Countdown to Origins 2014

[Black Jack Rackham]

Just a note I finished my discussion above!

[salamanca]

Since Mark did highs and lows, i will follow suit.

Highs
We had good roleplayers at every table. Not all of you are jump in the spotlight types, some of you are outright "go along with the plan and do what the party needs done" types but you all filled your roles and you did it in cool ways. This is the first con in 4 years that I had ZERO players that I hope forget about us.

The hallway positioning. I really hate spending the whole con in one room and wondering who else is in the building. We saw everybody and several industry giants gave me a wink, a nod or a verbal hello and these are guys I did not think knew I existed. It was easier to hear out there for the most part and I would take that spot again in a heartbeat.

Turn out. We had more people at the tables overall than we had tickets available. I will always take that. It means you want to play enough to risk being closed out and don't take a sure thing ticket elsewhere (which is why we will always do our damndest to get you in that game)

Sharing the love. Any time IK get a chance to teach someone a game they do not know, it's a good day for me. Takenoko, Get Lucky, Get Bit, whatever I had on hand, someone was willing to give it a go.

The LARP play quality. there were not a ton of you but you all rocked that session hard. And you did it with class. I know I need to have a physical mechanic in place in case you all cannot roleplay around an issue but you people managed to spend 4 hours and require a total of two mechanical checks. That is awesome. When the two players that approach me about being afraid to participate because they have no experience walk up to each other and start debating an issue off their character sheets for the first (and possibly best) roleplaying moment of the session, I knew we were in great shape. Mr. Perkins speech to "support" Santino was priceless.

Aerodrome Lessons: Sunday in the dealer room, I had a nice sit down chat with the wily 83 year old veteran gamer and he taught me several important lessons that will (I hope) lead to me making a few kills in that game next year.

The middle stuff

We could have used more outside players at the LARP so you all could have had more to do. I would have liked to see someone have the chance to recruit Primo into their Sandoval's Guard team.

Having to ask permission to stay at the table I already was occupying EVERY session was a bit of a hassle.

The violence incident Mark mentioned: It did not escalate. There were at least 12 people who I consider very important to me in very close proximity to that and half of them never even were aware it happened. that could have gone all kinds of wrong and it did not. Nor did I have to get involved so it is not a terrible thing.

No time to play. I like messing up your plans from the other side of the table but I love messing them up from YOUR side of the table. But I had a feeling it would happen this year and that was part of that whole "parents against El Vago" storyline this year. It gave me an excuse to keep Romeo locked in his room.

There are too many of you I love running for. I don't get enough table time running for any of you. If you got in one session, I probably want you there for 3. If you got in 3, I want more sessions to run for you.

the Lows
My preparation level. I sort of get lazy and rely on my impression of how to run the new sessions based on my playthrough of it. While you all seem to have had a good time, I think I could have given you an even better game if you were playing episode 7 and 8 with me. I promise you that this will NOT happen again. You pay to play and deserve the absolute best from me at all times. My pacing was off and stuff got rushed that did not need to be that way.

Hotel elevators breaking down when I need to haul a 30 pound case of books to the 8th floor. I'm not that in shape. Damn you Mr. Otis! fix the elevator.

Aerodrome shut out. Third year in a row with no new kills to my name. I am stuck at 2 and would really like to reach 5 and get named an "Ace".

Generic tokens. I hate dealing with these as a GM. they are clunky and hard to carry to turn in. But rumor has it they are phasing them out for something easier to carry and count (possibly a return to paper tickets)

Missing persons. more than 7 people contacted me about characters for the LARP less than a week before the con started that did not even attend the convention. I will honestly tell you that if I complained about the volume of work involved in adding that information then I am just whining. It did not take much to add the information. But I would have loved to have seen those players attend.

Charlie having to work. It was only one evening but he only gets to roleplay once a year and as I am in the same situation, I wish he could utilize ALL of the time available to him to do so.

It's only 5 days.

[Lady Grace]

What/when/where exactly was the violence incident?

[salamanca]

Saturday afternoon right by the escalators. Someone bumped into or said something to a young man and he turned and punched the guy in the face. The target stayed calm and did not retaliate. the young man did not unsheath the crappy sword he had just purchased. Everybody waited politely for security and the cops to show up and the young man went for a short ride downtown.

Another highpoint: I did not witness the pack of naked bicycle riders on Saturday. Cthulhu Bob was less fortunate.

[kenderleech]

Ok, here we go

Highs: All the smiling. even at 9am. at 1pm. at 7pm. at 11pm. All of it. Looking around, seeing people having fun

The stories. Oh god the stories.

Getting to play with so many more people.

Presenting the gaudiest thing i have ever made in a larp.

Middle ground: I was on a GM badge. I ran ONE game. I was told i rolled the twenty, but you know what? I still feel bad about it.

The looks I got walking around the OTHER areas of columbus in my various kilts. Gas stations, grocery stores, home despot. Man, i have so much fun. Man, people are redickulous

Lows: My blasted car. 220 bucks to repair a battery cable. plus the room, and the origins block did not extend to sunday night

I dont know how many of you saw more then the immediate area downtown, but driving? Seriously, there are a lot of homeless people in columbus.

