Friends and Fans of the Origins Game Fair

Origins Game Fair articles

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:25:45 GMT

This weekend two of my articles about Origins Game Fair ran in Sunday's edition of The Parkersburg News. The first was a preview article that for some reason never made it onto the Web site. The second was my gaming column where I talked about the reasons parents should get their children into non-electronic gaming. You can read my column here.

For those interested in the preview article, you can find it posted in its entirety at my LJ,

merb101

food court coupons

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 01:12:17 GMT

Here's a link for some coupns for the food court at the convention center:

http://www.columbusconventions.com/pdf/coupon.pdf

Ancient Romans were gamers too.

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 21:50:42 GMT

http://www.christies.com/Lotfinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=4205385

A ROMAN GLASS GAMING DIE
Circa 2nd Century A.D.
Deep blue-green in color, the large twenty-sided die incised with a distinct symbol on each of its faces
2 1/16 in. (5.2 cm.) wide

Calling Origins geocachers...

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 07:03:36 GMT

Check this out: an event cache during the convention, just out the doors!

Z

P.S.: There are other new-since-last-year caches within walking distance, too.

Origins drum circle?

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 14:24:54 GMT

Hey, are we going to try that drum circle thing again this year? Since I'm driving to Origins, I'm willing to bring along two drums - my mini djembe and my micro djembe. I'll see if I can find my maracas too.

That means all we need is one or two people to show up without drums and one more person with a drum and we're good to go!

Maybe it'll help if I set a time and place right now. How about... hmm... Friday night at 8 PM in that little bench area outside the South entrance. Anybody interested?

Origins 2008 - OWbN event

Thu, 29 May 2008 23:23:51 GMT

*The following invitation is
distributed through "normal" means* ((Please forward to any/all
lists))

The front is the following:
http://www.oneworldbynight.org/newinvite.jpg The back has the
following details included.

Greetings friends and allies
of the Camarilla,

Prince Hugo Valentine, and
the Court of Columbus Ohio, invites all to attend this year's annual; Grande
Elysium June the 25^th through the
29^th.

Having emerged victoriously
but not unscathed, from the edge of destruction; the domain will recognize the
capacity for savagery the beast instills within each of us, and celebrate the
Traditions that are our salvation. For without wrong, right has no meaning and
it is this dichotomy that we must never forget. We will reach back through the
annals of time to a period when there was no great alliance of Princes, but only
separate domains at constant war with one another. We will relive a time when
death lurked in every dark corner and trust was a luxury afforded only by the
foolish. We will show one another the price of greed and gluttony through games
of war and murder.

A game of intrigue will
begin as guests arrive on Wednesday evening. Suspicion, doubt, and caution will
be your only allies as you attempt to survive this three evening
game.

Thursday night continues the
killing game and offers more opportunity to connect with guests and city
officers.

Clan Toreador will be hosting
a showcase of their many talents at the event's first formal dress affair Friday
evening. The victors of the killing game will be announced following the
performances.

Saturday will showcase our
grand masquerade ball with the classic theme of Good versus Evil, Right and
Wrong, and the balance of Life and Death- interpreted as only Kindred can. This
night will also feature the capstone event of the entire Elysium: a game of
chess. The two victors of the killing game will choose their chess pieces from
the Kindred attending the Elysium. Great rewards will go to the victors of this
game.

Sunday, we will bid farewell
to our guests in a calm and tranquil gathering.

By the grace and generosity
of Prince Valentine, the city will also be hosting an auction of rare and
valuable items. Auctions will end throughout the Grande Elysium. Clan Giovanni
will be organizing the auction as well as a poker night on
Friday.

OOC:

Origins yes. It's coming and here's
the official IC/OOC information!

