Things didn't start out very well. Somewhere along the way, I missed the notice that my flight from Spokane to Seattle was being handled by Horizon rather than Northwest. So here I am at the Northwest check-in wondering why I can't find my flight. Once I got it figured out, I was 5-minutes late for final check-in and basically missed my flight. Not good. I should have just driven to Seattle in the first place and avoided the whole mess. Anyways, the Horizon folks got me re-booked but now instead of leaving at 10:30, my new flight didn't leave until 3:00 so innstead of arriving in Indy at 7:00, I got there at 11:00 and the shuttle bus from the airport to downtown stopped running at 9:00. $22.00 and an insane cab ride later, I was checking into the Omni. I would personally like to pummel whoever it is that stocks the mini bar in that hotel. Offering free Crown Royal when I can't drink is just plain EVIL.
Thursday started off somewhat unpleasant. I arrived at the Convention Center at 11:00 and it took me 3 hours to work up the nerve to go beyond the lobby. Apparently, my "odd behavior" caught the attention of security as I had a guard come up and start questioning me. Once I explained that I had "problems" with crowded places, he really didn't give me much choice in the matter. He lead me to the Customer Service booth to get a laniard (sp?) for my badge then all but threw me into the Exhibit Hall where I was swept away by the crowd and quickly lost sight of the exit and thus an escape route.
It was while trying to find the exit so that I could run away screaming that, simply by mere chance, I happened upon the Tabletop Adventures booth and a face (or more to the point, hair) that I recognized.... Vicki Potter/Cassandra. I stopped and focused on the demo of "The Deck of Names" that was being given as a means of trying to distracted myself and thus calm down. Little did I know that the guy giving the demo was in fact masterarcanist. Once the demo was over, I purchased a copy of "Into the Wilderness: Mountains" and "Mother of all Treasure Tables". While I hadn't intended to introduce myself (the plan was to get a closer look at Vikki's name tag and make sure it was actually her), Vikki apparently recognized my name from the TTA customer list and the associated "sykoholic" username from my email addy so she immediately asked "Are you Sykoholic?". My first thought was "Oh sh*t! I'm going to have to actually speak!" So... I stumbled my way through an introduction and something of an explanation of why I had been out-of-contact. About that time, a loud cheer went up from somewhere behind me, my brain started screaming, so I excused myself and made a hasty retreat. Locating the exit, I fled the building.... and quickly became lost in downtown Indianapolis.
I must say that Indy is probably one of the most "idiot-friendly" cities I have ever been in. In Seattle or Spokane, you do not want to get lost, in a car or on foot, because it is WAY too easy to wind up somewhere you DO NOT want to be. While I have no doubt there are similar places in Indy, they don't seem to be within walking distance of the Omni. I spent a great deal of time wandering around, utterly lost, and thankfully never encountered any such place. During the five nights I was there, I heard police sirens twice. Two times in five nights... that's pretty impressive in my book.
Anyways.... I eventually managed to find my way back to the Omni where, utterly disgusted with myself, I resorted to Plan B.... Xanax. As much as I hate the stuff, I was not going to let some stupid, irrational, panic reaction ruin my first time at GenCon. While waiting for them to kick in, I sat reading the GenCon flyer thing that the security guard had made sure I had grabbed before he threw me to the wolves. The plan was to memorize the location of the various booths I wanted to visit in the Exhibit Hall. Maybe it was the Xanax but somehow that plan didn't work. Not only did I not remember the locations but I really don't remember much of the rest of the day. I do know that I did make it back to the Exhibit Hall and bought some dice and pre-painted minis from the Crystal Cast booth.
Friday began with a breakfast of Marlboro, Cherry Coke, and Xanax then it was off to a siminar about dealing with writer's block. If I ever find the person who puts of the signs in the mall telling people which way to go to get to the Skywalk, I'm going to kill them. Upon exiting the Omni, they neglect to point out that you have to go UP one floor to get to the rest of the Skywalk. So....as a result, yours truly once again found himself lost, this time in the mall which I swear consisted of nothing but over-priced, pretencious, clothing stores whose sales reps for some reason feel the need to marinate in their perfume. Eventually, I found my way to the Hyatt and was able to exit at street level. I swear that mall did not have an entrance/exit of it's own. If it did, I couldn't find it. Anyways, I managed to make to the siminar on time and while it was both enjoyable and entertaining, it wasn't very helpful. Oh well... its writer's block after all. If there was a miracle cure, I'd already know about it by now.
