Off-Topic - In General

[bysmitty]

Frag Weekend 4 (QuakeCon 2011 edition) is sadly over, said, and done.  But the event was such an amazing time that I'm now jonesing for the next Frag Meet.  So without further ado, it's time to announce:

The 5th Ever Official FiringSquad Meet, Greet, and Frag Weekend (NE Ohio Edition)

When:   March 15th (Thursday) - March 18th (Sunday), 2012

Where:   My house!  Located in enthralling Streetsboro, Ohio, USA

What:   LAN party, home cooking, rock & roll, spirits, good times, and good friends.  This tradition started off with a bang back in 2010 but it was the 2011 party where my expectations were truly smashed. Recap available here.  2011 was an amazing time but I think we'll be able to top even that lofty high water mark in 2012.
 
Notes:

• I can arrange rides to and from the airport for those flying in.
• We'll be live streaming the event again for those unable to attend.
• Bring an air mattress or sleeping bag if possible.
• I can supply loaner computers to those that can't bring their own.
• Bring some money to cover food and drink.  Everything else should be free.
• Expect another rock and roll show featuring the official FS house band: Skychief.
• Try to arrive on Wed to settle and set up so we can hit the ground gaming come opening day on Thurs.
• There is a door prize of a free game to all attendees.  No one will be left without at least one game to play.

RSVP: by posting so in this thread and filling our this short questionnaire.

• Where are you coming from?
• How do you plan on getting here?
• Are you bringing your own computer?
• Will you be bringing any extra people with you?
• Do you have an recipes you wish to cook for the event?
• What games you absolutely want to play?

The Games:

• Battlefield 3
• Battlefield: Bad Company 2
• BLUR
• Command & Conquer 3
• Company of Heroes
• Demigod
• Dungeon Defenders
• FEAR (free)
• FUEL
• GRID
• Half Life 2: Deathmatch
• Killing Floor
• Lead & Gold
• Left 4 Dead 2
• Magic: Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012
• Monday Night Combat
• Nailed
• Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit
• Plain Sight
• Risk Factions
• Sector 8: Prejudice
• Serious Sam HD 1 & 2
• The Ship
• Sins of a Solar Empire
• Starcraft 2
• Sumpreme Commander 1 / Forged Alliance
• Sumpreme Commander 2
• Team Fortress 2 (Free)
• Tribes Ascend (Free)
• Unreal Tournament 3
• Warhammer: Dawn of War

We're 1 months out so start saving money for transportation and request those days off work!
 

Confirmed:

• bysmitty (Smitty)
• Ellsworth (Ellsworth)
• Fish (Eddie)
• Gregorov (Greg)
• Ronin (Dan)
• Skychief (Mike)
• Maners (Joe)
• Jarvinator (Andrew)
• Zero (Garrett)
• DiceU (John)
• Hardwareguy (Andrew)
• Synchronous (Will)
• Clowns (Darren)

Tentative:

• Stalker  (+1)

...bysmitty

[Synchronous Failure]

RSVP: Tentative!

• Where are you coming from? Either from Spain or if I'm already in the States then somewhere on the East Coast.
• How do you plan on getting here? Plane if coming in from Spain (oh ho ho, it rhymes!) but I might bus/hitch a ride if it's cheaper and I'm already in the country.
• Are you bringing your own computer? Depends on my travel arrangements. I *might* have a gaming laptop but I'd have to buy one specifically for the trip and the cost of getting there might be too much. So I'll have to get back to you on that.
• Will you be bringing any extra people with you? Nope.
• Do you have an recipes you wish to cook for the event? Definitely! Some Spanish food for all!
• What games you absolutely want to play? I'm cool with anything.

The price is about a $1000 to get from Spain to the States but I have a few friends in other parts of the country that I might visit and stay with until university starts so it will be a justified one-time expense. Hopefully. 

[Ellsworth]

RSVP: I'm in!

• Where are you coming from?  The Heart of It All
• How do you plan on getting here?  On the wings of angels
• Are you bringing your own computer?  Aye
• Will you be bringing any extra people with you?  Nay
• Do you have an recipes you wish to cook for the event?  Only the best f*ckin spaghetti sauce you'll ever eat!
• What games you absolutely want to play?  I'm down for anything. L&G is big fun when there's a lot of people playing.

