2003 APG, The Wrap-up

[j0ram]

From most accounts I've heard, the 2003 APG (Armageddon Player Gathering, since there weren't any real meetings) was a smashing success. And according to everyone I've asked, far more fun/wild/crazy than last years APM.

Astilwel, Chronicle, Clegane, Davien, Delerak, Drunken Salarr, Ebony Angel, Eaten Back to Life, Ender, Harcroft, House, Impska, Jestor, j0ram, Kronibas, Mansa, Moe, Morgenes, Priestess, Red Ranger, Samoa, Sardiss, Sephiroto, Slink, Sykotik Gith, Tortall, Varak, Vox.

(28... not bad. But I have this lingering feeling that I'm still missing 2-3 names... tell me!)

There was much insanity, craziness and otherwise good times. There are several hundred pictures that will hopefully be up for public viewing by the end of the week. Great stuff at the Con, great Concerts, Food, Dancing, Parties, Parties, Raves, Parties, a Whole Lot of Laughing, Canings, Whippings and who knows what else. And let's not forget the Dragon*Con Cam.

With the back-to-back success of having an Arm player gathering at the Atlanta Dragon*Con, I think we've found something that has become an annual tradition, and perhaps with the blessings of the staff, an official yearly function. (Thoughts, yon admins?)

We've learned that doing things last minute end up with a bit of a mess at times, so with most of the people attending this year saying they'll be back for next year, a few of us are going to start getting plans together very soon, especially rooming arrangements (the plan for next time is to get 2-4 rooms that are inter-connected via doors) and perhaps do some fund-raising to put together a really nice Arm table with color flyers, buttons, pens and pencils, whatever, and hopefully a good player-staff meeting.


Was great hanging out with you all, especially those that crashed with me. Hopefully everyone else had a good a time as I did, and will be returning for an even wilder time last year.


[/code]

[DrunkenSalarr]

Next year will be better than this year, at least for me.  I plan on getting my membership in Feb. so I can get the 4-day for $25 deal.  I am also going to go ahead and set aside my money for next year and not touch it no matter what.  I am going to say that trying to pull everything together the friday of con is not something I ever care to do again.

Also, If it wouldn't be too hard, I would like to request a GDB group to be added (much like the Publicity group) for those of us wanting to plan next year's AMDCG (Armageddon Mud DragonCon Gathering).  Would that be alright?

~Drunken Salarr, who appologises for every thing he did/didn't do to various players this past weekend, you know who you are.

[Angela Christine]

Astilwel, Chronicle, Clegane, Davien, Delerak, Drunken Salarr, Ebony Angel, Eaten Back to Life, Ender, Harcroft, House, Impska, Jestor, j0ram, Kronibas, Mansa, Moe, Morgenes, Priestess, Red Ranger, Samoa, Sardiss, Sephiroto, Slink, Sykotik Gith, Tortall, Varak, Vox.

So when you are all sitting around in a room together, do you really call eachother by those names?  "Hey, Priestess, can you pass me the vodka?"  "Get it yourself, Red Ranger, I'm busy braiding Sykotik  Gith's hair."  That would be a little surreal, especially for the innocent bystanders.

Angela Christine

[House Rising Sun]

It switched around a lot. Some people called out real names, some people called out web names. Some people Dig?

What I found even more surreal was looking around at all the people I've only really seen once (or not at all) before in my life and thinking of them as people I've been hanging out with for years. It might have been the alcohol or the pain speaking, though.

[ShaLeah]

I was very disappointed that I didn't make it this year but really enjoyed watching the action through the camera, it was awesome.

I called the room last night but most of you were out.  

I am highly disappointed that no one took over my duties as official kilt checker.

Had to come back in to say...
Where are my pictures :?:  :!:  :?:

ShaLeah
-who will be there next year, ready to resume her duties.  :twisted:

[Jestor]

Actually I met the offical Kilt Checking Org at DC.  They checked kilts and hung a blue ribbon on the person that had already passed inspection.  Ok, not exactly hung a ribbon.. much more like TIED a ribbon to the inspected goods.

*laugh*  Typical DC =P

[DrunkenSalarr]

Actually I met the offical Kilt Checking Org at DC.  They checked kilts and hung a blue ribbon on the person that had already passed inspection.  Ok, not exactly hung a ribbon.. much more like TIED a ribbon to the inspected goods.

*laugh*  Typical DC =P

Shit! where were they?  I was in a kilt almost the whole con and I didn't see this person.

[ShaLeah]

I am still waiting for someone to post the pictures.   :wink:

ShaLeah
-who is not impatient in the least.

[mansa]

-edit-

i posted the link, but the person who's hosting it asked me to delay it.

So...have patience.

it'll be up soon.

[Tlaloc]

Two Bynners slog through thier morning stew, before going to training:

[Socko]

Holy Chrome.. the nasty lascerations.  :shock:

[Sanvean]

lso, If it wouldn't be too hard, I would like to request a GDB group to be added (much like the Publicity group) for those of us wanting to plan next year's AMDCG (Armageddon Mud DragonCon Gathering). Would that be alright?

We can do this, but would it be easier to do it in the form of its own forum, so you don't have to worry about adding people to the group? Or do you want to make it so just the planners can post/read?

[Samoa]

I have to say, I had a *lot* of fun.

