GenCon Wrap: Wed/Thurs
Good lord, I haven't blogged in a long time. I've been writing - some - but nothing that can actually be bandied about at the moment.
Fortunately, GenCon should allow for a few days worth of content; as this was undeniably my best con ever. The biggest reason for that: More gaming, less drinking. Counterintuitive to me, but I'm really thankful it turned out that way.
On Wednesday the lovely Lady L dropped me off at Bill's house, and we headed to the city where we were surprised to find doogs19 already waiting for us. He was, as the kids say, "working from home." Only since it's Doogs, he actually was working, which led to a number of phone calls back and forth on the way to the Con.
The travel CDs this year worked well - mine sucked, not due to the content of the music but because of mixing and recording difficulties leading to my vocal commentary essentially blowing out Bill's speakers with their volume. On the plus side, my Voice Of Doom Prana Technique is coming along nicely.
Ben not only set the bar this year in terms of production quality and "extras" such as his personally signed collector's CD inserts, but also with the music choices. He is now squarely in everybody's sights for next year - we shall be gunning for the man in a way he can scarcely fathom. Joe actually MADE a CD this year, which was a shock, and even Bill managed to create a CD that had, in his words, "More than just heavy metal. I included some hard rock this year."
We got to Indianapolis and cut into our three component parts for the early evening. Ben listened to my travel CD on his iThing while I hit the shower, then it was on to dinner at Houlihan's and my first steak dinner of the convention. I think in future I may actually try to have at least one piece of fruit at some point during the Con. Perhaps strawberries in champagne is the way to go.
After that it was back to the room to play Dominion, which we all managed to grok quickly and easily. I pulled out a bit early to make sure there were tables at Nicky Blaine's Martini Bar for the lot of us and met up with torigirl84, bald_ruminant and Garry, who were already there. I love the first sighting of old friends and comrades-in-arms. The once-a-year friends are an amazing batch and I wish I could make it to more than one Con per year.
Ben, Joe, Doogs, Bill and Sean showed up, quickly followed by Rett, George and the Riches. We didn't stay terribly long - only George fell asleep in his chair, but the man's planning a wedding so I must cut him some slack. Back to the hotel in plenty of time to wake bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for Thursday.
I think Ben actually cursed out loud when he realized I was trying to wake him up before seven, but it was morning! I love morning, when I'm not hung over, and today was the finest of days, bluebirds singing, my shower complete, and a Starbucks in the hotel lobby. We went to Steak and Shake for eggs and bacon, then Ben took off for his first seminar while I headed to walk the floor. Along the way I ran into waiwode and we were able to chat and catch up for about half an hour or so, discussing game styles, player engagement, and the military in general. Immediately after we parted ways I ambushed gaaneden for a quick hug and regroup before releasing her into Author's Alley.
I walked the floor for the first time, found some groovy stuff and made it all the way to lunchtime without spending a dime. After the Chick-Fil-A I brought a bagged lunch down to Kerry as a mission of mercy (poor thing had been standing in line for a badge for three hours) and then back to the floor until Doogs and I made our Mountain Witch game!
The game had been cancelled, but luckily, a dude showed up prepared to take the GM's place. We had one guy who was close to the "Ugly Gamer Goob" but by the end he turned out to be an acceptable companion, and the GM was right on the money with all kinds of great bits and tricks up his sleeve. By the end of the evening my ronin was bound in spidersilk, having sold his services to the Mountain Witch and ordered to carve out the eyes of a companion - said companion now approaching to return the favor. The other player kept saying, "Man, I can't do this to anotherr player," which led to me shouting, "It's an awesome story! I will never play this character again! CUT ME! CUT ME!"
Good times for Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, these.
We headed en masse to Rock Bottom for another steak dinner and beer, then back to the hotel for a pickup game of Feng Shui. Since nobody had played before I just ran the sample adventure, which worked well … highlights included playing the gruff irritable police sergeant "Dammit, Cannon! If you didn't get results you'd be off the force!" and Doogs' Everyman Hero, Jack Tanner: "I got a brick! I don't need a gun!"
We split off after that, grabbed a drink at the hotel lobby and headed off to slumberland.