June 25-29, at the Columbus Ohio Convention
Center, during the Origins Game Fair. (http://www.originsgamefair.com/ )

The
game starts officially on Weds., then "officially" ends on Saturday, but Sunday
night is Columbus' regular game, so that will be held, as is tradition, at the
"Big Bar on Two". That night is low-key, soft-RP recovery time.
J

Event schedule is based on the one
listed above, ICly. There will be Clan meetings held on Friday (and maybe
Saturday, depending on Clans and space)

IC
Status/RSVPs should be sent to originsstatus@gmail.com

OOC
Sheets should be sent to cidstoryteller@gmail.com

If
you have any questions, you can contact: cidstoryteller@gmail.com

Badge

Thu, 15 May 2008 16:48:52 GMT

If anyone still needs a badge for origins, I had a friend decide she can't go this year. If you're interested, drop me a line. You should be able to save a fair bit on the badge even after the name changing fee.

Origins event pre-reg opens May 15 -- event grids online NOW

Wed, 14 May 2008 14:02:23 GMT

You waited so patiently to see what Origins has in store for you for 2008 -- well, wait no longer!

You can download the event grids and see all of the Origins events for yourself! Check out the event grid files Excel files at www.originsgamefair.com. If the master file (4501 events!) is too big for you, that’s ok – we broke the master out by gaming genre.

Event pre-registration for Origins 2008 opens on May 15 at noon Eastern Daylight Time (9:00 a.m. PDT).

To make your event purchases go quicker and easier that day, create an account on the www.originsgamefair.com site (use the Click to Create an Account link at the top of the page), then buy your show badge. By doing that, you’re all ready to buy events when they go on sale this Thursday.

We’ll see you at Origins!!

Questions for the PtB

Wed, 07 May 2008 17:20:22 GMT

Or Powers What Is or whatever...

Welcome to May 7.

If my travel schedule and finances continue to work out, in exactly 7 weeks I will be pulling up to the Greater Columbus Convention Center for the 6th consecutive year.

Still haven't seen any info on pre-registering for events.

Any ideas on when this will be available?

Origins Final Event Deadline - April 4

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:29:11 GMT

For those of you who haven't submitted yet, don't forget that the final deadline for Origins Event Submission is April 4 – less than a week away! Events that are submitted after that deadline cannot be guaranteed to be in the Onsite Book if accepted.

To submit your events, or see the Origins event policies: http://www.originsgamefair.com/2008/plan/gms

To look over our GM Benefits and Event Hours calculations: http://www.originsgamefair.com/2008/plan/gms/benefits/event-hours-calculations

Thanks again for running events at Origins!

-Trey

Some Questions...

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 08:13:21 GMT

With the flooding of the Convention Center affecting Halls E and F, are their contingency plans should this space be unavailable for Origins?

Now that Early Bird is complete, when can we anticipate seeing how the numbers are coming up?

Has Wizards of the Coast agreed to return in 2008?

When can we anticipate some initial exhibitors?

Last year, there was no pre-registration book. Is this the new standard and if so, when will the information from it be available?

I would review the web site or the news sites (gamingreport.com, etc.) but there has been no activity on Origins or GAMA.

Thanks in advance!

New Name, New Content, New Deal, Same Great Offerings...

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 21:22:08 GMT

Hey folks!

Sorry for the press story writing, but we wanted to get this to you right away rather than re-write it...

A look through the plans for Origins 2008 and beyond leaves no doubt: The coming years promise the most exciting, ambitious, and unique convention experiences in the history of the game industry.

“It feels like a little like Star Trek,” said Anthony Gallela, GAMA’s Executive Director. “We’re boldly headed into thrilling new territory.”

For the last two years, Origins has maintained a stable audience of about 13,000 attendees, and looking within that number GAMA has found some very interesting trends.

For example, sales of full-show badges versus single-day badges has increased, showing growth in the event’s depth. Instead of coming for a single day, more people invested multiple days buying on the show floor and playing in the event areas.

Likewise, newer event areas like the Board Room’s free-form board gaming and The Gathering role-playing events exploded in popularity. The Board Room, for example, sold out of ribbons on the first day during its inaugural year in 2006, and grew even more in 2007.

