of interest, and only had 62 people in todays Regionals. Since those usually have a min of 100 people, I'd call it slow.

The new World of Warcraft TCG however, is a definate success. They actually had over 100 people in one event, on a fraking Thurday! I am so very glad I'm not working that stage. It's not the volume of people; it's the fact the UDE didn't finalize there organized play guidelines for WoW until this fracking morning. As in, "we scheduled all these events, but aren't really sure how we want them run." OMFG! I love these guys but, seriously, get a clue! It's great to test out new formats at conventions, but figure out how you want things run BEFORE you get on-site and then communicate that to the people who will actually be running the events and dealing w/ the players. *sigh* So glad I'm not on that stage, so glad...

On the positive, looks like I'm going to have a repeat of Gen-Con Indy; Lee, Dave, and I get off at the same time each night, so we are doing the dinner thing again. There's a great little sushi place across the street from the hotel, and that's where we, along w/ Carlos, one of the Yugi judges, headed for dinner. Yum, yum, yum. I had uni, and cho-toro, and tamago of course. I also orderd a spicy tuna roll, but honestly, I did that so I'd have something to swap out with the guys with. Got to try salmon roe and squid (I'd never had them as sushi before), and Dave's catapillar roll. Also, the chef made a roll specially to order for Lee (he's a vegetarian), a Califonia style roll, with cream cheese and avacodo in it. OMG, it was sooooo good! The avacodo and cream cheese went so well together. I have GOT to make those when I get home.

eek, it's almost midnight! I need to crash- long day tomorrow.

TTFN
air_n_darkness: (goomi)
So [livejournal.com profile] wolfboi, I have your b-day prezzie, and I must say it is the hawtness. Wanna come over this weekend and snag it? Maybe have dinner Sat night? I'm cooking fajitas...

Anyway, long, long trip. Good trip, but long. The highlights:

Good friends I don't see but a few times a year
Exquisite Indian food
Picked up the 2005 Christmas Sophie mini from Reaper to keep the collection up.
Got the aforementioned autographs.
Spent waaaay too much on some top quality sushi...sea urchin and quail eggs, OMFG!
Good comp from UDE this time around.
Demoed WoW....this TCG is so going to own the holiday season.
Acquired an exclusive YGO Sheep token for [livejournal.com profile] hisui_shinigami
Got the uber-cool vinyl Dreamblades mat that was ONLY available at GenCon (at least for the next 6 months)
Had the hotel room to myself two nights because my roomie was "otherwise occupied"
Didn't make any kids cry.
Did harrass the hell out of VS players

Oh yeah....

Hand to goddess, I didn't know they would be selling it. *ducks because at least three people are going to throw things at me now*

Usually the giant LE's are given out as drawing prizes, not sold. It was 85 freaking dollars, and I debated on it till Sun right before teardown.

TTFN
air_n_darkness: (goomi)
Heading out for Gen-Con Indy tomorrow in the early AM. I get to make the drive myself this year, since Lynson can't take off from work. It's not too bad, not really- its just a bit longer than driving back to Dothan to see the folks.

Anyway, goals for this years Indy:

1) get Jamie Bamber's photo/autograph (Apollo on the New Battlestar Galactica, for those who don't know)
2) get Richard Hatch's photo/autograph (the original Apolloon the old BSG, plays Zarek, on the new BSG)
3) harrass the Mythbusters support staff (yes, they're letting, Tori, Grant, and Kari come out to play. What, you thought they lived at M5?)
4) not make any little kids cry, something that should be much easier since I'm not supposed to be working the Yugioh stage this time.
5) not getting into an arguement with my roommate, a person I like, but have trouble dealing with in large doses. But she lets me play her PSP, so it should be good.
6) get a demo of the WoW TCG, so I can at least pretend I know what I'm taking about when I'm selling the singles online.
7) play in a couple of late-night Dreamblades events...if I feel like standing in line to by those annoying event tickets Gen-Con makes you use
8) work on my fic for RS's first-timers challenge

Not a bad list, and mostly do-able; the WoW demo and the Dreamblades events are the most likely not to happen.

Speaking of Dreamblades, [livejournal.com profile] archmage I think Eric would like it. He likes, Heroclix, doesn't he? I was super impressed with Dreamblades at GAMA back in March, and it take A LOT for a game to impress me anymore.

TTFN
air_n_darkness: (Default)
Gen-Con just released an change to their Guest of Honor List.  Tricia Helfer, Number 6 on ‘Battlestar Galactica’, will be there signing on Saturday and Sunday! Mary McDonnell, President Roslin on ‘Battlestar Galactica’, will be signing on Thursday and Friday!  I'd like to get signings from both, but I know I won't be able to beg off work duty twice, so I hoping to meet Tricia.  Yes, it means I'll probably pay $25.00 to stand waayyyy to close to sweaty gamers for waaaayyy to long, just for a 2 min converstation and a signed stock photo. I can't believe they actually go Galactica stars at the con....  I REALLY wish the first issue of the Galactica magazine had come out on TIME, so I could get that signed instead, since Number 6 is on the cover, but oh well.

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