NEXT: MOUSE GUARDS AND MARCO!
Fortunately, GenCon should allow for a few days worth of content; as this was undeniably my best con ever. The biggest reason for that: More gaming, less drinking. Counterintuitive to me, but I'm really thankful it turned out that way.
On Wednesday the lovely Lady L dropped me off at Bill's house, and we headed to the city where we were surprised to find doogs19 already waiting for us. He was, as the kids say, "working from home." Only since it's Doogs, he actually was working, which led to a number of phone calls back and forth on the way to the Con.
The travel CDs this year worked well - mine sucked, not due to the content of the music but because of mixing and recording difficulties leading to my vocal commentary essentially blowing out Bill's speakers with their volume. On the plus side, my Voice Of Doom Prana Technique is coming along nicely.
Ben not only set the bar this year in terms of production quality and "extras" such as his personally signed collector's CD inserts, but also with the music choices. He is now squarely in everybody's sights for next year - we shall be gunning for the man in a way he can scarcely fathom. Joe actually MADE a CD this year, which was a shock, and even Bill managed to create a CD that had, in his words, "More than just heavy metal. I included some hard rock this year."
We got to Indianapolis and cut into our three component parts for the early evening. Ben listened to my travel CD on his iThing while I hit the shower, then it was on to dinner at Houlihan's and my first steak dinner of the convention. I think in future I may actually try to have at least one piece of fruit at some point during the Con. Perhaps strawberries in champagne is the way to go.
After that it was back to the room to play Dominion, which we all managed to grok quickly and easily. I pulled out a bit early to make sure there were tables at Nicky Blaine's Martini Bar for the lot of us and met up with torigirl84, bald_ruminant and Garry, who were already there. I love the first sighting of old friends and comrades-in-arms. The once-a-year friends are an amazing batch and I wish I could make it to more than one Con per year.
Ben, Joe, Doogs, Bill and Sean showed up, quickly followed by Rett, George and the Riches. We didn't stay terribly long - only George fell asleep in his chair, but the man's planning a wedding so I must cut him some slack. Back to the hotel in plenty of time to wake bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for Thursday.
I think Ben actually cursed out loud when he realized I was trying to wake him up before seven, but it was morning! I love morning, when I'm not hung over, and today was the finest of days, bluebirds singing, my shower complete, and a Starbucks in the hotel lobby. We went to Steak and Shake for eggs and bacon, then Ben took off for his first seminar while I headed to walk the floor. Along the way I ran into waiwode and we were able to chat and catch up for about half an hour or so, discussing game styles, player engagement, and the military in general. Immediately after we parted ways I ambushed gaaneden for a quick hug and regroup before releasing her into Author's Alley.
I walked the floor for the first time, found some groovy stuff and made it all the way to lunchtime without spending a dime. After the Chick-Fil-A I brought a bagged lunch down to Kerry as a mission of mercy (poor thing had been standing in line for a badge for three hours) and then back to the floor until Doogs and I made our Mountain Witch game!
The game had been cancelled, but luckily, a dude showed up prepared to take the GM's place. We had one guy who was close to the "Ugly Gamer Goob" but by the end he turned out to be an acceptable companion, and the GM was right on the money with all kinds of great bits and tricks up his sleeve. By the end of the evening my ronin was bound in spidersilk, having sold his services to the Mountain Witch and ordered to carve out the eyes of a companion - said companion now approaching to return the favor. The other player kept saying, "Man, I can't do this to anotherr player," which led to me shouting, "It's an awesome story! I will never play this character again! CUT ME! CUT ME!"
Good times for Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, these.
We headed en masse to Rock Bottom for another steak dinner and beer, then back to the hotel for a pickup game of Feng Shui. Since nobody had played before I just ran the sample adventure, which worked well … highlights included playing the gruff irritable police sergeant "Dammit, Cannon! If you didn't get results you'd be off the force!" and Doogs' Everyman Hero, Jack Tanner: "I got a brick! I don't need a gun!"
We split off after that, grabbed a drink at the hotel lobby and headed off to slumberland.
NEXT: MOUSE GUARDS AND MARCO!