First and foremost I want to extend my deepest and sincerest gratitude (again) to the gentlemen that helped me acquire a ticket in the first place.
Ponies, Rotny, and Josh. You all got on your comps just so that I could have more chances as nailing one, and with Rotny's awesome micro he got in-- only a few thousand earlier in the queue than Ponies got. The crazy thrill of those intense moments spamming F5 at the purchase page was just the beginning for me. Blizzcon 2013 was coming back with a vengeance. There was no Blizzcon 2012-- for good reason. And I can definitely say that I am SO excited to try out their newest titles.
and then also Hearthstone.
Which I simply don't care for.
My journey for Blizzcon began with me waking up later than I wanted because the previous evening I had joined Fett for more sight seeing and hitting up a Sonico. I didn't know those bring-your-order-to-your-car-in-roller-skates places still existed! But that will be for a future post.
I hadn't packed like I meant to, or prepped much. So my morning consisted of hauling ass to get ready, grabbing all my essentials hopefully not forgetting anything, and splitting to Anaheim. Took me a little over an hour to get there, which was around 10:20. Missed all the lines to get in, and the opening ceremonies don't begin until 11, so I was doing alright.
Hotel problems.
OF COURSE this happens! Everything was going too smoothly! It was my own fault, hilariously.
I had booked my stay for the wrong weekend.
You guise... I was so out of whack with what cons I was going to that I had booked my stay there for the 2nd, and not the 8th. The 2nd was Comikaze! And I totally mixed them up, lolol. Fortunately there weren't any charges to my account. The woman at the front desk was a dear, and found a room that was available for the next night for me to stay at. I already had a quote that she matched (which was awesome because it was cheaper by like $20). The only problem was that I was only planning to stay the one night, which was that very day. I took what I could, and would simply just have to drive back down the next morning.
But... she said she could ask another hotel if they had open rooms. I was all for that, and she called the Travel lodge a little ways down the street (slightly closer to the con) to see if they had a room available for that night.
They DID!!!! Then she asked them if they could match my price. THEY DID THAT TOO!!!! And she told them I would be right over to reserve it. I got in my car and drive the whole 2 minutes over there and rushed to the office. SCORE!! I was all set. Phew! Now the only issue was.... I hadn't budgeted for two hotel nights. Just the one... so I had to figure that out.
Check in at the lodge was 3PM. And the paper I got from my original hotel said that cancellations should be done by 4PM to avoid fees. I did just that.
How LUCKY was that?! Man o man. Stressful situation, but thankfully... taken care of. Phew! I got the parking pass for my car and split for the convention center which was an easy 5 minute walk away. I was also right next to Denny's! So perfect :D
Hello, Anaheim Convention Center. We meet again :)
And of course the protestors are here to greet us!
The best part was that there were no lines to get inside. I completely missed the stampede-- which may have been fun to watch, but that doesn't matter to me.
I got there and went straight to Hall E to register my badge. Oh, happy day!
How I've missed you, Blizzcon!
Badge in hand, back to the lobby, and onward to the show floor!
I got there just as the Opening Ceremonies had begun.
Morhaime was on stage saluting us all and telling us what was in store
Metzen getting us pumped up for the WoW movie and Warlords of Draenor panels
There were massive monitors everywhere so no one would miss any of it.
I'm not a console whore but *droolzzz*
Although at many other conventions I am all about the cosplay, Blizzcon is the only one that I attend and actually want to be at the panels. It's not like other cons where there are a ton of vendors to look at and buy from, or a shit ton of cosplayers walking around on the floor. This con is specifically Blizzard only, with game stations exhibiting their games, championship tournaments, sponsor booths for gaming shit, the Blizzard store, and panels. The rest is social interaction and after parties--- basically what you make of it. It's weird to go alone, but this year I met a ton of people. It was awesome.
That doesnt' mean the cosplay wasn't awesome though. I still get tickles in my tummy from seeing it all.
It would've been cool to go with Rotny and Josh, but they didn't think $175 for a ticket was justified. I totally get it. Perhaps I held onto Blizzard harder than I thought, even after I stopped playing in Cataclysm. Good thing though because this next expansion looks.... phenomenal.
