Fan Faire is now over, and most of my comatose/recovery sleep is behind me, so it is time to stop and look back on the events of the weekend and file away the fond memories for next year. As this was my first Fan Faire, I went in blind, but very eager to meet everyone and have a good time in the events. I was not disappointed and had a blast meeting with everyone who made it out to Vegas to party with SOE.
The Rio
Fan Faire at the Rio was amazing. The hotel itself is a visual feast for the eyes, and the entertainment they offer is top notch. I had a blast being in a playground for adults without my children to worry about.
I knew we were in for some great times during the welcome reception at the Voodoo Lounge on top of the Rio. The place was packed full of gamers, so conversation was easy, and the view of Vegas from the Rio was spectacular.
How do you argue with a party like that? You don't! You just have another one. The pool party on Friday night was a lot of fun, and even my trip into the pool was actually worth the brief flight.
Live Quest
My first ever Live Quest had me very excited. Then I saw this
The room was packed full of people, well more than I had ever imaged would want to participate. After some quick scrambling behind the scenes we rolled forward with the quest. It was a lot of fun, and taught me a number of valuable lessons that will definitely factor into my Live Quest next year! The people who served as the NPC's totally rocked the house! They got swarmed and still managed to keep on top of things. (Nobody is allowed to ask about Vision Powder.)
The Banquet
The banquet that wrapped up Fan Faire was a blast. I sat at one of the Unrest tables and enjoyed the whole evening. Prizes, activity, and the wedding. That was very cool and I was excited to see how well people reacted. Getting married is nerve wracking enough as it is, getting married in a room full of gamers has to be even more harrying. That said it was totally cool.
The People
The coolest thing of all though, was the people. Being able to meet folks from all the SOE games was a wonderful experience, and I can't wait to do it again. The people are what really makes these games fun, and it was fantastic to just meet with people and talk about our love of games.
Fan Faire 2007 was a chaotic weekend for me, but one that I'd never give back. It was worth every minute of preparation, and I'm glad I got to be a part of it. I can't wait for Fan Faire 2008, and hope to have more opportunities to meet with some of you before we get there. If you would like to see more photos from Fan Faire, or have some of your own to share, check the Fan Faire Picture Album thread out.
--Grimwell