[FiSH]

I'm in.  Southwest only has flight schedules through March 9 posted right now.  Should have a confirmed itinerary soon.

• Where are you coming from?  Chattanooga
• How do you plan on getting here?  Plane
• Are you bringing your own computer?  TBD
• Will you be bringing any extra people with you?  No
• Do you have an recipes you wish to cook for the event?  Shrimp & Sausage Gumbo
• What games you absolutely want to play?  BF3, Rage, TF2, Hot Pursuit, FUEL, Killing Floor, Lead & Gold, Flatout 2

[gregorov_14]

I should be in, so long as I don't unintentionally schedule something over it again...

Probably flying via Delta - and flight would be arriving roughly around 1:10pm on a Thursday or Friday.   Unfortunately I will not have my Silver Medallion Status (so no free checked bags), but I might have a workaround for that with properly done carryons.

• Where are you coming from?  Boise
• How do you plan on getting here?  Plane
• Are you bringing your own computer?  TBD
• Will you be bringing any extra people with you?  Maybe (wife may come too)
• Do you have an recipes you wish to cook for the event?  TBD.  I may know some shrimp or crawfish recipes by then
  
• What games you absolutely want to play?  TF2, Monday Night Combat, Killing Floor, Lead & Gold, anything newer that I haven't bought yet
  

[FiSH]

I wonder if Southwest Airlines has some sort of schedule to release their flight updates.  I find it odd that they don't allow people to receive alerts when flights are added.  Still nothing beyond 3/9.

[ronin410]

I am so there barring anything terrible happening (astroid, plague, I get an Ipad). I had such a great time at the last one. I am assuming that since this is an open thead, Smitty that I am in fact allowed to return.

• Where are you coming from?  Erie PA
  
• How do you plan on getting here?  Driving
• Are you bringing your own computer?  Yes ( with the monitor I 'won' at the last one)
  
• Will you be bringing any extra people with you?  No
  
• Do you have an recipes you wish to cook for the event?  I can't cook at all but I have no problem cleaning
  
• What games you absolutely want to play?  Killing Floor, Lead & Gold, Monday Night Combat, RAGE ( if it's any good in multiplayer) any shooters really.
  

[Transco901]

We should be in Milwaukee by this time. Put me + 1 as tentative. If need be,we can get a hotel if it gets too crowded.

[FiSH]

Southwest's next flight update will be on Sept 5. I'll book shortly after and post my itinerary.

[Transco901]

If we make it from WI, we do not require a place to stay. Just a enough space somewhere to lay my gaming rig.

[Transco901]

le yikes.. you are 7.5 hours away from Milwaukee.. that's quite a drive but still count me + 1 in..

[Synchronous Failure]

So I might be able to get a ridiculously cheap (or even free) flight to Montreal or Toronto, Canada courtesy of a Canadian friend of mine. Unfortunately, even short flights across the border are nearly $500, not counting other fees. BUT both cities are connected to Amtrak and I can get a waaay cheaper train ride to either Columbus or Alliance, Ohio (whichever is closest). From there I might be traveling to Chicago and later Austin (probably by train).

That means I won't be bringing my PC because it's just waaaay too difficult to travel and I don't trust it to survive the trip. Plus lugging it around is just going to suck balls.

[FiSH]

Yeah, only bring it if you can bypass the whole sucking balls thing. : )

[bysmitty]

Toronto is less than 5 hours from where I am so bus or train might not be too painful.  Don't stress over lugging a computer.  I have my sig computer, a high end LanBox, an m11x, and enough spare parts to assemble at least 2 more game capable systems.

...bysmitty

[jwhx]

Be careful when entering Austin as you may not want to leave. That is a very fun city.

[Synchronous Failure]

Haha, I definitely will not want to leave. I'll have to take a train back to Toronto and then fly back to Spain. That is going to be the longest and shittiest trip of my life. But it should (hopefully) be worth it.

