[img width=700 height=393]https://c3.staticflickr.com/8/7420/27143500402_2e5d06bd60_b.jpg[/img]Last time, I discussed things like setting up the temporary venue, running events, and planning. This time, I'll just discuss how I had fun enjoying the convention!
To make sure I got a chance to enjoy the convention a bit this year, I made sure to load up on support at the event. We had five Game Quest staff there over the entire weekend and typically 5-6 volunteers. We made sure to have our area fully supported so that if any of the people involved wanted to take in a panel, grab a signature, or just shop the vendors, we would be able to accommodate them.
As with last year, I had several items I wanted to get signed. I wasn't able to sneak away for long last year, so I had friends and family help me out. This year, I still had to do a little of that, but I also wanted to get some of my things signed personally. First chance I got, I snuck over to visit Brett Dalton to get my copy of
Until Dawn signed. We had a short chat about losing his fingers during my playthrough and he thanked me for "keeping him alive". I was very pleased that he was so friendly.
[img width=576 height=1024]https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7375/26564435603_869e0d0678_b.jpg[/img]That was pretty much it as far as sneaking out the first day. Now that I could see everything was running fairly smoothly and that all the people we had assembled to help run our area were more than capable of holding down the fort, I took a few more opportunities to get some signatures on day 2. So I started off big with Boba Fett himself, Dicky Beer. Since
Return of the Jedi didn't have an NES version, I decided to make an already special game in my collection just a little more special. I had him sign my copy of
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the copy that so many of my RFGen buddies banded together to get me to finish off my licensed NES collection. I am very happy to be able to make this piece just a little more unique
[url=https://flic.kr/p/GtgjBS][img width=576 height=1024]https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7497/26562805424_68413bc42a_b.jpg[/img]Last year, I had a friend meet Michael Hogan to sign my copy of
Mass Effect Trilogy for the PS3. This year, Commander Sheppard came to town, so I couldn't resist bringing it again to add a second signature to it. Mark Meer was very awesome, and unlike every other guest I've ever visited at any other con, he had a bunch of free swag to give out. He was promoting other shows he was involved in and gave away some digital codes to check things out and a free issue of the
Captain Canuck #1 comic, since he would be voicing the character in the upcoming animated series.
[img width=576 height=1024]https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7473/26894428880_3a2dfe7aa5_b.jpg[/img]A good friend of mine was acting all Troy Barnes about meeting Lavar Burton and wanted a reason to strike up a conversation with him. Luckily, I had brought my copy of
Star Trek The Next Generation to get him to sign for me. I gave it to my buddy with the cash for the signature and sent him on his way. He came back about 45 minutes later beaming from ear to ear. He used the opportunity to invite Lavar to drink with him and his friends at a sports bar in town later that evening and got a "maybe" out of him. Then about 3 hours later he got a phone call from one of his friends and just lost it. Lavar showed up to the bar!! He immediately ran out to meet him and it sounds like he had a great time time chatting and buying him drinks for the evening!! Unfortunately, I forgot to get a picture, but I was also able to get Denise Crosby to sign my Star Trek cart too
[img width=700 height=933]https://c6.staticflickr.com/8/7517/27240533845_33fe71b9bb_b.jpg[/img]
That's my wife photo-bombing between Lavar and my buddy PaulThis Michael Coleman guy was pretty cool too. He has done work on
Supernatural and
Once Upon a Time which is what most people wanted to talk to him about and get signed. Turns out, he did voice work on this
Mobile Suit Gundam game though, so I talked with him briefly about it, got him to sign my copy, and he take a selfie with me. He is a very friendly fellow.
