Hey, I’m at Origins in Columbus, Ohio.
This is my first time at Origins, after trying to get here for more-or-less nine years. The drive went fine on Wednesday. I arrived before any of the other IPR folks (Brennan, Alexander, Clinton) and moved all the stuff from my car to the booth. Had dinner w/ Clinton and some friends from home, got familiar with the lay of the land, and tried to rest up for the Convention proper.
Thursday started with great news: Greg Porter of BTRC won an Origins Award for Infinite Armies! The announcement ceremony was held on a tiny stage outside the exhibit hall while throngs of gamers were waiting to get in. Nobody listened to my little speech praising Greg for optimizing PDF coding to make a card game where you can make your own cards and proclaiming this a victory for indie gamers everywhere! My immortal words, lost to the ages. ::Sigh::
Oh, and I laughed maniacally.
The rest of Thursday was mostly spent at the booth. The traffic is so much lighter than GenCon. I kinda like it. Less pressure. I ran two or three With Great Power… demos. Made two sales and got several commitments that folks would be back. And met the prolific Mendel Schmedelkamp. Talked a lot.
After the Exhibit Hall closed, I spoke as part of a panel about superheroes and their secret identities. Fellow panelists were Sean Patrick Fannon (Origins events guru and author of the Fantasy RPG’s Bible), Steve Kenson (designer and line developer of Mutants and Masterminds), James Lowder (far-ranging editor and writer of superhero RPG and prose-stuff). And me. I certainly didn’t dominate the panel, but made a good show of it, especially for my first panel. My fellow panelists were extremely knowledgable, insightful and enthusiastic. I’m not dreading my next panel (on Sunday) so much.
After that, I helped out with Kat’s Everway LARP. This time, rather than the King, I played the merchant, Earnest. I had nothing but junk to sell, but I sold it with a straight face and made out like a bandit. Beautiful! Lots of fun. Particularly once Alexander, playing the king, found out I had cheated him. “You worthless, conniving camel-trader, you!”
Today is two scheduled WGP games, at noon and at eight. Plus booth stuff. Gotta go.
Thanks for the report, Michael. Please continue to post how Origins goes.
I went to Origins a couple of years ago and its the biggest con that somehow retains that small con feel.
Thanks for the report, Michael. Please continue to post how Origins goes.
I went to Origins a couple of years ago and its the biggest con that somehow retains that small con feel.
I am seething with jealously. I look forward to further updates so that I might live vicariously through you.
I am seething with jealously. I look forward to further updates so that I might live vicariously through you.
I will have my revenge upon you, Miller… when you least expect it, I will sell you something worthless.
I will have my revenge upon you, Miller… when you least expect it, I will sell you something worthless.
you did not tell me you had an lj, Mike. for shame.
p.s. I’m brennan’s wife. No, not that one. The other one.
you did not tell me you had an lj, Mike. for shame.
p.s. I’m brennan’s wife. No, not that one. The other one.