So......GenCon Indy anyone?

Who all is going?

I am going to be going, but well, pretty busy (I think I am a floor boss this time, but will likely do some Demos, just not a regular thing like last year). I know I MAY have an evening free. (maybe Friday?) and I intend to camp PF Changs for dinner if at all possible. (They have food I can eat, and very yummy flourless chocolate cake!).

So... let me know if you're going, I can't likely hang around long enough to play an self respecting Ameritrash game (unless I get eliminated early!) but would be cool to hang out a bit with people.

Maybe next year. I love GenCon, I've gone ten times now. And I grew up in Indy, so I have several friends offering me a place to stay each year. And half of my original gaming group still lives there, so they are all definitely going. But money is tight this year, at least until September, so no GenCon this year. Even Convergence was just a one-day, no-badge deal for me.

My brother-in-law is going. I should have him say hi for me to you, Thaad.

BTW, the Klingon Jail-n-Bail is not going to happen this year, according to my friend who helps to run it.

Also, is there any notification as to whether there will even BE a GenCon Indy next year? The amount of debt that the GenCon LLC owes is a bit steep.

--Mike L.

mikelawson wrote:

BTW, the Klingon Jail-n-Bail is not going to happen this year, according to my friend who helps to run it.

Also, is there any notification as to whether there will even BE a GenCon Indy next year? The amount of debt that the GenCon LLC owes is a bit steep.

--Mike L.

Heh, one of my friends is a big Next Gen fan, so we had him arrested by the Klingons back in the mid-'90s. Klingon torture included showing my friend a picture of Shatner while playing that old cover of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.

I hadn't heard about the GenCon debt thing before, but that's very interesting. The GenCon Indy thing was a five-year commitment up front, starting in 2003, so the bets are apparently off for 2009. I would love to see GenCon come back to Milwaukee, because that was a much easier drive and Milwaukee has a pretty neat downtown area. Even my friends in Indy preferred GenCon in Milwaukee, because it felt more like an actual vacation for them.

I'm definately going this year-- barring some kind of scheduling snafu with work.

This year is going to be kinda special 'cause it might be oner of the last ones my buddy Norm gets to got to for a while. He's applying for a posting at work that would imply a substantial pay increase, a move two hours away, and a less than accomodating schedule. You better not forget the little people (i.e ME) you upwardly mobile prick.


Hey Thaad, what does a floor boss do? What games will you be demoing?Is PF Chang's any good? Is it cheap? I'm always looking for good/cheap food that doesn't require me to walk miles through the muggy, August air of Indy. On a side note i'm considering bringing Dungeonquest to Indy this year due to it's short play time ( 30/45 min, portability, and the fact that it's easily one of the games that most encompasses the ameritrash mindset.

Any takers?

Oh, and I'm not to worried about the future of Gencon Indy. Peter Adkinson was basiclally writing checks his ass couldn't cash -- and that's why he's been moved out of the hotseat. What with all the money Gencon brings to the fine city of Indy, and the fact that the con has been getting bigger every year-- I just don't see them letting it go.

PF Changs is a chain asian place. It's not ritzy, but it's also not Steak and Shake. I am a bit 'geographically challeged' so I can't really say how far away it is... my first year at GenCon I had to repeatedly ask for directions to the Exhibit hall. Like, anytime I left it.


Basically with GenCon - we have alot of people, doing alot of things. People need breaks, and troubleshooting. This could be anything from 'does this game come in French' to 'I am looking for X person, I lost their business card' to 'Hey, I really really want to show you my prototype, do you mind if I move your game off this table so I can pitch it to you'. I will be 'breaking' people (meaning I need to brush up on ...all of the games...) and answering questions and keeping an eye on things. Pointing people in the right directions. Answering questions. I am good at answering questions. I am really looking forward to it though - I love conventions, and we have a pretty awesome show in planning... 5 weeks left, or so. Also, our direct neighbors are the guys who make my spaceship crack. I think FFG very well might be the biggest booth this year, too.... hopefully we will do the Time Lapse video like last year... See if I still have the link for that... SO MANY PEOPLE!

www.fantasyflightgames.com/gencon2007post.html

I was arrested last year for my birthday. I refused to sing the Barney song. I did a dramatic reading instead.

Hehe. A dramatic reading of what?

Of the barney song lyrics, of course.

