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The happiest surprises of GenCon 2013


Mako

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I got a fair few surprises being there, a few not so good (some of the costumes... my eyes may never recover), quite a lot of 'that's who that is? I'd never have guessed!', but mostly just random bonus ones.

It got me thinking - what were your top moments of the con?

I think one of mine has to be getting to talk to both EricJ and Jessica Rich to pinch painting ideas. I even got to go all nervous fanboy to do it *grin*

That, and placing in the painting contest.

And discovering that the vik models are so amazingly sculpted and cast, they're possibly some of the most perfect girly-but-not-wimpy female models I've ever seen. So much so I had to get them.

Oh, and the hilarity of not being recognised myself, until I admitted it. Which edonil topped me at, because everyone recognised him with way more surprise when he said his forum name!

Good times...

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Someone in my tournament was already qualified for the avatar tournament, so they took the next place down and I got to go to it! I can't even begin to describe how elated that made me.

Won a neat little evil baby orphanage tin in the wyrd raffle.

I was also super surprised when I fell in love with the new viks once I saw them... I was dead set against them when I saw the new art.

A fellow who had designed a board game that I playtested said he was going to use one of my ideas.

All in all, I had an AMAZING time!

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Oh, and the hilarity of not being recognised myself, until I admitted it. Which edonil topped me at, because everyone recognised him with way more surprise when he said his forum name!

Good times...

Ya you ran away before I could pin you down for a conversation or see your diorama. So jealous because one of my midget mafia got to hang out and talk with you in the event hall between demos.

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Heh yeah, I'm a quick and tricksy one! The painting contest was well worth a look, but took me three days to be able to find it without getting lost. I'll make sure I sort out photos of my stuff, and of the other wyrd bits I saw, when I can.

That raffle was hilarious, especially when the big or metal stuff started getting thrown...

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Was glad to see so many Puppets entered into the contest this year (and well some renewed interest in one of my favorite games).

Also heard some great and unexpected news from EricJ who said we could tell everyone Colette is going to be one of the next Puppet Masters as well. Her concept art was prominently displayed at the exhibition booth for all to see (and seem to recall him saying he tweeted it), I wonder how many people even realized it?

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winning the avatar, it was touch and go the whole time, specially since i was only 4th for the first qualifier. the story encounters were awesome and refreshing, then realizing it was deusimmone (so butchered that forum name) wrote the tournament software. well lets just say i was being at gen con was pleasantly surprising overall.

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Demoing M2E to 100% excited people. Forums lead me to believe it'd be maybe 70/30 in favour of it but nope, every single group liked it, new and old players.

Also getting to chat with Mack and pointing out the Hannah hidden in the dealer room showcase.

Seriously, I hadn't gotten to see the plastic yet until you showed it too me!

I think the stories I get to take home are a big part of it for me. My list includes:

  • Chatting with Omenbringer at length on Sunday night, he's got some great stories.
  • Being followed into the bathroom by someone who had questions.
  • Getting to sign books.
  • Being asked for my autograph and then disappointing the person when I explained that I wasn't Kevin Smith... twice.
  • Noxweiler's Puppet. I'm going to have to get a display case for it.
  • Pretty much all 36 hours of the Canon Campaign. Oh man, was that a lot of game running.

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winning the avatar, it was touch and go the whole time, specially since i was only 4th for the first qualifier. the story encounters were awesome and refreshing, then realizing it was deusimmone (so butchered that forum name) wrote the tournament software. well lets just say i was being at gen con was pleasantly surprising overall.

Close enough. ;) And you have no idea how happy it made me that somebody recognized the software. :)

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  • Following Mako aimlessly, looking for the painting entrees. (Mako says, "I just wander around till I stumble into the area.")
  • Meeting someone who I have been playing an MMO with for 7 years, but never met in person. We hung out quite a bit (who bought 1 item from Wyrd, whereas I bought about <undisclosed amount> and STILL won a raffle item, while I walked away with nada, lol).
  • Getting to meet playtesters at the Colts bar, while trying to interpret their menu.

