[p]I really just can't believe that my wife is actually letting me go this year.[/p][p]I am so excited about seeing what this is all about and hopefully meeting some of the people that I see in game, on forums, and in the industry. I cannot wait.[/p][p] [/p][p]Here's my take on how excited I am:[/p][p] [/p][p]http://texasrugby.wordpress.com/2007/05/18/soe-fan-faire-august-2nd-5th-vegas-baby/[/p][p] [/p][p]But I really am looking forward to being there and seeing everyone!!!![/p]
My favorite Fan Faire story? Spending time with Owlchick and Frizznik, and seeing Cat Neri in her Miss Antonia costume (rawr) at the last Vegas FanFaire.
:shock: Dang it when did Feconix enter the fold or was he already here? *sniff* no more dev track so I can't stalk devs anymore. Have a great time at fan faire guys deffinately wish I could be there.
[p]Not sure where else to post this...but there are still half-price tix available if anyone was planning to attend a Cirque du Soleil show while in Vegas. Unfortunately, Zumanity and Love are sold out of these tix during the time we'll be there....but hey! Maybe you'll be going another time![/p][p]This is not an endorsement of the external site or of abandoning your Fan Faire friends! Just a realization that in the past, folks have taken off to do stuff like this, so why not try to save some money?[/p][p] [/p]
Fanfaire lastyear was a blast.... I was priviledged to be on the winning team for the EQ2 Live event. Those guys from Drow kicked major ****.... The party that Saturday night was great! I drank so much and had a blast... but SOE played a great trick on those trying to get their alchohol skills up... they had it where you had to walk back... UP HILL! On top of that, I was walking back with some EQers and it just so happened that most were women. I had alot of explaining to do after my wife called and heard women laughing and joking on the way back. Good thing I had the mem wipe available.... For those first timers.... get ready for a blast of fun! SOE Staff will not let you down!
Last Fan Faire, in Atlanta, I met, face to face, Niami Den Mother whom I had patently idolised in EQ1 as a tradeskiller then. Last Fan Faire, I refreshed a friendly acquaintance with someone I had met the first Fan Faire I went to, in SF a few years ago, someone who works for Safe House (I'm horrible with names but her face I remember well) that knew my in-game hubby during the time of the SF Fan Faire. Channeling Rijacki during the scavenger hunt, Live Event, last year was fun.. and tiring. A gnome who can talk faster than I can think and has decidedly more energy than a 2-year old. I think I caught up with her a few days after Fan Faire was over *impish grin*. Having everyone envious of my swashbuckler-ish cavalier hat with long lovely plumes last year was also nice in an.. umm.. evil sort of way. The hat is packed right now (moving on the 1st) but I labeled the box real well so I -should- be able to find it to take again this year. I know my hat was in more photos than I was *laugh*.
[p]My two favorite fan faires.[/p][p]Baltimore. The very first fan faire. They held it at a typical airport hotel near the Balitmore airport. I don't SOE really thought anyone would show up. They had let one of the fans, Cindy, who eventually went to work for them doing fan faires full time, talk them into holding something. There was little planned other than some developer talks. We all started showing up by the early afternoon and soon the entire lobby and the hotel bar was full of Everquest players all talking a completely foreign language to the hotel staff. That poor hotel didn't know what hit them. They had one bartender for several hundred thirsty gamers. We literally drank their bar empty. Even though there were only limited activities planned, nobody really cared. Everyone was just thrilled to be sitting down with a whole hotel full of people who could talk EQ with them.[/p][p]Boston. The "Shhhh" party. At this point there were still no official late night activities planned, so we had started to throw an Allakhazam/Caster's Realm party every fan faire. Boston was the epitome. We had bought several cases of beer and Gregg was making some sort of blender drink, and we had rented out a suite at the hotel to throw the party. At first it was mostly the SOE people and some people from both sites, but soon everyone got word of the party. Needless to say, we got a little loud. Complaints were filed. But since SOE was bringing the hotel so much business, the hotel was loathe to shut us down. So they just told us to keep quieter. Hence, the occasional "shhhhh". Eventually, they gave up and moved the whole party to one of their conference rooms and sold us a lot more beer. We all had a great time.[/p]
Oi bin ta five FanFaires, an' find it really hard ta single oot a favorite, or even git me stories straight as ta exactly whut happened at which one... Oi blame tha Warp Cores, yah, that's it! Here's a couple.... Oi do know that me experience in Chicago ensured that Oi would never, ever, ever book at an off-site hotel agin. Havin' ta walk or cab a mile was jes secha hassle... ever tried ta crawl in an' outta tha back seat o' a squat liddle cab in full costume? Oi thought Oi was gonna have ta git a winch, Oi tell yer. Fortunately, thar allus seemed ta be a few fine FanFaire geeks at tha hotel who would help an auld Dwarf oot.. one, two, three... PULL! After learnin' me lessin, Oi am allus tha one campin' tha FanFaire hotel registration openin'! Fer me, tha greatest joy is meetin' tha folk ahind alla tha names Oi have gotten ta know over tha years. Guides, GMs, Devs, players... alla them. It becomes like a MMRLG (Massively Multiplayer Real Life Game). It is secha rush ta meet up wif folk Oi used ta Guide wif, year after year. Oi was so verra happy ta git ta know Miz Naomi Denmother at last, as well as that Brenlo Bixiebopper feller! Me only trouble is that after two days in full armor from mornin' ta night, Oi have ta take me gear off an' don me human disguise... usually some time after tha costume contest. Then no-one recognizes me, hehe. Las' year, Oi got ta sit at tha Crushbone server table wif tha oh so UBAH an' l33t members o' Elysium guild. These are folks whose cast-off gear is bedder'n whut Oi will ever wear, hehe. In game, they kin be loud, surly, annoyin' an funny as hell. Oddly enough, they are a lot like that in rl too - Oi had a blast wif 'em durin' tha banquet... particularly as tha chap next ta me din't realize Oi was female, to tha amusement o' his buddies. Yeesh... just cause us dwarves don' wear low-cut armor. We know how ta protect our vital bits! One more... speakin' o' gender confusion... At one FanFaire, Oi decided Oi hadda go use tha public restroom. Not summat Oi take lightly, as it NOT an easy task gittin' enough armor outta tha wae ta accomplish this... task. Anyhoo, Oi opened tha door anna hotel employee rushed over ta say, "Excuse me, that's the ladies' room." "Aye! So it is!" Oi said, an' went in. When Oi emerged agin, tha lad was still standin' thar, apologizin all over tha place. Poor sod, Oi guess they don' git many properly bearded lasses, even in Vegas. So.... Here's ta FanFaire! Oi jes love goin' an' bein a proper Dwarf fer a few days. Pics on me staff page at thebrasse.com show two of me outifts. That said, Oi am havin more trouble than usual this year tryin' ta find tha time ta make a new set o' armor. Runnin' me site leaves me verra liddle time, Oi kin tell yer. Luckily Oi have a few auld armors ta lean on if wurst comes ta wurst! Oi'll give it me best shot. ;-)# Brasse
This is not a story but there are a lot of memories here: www.danellyn.com On the upper menu bar click on the Danellyn of Everquest. Then click Fan Faire Pictures. There are pics from 11 Fan Faires!! Enjoy!
