GenCon Questions

[BOZ]

As usual, I am a victim of my own bad planning.

First of all, is GenCon still Aug 19-22? Our 1st wedding anniversary is the 17th – congratulate us (assuming we don’t split up in the next 3 weeks, heh ) if you see us!

We (well mostly me) had a blast last year meeting (in)famous ENWorlders and Nutkinlanders and want to do more of that this year. I know there are other threads about meetings and gatherings and such, but they are very very long. Could someone help out this lazy ol’ fella by posting some info and highlights? The Ennies are an obvious one, but I know that more and more every year people will be spending more time getting together at cons, gaming and just chatting.

We will probably be driving our own car or taking a rental car. We might be taking our 8-year old girl, but my wife will probably want her (biological) father to watch her for the weekend.

Is there any hotel space available (won’t be surprised if not)? My wife wants a hotel room, but we have a standing offer with my friend (she works at the Borders a few blocks away from the convention center) to crash on her floor. I’m going to be working on Mrs. Boz to convince her that some sleeping bags, pillows/cushions, and comforters might be a whole lot cheaper than 3 or 4 nights in a hotel room.

I think I had some other questions before my browser and system crashed and I had to retype this whole thing from memory…

Lastly, am I asking far too many questions that I should have asked 3 or 4 months ago?

 

[Crothian]

last question first: well, it would have been better for you to get some of this info earlier, but hey whatever works foir you

Your dates are correct.

This year there is goingto be an ENNies booth outside the dealers room. I think EN World Publishing will have a booth inside, but we are going to be using the ENnies booth for EN World gathers, pick up game sign ups, and general uses like that. The boothes outside the dealer room got hardly any traffic, so we won't be hogging up the booth that needs to sale things.

The best way to find out about hotel rooms is to start calling around.

 

[BOZ]

Your dates are correct.

good deal! since our anniversary is that same week and i have plenty o' vacation time (like 11 days) i will just take the whole week and possibly the following monday off.

This year there is goingto be an ENNies booth outside the dealers room. I think EN World Publishing will have a booth inside, but we are going to be using the ENnies booth for EN World gathers, pick up game sign ups, and general uses like that. The boothes outside the dealer room got hardly any traffic, so we won't be hogging up the booth that needs to sale things.

excellent! i'll be looking out for both. and i still have my badge from the last GenCon that i'll be wearing... it'll be nice if we have a nearby area (like the cafeteria or an empty room) to hang out in and spontaneously game in or whatnot.

The best way to find out about hotel rooms is to start calling around.

it's just a curiosity issue - i'm only going to need it if Mrs. Boz makes a big issue out of it. otherwise, the floor or a couch works just fine for me.

 

[qstor]

There's a D&D 30th anniversary party too. I think It's Thursday night. There was an ad in a few issues of Dragon magazine.

I don't think I'll make the ENines party but I'll have on a ENWorld T-shirt one day. I'll be in the RPGA area mostly, playing and I might DM a few rounds too.

As for hotels, I think most of them are full at this point. I'd take your friend up on her offer

Mike

 

[Dogbrain]

Hotel rooms? That depends on where in the county or surrounding nine counties you want to stay.

 

[Crothian]

excellent! i'll be looking out for both. and i still have my badge from the last GenCon that i'll be wearing... it'll be nice if we have a nearby area (like the cafeteria or an empty room) to hang out in and spontaneously game in or whatnot.

It would be nice, but there will be no such place. Based on last year there was zero room at the convention center for pick up games...well, they did have one room with like 6 table in it. That was it, so finding a place to play pick up games may very well be a problem.

 

[BOZ]

There's a D&D 30th anniversary party too. I think It's Thursday night. There was an ad in a few issues of Dragon magazine.

yeah! right, there is that. but thursday night? i'm not sure when we'll be leaving chicago. what location and time was that again?

I don't think I'll make the ENines party but I'll have on a ENWorld T-shirt one day. I'll be in the RPGA area mostly, playing and I might DM a few rounds too.

As for hotels, I think most of them are full at this point. I'd take your friend up on her offer

yeah, that's kinda what i'm thinking.

 

[BOZ]

It would be nice, but there will be no such place. Based on last year there was zero room at the convention center for pick up games...well, they did have one room with like 6 table in it. That was it, so finding a place to play pick up games may very well be a problem.

well, we did fairly easily find room for a late-night game. well, we could always do like the Magic players and just set up on the floor.

 

[jgbrowning]

Last year we stayed at a hotel near the airport. There appeared to be lots of space but it is a 7mile or so drive in. Free parking can be found under the mall nearby, but that also means a bit of a walk to the convention center. If your friend idea doesn't work out, check out near the airport.

joe b.

 

[Dogbrain]

Last year we stayed at a hotel near the airport. There appeared to be lots of space but it is a 7mile or so drive in. Free parking can be found under the mall nearby, but that also means a bit of a walk to the convention center. If your friend idea doesn't work out, check out near the airport.

This nearby mall, by the way, does not look like a typical shopping mall. Office buildings on two city blocks were converted to stores and joined by multi-level walkways across streets. There are multiple parking garages associated with this mall. The mall is joined to the Hyatt, which is joined to the Convention Center.