Dragon*Con 2012 missed connections thread
posted August 21, 2012 7:22 PM   RSS

Dragon*Con is nearly upon us again, who's going this year? It would be fruitless to attempt a scheduled Mefi meetup since everyone will no doubt have completely conflicting schedules, but maybe some of us will manage to cross paths at some point during the festivities, or just post in this thread after the fact lamenting our near misses?
I will be arriving on Thursday 8/30, leaving Tuesday 9/4, staying at the Sheraton. I tend to do panels all day and crash early before any of the parties, though I hope to make it to at least one this year. Thursday evening I know I'll be at the Brit Track dinner at the Indian restaurant Haveli @ 225 Spring Street NW, if anyone wants to join in.
posted by oh yeah! to Proposed (28 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite

I'll be there (as I am every year). I'm not a big MeFi user yet, too busy with my new job, but I will be using twitter at the Con. Follow me if you want, @Revie1. I usually hit up the science track, the Tolkien track, and I'll probably have to get some autographs from The Guild.
posted by Revie1 at 3:42 PM on August 22, 2012


I'll be there as well - Thursday after work until mid-morning on Monday, likely. I'm @needlegrrl on twitter - I read but don't post often. I currently don't have any events planned except watching the Saturday parade.
posted by needlegrrl at 8:42 AM on August 23, 2012


Friday through Monday here. This'll be my second year, and I'm not keeping too strict of a schedule, but if Bruce Boxleitner or Tara Strong are on the panel, you might see me there.
posted by radwolf76 at 9:18 AM on August 24, 2012


I will be there also, starting Friday evening. Just kind of aimlessly wandering. The Dragon*Con mobile app has a cool friends feature this year. Feel free to message me a friend code.
posted by polywomp at 4:14 PM on August 24, 2012


I'm kind of bummed that the HTML5 version of the mobile app for non-iOS/non-Android users seems to have omitted the friend code functionality. Unless I'm just missing it somehow.
posted by radwolf76 at 5:20 PM on August 24, 2012


I'm there again, will again be spending a lot of time in the board gaming and video gaming rooms.

I still think we need some kind of thing we could wear or have on our persons so MeFi members can recognize each other at cons like this.
posted by JHarris at 12:43 PM on August 25, 2012


I've got that app on iOS. If anyone wants to trade friend codes so as to play Animal Crossing keep tabs during the con, let me know.
posted by JHarris at 12:48 PM on August 25, 2012


Damn unfinished strike tag.
posted by JHarris at 12:49 PM on August 25, 2012


Ideally, if we settle on a Mefi specific visual indicator to be worn, it should be something that doesn't clash with my Doug Rattman costume.
posted by radwolf76 at 1:50 PM on August 25, 2012 [1 favorite]


So this is me and my roomate's first Dragon*con. BTW Dragon*con doesn't seem to return this thread on the site search (site scrubs the asterisk) so I'm putting the Terms DragonCon and Dragon con here. Anyone doing the con crawl?
posted by mcrandello at 9:57 PM on August 27, 2012


Also I just memailed everyone in the thread 'cept radwolf with a friend code. In your case I'll look out for the hideaway Aperture employee and I'll probably be wearing a shirt that either says 'Speed Racer', 'Nothing tips like a cow - Ohio' or 'Instant Ramen Noodles- Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner' shirt.
posted by mcrandello at 11:49 PM on August 27, 2012


I have a brown shirt with an up-arrow on it and the words Game Face, but I can't say I'll be wearing that the whole con.

I know a way to identify me. I have an iPad that's held together with tape, that I carry around with me everywhere! That's a pretty good way to identify me, heh.
posted by JHarris at 1:23 AM on August 28, 2012


Friday, I should have on a Doctor Whooves shirt. Saturday will be the day that I wear my Rattmann Costume. Sunday, I'm going to be in a t-shirt featuring voice actor Peter Cullen, pulling open his suit jacket, shirt & tie in the classic Superman pose, but instead of Superman's red S, it's G1 Optimus Prime's chest under the suit.

All three days I'll have a dark grey message bag with a felt Companion Cube side atop the bag's flap.
posted by radwolf76 at 10:43 AM on August 28, 2012 [1 favorite]


Dragon*Con related AskMe here. I don't have any answers for this one, but figured that someone in this thread might.
posted by radwolf76 at 12:06 PM on August 28, 2012


I shall be there, and will wave hello to each and every one of you. It may be from high up in the Marriott, but I shall be waving.
posted by ewagoner at 2:56 PM on August 28, 2012


A Doctor Whooves shirt! I hope they have a better selection of PONY shirts than last time.
posted by JHarris at 6:22 PM on August 28, 2012


I shall see how hard it would be to attach my red demoman plush stickybomb to my backpack. Also I generally wear a dark green side-pinned-up hat similar to the sniper from tf2, but without the croc teeth. Keeps the sun out of my eyes and helps establish personal space without having to get stinky.
posted by mcrandello at 7:12 PM on August 28, 2012


Oh, I know what you're talking about, JHarris. I think the only one I saw last year was this mustang logo inspired one from Off World Designs, designed by Nodwick/Full Frontal Nerdity/PS-238 artist Aaron Williams. Looks like Off World Designs will be at the same tables in the Marriott International Ballroom this year.

However, one floor up in the Imperial Ballroom, WeLoveFine.com will be at booths 1304 & 1306. I don't remember if they were there last year, but even if they were, the selection of pony shirts that they carry online has gotten much larger since then. And pony is consistently at the top of their bestseller lists, so they'd be nuts not to bring a wide variety along to the con.
posted by radwolf76 at 9:18 PM on August 28, 2012


I will probably be wearing a long hooded purple cloak most days, unless I find a new favorite thing in the dealer's room. In any of the big panels (Barrowman!) that my friend & con-roommate Rob Levy is moderating, I will likely be hidden away backstage with the Brit track staffers.

