The Energon Pub

[Savage]

So I was contemplating my financial standing earlier, and had to swallow the difficult pill that I might not be able to make it to BotCon.

Then I had a thought. I know there are several people amongst us, who, for varying reasons (usually distance and/or money) can't make it to BotCon.

So, my thought is this, why does it have to be BotCon? Why can't random groups of TF fans from varying geographic regions just gather together at some semi-central location for a weekend of fun, games, conversation, and of course Transformers?

For example, I live in Mississippi, but all the registration, hotel, and travel costs, make it difficult. But what if I, and any other TF fans in, say, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, all gathered together in Memphis or some such. Travel costs would be cheaper due to proximity, there would be no registration costs, and we could all decide on one affordable hotel (nothing fancy, i'm thinking Holiday Inn or somesuch) to congregate at. Sure, there wouldn't be a dealer room or autographs or all that juicy stuff, but half the fun of BotCon (for me at least) is hanging out with fellow fans, since there aren't any around my area.

We could have a game night (TF Monopoly, TF Risk, TF Chess, whatever you have and want to bring), a "trader's day" where we all sit around and bargain with each other over pieces from our collections that we bring with us, and on the last night, we could go out on the town.

Anyways, it's just a thought, and one that I'm sure has been thought of before, but I just thought I'd put it out there to see if anybody else would be interested (particularly in the Southern US, but those of you in other regions are welcome to do the same).

Thoughts? Suggestions? Complaints?

[Auto Bot]

The crucial ingredient is to have someone to seriously organize this affair. It's no easy task. Even for an unofficial get-together. It will entail some time off from work, and a bit of fund to start with.

[Savage]

Quite true, and I'm willing to coordinate, if enough people are willing to come, and one or two volunteer to be Assistant Coordinators, helping out with contacting interested parties, helping select a hotel, and such. This would definitely be a gathering for fans on a budget. The hotel would fall into the $50-75 per night range, for 2-3 nights.

[Pyrostrata]

I too have considered such an option, but as previously stated, that is a collosial undertaking as far as planning and coordinating goes! It'd be fun if people wanted to start working on it, myself included...I have wondered what some people around here are REALLY like

Count me in if you get this ball rolling!

[Liege Evilmus]

Personaly, I think BotCon should be a traveling show.

But there are a ton of othere conventions, DairyCon, that Canada one, their was something witha Magatron/Spider-Man statue, the one with the green poster, the NY ToyFair(but thats more of a general toy thing).

Then of course my personal favorite EvilCon, which is held in my apartment when ever people come over in Bots names. The usual admission is a BYOB with one for me rate, with the general rule of "Don't Wreck Up The Place"

[Jeysie]

Well, I know you said you wanted to avoid registration costs, but my suggestion would be to co-opt an existing centrally-located convention, actually. That more or less takes a lot of the planning out of the equation, since you already have some nice convention folks doing event planning, hotel arranging, and restaurant-seeking for you.

I remember once myself and a group of online friends/fans of another show made a plan to get together at a convention and it was a blast; we spent the whole day together at the actual events of the convention and the whole night hanging out in our own little group doing our own fandom-related things. If you want to go full bore with it, you could even volunteer to run a Transformers-related panel or two at the con, or an episode or movie showing.

It would mean having to register at the con you choose, of course, but it would only add $60 or so to the setup (most of the cost of a con is travel, lodging, and food, I find).

Anyway. I'm stuck up here in Northeast Booniesville regardless (it figures I become a TF fan right *after* BotCon gets held practically in my backyard!), but I thought I'd add some advice on what's worked for me in the past.

[Savage]

For sake of getting the ball rolling, while still holding back enoguh to see how many people will actually turn up, I'm going to go ahead and decree this much:

Memphis, Tennessee. Somewhere near Peabody Place.
March 28th, 29th, and 30th. (dates subject to change if need be).

[Pyrostrata]

For sake of getting the ball rolling, while still holding back enoguh to see how many people will actually turn up, I'm going to go ahead and decree this much:

Memphis, Tennessee. Somewhere near Peabody Place.
March 28th, 29th, and 30th. (dates subject to change if need be).

Memphis works for me, but not the dates. I work weekends most of the time, and I have already had to ask off quite a bit in the springtime. I would have to wait til late summer or early fall to ask for more time. I would be better off with July, August or September dates....even October is open for me.

And Memphis is REAL fun!

[NiteStar]

I'm down if it can happen. I hate that i dont have any fellow TF fanactic peers to mix and mingle with. Really I dont. It's kind of a quite pleasure I take part in. None of my friends are into them like I am.
How bout in NYC?
Anyone near the area?

[Cascadia]

I can't in either case...I will either be in Boston for a week-long conference or be on the West coast.

[Counterpunch]

Exclusives and preview day.

That's why BotCon will always trump. I dunno about most collectors, but I regularly hang out with the other guys in the area. It doesn't have to be a big deal. Just some sushi, some dirty jokes, and convo about toys.

[Savage]

Yeah, my problem is I'm a minimum of 120-150 miles from the nearest other TF fan. BotCon's great, but other than that, I only get to talk TransFormers on these boards.

[Starscream's Girl]

At one time I was going to make a TF club here in Tampa. The idea was that we would meet once a month and hang out and do TF stuff. But it never happened, really didn't find enough ppl that were interested in it. That and I don't have much time like I use to.

[Energon]

At one time I was going to make a TF club here in Tampa. The idea was that we would meet once a month and hang out and do TF stuff. But it never happened, really didn't find enough ppl that were interested in it. That and I don't have much time like I use to.

FX is at the end of January in Orlando, maybe we can find some other Transfans and see who shows up from our areas. I am on the other side of the state from you.

[Jeysie]

Yeah, my problem is I'm a minimum of 120-150 miles from the nearest other TF fan. BotCon's great, but other than that, I only get to talk TransFormers on these boards.

Ditto for me. There's a lot of geeks out in Boston a hundred miles away, but here in Western MA is pretty much a geek-free zone. The only socializing I get to do with fellow geeks is either online or when they come out of the woodwork for the local SF convention once a year.

[TRANS+CRAZY]

Well... don't feel too bad about not going to BotCon. My brother and I may end up not going, due to money concerns. Which kinda sucks, because we live in South-east Michigan, and we're not too far off from Cincinnatti... only a good drive away.

Still, there's always next year... and there's always a time when you can try to get together with fellow TF fans in your area.