But growth among traditional gaming audiences is only the beginning, according to GAMA Executive Director Anthony Gallela.

“For Origins 2008 and beyond, our plans reach toward both our traditional audiences of serious game fans and to the huge group of people who would love our games if only they knew about them,” Gallela said. “For our industry to stabilize, succeed, and grow, everyone from manufacturer to retailer needs to connect with both of these groups.”

For the Origins show, reaching out like that brings some interesting changes.

First, the show takes a new name for next year: The Origins Game Fair. The new moniker replaces the show’s more corporate-sounding title, the Origins International Game Expo.

On the surface, that looks like a small change, but it goes much deeper than that. “We all understand what ‘fair’ means,” said Gallela. “It’s fun and it’s accessible to everybody. That’s the heart of our goal with Origins -- to create a place where people have fun and connect with each other across great games.”

Creating a fair-style experience that’s open to all while simultaneously nurturing the well-loved Origins player experience demands a careful balancing act.

“We recognize that we’re touching two distinct audiences. They have overlapping interests, but unique needs,” Gallela said. “Our plans should address both of their interests.”

The changes begin with the show’s admission system. Instead of a single badge type that treats shoppers and players the same way, attendees at next year’s Origins can choose between a low cost “shopper/learner” badge (less than $5) and a traditional full-access “player pass” (our normal $50-$70).

“Our research showed that the industry standard convention badge prices created a barrier to both casual shoppers and non-gaming families. By dramatically reducing the badge cost, we eliminate the barrier and welcome a host of fresh shoppers to our hobby,” said Gallela.

The low cost shopper badge will give attendees access to both the expo hall and to the new game fair demonstration area. This helps grow new players, plus it gives long-time hobby fans extra money to spend on new games. “This low cost badge option will change the landscape for every vendor at the show. More people will see the games, and more people will have more money to buy. Everybody wins,” Gallela said.

Players participating in the vast array of Origins events, tournaments, and seminars will purchase a traditional convention badge and event tickets, just like always. The full badge also gives complete access to all of the fair events, as expected.

Attendees will need a full convention badge to get into the tournament halls. Those with the low cost badges will have access to the fair events and the expo hall only.

“The two badge types make an easy distinction that gives our attendees the best of both worlds,” said Gallela. “Players can play, shoppers can shop, newcomers and learn, and everybody’s happy.”

During the months leading up to the fair, GAMA will partner with the Ohio Department of Tourism, Experience Columbus (the local convention and visitors bureau), and both local and regional media to give the show a big public push. “We want everybody throughout Ohio and the Midwest to know about Origins, to come to Origins, and to bring their families and friends to Origins,” Gallela said. “It’s the first step in what we know will be a multi-year growth process, but we’re excited with the possibilities.”

Watch the GAMA Web site for more details over the coming months. For information on exhibiting at the inaugural 2008 Origins Game Fair, contact Matt Ragsdale at sales@gama.org or by phone at 614-255-4500.

Name Change

Thu, 23 Aug 2007 15:22:16 GMT

Hey there -

Just to let all of you know, the name of this community has been changed, from Origins_2007 to OriginsGameFair.

It changed for two reasons - first because we're past 2007 and have started planning 2008, and second because the name of the show changed recently from the Origins International Game Expo to the Origins Game Fair.

Hope the name change doesn't cause anyone too much confusion! Thanks for your patience!

-Trey
moderatrix

And the Winners Are....

