EQ2 Guide Newb Anticipation  

Newb Anticipation

SOE Fan Faire 2007===

I'm so terribly excited. I get to go to Fan Faire this year! After six years playing SOE games, and knowing in my heart of hearts that I'd never have the money and life would never coordinate to attend, somehow it all fell together this year. Not only can I go, but my mother is coming to watch the kids so my husband can join me. I've used up so much luck having this trip come together that I may never win a /random or harvest a rare again.

The thing is, I'm a total Fan Faire newb. Not just Fan Faire, I've never gone to any kind of fan Con or any convention anywhere. I have no idea what to expect, really. I've been combing the 'net for tidbits and information beyond the schedule posted on the Official Fan Faire site.

First there's the parties. By all accounts SOE throws a heckuva party. There's a bash of some sort slated all three nights of Fan Faire. Thursday's welcome reception is at the Voodoo Lounge on the 51st floor of the Rio. Looking at the pictures, it seems this is a fabulous outdoor lounge above the city. Friday night is the pool party. Talk is already circulating of the potential for Caddyshack-like shenanigans! Saturday night is the grand banquet and costume contest, followed by what's sounding like a dance party.

I was thinking about entering the costume contest, but I can't find the right pants for my Ironforge ceremonial smithing outfit. Waitaminit. Pool Party. Oh gods, I have to find a swimming suit. Oh horrors, I might have to be seen in a swimming suit! Ack. Moving on...

There will be a Bazaar with “Phat Lewt from SOE” and visiting vendors to check out. It's known that SOE will running a live, hands on demo of Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising™ , and they just announced the release of their new spy action thriller, The Agency™, which I'm positively dying to get a glance at. There's also rumors of a peek at a brand new, unannounced anywhere yet title.

There will be a game room so you can log in and make your guildies jealous (be sure to make reservations!), a tournament, and live events for major SOE titles. If you need to chill there is the Legends Lounge with refreshments and a chance to “check out SOE games”. Which, I suspect, is where I'll be blogging and reporting from. Make sure my drink has fruit in it.

Of special interest to me are the non-party activities. Before getting involved in fan sites I really had no interest in the MMO industry as a whole, but now that I've had some exposure I'm finding it fascinating. There are ten hours worth of “Discussion Panels, Forums and Roundtables “, all To Be Announced, but we've heard talk of panels on women in gaming, a seminar for people wanting to break into the industry, and developer chats. I'm really looking forward to attending some of these. The MMO industry has become a force unto itself, and the discussions promise to be fascinating.

What I'm most looking forward to is the people. I was privileged to attend a Community Summit in February where I got to meet not only a plethora of SOE people (so many that I'm still vague on some names) but folks from all over the SOE and gaming worlds: Ten Ton Hammer, VirginWorlds, EQ2-Daily, WarCry, and fans and anti-fans from SWG, Matrix Online, and EverQuest were there (oh gods, I know I've forgotten someone. Forgive me now, I'll buy you a drink at Fan Faire). I've rarely been surrounded by such a passionate, intelligent, diverse group of people. And that's what's going to make Fan Faire for me, meeting people I only know from the virtual world in which I play, socialize, and now work. (I get out. I swear I do. I have pictures to prove it!)

And if all else fails (my goodness, how could it possibly fail?!?), we're in Vegas. Vegas! Anyone who can't find some way to have fun in Vegas has /emo on a macro. I've actually been to Vegas before: almost five years ago, shortly after my husband got me hopelessly addicted to EverQuest, we eloped to Vegas. Yeah, baby. Quality Time! If you need to escape the hubbub and don't want to take advantage of the amenities offered at the hotel, there is a free bus from the Rio that will take you to Harrah's on the Strip. From there, take your pick!

All in all it sounds like it will be very hard to get bored at Fan Faire. My major problem might be trying to grab some sleep! But as I troll the internet looking for tidbits of l337 infoz, One thing is obvious: what happens at Fan Faire does *not* stay at Fan Faire! There are still floating around the 'net mysterious pictures of previous Fan Faires, which look like they were a lot of fun. So be warned, someone somewhere is probably memorializing you wearing your guildmate's boxer shorts as your class hat. It might even be me!

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Converted from Guides
Created:	2007-06-29 09:44:43
Last Changed:	2007-06-29 10:39:17
Author:	Calthine
Category:	Event Coverage
Last Edited	1383528
Score:	5.00
Note:	None
Guide ID:	1013
Last Changed:	Unknown

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