[FiSH]

My itinerary:

Thursday March 15 - Arrive in CLEVELAND OH (CLE) at 1:30 PM

Sunday March 18 - Depart CLEVELAND OH (CLE) at 6:50 AM

Sorry for another early departure.  Had to go with the most affordable option.

[bysmitty]

Another 4am trip to the airport?  Ok, but you owe me a six pack.

...bysmitty

[FiSH]

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bysmitty wrote:

Another 4am trip to the airport?  Ok, but you owe me a six pack.

...bysmitty

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5am.  Name the beer.  :  )

[Ellsworth]

^ Since I'll probably be going with Smitty to the airport, I want in on that deal. A six pack of any of these beers will do. 

[FiSH]

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Ellsworth wrote:

^ Since I'll probably be going with Smitty to the airport, I want in on that deal. A six pack of any of these beers will do. 

---

I was thinking more of the lines of this beer.

[jwhx]

16 cents! Damn, fish must be made out of money!

[ronin410]

Funny that the cheapest beer in the world tastes like Bud Light!

[FiSH]

^ Now THAT's value! I'm willing to bet those beers Ellsworth posted do NOT taste like Bud Light. Makes you wonder why they're so dad-gum expensive!

[Ellsworth]

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FiSH wrote:

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Ellsworth wrote:

^ Since I'll probably be going with Smitty to the airport, I want in on that deal. A six pack of any of these beers will do. 

---

I was thinking more of the lines of this beer.

---

I got the trots just lookin at that beer.

[ronin410]

But the sign says it's 'FRESH' so it MUST be good!

[Ellsworth]

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ronin410 wrote:

But the sign says it's 'FRESH' so it MUST be good!

---

Freshly squeezed from urinal cakes found in the restroom of some seedy Hanoi bar.

[FiSH]

[ZeroGuardian]

LMAO!

[Ellsworth]

[ronin410]

How much for a six pack?

[bysmitty]

Man, I leave this thread alone for a few days...

...bysmitty

[ZeroGuardian]

I like how its brewed from fresh urinal cakes, even though they started importing it before modern urinals and therefore urinal cakes even existed.

[Synchronous Failure]

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ZeroGuardian wrote:

I like how its brewed from fresh urinal cakes, even though they started importing it before modern urinals and therefore urinal cakes even existed.

---

Now that the Laws of Physics are bullshit thanks to our FTL particle we don't have to worry about things like continuity.

[ZeroGuardian]

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Synchronous Failure wrote:

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ZeroGuardian wrote:

I like how its brewed from fresh urinal cakes, even though they started importing it before modern urinals and therefore urinal cakes even existed.

---

Now that the Laws of Physics are bullshit thanks to our FTL particle we don't have to worry about things like continuity.

---

Thats an excellent point! Maybe now I can defy gravity! I'm gonna go jump off a cliff, I'll let you know how it goes....

Tomorrow's Headline "Young Man Dies Trying to Defy Gravity is CERN to Blame?"

[Synchronous Failure]

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ZeroGuardian wrote:

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Synchronous Failure wrote:

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ZeroGuardian wrote:

I like how its brewed from fresh urinal cakes, even though they started importing it before modern urinals and therefore urinal cakes even existed.

---

Now that the Laws of Physics are bullshit thanks to our FTL particle we don't have to worry about things like continuity.

---

Thats an excellent point! Maybe now I can defy gravity! I'm gonna go jump off a cliff, I'll let you know how it goes....

Tomorrow's Headline "Young Man Dies Trying to Defy Gravity is CERN to Blame?"

---

I'll round up the lawyers to make a profit off of your unfortunate demise and turn those valuable research dollars into something useful -- such as expanding my gold-plated bathroom.

[bysmitty]

^ expanding?!  A portion of your bathroom is already gold plated?

...bysmitty

[Synchronous Failure]

I've built a successful career off of cliff-jumpers.

[FiSH]

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Synchronous Failure wrote:

I've built a successful career off of cliff-jumpers.

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Nice!  Help them make up their minds!  You can name your fee at that point.

[Ellsworth]

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ZeroGuardian wrote:

I like how its brewed from fresh urinal cakes, even though they started importing it before modern urinals and therefore urinal cakes even existed.

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My lager transcends space and time, Zero.