By this time, my meds were in full swing and returning to the Exhibit Hall was MUCH easier and far more enjoyable. Unfortunately, under the influence of those meds, I could barely remember my own name and once again, became hopelessly lost. By pure dumb luck, I wound up at Aberrant Games' booth where, after watching a demo of "Rezolution", I promptly bought a majority of the entire product line. What can I say? I like minis, I like skimish battles, and I like near-future/cyberpunk. Rezolution is all three. From there, I stumbled into Paizo's area where I picked up Pathfinder Beta as well as The Gamers and Dorkness Rising. I then managed to find one of the two Chessex booths and their buffet table of dice. Let the spending begin!
Things are a bit hazy after that (damn Xanax) but I do recall ending up at the TTA booth again and actually staying to talk to Vicki this time. We agreed to meet up in the lobby of the Omni later. My memory is really screwed up but somewhere in all this was another seminar, this one about Game Mastering techniques. Once again, it didn't really tell me anything I didn't already know but it was still a whole lot of fun. The speaker was a big bald guy who was actually a cop from Texas. If there is one thing that I learned from my GenCon experience, its that gamers can be anyone and come from anywhere.
There was supposed to be two other seminars in there somewhere but I missed both of them due to, once again, getting turned around and lost in that thrice-damned mall/skywalk.
Once the Exhibit Hall closed for the evening, I met up with Vicki in the Omni's lobby and was introduced to her husband Mark then the three of us set off for the food court in the mall for dinner. There, we were joined by tacojohn and aftwards returned to the Omni where we chatted for a while and convinced taco to run a game for us. While taco went to get some of his gaming stuff, I headed up to my room to take something for the headache I had brewing. Unfortunately, while waiting for it to kick in, I fell asleep in the chair and didn't wake up until sometime after midnight. By that time, the gaming session was over and everyone had retured for the evening. Having nothing else to do, I spent the next few hours wandering around downtown Indy. I'm probably the only person on the planet who can be wandering around the downtown area of a major city on a Friday night with access to several hundred dollars yet be utterly bored. It was at this time that I discovered what I had earlier thought was the "Have A Nice Day Care" was infact the "Have A Nice Day Cafe". I supposed the large beer signs and whatnot plastered all over the outside should have been a clear indication that it was most certainly NOT a daycare. Seeing me wandering up and down the street, the barker seemed intent on getting me to go inside and wouldn't leave me alone until I finally explained that I can't drink and I don't dance so going inside would be rather pointless.
Saturday started out well but didn't stay that way for very long. In my mindless meandering, I had managed to find a little convenience store in the lobby of the Hyatt that sold Mt. Dew. Huzzah and Hallelujah! What does the state of Indiana have against Pepsi products? I made it to the Exhibit Hall before noon and so was able to take part in the "Moment of Silence" in honor of EGG. Afterwards, I dropped my original d12 (the last remaining dice from my first red box Basic Rules set) into the giant d20. From there, I swung by the Hirst Arts booth where I spent $300+ on molds and then over to Armorcast where I grabbed all sorts of resin terrain pieces as well as several minis from various near-future/cyberpunk lines. I then hit the Warstore booth and picked up some Metropolis and Infinity minis. Now thoroughly lost once again, I wound up at the GF9 display where I began harass the attendant with dumb questions about the various terrain building materials they offered. I'm not sure if he was being helpful or was just tired of my annoying questions but the guy looked around to see if anyone was watching then grabbed two sample packs of plasticard and tubing, dropped them in my bags and sent me on my way.
Returning to my hotel room, I dropped off my loot and did a time check. I had 20-minutes to get from the Omni to the Mariott in time for "From the Mind of R.A. Salvatore". Not a problem. Here is when things started to get ugly. Indianapolis City Centre Mall.... how I hate thee! Instead of the Mariott, I ended up in the Hyatt. Wrong! Back the way I came. Wait a sec.... I don't remember passing a Hot Topic when I came this way the first time. Gah!!!!!! I was sorely tempted to simply kick out a skywalk window and jump as there didn't seem to be any other way to get to the street. Eventually, I made it to the Mariott but I was 15-minutes late and that conference room was packed! I spent the next two hours holding onto the door frame and leaning into the room. I must say that, even if you don't like his books, R.A. Salvatore is an absolute riot. If he wasn't a writer, he'd have a promising career as a stand-up comic. He's hilarious!