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 21:05:03 GMT

There were several contests running during Origins 2007. For those interested in the outcome, here is the list of winners:

Origins 2007 Fan Favorite Film: Dorkness Rising

Origins Trivia Contest Winners:

Thursday:
Eric Quinn
Michael McKown
Valerie Martindale
Shauna Gray

Friday:
Patrick Kenyon
Albert Vest
Jack Goble
Eric Smith

Saturday:
James Kindler
Hunter Goble
Steven Zwanger
Charles Trefethen

Sunday:
Anthony Fabbri
Daniel Wilson
Joe Gallagher
Mark Herbert
Stephanie Haun McKown

Grand Prize Winner: Todd Evangelista

Origins Awards roster

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 12:33:14 GMT

For those of you who are looking for information on who won this year's Origins Awards:

http://www.originsgames.com/aagad/

Blood Drive Results

Thu, 12 Jul 2007 15:25:04 GMT

We had a very successful 2 day drive.

We did 46 on Friday and 73 on Saturday. Total 119. It was goaled at 120; so Hats off.

Thanks to all that donated!!!

attendance for 2007

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 07:07:34 GMT

okay... it's been a great con
now for that nagging question:
What was the attendance for 2007?
How does that compare to previous attendance for Origins?

Where is that info posted?

Check out the Latest Origins Events Update!

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 01:46:00 GMT

The 2007 Origins Onsite Addendum is available now…before you get to the show. See some last-minute additions to the 4,000 events filling the schedule. The addendum also lists any changes in event time or location. Addendums will be available at Main Registration and at the Information Booth. Download the addendum at www.originsgames.com.

Origins International Game Expo takes place July 5-8, 2007 in Columbus Ohio.

See you at the show!

Blood Drive: Special Blood...

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 18:03:07 GMT

Had a couple questions asked to me so I got the answers or at least where you can get the answers:

1) Got a person that has O Neg and wants to give blood.
Will you be able to accept this at Origins or is there anything special he will need to do?
O- is the most sought after blood because it’s red blood cells can be given to anyone. We will be doing an apheresis procedure called Double Red Cells which we prefer to do Type O’s. He/she can ask about this at the drive. There are different requirements/restrictions for a man vs. woman, such as height and weight.

2) Lipitor: can they donate blood while on this med? Can they go off it for a couple days and donate?
Lipitor is fine, I believe. To make sure, they can call 1-800-GIVE LIFE

Bill

Origins & Arena Grand Theatre promotion

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 22:38:55 GMT

Origins Attendees!

Experience the FUN & EXCITEMENT of the Summer Blockbusters at the Arena Grand Theatre

Present your Origins International Game Expo Badge at the Box Office and receive a movie ticket for $6.50. (A $2.00 savings off regular adult tickets!!)

Offer valid for all current movie show times Tuesday, July 3 through Sunday, July 8, 2007

Also enjoy Special Midnight Showings on Wednesday, July 4th!!

All shows start at Midnight or shortly thereafter.

Select from:
TRANSFORMERS
Fantastic Four
Evan Almighty
Ratatouille
Live Free or Die Hard
Sicko
License to Wed
Ocean's 13
Evening
1408

Visit www.ArenaGrand.com or call 614.470.9900 for more show times!

The Arena Grand Movie Theater is on Nationwide Blvd, about a block and a half from the Convention Center. It is across the street from Nationwide Arena.

Origins 2007 Parking Information

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 20:47:56 GMT

Parking rates at the Greater Columbus Convention Center for Origins attendees is a flat rate fee of $ 7.00. IN AND OUT accessibility on the same ticket is not available. They accept all methods of payments.

However, the South Garage will not be flat rated; if you decide to use this parking facility you pay the hourly rates that are posted. The South Parking Garage is located on Nationwide Boulevard, just east of the Hyatt Regency and west of the Drury Inn (under the food court). The South Garage has 550 parking spaces for cars and mini vans only with 6 feet clearance.

