Dreamation 2009

[buddha_davis]

Okay, so this is a long post about my first impressions of Dreamation... I kinda come off like a schoolgirl with a crush who's not sure the guy she likes is into her...  So, be warned!

Comments

[ex_gobi]

Heh, I'm surprised I didn't come off as one of the sleepy people on Saturday morning. :P

I'm glad you enjoyed Do! You can keep up with the game on the super-fancy official Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple website (still under a bit of construction).

[buddha_davis]

Cool! Thanks Daniel (is Daniel okay? Mr. Solis?), I just joined up on the Do site! Let me know if there's anything my group and I can do to help out (not sure if you're still doing outside playtests) other than purchase the game when it comes out!!!

[ex_gobi]

Thanks for signing up, the site's still really shaky right now as we get everything settled.

Playtests are totally gonna happen as soon as I write up the next draft based on the notes from Dreamation. I'll send the beta draft out for people to playtest at home once it's ready. :)

[drivingblind]

Dude, even if I'm sleepy, APPROACH and CHAT. If I seemed unapproachable, that's my fault. Yes, I was tired, and yes, I wanted to hang out with friends, but fans and friends aren't so far apart. :)

[buddha_davis]

Fred, it was /totally/ cool. I got a quick chance to say hi, and I figure I'll see you at other cons/events (as well as talking to you and Brennan about the travails of getting the Strat to pick up IPR stuff...). I had so much fun at Dreamation, I know I'm gonna be hitting other cons when time and money permit! Hopefully we'll get a chance to game together/talk design/just have a drink and BS. I really appreciate the response, though! And I can't emphasize enough that listening to you and Macklin and Judd and everyone else talk during the roundtable brought home how cool it is that a lot of the people whose ideas I dig are such supportive and interesting and animated guys and gals!

[adamdray]

Yeah, I've found that if I can make a quick intro for folks, they feel better equipped to approach each other later on and chat for realz. So my work here is done. =)

[adamdray]

What qualifies me as "a true renaissance indie man"? Because, fuck, that sounds cool and I want to make sure I do more of it.

[buddha_davis]

The way I see it, there's a bunch of things that go into it... being a designer, pushing hard for playtests, being a game hacker, being involved in the business end of producing both your own and other people's products, running games, playing games, being able to speak/understand jargon without being exclusionary (which is weird, ‘cause it seems to me this kinda thing should be all about establishing common ground, but it always seems to become divisive. Sigh), being familiar with a large range of “what’s out there”... like that, I guess! Fred is definitely in that same category, as are several other of the big names in indie gaming. I think that’s what makes them the big names… they’re /serious/ about it. What really makes it different from “just” being a designer is being involved heavily with other people’s projects and with getting them marketed.

Those are just my thoughts though… Take 'em with a grain of salt! (I assume that makes them more delicious?)

[adamdray]

Mmm. Salt!

Well, awesome. I shall endeavor to keep being me. =)

Square in the Junk

[judd_sonofbert]

Aye Buddha, it was great to meet you.

The only reason I didn't hang out at your table more is because I got up to get some grub and when I came back my seat was taken. Zounds! So I found a seat somewhere else and chatted there.

The indie RPG scene is about taking the false division and hierarchy between game designer and gamer and kicking it SQUARE in the junk.

Re: Square in the Junk

[buddha_davis]

Ehhh... no problem. There was a /lot/ going on. Which was awesome! Here's a toast to kicking false divisions right in the nuts!

[lesingesavant]

I briefly met you, but then heard what an awesome guy you were from Shane and Jason the whole ride back to NC. Now I feel dumb for not following up more. You should come to Camp Nerdly! You should organize a house con the NC crowd can come to! We should meet halfway in the wilds of Virginia! Our respective crews live too close together to be so isolated. Let's rock out.

[buddha_davis]

Damn, Remi! I'm spending more time on my Add a Friend LJ page in the last few days than I've spent on it in the last few years! I am flattered and more than a little trepidatious about Shane and Jason talking about me... Now I have to live up to stuff...
There were so many, many cool people to meet and greet, so no worries about not connecting that first time around. I'm sure we'll get a chance to game together at some point ('specially if I make it out to Camp Nerdly!).

I would love to rock out!!! There's a small house con Adam makes it to (Ice Station Nerdly) that might not be too out of the way for you guys... Also, I'd love to make it out your way for some gaming! We'll figure something out!

[lesingesavant]

It also appears that dikaiosunh is organizing a Baltimore Nerdly -type deal. I don't know if you're involved/interested in that, but it might be a good gathering.

[buddha_davis]

Remi!

Thanks for the heads up! I'm really, really hoping Red Nerdly comes together... I told Daniel I'm up for it, but wasn't sure how much of the planning/organization I could help with (though if he sends the call out, I'll do my level best to help out!). Man, an indie-con that local to me... ah, heaven...