note that this and previous posts from Worldcon might change. So if you want to read everything at once and more or less finished wait till I get back home.
I expected this day to be the best one, but it wasn't. So far this day was really bad for me for various reasons. During the day I also managed to lose my programme guide and notes so this post will be a bit simpler...but it's more due to my mood being rather strange than because I don't have my notes (the information is in my head anyway).
There are few points I wanted to address since the first day of Worldcon but I did not do it. The first one is that I've been seeing people staring into their mobile devices during the whole convention. I understand some people that read in the conference rooms but those being on Facebook, twitter or playing some games I don't understand. Staring into the programme guide is fine but this? I also don't really like when I have to suffer all the lights from the devices when in not well lit room and that is a reason I often felt dizzy.
The second...throughout the whole conventions at talks, panels etc there is a heated debate about gender/sex/sexual orientation in games, literature and such. The next thing that comes up is relationships (also sexual). The last thing...the most annoying one is...commercialization. That is the reason I did not even bother going to panels with names like 'Art in the 21st Century?' or 'The future of professional artists?'.
As for games the main discussed thing is simplification, cooperation and friendship (I thinkt hat I have kind of explained this in one of the previous posts or this one? not sure)
Also we live in the era of internet so I understand that being seen or saying stuff on the internet is important. But WHY THE HELL should I pretend that everything is ok or act in a certain way? I, on the internet am the same person as in real life and I want to stay that way. Whatever...
On a sidenote I'd like to note that at this convention people were dressed rather casually and the level of cosplay costumes was much lower than at the last Worldcon I attended. Just an observation... To those who do not know it. I planned to sew or create a costume of Liliana of the Veil and wear it at this year's Worldcon, but I don't have the money to buy even just the fabric. So I decided leave it for some time later. Also I wasn't sure how I'd end up looking in something like that, as I'm quite overweight. But after what I've seen here...I wouldn't really need to worry about that^_^.
The first panel I attended was 'Getting Kickstarted in Games'. As you can see I try to go to every panel or talk that is dedicated to game design, playtesting, production, funding and marketing. That is because I might actually need that in the future. I'd like to help Zdenek with his game and listening to designers talking about how they started their business is a good way to go. Even though I did not manage to go to some I wanted to attend. Anyway these panels and talks already helped to sort my thoughts, but will this help me start thinking about the games from the perspective I need?
Back to kickstarter. We were told about various projects the panelist started on Kickstarter and what problems they encountered. From not realizing what the shipping costs to bad planning (for over-success). It seems that Kickstarter is the best place to start a project but the people running it still did not realize that and that is why their interface is not the best one and does not allow edits after one backer sends money for example. Or that the page cannot really be edited well, video cannot be uploaded after you click that you do not wish to submit a video etc. Well, it was nice listening to Steve Jackson talking about Ogre project and other panelists about smaller projects. The difference might be big but the problems encountered the same.
When creating a Kickstarted project one needs to know what the money is for, should also take in an account that Kickstarter and Amazon will take some money of it (for example 4% each) and that also not all the transactions from the backers will go through.
Also Kickstarter does not seem to deal with images well...etc.
There were many things said and not sure if they will come handy. Kickstarted is only for US based people and I clearly am not. So if I will want to start a project it won't be on this server.
Then I headed to London Suite 2 which I had no idea where it was. But I was shown the way and attended Costuming Off the Rack. When entering the room I was sure that this won't be for me. (High percentage of women). Anyway the panelists where talking about how to make a costume off bought items be it garments, coax cable or animal bones. Some problems were addressed - people who need to wear glasses and what to do then..., people covering their hair etc. Actually the stories of the people were interesting and it certainly inspired me.