[img width=576 height=1024]https://c5.staticflickr.com/8/7568/27135684916_55080bfd6f_b.jpg[/img]We had a couple more Star Trek guests from Voyager come to the con, so I got them both to offer their signatures to my copy of
Elite Forces for the PS2. When I was in line to meet Garret Wang, the guy in front of me was trying to barter the price of his signature down. He mentioned something about his girlfriend being a big fan, but he thought the price was outrageous. To my surprise, it seemed like Garret was considering it. He said he understood and wanted to help the guy get his lady a cool gift, but then the guy lowballed him for $15 (which is less than anyone at the convention was charging, even cosplayers). He made a funny comment about how when he went back home he couldn't even buy a cheeseburger with that because of the exchange rate and the guy moved on. I asked him if that happens often and he said it was the first time. I gladly paid his $50 to get my game signed and snapped a quick pic of him with it. I then stepped over to the next line to get Robert Duncan McNiell to add his name to the same game.
[img width=576 height=1024]https://c3.staticflickr.com/8/7476/27073670882_f3383be150_b.jpg[/img][img width=576 height=1024]https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7771/26564382393_42a9c47214_b.jpg[/img]The guest I was most excited to see and meet though was Veronica Taylor. Unfortunately, she wasn't even there the first day and her signing time during day 2 was during one of our events that I needed to be on hand for. I had my wife take my copies of
Pokemon Blue and
Red down to get her to sign for me. I was a little sad that I didn't get down to meet her
[img width=700 height=393]https://c3.staticflickr.com/8/7426/27143501882_f499a526de_b.jpg[/img]As with any con worth it's salt, there was a ton of awesome cosplay going on. I caught a few images of some of my favs: Akihiko, Dart and Buzz Lightyear!! Dart and Buzz are friends of mine and I've decided to design and build my own costume for next years convention to compete. They have both offered their support and help. I can't wait!!
[img width=576 height=1024]https://c8.staticflickr.com/8/7272/27168776575_b7f997f122_b.jpg[/img][img width=576 height=1024]https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7154/27100534971_9663ab869b_b.jpg[/img][img width=565 height=960]https://c3.staticflickr.com/8/7352/26966122170_6cbbc1e2d6_b.jpg[/img]After getting everything signed that I had planned to, I just hung out in our area during the final day. I was talking with my friend Pat, who builds custom computers and had an adjoining booth with us, when I noticed a familiar face appear next to him. I had to get his attention and tell him to look left......It was Jason Mewes checking out some of his computers!! I quickly snapped a pic of them and let Pat chat PCs with Jay. They talked for about 15-20 minutes and Mewes took Pat's info saying he would call him to get something done. I really hope that pans out for him!!
Within minutes of that happening, Garret Wong took my friend Paul up on his offer and came to hang out with us in our area for a little while. He was very friendly and took pictures with everyone who wanted and shook hands and answered a few questions. He just mingled among everyone and was super chill.
Just when I didn't think the weekend was going to get any better, Veronica Taylor came to say "Hi" to me!! That's not even an exaggeration. When my wife was getting my games signed, she told her that I was the one that wanted to meet her, that I was stuck running the gaming area, and she asked her if she'd be willing to come down and meet me. So Veronica and her daughter came down to say "Hi" and let us take the picture at the top of the blog. And if that wasn't enough, she asked to use the mic on our sound system and introduced herself to the room followed by "Game Quest, I choose you!!!!!" It was really amazing!! We tried to get it recorded on my phone, but unfortunately, my wife pushed the wrong button and we didn't get anything recorded. Still, I got to meet her and had an amazing time.
As the con was dying down in its final hours, there was one last item that had been calling out to me all weekend at a comic booth in the next arena over. It wasn't anything rare or valuable, just a notable book from my youth. It was an uncirculated copy of the Todd McFarlane
Spider-man cover that made him famous. Being a big
Spawn fan, I grew up with Todd McFarlane influences all over my house and wanted this cover hanging on my wall. So, I ran back to grab it and thankfully it was still there.
[img width=576 height=1024]https://c6.staticflickr.com/8/7174/26698350773_1bdb06dedb_b.jpg[/img]That was my weekend in the middle of May. It was exhausting, I got sick, and as of writing this two weeks later, I am still holding onto this plague. But, it was a lot of fun. The convention has collected both attendee feedback and vendor feedback as of this writing, so I'm eagerly awaiting a meeting with the lead organizer so that I can hear how people received our area in particular and the con overall. I'm really hoping we get invited back next year too!