I won't have a chance to look through the entire pocket program schedule until I'm on the plane tomorrow, so, whatever's listed in my schedule in the app right now is pretty random. But, last year I left everything starred until I was actually seated at whichever panel I chose between the multiple options.
posted by oh yeah! at 5:43 AM on August 29, 2012


Wow, WeLoveFine! I wonder if they'll accept internet discount codes?

Registration was EXTREMELY fast this year, like five minutes for preregs. I think there was a longer line for on-site, whichis a change from previous years, not that I'm bitter. Am at food court now. I can be recognized today from my taped-up iPad and red-and-blue long umbrella.
posted by JHarris at 1:59 PM on August 30, 2012


Places with free WiFi as they're discovered: returning from last year, the cafe in the Hilton (hhonors, fairly reliable) and the food court in the maill (Caribou, seems spotty).
posted by JHarris at 3:24 PM on August 30, 2012


I haven't had a chance to test any of these personally due to not having a mobile phone smart enough to care, and not wanting to lug around anything more powerful, but I found this google map of free wifi linked to over on /r/dragoncon/ on reddit.

Been a blast so far. Really annoyed that Dragon*Con didn't give the Animation Track a bigger room for the second year of the "Hey Brony, Nice Vids" panel, especially when last year had the room stuffed beyond capacity and this year it was an even bigger crowd. When your line for Hyatt Dunwoody stretches down the corridor, wrapping around the side hall to the stairwells and back around to end somewhere between Fairlie and Greenbriar, it's time to look at upgrading to a ballroom.

Also is it just me, or is there a lot more Rule 63 Crossplay this year compared to last year, especially a lot more guys doing female characters, and not for the Man-Faye style shock factor either, but legitimate respectful adaptations?
posted by radwolf76 at 8:55 PM on September 1, 2012


I passed on the Brony video panel because last year it was just a bunch of things they got off of YouTube, most of which I saw when they went up on Equestria Daily. Sounds like I made the right choice.

Unfortunately I made the wrong choice with the MLP party Friday night. It was scheduled for the same time as the Discordians/SubGenius panel, and considering the MegaBob I posted recently I figured I should go. Despite being presented in part by Rev. Suzie the Floozy herself it told me little I didn't already know, alas. I ran back to the pony party to find that it had started roving. Later on I heard it went to Mellow Mushroom then elsewhere. It's like parties are magnetically repelled away from me. Ah well, is probably for the best.

I did just have one of the best games of Power Grid I've ever had in the gaming room though. I've had the chance to learn to play Elder Sign, 7 Wonders, Dungeon Lords and Age of Invention. Once again I have to repeat: the board gaming room is the best part of the whole con.
posted by JHarris at 9:43 PM on September 1, 2012


More WiFi spots: the EFF runs a hotspot in the Hilton centered on their room. There is another spot in the foodcourt, Peachtree Center, that sometimes comes in better. hhonors sometimes forbids access behind a login page, I think late at night, but most of the time it seems to be free to use.

Also, for those who don't know: Saturday night a few places remain open for longer than you'd think in the food court, especially Dairy Queen. Great to check out for after-midnight shakes.
posted by JHarris at 9:46 PM on September 1, 2012


Just discovered: Malibu Wings in the food court is open until 2 AM tonight (Saturday) and tomorrow (Sunday)!
posted by JHarris at 9:50 PM on September 1, 2012


The new 24 hour CVS in Peachtree center is a VERY welcome new addition this year.

And JHarris, from the standpoint of someone who is deep into the fandom, the joy of the Brony Vids panel isn't so much in getting a chance to see vids that you haven't seen before yourself (though there were a few that I hadn't), the joy is getting to watch the other people who aren't fans yet but were curious enough to turn out, get to see those videos for their first time.

That and the videos where the whole room starts singing along to. The guy who runs the panel throws in the songs from Dr. Horrible and the end credit music to the Portal games and this year added a song from Buffy's musical episode, specifically because he knows that there's a good chance that the average Dragon*Con attendee, brony or not, knows those by heart, but this year the whole room was even singing along to Crazy Train and LMFAO's Every Day I'm Shuffling, and a whole bunch of other songs. It was a blast.
posted by radwolf76 at 5:44 AM on September 2, 2012 [1 favorite]


I was really hoping that this would be the year that I'd manage to stay awake for some evening events, even brought my fancy gala gown & sparkly ballroom shoes for the Heroes & Villians Ball, but last night I started to feel the Con Crud coming on and had to turn in early. It's only a sinus thing so far, hoping that Advil cold & sinus pills will keep it under control. Been to a bunch of great panels so far, lots of tough choices for today.
posted by oh yeah! at 5:58 AM on September 2, 2012


Well I had a load of fun, met some interesting people, saw all manner of costumes and strangeness, participated in some neat panels and wound up spending all of the cash. Came back with a kilt, a space pistol prop gun and several dvd's of anime from the 70's that I'd been looking for, some of them legit even. I also arrived back home with a large bag full of sunchips singles, hummus and protein bars for some strange reason, as well as one kraft cheese and breading kit.

I think next year we should make one or two attempts between some of the panels and at least try to get a few people in the same place at the same time. If anyone else wants to try this I vote Gibney's or maybe the bar above the pool at the Sheraton, they were both not completely packed with people and the bartenders at both spots were absolutely great. I'll revisit the idea next year I suppose :-)
posted by mcrandello at 8:24 PM on September 6, 2012 [1 favorite]



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