[X] My Assistant

[cryptoknight]

This is only for Midwest and East Coast conventions. The game companies like this model and support it with manpower, whereas they do *not* support West Coast conventions. On the West Coast you pay to get in , usually $45 for the whole weekend if you pre-reg, and thats all you pay.

What bothers me more is having to pay to GM. Ohh sure, if I run 3-4 sessions and I want to wait in line an hour on the last day I can get reimbursed. So for 18 hours of work I can liberate my $45. More of an insult than a return if you ask me.

Not all Midwest Conventions... At Anime Central you pay to get in the door and then you play as much as you can stand.

Just over a week ago we had one SRM table running each RPG slot (the poor GM who ran them all I owe big time). Same went for LFR, heck even our 128 seat Magic: The Gathering Booster Draft was free to the first 128 con attendees who walked up to play.

[paws2sky]

What kind of Dumpshock turnout is Origins seeing this year?

Trying to decide whether to get a day pass or spend my time at Commfest.

-paws

[the_dunner]

I know Aaron, Bull, and CaineHazen will all be there. Not sure who else.

[DireRadiant]

I know Aaron, Bull, and CaineHazen will all be there. Not sure who else.

Amongst others.

[Redmond Larry]

Origins finished yesterday and I saw lots of people (including me) having a great time playing Shadowrun. Chuck organized a great set of GMs and between them all they ran about 15 events each day. There were many new players, which is wonderful. About a dozen of the new Shadowrun 20th anniversary rule books were available for sale each day at the booth, and they sold out quickly. Buy a copy at your local game store if you can get one. SRM events were heavily attended. One shots were heavily attended. Sunday morning wasn't. Most of us got by on 4 to 6 hours sleep each night.

I asked about it and was told that the idea for Mr. Johnson's table was that one person would 'buy' a table for $52 just for their gaming group and friends. They'd tell Catalyst what they wanted in a game and Catalyst would provide a great GM and snacks. Unfortunately Origins wouldn't run an event with just one signup... they required at least two players. So it became $26 each. But then Origins made it for 6 players. Ultimately it just didn't happen. (I bought a $26 signup during online advance registration for both the Friday Johnson's and Saturday Johnson's, without knowing what they were. I figured if someone thought it was worth $26 then I just *had* to find out what it was. Unfortunately I didn't know I had to have friends. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) )

[paws2sky]

I went down Saturday morning with a buddy. Got there about 0930 and pretty much started the line for the dealer's room. I'd like to say that everyone was orderly and didn't make a mad dash to the Catalyst booth to try and get the limited quantity prints, but that would be a lie. My buddy and I calmly, at least, walked to the booth and in the end, I managed to get the last SR4A copy for the day. Yay! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Chatted briefly with some folks working the Catalyst booth, mostly about Battletech. Got to chat a bit with the folks working the Battletech tables in the Open Game room too. Nice looking intro box set, BTW. If anything, this con got me really nostalgic for Battletech. I'll probably pick up a copy if I can find someone around here who'll play.

And then there were the Mechwarrior (or was it Battletech?) Pods. Those were kind of cool. Expensive though ($6 for a 7 minute mission). I had to try it though.

The $3 Day Pass was such a good deal. I'm really hoping they do it again next year.

-paws

PS To whomever had all the Heroscape tiles for use with Battletech: You're brilliant and crazy and have too much money. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[DireRadiant]

And then there were the Mechwarrior (or was it Battletech?) Pods. Those were kind of cool. Expensive though ($6 for a 7 minute mission). I had to try it though.

I didn't even know the pods were there till Saturday night... there went any chance of sleep that night.

[TeaTime]

Hey, were there any NERPs Cards or special Con-only SR surprises at Origins this year?

[DireRadiant]

Hey, were there any NERPs Cards or special Con-only SR surprises at Origins this year?

Yes.

[TeaTime]

Secret surprises?
Do tell!

[LurkerOutThere]

I just want to throw in here my deep appreciation for Bull and the others running Missions for helping introduce me to the mission system and putting up with all my dumb questions. Also my thanks to all the other folks who put up with my dumb questions and just in generally made me and "Red" welcome in the campaign.

Galen
aka Dr. Rattler

[Kingboy]

I went down Saturday morning with a buddy. Got there about 0930 and pretty much started the line for the dealer's room.