Rates for the South Garage:
0 TO 1 HOUR $ 1.00
1 TO 2 HOUR $ 3.00
2 TO 3 HOURS $ 5.00
3 TO 5 HOURS $ 7.00
5 TO 7 HOURS $ 9.00
7 TO 12 HOURS $ 11.00
12 TO 24 HOURS $ 14.00
LOST TICKET RATE $ 60.00

On Tuesday, July 3rd the top level of the West Garage will be blocked off for Gibby's 4th annual Red, White, & Brew event.

http://www.columbusconventions.com/info/parking.asp

Rare Items at Origins Auction and Charity Items Return

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 22:01:33 GMT

Crystal Caste has announced that they are putting in 2 very rare items into the Origins Auction this year - a set of Amber Dice and a set of Petrified Wood Dice, of which less than 10 sets of each exist in the world.

Some very limited experimental dice are also being put into the auction. Although the exact details haven't been released, in the past such dice have been made from Blue Tiger Eye, Red Malachite, Rutilated Quartz and other unusual or semi-precious gems. Usually these are seven piece dice sets (d4, d6, d8, d10, d10%, d12 and d20).

The charity auction is also returning to Origins this year. All proceeds will be going to the Make-a-Wish Foundation, the official charity of Origins. Many of the manufacturers attending Origins have kindly donated items to this charity auction, and you can too. When you come enter your items into the auction, you may choose to mark any of them as charity if you wish - no pressure though!

You've only got a few days left to dig out and pack some of your unused games and gaming items to put into the Origins Auction or Origins Consignment Store. Hope to see you here!

- Troll And Toad, Sponsors of the Origins Auction and Origins Consignment Store

Alternative fun?

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 20:57:43 GMT

Is there anything kink-related or otherwise naughty happening at or around the Con this year?

I'm an experienced SWM gaming member of the Lifestyle interested in broadening my connections in the community of kink-friendly gamers. Last year I met a couple who let me know that invitation-only parties existed, but we didn't get enough time to get to know each other for me to break into their particular group. I'm not local to Columbus but in half-day driving distance, if the chance of more regular contact increases the odds of finding someone willing to give a mature, discreet, open-minded former-RPG-now-mostly-tabletop-gamer the time of day.

WizKids brings dynamic events to Origins

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 21:54:35 GMT

The WizKids Tournament Hall (Ballroom 2) at Origins will be your destination for fun! Offering a dozen storyline events, Battle Royale events, and pick-up games, you won’t want to miss a moment of this convention schedule.

WizKids will not have any booth sales at Origins (though many retail vendors at the show will have our latest and our out of print products), so our HeroClix “Battle for Fin Fang Foom” events are the only way you can take Fin Fang Foom home from Origins!

Don’t miss two big Pirates storyline events: “Fleet Wars” and “Vikings at Ocean’s Edge.”

Saturday night hosts the Star Wars™ PocketModel™TCG event where you can build your empire and control the galaxy!

In addition, HeroClix and HorrorClix Battle Royale events will take place every hour from 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (Thursday–Saturday) and 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. (Sunday). Star Wars PocketModel TCG Battle Royale events will take place every hour from 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday only.

As time and space allow, we will also be hosting pick-up games, so even if you can’t attend one of the events above, drop by our tournament area and ask.

The Origins International Game Expo will take place July 5-8, 2007 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio. For more information on the full list of WizKids events, as well as the other 4,000 events being held at Origins, please visit the Origins Web site at www.originsgames.com.

©2007 WizKids, Inc. All rights reserved. MechWarrior, HeroClix, HorrorClix, PocketModel, and WizKids are trademarks of WizKids, Inc.
Marvel and all related characters and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of Marvel Characters, Inc., and are used with permission. ©2007 Marvel Characters, Inc. www.marvel.com
©2007 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All rights reserved.

Red Cross Blood Drive at Origins

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 12:42:34 GMT

Once again the Red Cross will be having a blood drive at Origins.
Only difference is that this year it will be a 2 day drive on Friday and Saturday.

You can sign up for a time in advance
More details can be found at this website
http://www.gamesplayedhere.net/gph.nsf/blooddrive

Only the Friday date is show on the givelife.org website. Sent off an email to get that corrected.

Bill and Lilly