[salamanca]

The smiling is why I think Origins trumps GenCon. People are just more casual at this con. The vendors are more low key and it's just a be polite thing. The homeless thing is not just Columbus, it's Ohio. A lot of that economic recovery has missed the state (and Columbus is considered the city that best survived the hit). As for running one event... I sort of stacked the deck there. While I let Mark think he is in charge by running the new stuff, I really consider this my con to host and take all that I can on myself. If this year has the same turn out at GenCon, you will earn that badge. But I thank you for taking that event (even if I still ended up doing an overflow session). As for stories... Someday we will share the good ones.

[daundelyon]

Another highpoint: I did not witness the pack of naked bicycle riders on Saturday. Cthulhu Bob was less fortunate.

I have a video of that particular event.

[smafdi]

Now that I've had some time to digest (and sadly get back to my "wonderful" job) It seems like the cool kids are all doing a high low list. Not to let mark think this IS all about him here's my turn.

Warning minor spoilers possible ahead.

Highs: The LARP. Seriously dave holy crap that was a stupid amount of fun. Going in i wasn't quite sure but was willing to run with it, and spending my time instead of worrying about it reassuring amanda that everything would be fine and fun it turned out to be. I have know people in the past who larp a ton and it never really appealed to me, but now i'm going to chalk that up to the setting (7th sea vs WoD) and the players. We really have the best community of players for any game i have ever played. There is not one person who I saw this year that made me think, dang i really don't wanna be here. Granted there were a lot of dang i wanna play with person X that I didn't get to, but there is always next year.

Episode 8. without going into too much detail we had an absolute blast with mark running our episode 8 this year. from the "well that escalated quickly" moments that were all to frequent to us talking ourselves out of pulling a leverage moment to have to turn around and do that very thing. All in all it was probably one of the best episodes I have played to date, slightly overshadowing the infamous ep 3 cow ride and the ever popular "ep 1 incident"

One more high amanda's 10yo cousin blake, better known to you all as IVAN! I am astounded that he not only expressed interest in trying to play, and was able to sit down long enough to play (mostly) but the fact that he had so much fun he kept coming back and played a total of 3 different sessions. He wants to come back to play with you all again next year and even wants to start playing at home this summer. We have some fresh young blood


Middle: Board Game room / Board Ribbon. The CABS sponsored room this year was in a much better space this year but there was a serious lack of ribbon checking to get in this year. it wouldn't have bothered me as much if i didn't drop the $$ on 2 extra ribbons for kids who 1 of which only came 2 days and only wanted to be in the board room for less than 20m :/

Lows: Alaina huffman tickets costing 36$ each. holy crap that's stupidly high to meet someone and get their autograph. *old man mode engaged* I remember as a teen i went to a haunted "house" dealie and got to not only watch alice cooper judge a look alike contest but to sing a song on stage, AND got to meet him and get his autograph for NO ADDITIONAL COST!

Board room again, this year not enough free games to give out ribbons for so you had to play a bunch friday and saturday to get a chance to "win" a "free" game and that was not in the cards for us this year, i did manage a free copy of tahiti for being one of the unclaimed winners games they were just getting rid of, but still, sorely disappointed as that was a highlight i was looking forward to from last year.

Not enough time to play with everyone. I know We made plans to play some board games but again time was against us this year and we didn't get a chance. I would love to play with everyone so maybe there is next year we shall see.

On a side note i wish i would have known about your car troubles ken we could have put you up for a night in our home while you were waiting on the repairs to be done, would have saved you the hotel cost . If it happens again next year i expect you to tell me so i can at least offer to help.

We miss you all and next year can not come soon enough. Thanks for the games and the memories.

[kenderleech]

If it happens again next year, im shooting the car. The car has been informed of this, and shown the cannon that will be used.

But i do appriciate the offer

[salamanca]

Celebrity signings are all a bit different. The charging is a decision made by the particular person, their agent and whoever handles their personal appearances. It is often based on an inverse level of how much they are worth as an entertainer. (Alice makes plenty off the records so he will sign for free) and also what the performer is being paid to show up as well as the venue. A lower profile performer needs the appearance and signing money to pay the bills. Still, can't justify 36 bucks for her name on a picture. But i'm not a celebrity hound.

[salamanca]

Stephen, thank you for the kind words about the Larp. It's not like other larps because i'm not one to play those either. Too much backstabby, petty power mongering, and stat crap getting in the way of having a fun time and making a story. As you said, we have awesome regulars and this larp was my excuse to essentially put you all in one session without a table and let you make alliances and bond. (don't hold it against Josh, he's new and I MADE him play Laurent). Believe me, I was more worried about you not having fun than you were. As for Amanda, I knew if she was having fun, everything else was golden. (new players always have the hardest time finding their zone in those events). Plus costumes!. I am going to go build a new very pre-emptive post in the event category for the larp. You should all please participate in that thread.

[daundelyon]

As someone who helps write/run a regular LARP, I can appreciate just how much work went into it. You guys did a terrific job.
I would like to ask, how was the stain glass window cross made? It gave me plot ideas. *evil giggling*

[salamanca]

That is an acrylic product called gallery glass. You lay the glass over your picture draw the beading on which comes in a applicator bottle and let it dry, then you fill in with the colors. If you want to swirl colors drag them around with a pin while wet. It takes at least one practice run to get a feel for volume. My trial piece had too little paint and the separated from the edges.

[daundelyon]

Thank you! *makes shopping list for next raid on the craft shop*