This is not hyperbole. When we arrived there, there were four others in front of us, chatting the time away, none of whom I later saw at the Catalyst booth (at least not initially). Others soon gathered around/behind the six of us, eventually forming a blobular pseudo-line leading back towards the escalators as the time crept closer to opening (except of course for the pants-on-head thickos who had to be told repeatedly by one of the door staff to keep a particular path clear). Further proof of my contention that Americans don't understand the concept of queueing for shit, and can't be arsed to look past their own agendas to figure it out.

paws and I spent the half hour chatting about the current game he is running, various bits and bobs about my character in the game, and about general con related minutiae (such as the fact that while neither paws nor I would normally be considered "svelte", but compared to the pack of 5XL t-shirt wearing bastards in attendance, we felt rather slim and spry that day). In general, t'was a pleasant half hour spent hanging out with a friend.

Then came 10:01 am...

I'd like to say that everyone was orderly and didn't make a mad dash to the Catalyst booth to try and get the limited quantity prints, but that would be a lie. My buddy and I calmly, at least, walked to the booth...

...unlike the trundling horde of flankers who decided "ettiquette, propriety and self-control be damned!" who went tearing around the right hand path to the Catalyst booth in short order, as soon as their spasmodic bodies could press past the calmer and more rational clientelle without knocking anyone down (although given the overall boorishness of said throng, I'm not sure why that stopped them).

The funny thing here is paws is, as usual, being rather more polite about the situation than I feel is warranted. He failed to mention that he actually said something to the effect of "It's nice to see that it didn't turn into a frenzied mob", to which I agreed. No sooner had those very words left our lips than did the galloping idiots come around the corner into sight aimed straight at the Catalyst booth.

Our pace (well, my pace at least) may have picked up a bit at that point, but we did indeed still walk to the booth, despite the lack of decorum from others.

... and in the end, I managed to get the last SR4A copy for the day. Yay! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Which in general is a good thing, or else someone was likely to get a 35+ pound satchel to the back of the noggin for general asshattery. After working retail in a gaming store for years, it doesn't take much in the way of self-important geek dickery to set me off, and the selfish, immature prickishness of SR4A customers #1-9 that Saturday morning did it right quickly.

Not only were you clowns amazingly rude to your fellow gamers there that day, but as a former game store employee (and occasional con booth staff), I can only empathize with the guys at the Catalyst booth there first thing in the morning that had to deal with your ridiculous crap. The doors were barely open for 30 seconds, and there you buffoons are barreling down on the poor lads like a herd of deranged wildebeests. Couldn't have walked up politely could you, given them a few seconds to breathe and direct you in an orderly fashion?

My hat's off to the guys from Catalyst at the booth that morning for dealing quite professionally and quickly with the ravening hordes. You guys shouldn't have had to put up with that crap, but you handled it well. Kudos to you.

If anything, this con got me really nostalgic for Battletech. I'll probably pick up a copy if I can find someone around here who'll play.

Not a chance in hell! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I need to be involved in something involving more miniatures like I need voluntary bowel surgery. I wish you luck though...

The $3 Day Pass was such a good deal. I'm really hoping they do it again next year.

While I am still philosophically opposed to the idea of having to pay to enter an area where it is hoped that I will pay some more to vendors (i.e. buy stuff from them), I will have to say the Day Pass thing turn out alright this year. This is mostly due to the fact that:

1. paws paid for me to get in, on account of my general broke-assedness (summer as a student sucks) and
2. the Take and Paint table was there in the Dealers Hall, allowing me to distract myself from all the glaringly obvious reasons why I generally don't like cons for a few hours. That one free fig alone essentially paid for the cost...

[grendel]

Did anyone who attended Origins have feedback on the Missions events or One Shots? How well were they written? How well were they run? Suggestions for future events? Comments on the gamemaster organization overall? Help us help you to have a better con.

[Caine Hazen]

I didn't even know the pods were there till Saturday night... there went any chance of sleep that night.

You didn't complain...even when I learned how to cheat (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif) Can't believe I came out on top of a few of those games.

Did anyone who attended Origins have feedback on the Missions events or One Shots? How well were they written? How well were they run? Suggestions for future events? Comments on the gamemaster organization overall? Help us help you to have a better con.

They hated it all... I hated running them all (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Actually I didn't get to run one of yours and one ofmine cause everyone liked Bull more than me ... but I liked what I read. I know Chuck got some feedback on things though.

[DireRadiant]

Did anyone who attended Origins have feedback on the Missions events or One Shots?

I missed having the creepy guy dressed in black cov ops gear running around waving his hand gun and threatening to stomp players with his combat boots keeping GMs and players in line.

[grendel]

Don't worry, I'll be out in full force at Gen Con.