I cannot even begin to IMAGINE counting the acts of debauchery and chaos that ensued in four days, but I will forget none of it - this was the best time I have had in a very long time, and there is no doubt I will return next year and aim for even better.

I strongly encourage everyone to come next year, especially if they're over 18 and cute.  I hope and believe this will be an annual thing, and maybe one of these years our table will not totally blow.  I'm pretty sure we got Achbar, though.

Anyway.. enjoy!  For pictures and the captions game, please see this thread:

http://www.zalanthas.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=39195#39195

[j0ram]

Alright... as much as we tried, the 2003 gathering ended up being thrown together at the last minute, with lots of maybes, a few no shows, and some people who didn't pay up. It was a learning experience.

Since I've already had 11 people ask me "What are the plans for next year?" I figure I'd get an early start. Hopefully a year will be enough notice for people to get their acts together.

Consider this a blurb to put in the back of your mind, as it will still be some months before actual plans are solidified.

The plan for next year is to get a few rooms on the same floor. We found out this year that 14 people in a room smell really bad. We figure that five per room is a more realistic number. This breaks down, per room, to two double-size beds (enough for two people) and one single roll-in bed. Plus each room has a chair with footrest that is comfortable enough to sleep in.

Rooms
After taxes (and guessing inflation) a room breaks down to about $180 a night, or about $36 per person per night. The run of the Con is a 3-night stay, but I figure it would be nice to make it a 4-night stay and start the Thursday before the Con starts, so that way everything can be settled before things get going hardcore... however this would require a majority of the people willing to do this together, if we wanted to get the rooms all in a row. So figure $108 for a 3-night stay or $144 for a 4-night stay, per person.

I figure that the best way to go about this would be to get one or two or three people willing to reserve rooms, and when someone confirms they can paypal (or whatever other form of payment) their room contributions to who ever is handling their room. After talking to the hotel, we would need to have the rooms reserved probably by February in order to pull this off. Though I would say that people wouldn't have to paypal (or whatever other form of payment) their contributions in until maybe a month beforehand, since plans do change and a room reservation can be cancelled without a service fee. The reason for the paypal (or whatever other form of payment) would be so that whoever is holding the room doesn't get screwed out of any money.

Party Suite
Now, one idea brought up was to have everyone chip in to rent a room in the block that is devoted solely to gathering. Have the food, bar, con computer all set up in this room, but no one booked to sleep there (other than those lushes who pass out). This way everyone would have their own room, away from the insanity, to retreat to, keep their things, sleep in, so on. I figure if we can get the same general crowd as last year (which it it seems we'll get that and more) if everyone kicked in an extra $10 a night, we could all go in on the party suite.

Convention
Next is the Con membership itself, for those interested. The early pre-registration (if you do it by like February) is only $25 for the entire Con, regular pre-registration is $50 and at the door is $75 (going on this years rates, which may differ from next years).

Parking
Parking at the hotels (if you get there before the garages fill up) usually run about $20 a night. However, if you don't mind a block or two walk, you can find places as low as $5 a night.

Food[/u]
The average meal at one of the eight-ish hotel restaurants will run you about $20 (before booze). However, there are also several cheaper restraints and fast-food joints as well as pizza delivery places where you can eat far cheaper. You could eat the whole Con for under $100 without a problem.

Shopping
There are hundreds of dealers with booths set up in two of the large halls in the Mariott, selling all sorts of stuff. So you will probably want to set some mad money aside.

Transportation
Great time to book airfare while its so cheap. Getting tickets half a year in advance will get a great rate. However, for those who would rather drive, I figure we can set up a chart on the page I'll be making showing where you're coming from, where you'll be passing through, and what room, if any, you have for passengers. Also we can try to coordinate flight times. If we can get people flying in around the same time, we can send people to the airport to pick them up, so they wouldn't be stuck taking the train or a cab.

Arm Stuff
I figure that perhaps some sort of fund-raising can be done. If we can gather enough, we can get some nice, quality color fliers made up, and a non-half-assed looking setup for an Arm table. Get a signup sheet for people to take shifts manning it. And of course have a scheduled player-staff meeting, if any applicable staff members make it and are interested.

So, all in all, not including transportation, you could come to the APG, enjoy the Con, eat, sleep and shop for under $350.

If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, please drop a reply post here. Sometime within the next couple of months I'll be tossing up a page with a forum so that we can make sure that next year will be the best gathering ever (until the one after that at least).

-j0ram

[House Rising Sun]

I know you are all dying to know:

$160 for my round trip tickets, including delivery charge frome expedia.com
$70 for my 4-day pass.

I arrived in atlanta with 260 dollars in my pocket, and left with 10.
$100 of that was given to j0ram for the room and liquid diet.
$20 for two prints in the art room.
$12 for a calander at the dealer tables.
$1.75 for a marta token to get to the hotel.
$105.90 for food and tips, including a $20 mushroom.
$0.35 for a phone call to ender's house. Wake the hell up so I don't have to carry this damn bag around all day, slackers.
$10 to a homeless dude, thanks to j0ram's alcohol collection. My sense of worth goes all to hell when I've been drinking.

I think that adds up. $480 spent for a great vacation. One could easily drop that at least a hundred if they latched on to the right people and took a little trip to the mall every day for food. Dig?