I realize that a lot of people who will read this blog have NO idea what Quakecon is, and probably had no idea I was such a geek. Well, I am. Sort of.... Let me tell you the story.
Back in 2000, Husband heard about this gaming convention in Dallas. It was called Quakecon, and it was a place where thousands of online gamers came together to play each other in person. The main part of the event is called the BYOC (Bring Your Own Computer), and it is open 24 hours solid for 4 days straight. At the time, I didn't give two flips about the computer...much less online gaming. But he was into it, so Madison and I drove over to check it out one day while he was there.
So my first Quakecon wasn't a big deal to me. I thought it was pretty freakin' cool that so many computers were gathered in one place. But Mini-Me was less than a year old at the time, and most (if not all) of my "spare" time was devoted to her.
The BYOC:
Over the next year, I started trying to play games. Quake 2, to be exact. Before long, I was playing in an all-girl "clan" (which is just a little group of folks that play together as a team) called *scarie*. I had to make up a name, so I thought it would be funny to be *scarie*spice (as in the Spice Girl). It was also a bit of a tribute to my roots in South Louisiana. Before long, I was hooked. I enjoyed playing online with other girls who also had kids and families and jobs and housework!
By the next August (2001), I decided to attend Quakecon as an actual gamer! (Well, Husband and I shared a computer...but still!) I started recognizing names of people I had played with online, and I got to meet them in person. It really was a lot of fun to be a part of this community!
The next year was pretty much a repeat of 2001, only I had "upgraded" to Quake 3, started playing a specialized "mod" called Rocket Arena (after I learned that it's much easier to hit a moving target with a rocket than a pencil-thin rail gun), and changed to a co-ed clan after *scarie* disbanded. Wow, I miss those girls....
By 2003, I decided it was time to do more. I have the attention span of a flea, so I generally can't sit still for extended periods of time playing a game. This chick's gotta move around!! So I decided to volunteer. I arrived early at the event and helped crimp patch cables to create the network for the BYOC, and I crawled around running cables all over the building. It was awesome! I played a bit during the event (I had my own computer by then), but the majority of my time was spent at the registration desk helping to check people in. I literally worked all day and (almost) all night in registration to make sure that people could get in to enjoy Quakecon.
In 2004, I was invited to join the staff as a member of the Entertainment team. The event is run completely by volunteers, hosted by id software, and sponsored by a multitude of companies. As a member of the entertainment team, I got to see what went into "making" Quakecon. The experience is absolutely amazing! To know that I am partially responsible for the largest (and greatest) LAN party in North America is a little overwhelming, and 100% exciting!
I joined the Executive Staff in 2005 as the Director of Entertainment...a position I am filling again this year. I have learned that it is FAR more rewarding to be a part of the creation and execution of Quakecon than to simply attend and soak it all in. I've always loved to serve others, and I like to think I have a creative force in me somewhere...! In the Director position, I have the opportunity to create contests and games, to distribute prizes (or "swag" as it's called in the Quakecon world), and to try to make sure that EVERYONE has fun!
It's really kind of hard to describe how this community has become like a family to me. It seems odd, I suppose, that people who share an interest of online gaming could form such strong connections and bonds. After all, the stigma associated with "gamers" is generally a negative one...basement-dwelling loners with violent tendencies. I can honestly say that this is 100% false. Sure, there are people who fit that mold. But the vast majority of people who attend Quakecon are "normal." In fact, I would venture to say that over 50% of the attendees are over the age of 21...with families and jobs and responsibilities, too. And each year, there are more and more women (I think in 2000 there were about 30 of us...last year there were hundreds).
And so, on July 30, I make the annual pilgrimmage to Dallas, TX, for Quakecon 2006. The event doesn't actually start until August 3rd, but there is much to be done to prepare the venue and schedule all the fun that's in store! And just like every year, I am so excited I can hardly contain myself...the focus has officially shifted to "how many more days of work until I get to go to Quakecon?!?!" Oh man, I can't wait!!