I won't be there this year, didn't manage to get any money like I was hoping...

Hopefully the people running FFG demos know the games this time around - it was kinda embarrassing showing up to the Starcraft demo and recalling more from one reading of the rules (released in pdf right before the con) than the person running the demo with a rulebook in front of them.

I didn't get a chance to go to PF Changs, as Steak and Shake & McDonald's covered our cheap dining and our group's expensive meals were at Buca di Beppo and St. Elmo Steakhouse.

Also, experience showed that you could pretty well avoid the majority of the bums if you stay off Illinois street...

I live & work in downtown Indy, abut a mile away from the convention center, so I'll be there. Unlike other years, I'm not signing up for anything this year at all; just wandering about and trying new things. I tried that strategy at Origins this year and was pretty happy with it.

Speaking of food: If you are interested in non-chain places:

Nearby is Loughmillers. They cater a lot to the state government center across the street. It's a bar serving, but not a dive, serving good solid food. They are behind the Mariott.
www.loughmillerspub.com/

The Red Eye Cafe is nearby also. A step above Loughmillers maybe. It's over near Union Station.
www.redeyecafe.com/

The great unwashed masses will be over at The Ram enduring long lines, crowds, and mediocre food (although I do like their appetizers.) Across the street is Alcatraz, another brewpub. I like their menu; it's not the typical bar food fare and has some slightly asian themes to the dishes.
www.alcatrazbrewing.com/

Nearby is J Gumbos, formerly Badaboomz, formerly BW3's. All owned by the same guy, he's kept the same wonderful tap selection: over 40 micros & imports on tap, 2 handpulls, and many many more in the cases. It's current food is inexpensive Creole. This is one of my favorite bars. It's just 1 block east of the Ram & Alcatraz.
jgumbos.com/menu.html
www.pubcrawler.com/Template/ReviewWC.cfm/flat/BrewerID=102560

A little farther away, let's call them 20 minute walks, are Barcelona Tapas and McNivins, which specializes in Scottish and bar food with a twist. Yes, the have haggis.
www.barcelonatapas.com/
www.yelp.com/biz/mcnivens-restaurant-and-bar-indianapolis

PF Chang's is good, but not that cheap. Around the higher end of, say, the Olive Garden fare in price.

Lettuce wraps are good (and really a meal by itself). Mu Shu pork is good too.

--Mike L.

Ahhhhh. Nice! thatnks for the grub info guys!

I have pretty severe food restrictions (Celiac, which means I can't have wheat, rye, barly, oats, or anything keeping cozy with these things...)

....which means conventions can be a bit rough for food for me. PF Changs has a special *laminated* for me - instead of having to harass the often busy/ignorant/uninterested wait staff about ingredients, I get to order food like a big kid. From the menu. Without being a pain in the ass.

So GenCon means hopefully 2 nights of PF Changs, with a cooler and left overs for lunch. I've yet to make it through a GenCon without getting sick, but I can hope... Bar food tends to have a rather high instance of cross contamination, even 'safe' foods get me sick if they use the same utensils. It sucks. Every year I go, I get a bit better at figuring out portable food, however...

My wife's uncle's ex-girlfriend was celiac. She only found out when she was in her mid forties, and until then, never understood why she always felt so shitty. Considering that my wife's familly is half Italian I imagine that you can feel her pain.

Thaadd wrote:

I have pretty severe food restrictions (Celiac, which means I can't have wheat, rye, barly, oats, or anything keeping cozy with these things...)

....which means conventions can be a bit rough for food for me. PF Changs has a special *laminated* for me - instead of having to harass the often busy/ignorant/uninterested wait staff about ingredients, I get to order food like a big kid. From the menu. Without being a pain in the ass.

So GenCon means hopefully 2 nights of PF Changs, with a cooler and left overs for lunch. I've yet to make it through a GenCon without getting sick, but I can hope... Bar food tends to have a rather high instance of cross contamination, even 'safe' foods get me sick if they use the same utensils. It sucks. Every year I go, I get a bit better at figuring out portable food, however...

Wow. Small world, Thaadd. My sister-in-law (the one whose husband is going to Gen Con) has celiac too. She finally found out after about 6+ years of bloating and accupuncture.

I guess you already know about Outback having a Gluten-free menu? The Old Spaghetti Factory supposedly has gluten-free rice noodle pasta too.

--Mike L.