Category:Origins

From RabbitWiki

The Origins Game Fair is a game convention held every year in Columbus, Ohio, in late June or early July. Origins 2011 will be held June 22-26. See also the Origins web site.

Origins gaming convention is a TON of fun for everyone every summer. Looney Labs traditionally runs "The Big Experiment," which is a substantially sized event held in "The Lab," within the gaming convention. In addition to demos in a booth (or part of a booth) in the exhibit hall there are TONS of activities in The Lab. Rabbits are crucial to the success of Origins, whether they're working in the booth, demoing in the lab, or doing other fun things in support of the event.

1 How Can I Help?
2 What Should I Know?
3 But what about...?
- 3.1 Lab Coats
- 3.2 The Staff Area
4 Archives, Reports, Photos

[edit] How Can I Help?

The Big Experiment is very hands-on. It succeeds only through the effort of a lot of people pitching to make something really cool happen. Even the smallest effort is richly rewarded. If you are interested, though, there are a large number of positions you can volunteer for, such as Tournament Director, Top Rabbit, or one of the many Demo Rabbits. We also need people to help run the booth, and there's a bunch of other little jobs which must get filled.

Most Rabbits should familiarize themselves with these pages, as they are the most common jobs people tend to gravitate towards:

Consider this longer listing of How To... pages, for more on the various specific tasks.

Because there is a lot that must be done in preparation for the The Big Experiment, a Steering Committee is formally established. The Big Experiment a Steering Committee discussion is at Origins BESC.

The Lab has a number denizens who may be thought of in the following way:

The person in the purple lab coat is the person Currently In Charge, aka The Top Rabbit.
The person in the bright blue lab coat is the Tournament Director. Questions about tournaments should be directed to this person.
All Origins attendees are welcome in the lab and should be treated as our honored guests
Demos and Pick-up games are free to all
Tournaments and other "scheduled events" require some form of payment.

[edit] What Should I Know?

[edit] Other Rabbits Are Your Friends

Many of the Rabbits who help out in the lab have been doing so for years, and even though we only see each other for five days out of the year, we have become fairly close friends. New Rabbits sometimes hesitate to ask questions or join conversations, fearing that they will be viewed as outsiders. The truth is, as soon as you put on that lab coat, you are no longer an outsider and we want to be friends with you! Societal rules about joining and participating in conversations still apply, and keep in mind that your new Rabbit friends might be very different from your friends at home, but please let everybody get to know you.

[edit] The Convention Center Has Its Own Weather

When packing your suitcase for Origins, you're probably thinking, "Midwest in July! All I need are T-shirts and shorts!" This would be true, except the Greater Columbus Convention Center (GCCC) has massive ventilators and air conditioners that work to regulate the internal climate of the building. These systems are capable of compensating for the heat and moisture generated by Origins' estimated fourteen thousand attendees in addition to the heat absorbed by thousands of square feet of roof. This would work great if the systems could be turned on and shut down with lightning precision, unfortunately they cannot be. Learning the GCCC weather patterns and how to dress for them is vital for your enjoyment of Origins.

The Lab and other areas of the GCCC can be quite warm while the system is off. Typically, the cooling cycle is not fully switched on while the exhibit hall is closed. Wednesday is warm and stuffy, and this continues until 10am Thursday. The cooling cycle works well, as noted above, and the temperature is comfortable for most of the day until dinner time. At dinner time, thousands of people leave the GCCC for hotel rooms and restaurants. However, the cooling cycle is still going full blast! The temperature drops quickly into refrigerator territory, and if you're still inside you may become very uncomfortable. Complicating the matter is that regardless of the indoor temperature, the outdoor temperature may be sweaty hot, wet and chilly, or whatever.

If you're the kind person who gets warm easily, keep in mind that a lab coat adds another (thin, but noticeable) layer. Prepare for the warm times by wearing thin or short clothing. If you're the kind of person who gets cold easily, prepare for the cool times by keeping a long sleeve shirt or sweatshirt in a cubby in the lab. Remember to pack these things!

[edit] What to Pack for Origins

Eeyore has written a longer version of this section, but here's the important points:

Bring a sweatshirt or jacket - It may be hot outside, but it often gets cold inside the convention center, especially at 5pm when half the people go out to dinner and the AC is running full blast.
Wear thick-soled shoes - The convention center is floored almost entirely in concrete with only a thin coating of carpet in areas like the lab. You will likely be on your feet most of the day and walking a fair amount of it. Shoes with thin soles may be comfy, but not after 10 hours of walking on concrete.
Bring a backpack - You might think you can run back up to your hotel room for stuff, but this may take longer than you think. Bring a backpack or bag and stock it in the morning with most stuff you think you'll need during the day.
Keep track of your stuff - Remember where you put things. The Rabbit area normally has storage cubbies. Adopt one early and always put your stuff in it. Don't leave anything on the eating table or it may get moved or thrown away.

[edit] Don't forget the 5-2-1 Rule!

Every day at Origins you should, at a minimum, get:

5 hours of sleep,

2 good meals, and

1 shower per day!

[edit] But what about...?

[edit] Lab Coats

If you want to dress like a Rabbit at Origins, you can wear your lab coat around the convention all weekend long, and the Top Rabbit WILL NOT ask you to work if you are not on the schedule. Ask the Top Rabbit if you want to borrow a lab coat for the weekend! Please fill your pockets with Lab Reports and proclaim “Please come play games with us in The Lab!” while giving out a Lab Report to anyone who seems curious as to why you are dressed in a lab coat. Please check in with the Top Rabbit when you're available for demos and let them know if this is scheduled or unscheduled time. Also let the TR know when you need to leave.

[edit] The Staff Area

In the back of the room is a "staff area". In this area you'll find cubbies to store your belongings, tables to hang out at, and a screened off area where Rabbit Snacks are often to be found.

Store belongings in this area at your own risk. Things are generally safe but please leave your heirlooms and precious items elsewhere
Please keep this area neat and tidy, which sometimes means tidying a mess that is not yours.
You may eat in this area.
Snacks are often to be found in this area. Though technically we're not supposed to have food of our own here, the GAMA folks are nice. Pretend it's not there, don't crow about it, and keep things tidy.
You may help yourself to any food in this area not clearly marked as belonging to a specific rabbit. Please look around, see what's there, check for labels, and help yourself.
Above all, employ good sense, and be cool.

[edit] Archives, Reports, Photos

The Big Experiment has been run several years, and so perhaps you would like to see some pictures of past events, read reports of how those went, and so on...