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For me?

Meeting Jacqulyn and her being exactly like I pictured her!

Getting asked to run a quick EBO demo moments after finishing the demo where Rebeccajo and I learned it. (the guys we showed it to had a lot of fun with it)

Getting the autograph of Chris Pramas, the writer of the Dragon Age RPG and having a moment to chat with him about the future of the game.

the demo of 7 wonders with Gil from Brussels. He was such a cool guy... and now I know someone from Belgium!

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My con highlight was meeting Chris(deusinommen) for lunch on Monday and seeing the two bags full of M2E swag that Wyrd sent home for me as a thank you for doing all the planning even though family issues kept me from the con this year.

Hope to see you all next year when my life is less crazy.

---------- Post added at 10:26 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:23 AM ----------

  • Being asked for my autograph and then disappointing the person when I explained that I wasn't Kevin Smith... twice.

Its funny, I told someone looking for you at Adepticon this year that you looked like Kevin Smith.

Are we going to see a write up on the Canon Campaign. I've heard some interesting tidbits.

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Happiest Surprises? Hrmmm

* Definitely coming in second in the Wyrd costume contest, I was -not- expecting that at all. It still feels kind of surreal.

* Getting to meet a bunch of friends from online and people from forums. :)

* Getting second tier in the Achievement League.

* Demoing Winter Tales at FFG, followed by crushing disappointment when I was told it wasn't available to buy yet.

* Being able to help out a bit doing Malifaux demos in the minis hall.

* That my legs and feet didn't stage a mutiny on me from all of the walking over the weekend. :D

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Oh man, this exactly. She was even sweeter in person than I imagined, and I knew she was really nice beforehand. :)

+10! That girl is so sweet if you put her out in the rain she'd melt! She was a bubbly ray of sunshine every time I talked to her and she always left me smiling. :)

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Seriously, I hadn't gotten to see the plastic yet until you showed it too me!

I think the stories I get to take home are a big part of it for me. My list includes:

  • Chatting with Omenbringer at length on Sunday night, he's got some great stories.
  • Being followed into the bathroom by someone who had questions.
  • Getting to sign books.
  • Being asked for my autograph and then disappointing the person when I explained that I wasn't Kevin Smith... twice.
  • Noxweiler's Puppet. I'm going to have to get a display case for it.
  • Pretty much all 36 hours of the Canon Campaign. Oh man, was that a lot of game running.

It's telling that breaking down our hotel room door with a crowbar doesn't even make the list.

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The sheer number of people who recognized me from the forum was shocking, lol. Not the happiest surprise, but definitely one that was interesting.

My List:

  • Meeting all the Wyrd staff and other henchmen and getting to chat with them. It was a lot of fun being able to just talk about the hobby and hear from people.
  • Getting to meet some of the writers who have signed up for the Iron Quill in the past.
  • Meeting and learning from some of my writing heroes, like Brandon Sanderson (who I was positive wouldn't be there!) and Howard Tayler. On the second guy, getting a sketch from him in my copy of The Body Politic that I know wasn't on his list!
  • Just seeing the infectious excitement in the people I was demoing for. I ended every shfit basically shell shocked (ask Mako on that one, lol) but those 14 hours were probably the highest points of the whole trip.

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  • Meeting and learning from some of my writing heroes, like Brandon Sanderson (who I was positive wouldn't be there!) and Howard Tayler. On the second guy, getting a sketch from him in my copy of The Body Politic that I know wasn't on his list!

I am sad I missed Brandon Sanderson because both myself and my wife are big fans of his first book, Elantris.

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I am sad I missed Brandon Sanderson because both myself and my wife are big fans of his first book, Elantris.

I'm pretty sure he's coming to Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville on October 1st, according to my mother. I'll confirm with her later and let you know. He's signing his new young adult book.

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