OK, here's the new timeline. Because we moved these dates out, we're really going to have to hold to the one about game submission in particular, so please take note:
Games
* February 25, 2011 Last day for game submissions * February 26, 2011 Last day for GM game corrections * February 28, 2011 Game book goes online * March 14, 2011 Last day to make game selections online * March 21, 2011 Player lists e-mailed to Game Masters * March 25, 2011 Game schedules e-mailed to members
Hotel / Travel
* March 14, 2011 Last day for hotel reservations at the Ambercon rate
Merchandise
* March 20, 2011 Last day to order t-shirts online
Registration
* February 13, 2011 Last day to register and get Early Bird pricing * March 10, 2011 Last day to register and get Regular pricing * March 24, 2011 Last day to register and receive food certificates
So I am making plans on getting to ACUS and surviving while there.For those who don't know I am having some minor kidney issues, and by that I mean complete renal failure. It shouldn't be an issue, my doctor has cleared me to travel and to spend some time away from the dialysis chair. I also located the nearest hospital to the con with a dialysis unit, it is about a 1/2 hour drive from the hotel, maybe less. And there's the rub. Curgoth and I will be without a car. I know it's a lot to ask but on the off chance I need a treatment would it be possible to get one of you fine people to drive me to said hospital? And pick me up 2-4 hours later? I would try and arrange things to the driver wouldn't miss their game, ie leave during lunch return during dinner. If anyone is willing to help out a poor sickly Canadian let me know. X-Posted to Ambercon, and ADRPG and My Journal.
An experience this weekend reminded me of something I wanted to share with y'all. My first ever AmberCon, I knew about two people there... Maybe just one. Regardless, almost nobody. Through the luck of the draw, I ended up in a game with some of the people who I now consider AmberCon AllStars. These are the names that, when you get your GM's list, you fervently hope either are or are not on it. The ones who tend to shine in their games, and you go home thinking "remember when (AmberCon AllStar) did that clever thing?" I felt pretty tentative, because I didn't know what the conventions were with this group, what was expected, 'how we rolled' as the kids these days no longer say. And these folks kept throwing me role-playing bones, juicy meaty opportunites to get into my character, and they made me awesome*. It was probably one of the most euphoric gaming experiences of my life, and it cemented my determination to return, year after year. I guess my bottom line here is, it's easy to throw your friend a bone--you know hir strengths and weaknesses, and se knows the rules to the 'Make Pol Cry' game--but if you want to grow the community, first impressions are the best way to do that. Keep an eye out for the new kid.
*'Here's How I Make You Awesome' is the title of one of the gaming tenets I learned from Fred Hicks.
This post contains very little actual content, other than a general sort of excitement for the upcoming ACNW. Permit me to squeeee just a little bit.
I'm tremendously excited about the games I'm running, and can't wait to see what everyone else has come up with.
Hopefully, everyone else who is coming is getting excited to. I'll offer this up as well, being a local. If there's anything about Portland that you were curious about, or wanted to know, or want any sort of recommendations, ask me here in a comment, and I'll be happy to oblige.
And, since at last update, we have 70 games out of 105 games, I'm also here to encourage anyone who hasn't run a game at ACNW to do so, and I'm also here with free (and possibly useful) advice about doing that. I started coming to this con just a couple of years back, and made the shift from player to player/GM with ease. You can to.
I've attended three Ambercons, and the upcoming will be number four. I've been assured that federal law requires that I run at least one game by now, and so I'm chewing over ideas in my head. I have experience running games for people who I know, and in prolonged campaigns. I've never done a pick up game for four hours with strangers. So I come here looking for advice from professionals, people who have done this in the past.
What sorts of guideposts and structures have you found useful? What to avoid? What to be certain of? When the velvet glove and when the iron fist? How to package it for the brochure? Share your wisdom with me, and in doing so share it with all of us.