Amazing artists
Very familiar with Brom's work. He's also done a shit ton of covers for Forgotten Realms books. So awesome
A small portion of the massive line to play Heroes of the Storm.
Arenas
Heroes of the Storm panel was sick.
It was also really easy to find a seat for one! Haha
mexicaaaaaan foooooooood
both days
awe yeah
The Warlords of Draenor panel was just... omfg.
SO EXCITED!!!!
I had also found a platform near the center behind all the seats. I assumed it was used for camera men to stand in order to get nicer shots but it wasn't being utilized!
I just climbed up on there and sat my little self there for all of the panels ever and it was perfect. Score!
It always amazes me that Blizzcon has to use the entirety of a hall for one stage. The biggest hall room, even. Just for the main stage. I love it.
Epic as epic gets.
I saw TotalBiscuit. This was the closest I could get. Wasn't able to talk to him but it was cool seeing him there a few feet away from me.
I spent the first day of the con by myself, just wandering and checking out the panels. No regrets
Isn't she so cute?!!?
Here's basically all that's worth mentioning from the goodie bag. Can't complain. I think it's cute :)
Perfect display piece for my collection!
The rest of the stuff in the goodie bag were coupons, business cards, and a map. :P
I did get the virtual gift card though. I can add Murkalot to my pet collection once I reactive my account again!
There were some after parties going on that I wanted to check out, but was afraid to walk to by myself or show up alone.
And yes... the costume and talent contest... I totally skipped out on.
By the time the Draenor panel started highlighting PvP I was falling asleep in my seat. The previous night I got home around like 3 AM I think. Then woke up at 8. The show was going to start in an hour but I couldn't stay awake anymore so I walked around for a little and then split for my hotel for a power nap.
Room to myself-- completely quiet and mine. Passed out so hard lol
People in the Blizzcon facebook group were talking about different after parties that were going on. I definitely wanted to go the Newegg one but wasn't sure who else was going to meet up with. Everything was kind of up in the air and people were posting on the group to keep each other updated. Eventually I asked who was in, and if someone wanted to go with me. It was a bit of a walk away and I was too afraid to go by myself at night.
That's when Marcus from Sweden (yeah lol hxc) came to the rescue!
So I walked back to the con to sit and wait
We planned to meet outside by the fountain. I was there for about 45 mins. His hotel wasn't very nearby and he had to walk so when he got there it was like omfgty so so so so much for being awesome
The Newegg after party was at the House of Blues in downtown Disney. I had no clue how to get there, and only knew that it was nearby kinda. He traveled from Sweden so he was just as clueless but had a legitimate excuse to not know where anything is. Off we went!
Thank goodness for mobile GPS lol
World of Warcraft.
Bringing people together since 2004!
Kind of crazy being here again because I was JUST there last Monday night lol.
We made it to the House of Blues after some wonky navigational guesses. There were people everywhere and it was an outside thing so we didn't know how to get in. Luckily we wore our con badges and I guess that was how you were let in. It was a private thing apparently.
They gave us these big ass Rosewill totes with loot inside. Nice!
We walked around a bit, confused, not knowing what to look for. He couldn't access his phone and so I kept checking the FB group to see who was all here.
Eventually we saw some people from the group! It's so funny when they have to describe what they're wearing to be spotted-- like you know them, but you don't. It's like an introduction all over again but not really but it is. I don't know. I can't explain it XD
It was really fun. We had a little table and hung out there til all the raffles were called. All of us got a ticket from MSI to potentially win a video card.
I felt like hot shit because one of the cards they were giving away was a card I already have BOOYAH :D
hahaha
We all got free MSI shirts and goodie bags. Good times.
Someone else from the group showed up and found us. I'm glad I'm easily recognizable.
+4 to Con group aggro
There was a weird band playing that I'd never heard of, but apparently was a hit because one of their songs gets spammed a lot on the radio. We'll just call them radio band. They weren't my preferred genre, but the ending song really got people up and going. Everyone was jumping up and down to the music with their light up Newegg foam lighty things we all got in our bags. It was awesome.
We didn't get anything in the raffle. But we did get inflatable hammers that looked like penises as you blow them up.
For Sweden.