Okay... after the Q&A, its a mad dash back to the convention center for his book signing. I, of course, exit on the wrong side of the building. No problem. I'll just cut down the alley between the Mariott and the Westin and that'll dump me right infront of the convention center. Not only does this work but upon exiting the alley, I literally run in to R.A. Salvatore as he's making his way to the Convention Center. This couldn't be any more perferct, right? Wrong! I'm two steps behind the guy as he makes his way thru the Convention Center and into the Exhibit Hall. He goes to his signing table and I hop in line.... the wrong line. What I thought was the line to get his autograph was in fact the check out line for the art exhibit. Okay... no big deal. I'll just get in the right line.... that just so happens to wrap around the whole of "Author's Alley" and extend out of the hall. Don't panic. We've got Xanax. We can handle this. What's that you say? He only has an hour to sign autographs and won't be able to see all of us so you're "ending" the line at the person three places infront of me? You don't value your life much, do you?
Their suggestion: He'll be at The Ram for the "20 Years of Drizzt" party at 7:00. Go to The Ram and just hang out for the next three hours. Yeah... right.... sure. Just go to The Ram and occupy a table for three hours on a Saturday night. Not going to happen. Having no other option though, I gave it a try. It took forever just to get into The Ram and once you did, it was still an hour wait for a table. Needless to say, I'm seeing red by this time and ready to kill the next person who breathes my air. Because I was at his Q&A, I'm not going to be able to get his autograph. Someone call the National Guard. Syko is about to go ballistic.
After another hit of Xanax and a hot shower, I started to calm down. It was after six and the Exhibit Hall was closed and so having nothing better to do, I grabbed my first printing copy of "The Crystal Shard" which I had bought back in high school and returned to The Ram. What I found was a line of people infront of the building but they weren't going in. Instead they going around the side into the parking garage and in through a side door. Apparently, alot of people of given up on the idea because there was nowhere near the turn out I had been expecting. I MIGHT have a chance after all... so I got in line. While I'm waiting, some skinny, younger, walks up and starts talking to me. I figured he was a fellow Drizzt fan and thought nothing of it. We spent the next ten minutes or so talking about the novels and characters before he said he needed to get going, shook my hand, and wandered off. It was only then that the person standing behind me pointed out that the skinny, younger guy I had just been chatting with was in fact, Gino... R.A. Salvatore's son and co-author of the up-coming novel "The Stowaway".
DOH!!!!!!
The wait continues. As we're waiting, an older guy with longish grey hair and a beard wanders up and down the line, assuring us that regardless of what it takes, we'll all be able to get in and get an autograph. As he's wearing a "The Ram" T-Shirt, I assumed he was the owner of The Ram and thought nothing of it. I later found out that this guy was in fact Ed Greenwood, creator of The Forgotten Realms.
DOH!!!!!
Okay... I finally get inside. I am standing before R.A. Salvatore, the man who created some of my favorite characters and writes my favorite novels. I
want to say something intelligent and meaningful. As is par for the course, what I want to say and what actually comes out of my mouth are two completely
different things. Basically what I said roughly equated to "Duh.... me like book lots!"
DOH!!!!! 
Snickering to himself about the drooling idiot infront of him, he signed my book and asked if I had tried the "Underdark Stout". Apparently, he
thought that alcohol was the only possible explanation for my current level of stupidity. Somehow managing to form coherent speech, I explained that I had
pancreatitis and couldn't drink. Hearing this, he promptly reached under the table and pulled out an empty "Underdark Stout" jug which he signed
for me as well. Thanking him profusely, I made hasty exit before I could make a fool of myself any further.
I got R.A. Salvatore's autograph. Not once, but twice. Indianapolis will live to see another day.
Now... I don't know who does the scheduling at The Omni but they need to be taken out back and beaten profusely. What sense does it make to schedule a
wedding reception on the same day as GenCon and the grand opening of the new football stadium? Nonetheless, they did. This wouldn't have been much of a
problem except that the elevators picked the particular day to cease cooperating. I don't precisely recall how I came to be on the mezzanine but there was
no way down from there. The stair went to the ballroom which had been closed off for the wedding. In the span of 45 minutes, the elevator stopped twice.
Both times, it was crammed full of people with no room for any more. So.... myself and several others found ourselves pretty much trapped on the mezzanine
with no way to get to the lobby. Let us contemplate this for a moment, shall we? We have numerous gamers trapped on a floor with no means of exit.
Hello?!?!?!? We're GAMERS. Finding clever solutions to impossible situations is what we do. As a result, we had something of an impromptu LARP going on
as we were all suggestion different ways we could get down using the various furnishings and decor around us. The final agreed upon method was to build a
stack from the tables and chairs so we could reach the ceiling, pull down the chandelier and tie the curtains to it, thus making an improvised grappling hook
and rope and use that to repel from the railing to the lobby floor below.
