What do you mean four days NEXT year? I always make sure to get to GaryCon early. So, it's been at least four days of gaming for me EVERY year! The key is arriving early and finding some gamers to hang out with and play some games with ahead of time. For me, that's the great part of any Con. If at all possible, get there a day early and get to gaming ASAP. (Or at least get to hanging out and having a few brews with friends while talking about the gaming that is coming up!)
It's true, Thursday afternoon and evening are a great time. I probably had my best evening on Thursday - hitting the pub, then playing Aliens in the bar with grodog, francisca, druvas, MarkCMG and others.
Normally I come up on Friday morning and as I only live 40 min away I don't stay at the hotel. Next year though I will be coming up Thursday afternoon and staying at the hotel. The Spotted Cow was too good to only have one like this year.
My wife and I live in Janesville and have stayed at the hotel every year since GC 2 (so, the past couple of years). Amusingly enough, my wife had mentioned that next year we should arrive on Thursday for that extra day of gaming.
Staying onsite is a great idea if you like to have a beer in the evening while gaming or talking about gaming with friends. The Happy Hour Special ($10 cups for free beer in the evenings) will only be available to people staying at the Lodge.
Yes. We have to celebrate the festivities with responsibility. No stay, no play for the special beer cups.
Mmmm, those kegs were fantastic. They almost replace the need to bring beer to the hotel with you. Almost... But... Not quite... Close...
I was just thinking over the dates for GaryCon IV and it made me realize that it occurs the week after St. Patrick's Day. I didn't realize Saint Paddy's was on a Saturday in 2012 and I'm just wondering how awesome it could be if GaryCon and Saint Paddy's were at the same time. I'm also wondering how many of us would survive a weekend like that......Heck, I can already see Green Beer going around GaryCon and people running RPG's where they're trying to drive the snakes out of Ireland.
We made a week of it at GC2 when they were 3 days apart or so. I crashed in the parking lot for half the night and Jon walked back to the hotel at about 3. Good times.
Never cared for the taste of beer. But I suppose two out of three isn't bad, right? hah hah. Definitely looking forward to making a vacation out of this. I've already convinced the (non-gamer) wife that we're going. And we'll arrive in the general area a couple days early since I have friends in the northern Chicago suburbs to visit. Never been to Chi-town, so now I have an excuse.
New here, and this is the first I have heard of this and I am now ashamed of myself for not finding out before. But .... Hah, I have you beat. Just 10 minutes away for me. So barring no emergencies coming up I will paln on being there next year.
A good time indeed. Many times over. And apologies for the late greeting, HiFi, but welcome aboard, and it'll be great to have you to GCIV!