Endless laughter.
Once we were ready to split we all agreed to head over to Denny's and get some grub.
On our way there we lost two comrades. One was drunk and the other had a hotel that went the other way. We made it there alive and stuffed our faces like gross things.
Lots of good convo, hilarious shit talking on that Tradechat attention whore no one likes and leaving really fucking full and the best high ever from an awesome first day.
Fortunately for me, my hotel was the next building over. They had a little bit of a walk, but I trust they made it back safely. BECAUSE I SAW THEM THE NEXT DAY!
Super important things to watch for was the WoW movie panel. They couldn't reveal too too much but what we did see was the concept art and the timeline it takes place in. Actors are cast, and we're gonna see Azeroth in it's oldschool glory. So stoked!!
Before that was the Live Raid. SO MUCH FUN!!
Blizzard brought out 4 players from two different faction guilds. The best guilds in the world.
They basically race through Heroic end game boss fights to see which is the victor- Horde or Alliance!
I went back to the platform as they introduced the players on stage. Method (Horde) vs. Midwinter (Alliance) in Siege of Orgrimmar.
Woohoo!
It was SO intense.
They both started out fine and Midwinter got through the first boss seconds faster than Method. Then it got all kinds of cray cray.
Second boss. Method's view.
OMG.
So.
There were two different strategies for the second boss, Kor'kron Dark Shaman.
Method used the safer, more defensive, time consuming route, whereas Midwinter used the go all in route.
Midwinter got a crazy good start and were ahead.
And then Method started catching up.
They were going back and forth forever, alternating who had the bosses down the most.
Method won, and Midwinter got him down to 1% and then WIPED.
They had lost so many people because of their balls out approach.
You guise it was so intense. The audience roared.
Method moved onto the 3rd encounter, and Midwinter had to regroup and do it again.
Midwinter wiped again, while Method moved onto the 4th boss.
Midwinter wiped again! Each time they lost a person it made my heart sink. We were all rooting for them to finally down the Shaman. So. Intense.
Method got to Garrosh.
Victory! but Garrosh has like 4 phases of bullshit.
Method wiped on the 3rd phase. And Midwinter wiped on the Shaman once again!
They went back in. and finally Midwinter downed the boss. They kept to their balls out strategy the whole time and were determined to get it done that way, and they did. It was the more difficult way, and they lost a lot of people, but they did it! The audience roared for them to cheer them on. And they caught up quickly.
Method wiped once again on Garrosh in the 4th phase this time.
It was during this Live Raid panel that I met Luca, who saw me sitting there and joined me. No one had said anything to me so more and more people started using it as a sitting area.
Method won. ;)
"For the Horde!!"
Later on Luca and I went off to try out Diablo III on the PS4 and the Warlords of Draenor demo :D.
Luca
and I also went over to the Blizzard store to see if they had anything
left over. I really wanted to get a shirt, but I was short on funds
before I got here so I couldn't order it online. Turns out they had some
left and in my size! Got me my Blizzcon 2013, and my Blizzcon 2010
shirt. Woohoo!!
We also went to get Mexican food. I recommended it to him because... I love that fucking Mexican food stand. Every con, you guys. Every con. That stand. Fucking love it.
He flew in from Toronto! I think it's really awesome that people fly in from all over the world to be here. It's phenomenal. Makes me proud to have a place in my heart for Blizzard.
Following that I knew a lot of people were going to the main hall again for the WoW movie panel. So we did that and went right back to our spot.
I sent out a post to people in our Blizzcon group on where to meet us if they wanted. Patrick and Marcus showed up! Insta-friends!
:D
Dalaran and Ironforge concept art
We all kinda went separate ways except for Marcus and I. it was almost 3. Our facebook group had planned out a meeting time for us all at the meeting stone. So Marcus and I head over there to find Swifty doing a meet and greet with fans. We both got a picture while we were there
Then people started showing up slowly-- or were already there not knowing we were looking for each other. It turned into a whole bunch of us, all checking the group page for updates. The location changed, and those of us who were there all marched out towards the lobby together in a big group. It was awesome. Felt like a raid, lol.
As our group grew, we all huddled together to take a big group picture in the lobby.
Then proceeded to go outside!