Attention Omni management: If you would like your mezzanine level to remain intact, I strongly suggest rectifying this situation post-haste.
Eventually, I managed to get into an elevator that wasn't full, hit the streets, and headed back to The Ram. Many have said that you can't go to
GenCon and not have dinner or a drink at The Ram. My Xanax was still in effect so I figured I'd give it a go. The overall crowd had thinned out
considerably and by some strange miracle, I was actually able to get a table to myself (though the hostess gave me an odd look when I asked for it. I guess
middle-aged guys aren't supposed to be alone) where I enjonyed a most excellent steak and watched as that swimmer guy in the Olympics won his 8th gold
medal. Unfortunately, they were completely sold out of "Underdark Stout" T-Shirts so I wasn't able to get one. I did get an "Apocalypse
Ale" T-shirt though and also discover that the empty "Underdark Stout" jug that R.A. Salvatore had given me actually cost $6.50 each... and
didn't come with his autograph.
Sunday started out with a complete "geek out" moment. Stepping into the elevator (which seemed to be cooperating now), I found myself standing next
an EXTREMELY tall, skinny, guy with shaggy hair and glasses. It was only after we had reached the lobby and he got into a taxi that two and two went together
and everything clicked. It was Peter Mayhew. I had been standing in the elevator with Chewbacca!
DOH!!!!!
Sunday was a bit of an experiment for me. Since it was the last day of GenCon, I figured things would be winding down and the crowd would be smaller so I
decided to give the Exhibit Hall a try without any medication. I am proud to say I made it through the entire day without a single dose of Xanax. Woohoo!
I don't recall when or where exactly (I'm pretty sure it was in the lobby of the Omni) but I bumped into Vicki and Mark again. I apologized for
disappearing Friday night (when I had accidentally fallen asleep instead of rejoining them for gaming) and then it was off to the Exhibit Hall once again. I
swung by the autograph area and got Peter Mayhew's autograph and then while milling about I saw a guy with green dreadlocks, wearing a Catalyst Games
t-shirt. Green dreadlocks + Catalyst Games = Rob Boyle = Shadowrun! I used to be a huge Shadowrun fan but my interest had waned shortly before it went 4th
Edition. Stalking... er... I mean, following Rob Boyle back to the Catalyst booth, I picked up the SR4 core rulebook and a Saeder-Krupp t-shirt. After some
more wandering about and impulse buying, I returned to my room, gathered all the assorted loot I had acquired of the past four days, and hauled it all back to
the convention center where, in a stroke of utter genius, UPS had set up a booth. Between the books, molds, minis, and terrain pieces, my haul weighed in at
38 pounds. It was all packed up in a single box, sealed, stamped, and sent off to the warehouse to be shipped home.
From there I headed back to the TTA booth and helped take the booth down and pack everything away. Between the six of us, it took four hours to get everything
packed up and ready to go. Afterwards, we all met up in the lobby of The Omni then headed out to a place called "The Rockbottom" for dinner. Sunday
ended with us sitting in The Omni's lobby and chatting until Vicki was practically falling asleep in her chair.
Monday dawned and it was time to get ready to go home. However, while check-out was noon, my flight didn't leave until seven so that gave me seven hours
of nothing to do. So... I wandered around downtown Indy some more, trying to find a place called "The American Superhero Museum" (or something like
that) and once again, got completely lost. I managed to find my way back to the Omni and decided to check out Union Station instead. In doing so, I
discovered that the American Superhero Museum was not only just around corner from The Omni (I had gone the entirely wrong direction) but also apparently out
of business. Go figure.
Returning to The Omni and standing the map of downtown, I discovered that the Indianapolis Zoo was within walking distance. By now, you'd think I would
have known better and wouldn't have taken the chance. Oh no... that would have been the smart thing to do which of course mean it aint going happen. Off
I went. Would you believe I actually made it there and back WITHOUT getting lost. Woohoo!
By now, it was going on 4 o'clock so I grabbed some lunch then returned to The Omni for my bags, flagged down a cab, and headed for the airport. The
flight home went off without a hitch and at roughly 1AM Pacific Time, I staggered into my bedroom and collapsed.
What have we learned from all this?
1- Pay attention to the notices that the travel agency sends you
2- While rather difficult, I can handle large crowds without chemical assistance
3- If I'm ever in a gaming group with you, don't have me do the mapping.