After this I went to buy something to eat which was a mistake. I was hungry the whole day afterwards. I got a burrito that was good but rather expensive. I went to buy a coffee and encountered my sister discussing lifeforms with Gert van Dijk. They left then for whatever programme they wanted to attend. I headed to Capital Suite 15 and was reminded that in many cases I did not manage to get there or was thrown out of the Suite. So after getting there I found out that my panel is elsewhere and then later I found out that it's full. So I tried a different one and also encountered problem with 'too many people inside'. So I ended up at 'Where Have All the Clerics Gone?' This wasn't good. I arrived late so I did not really know what was said earlier. Anyway when a question was asked it was hardly answered and I heard more about religion then clerics or priests. Anyway there was distinction between literature cleric and game cleric and I can see why. But no one bother saying why and no one bothered wondering about ... where the hell went those clerics? Not to mention that one of the panelists was hardly heard and even though people asked him to speak up (it was out problem obviously)
I left when the public started asking even weirder questions and headed to games tent. I wasn't really sure what I was doing there. I took photos of the games, people playing the games. Went up to the Exhibition Hall, took some pics there, went back down to the games tent... I bothered some Magic players for a while (because I really had no idea what to do), had a game of magic Mono Blue vs. Mono Blue and then left for exhibition hall once again.
I watched Steve Crisp airbrush on a white background and then black background. That was a nice demonstration. We could hardly hear anything, but we could try using the airbrush pistol. I'll link you to the pics later.
Then I came back down to the games tent watched a game of modern and then left to attend 'From Tsundere to Deredere: Understanding Characters.'This was yet another panel that did not really go that well. We did not really get much information about the types but we at least learned that some exist. They got stuck on trying to figure out if there is something like samurai in the western culture. This turned into a discussion if someone actually captured Seven Samurai well (ooh that might have happened at a different panel). So well...I did not get much relevant information but I was glad that Michaele Jordan was present, because she has something to say and usually information actually makes sense.
Some time later I moved to 'From page to screen'. This was about adaptations of novels into movies or series like True Blood, Game of Thrones. We also got some information about mangas being turned into anime and Walking Dead. We learned that adapting something into a series or movie is actually difficult. One need to capture the spirit of the original and then figure out what is the best way to do it. This sometimes means that the whole point of view or narrative changes but that doesn't mean that the series/movie won't be successful. We should also note that some movies or series are just based on something and thus we should not expect that such movies/series follow the original book/comic etc. In most cases the author does not have the right to say anything to the director about it. But in some cases (see HBO and Game of Thrones) this is different.
We were also once again warned about anime that are manga adaptations that are produced faster than the manga. Such series don't usually end up well (see Full metal Alchemists).
etc etc etc...What I write might not seem very positive but I actually enjoyed this panel.
Black Holes in Close-up. Yes, this was a presentation I really appreciated. Not that I would not know what a black hole is...We listened to Dr Robert Laing telling us about the discovery of black holes (with that I mean even the assumption that something like this has to exist), their parameters, types and observation. In the second part we got information about a project that wants to capture Event Horizon if that is even possible and how this can be achieved. (thus we learned about the technique and about ALMA).
At 8pm the Masquerade started. It was spectacular o_O. I don't have a photos, but my sister will certainly have many.
After the masquerade I went outside to eat something finding out that I lost my stuff and I'm left without money. Probably my bad mood was what caused this. I spent several days at a convention with thousands of people but I did not actually talk to anyone nor did anyone talk to me. Isn't that strange? At the last Worldcon I attended this wasn't the case. There were many people talking to me and were interested in who I am or what the hell I do there. It is true that I was in cosplay and I was a Czech delegation member (so some people had to talk to me and I had to talk to them). But still... how can someone be so lonely even at a place where everyone shares a passion?
I also don't really feel well when there is too many people around me and for a longer time (3 days is kinda maximum) so that might be one of the reasons too. Anyway this day showed to be rather chaotic and hectic. Today there were problems with organization - delay, technical problems, too many people somewhere etc. One would not expect this to happen at such a large event. But well it obviously happens.
When I get back to Czech Republic there are things I'd like to process, some things to ponder about and some things to try. If I manage all this there will be more posts related to Worldcon.
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