:D
We proceeded to the fountain where the protestors were. Some stayed, some went off on their way. Was still really fun :P
Even got a few people tell me they remembered me from the dance contest in 2010!
For the Horde Lord!!
This Diablo cosplay was awesome, lol. People kept taking pics of her in front of the protestors, haha.
After our little meet up, we stuck around for a little bit planning on what to do.
There wasn't much left to see inside except for the Starcraft II world championship and then the closing ceremonies, which had Blink 182 performing. An automatic no for me.
I had also gotten a text from Mr. Flower (yup) inviting me to go to their Halloween Horror Nights post-Halloween Halloween party that same evening. He had another gift to give me as incentive, lol. So... some of the guys went off to the cheesecake factory for another meet up with "ladies of Blizzcon"
They asked me if I wanted in but the idea to me is retarded and irrelevant so I politely declined... telling them I thought it was retarded. They laughed and agreed.
I went back inside with Marcus to wander around some more and kill some time.
There was also going to be a party at the Hilton later which I was planning on going.
In that time I went to the Epic Cosplay panel which was informative, but left early to charge my phone. I had already checked out of the hotel that morning and forgot the mobile charger that came in the Newegg goodie bag from the night before so charging my phone was a thing.
Sat there for a while until the closing ceremonies started.
Some people saw me and said goodbye on their way out.
I sat there still... debating if I wanted to leave for the HHN party yet or at least go see some of the closing ceremonies and then head to the Hilton.
Did the latter.
Patrick messaged me saying he had a spot for me on the platform during Blink 182. I said fuck it and headed over there. Said hi to him and split lol. It was awful. I don't.... understand... why.... they chose Blink 182 but whatever.
As I was leaving a few people from our group saw me and said they were heading over to get ice cream and then off to the Hilton. So I joined them. They were still figuring stuff out so I took it upon myself and just walked over to the Hilton and checked my phone religiously for people who were already there. Stacy had posted that she was waiting for people to arrive so I went to look for her.
We found each other! We were standing like... right next to each other by the bar lol.
Slowly but surely more people started showing up.
We snagged the couch that freed up and all of us took over that little corner and had a ball.
Lore talk engaged!
regretfully I didn't take more pictures as my phone battery was in the red. I stayed as long as I could before I had to split for the HHN party. In that time we all hugged it out and said our goodbyes.
It was really really nice. I wish I had more time with them, they are all great people and I'm so looking forward to seeing them again next year. Which... there definitely will be!
It was such a blast and am so thankful to have had been there.
As for the Halloween Horror Nights party... I was not able to take any pictures.
but it took place at a weird place... I think it's an art gallery.
They decorated it all awesome and stuff. And all the people that startled me shitless were there.
Mr. Flower greeted me with the sweetest gift ever..
He saw a picture I put up of my necromancer standee with all my lanyards from events and cons.
So he gave me one of his E3 lanyards
I also got another lanyard from the party.
He attends E3 every year (right?) and was telling me all about it. It's difficult to get in because it's not open to the general public. So that might be a thing you guise. That might totally be a thing!
Anywho, I loved the lanyard and it is hanging ever so lovingly with all the others.
It was a blast to meet so many people from HHN. They were all really cool, and they all remembered me. I even got to see Sneaky Sneak without his mask! Kind of. It was a Halloween party so everyone there was in a Halloween costume. You guys they go all out, it was awesome!
Thankfully Mr. Flower got some pictures he sent my way.
Damn my crappy phone battery!
This guy. This guy was my favorite.
Who the hell shows up as retarded Ace Ventura?
THIS GUY.
We were laughing at this penguin so much.
He would just show up in some corner crouched down looking SO depressed lmao. We saw him sitting by himself where the food truck was and lost it.
Then he appeared again across the street as everyone was leaving, sulking. It was so funny for some reason. Someone went over to him and started ...loving him with ... face... pantomimes. hahaha.
It was so weird
The HHN party was fun. :)
As was Blizzcon. It was all amazing.
The adventures still continue though!
And I'm hungry! Off to eat dinner.
This post officially took me 8 hours to do (with small breaks in between), editing included.
YOU'RE WELCOME!!! lol
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