I'm putting up today's post with the assumption that it's not too late to talk about BlizzCon. Just like it's never too late to start playing StarCraft or World of Warcraft, BlizzCon has remained topical in my circle of gamer friends months after the fact. Now with the glow of Cataclysm peaking over the horizon, it seems that 2010 has been an excellent year to be a fan of Blizzard.
At BlizzCon though, I was not a fan. That's not to say I dislike Blizzard games, but there's a difference between being a fan and just being aware of their existence. Blame my console-gamer roots, or the times in my life that I was exposed to the library, but Blizzard has always been in my gaming blind spot. I had a level-60 character in WoW, but mostly because Mario & Alice pushed me through the grind. For whatever reason, I just never connected.
I was traveling with cosplayers. As we carried armloads of wigs and foam armor into the hotel, Mario, Alice, Pocket, and Boom were pointing out superstars of the Blizzard world, while I politely muttered "cool," and waited for a better time to be filled in on the details. I would later be informed that the man who just walked by was responsible for creating the world that is the World of Warcraft, and by the way, why was I even here if I didn't know that? I knew that if nothing else, BlizzCon was a last-resort headfirst plunge into the Blizzard pantheon, where I would either learn to navigate this world or crash on the rocks.
The next day began early, with body-painting Mario and Alice for their own costumes that day. It was my price to pay for getting to wear Mario's Priest armor from BlizzCon '09. Once their headdresses were on right and they were safely in the elevator, I went back to the room to fit my own gear.
Strapped in, I strode to the Anaheim Convention Center. I was soon surrounded by people taking pictures, chatting up with other cosplayers, and standing as a backdrop for people being interviewed. As word got around that I wasn't actually wasn't signed up for the costume contest, the man in charge came to me and told me he'd "try and work things out." All day long I'd hoist my mace and strike a good pose, and when I couldn't, Mario's guildmates helped me through.
The second day was all for me. I cruised around in jeans and t-shirt, demoed Diablo 3, watched some pro StarCraft matches, and got a better sense of what everyone there was sharing.
I play more WoW now. I'm not exactly on a rigorous play schedule, but I've been making levels and enjoying my new base of operations in the Hellfire Peninsula. I'm very much looking forward to Diablo 3. Blizzard may not be at the forefront of my gaming life, but it's gained a lot of ground.
What I'm Playing
At BlizzCon though, I was not a fan. That's not to say I dislike Blizzard games, but there's a difference between being a fan and just being aware of their existence. Blame my console-gamer roots, or the times in my life that I was exposed to the library, but Blizzard has always been in my gaming blind spot. I had a level-60 character in WoW, but mostly because Mario & Alice pushed me through the grind. For whatever reason, I just never connected.
I was traveling with cosplayers. As we carried armloads of wigs and foam armor into the hotel, Mario, Alice, Pocket, and Boom were pointing out superstars of the Blizzard world, while I politely muttered "cool," and waited for a better time to be filled in on the details. I would later be informed that the man who just walked by was responsible for creating the world that is the World of Warcraft, and by the way, why was I even here if I didn't know that? I knew that if nothing else, BlizzCon was a last-resort headfirst plunge into the Blizzard pantheon, where I would either learn to navigate this world or crash on the rocks.
The next day began early, with body-painting Mario and Alice for their own costumes that day. It was my price to pay for getting to wear Mario's Priest armor from BlizzCon '09. Once their headdresses were on right and they were safely in the elevator, I went back to the room to fit my own gear.
Strapped in, I strode to the Anaheim Convention Center. I was soon surrounded by people taking pictures, chatting up with other cosplayers, and standing as a backdrop for people being interviewed. As word got around that I wasn't actually wasn't signed up for the costume contest, the man in charge came to me and told me he'd "try and work things out." All day long I'd hoist my mace and strike a good pose, and when I couldn't, Mario's guildmates helped me through.
The second day was all for me. I cruised around in jeans and t-shirt, demoed Diablo 3, watched some pro StarCraft matches, and got a better sense of what everyone there was sharing.
I play more WoW now. I'm not exactly on a rigorous play schedule, but I've been making levels and enjoying my new base of operations in the Hellfire Peninsula. I'm very much looking forward to Diablo 3. Blizzard may not be at the forefront of my gaming life, but it's gained a lot of ground.
What I'm Playing
- Main Campaign: Rock Band 3, World Of Warcraft, Bayonetta
- Side Quest: Super Meat Boy
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