EPTAs a caster, you are basically working or preparing to work almost the entire time you are on the trip. I'm sure it was also very different 5-7 years ago when I was actively doing it, and probably much less hectic now that events generate 10000x more viewers or whatever the actual numbers are. As a player I can only imagine that it's magnified in anxiety, adrenaline, and general mental requirements. As a spectator, when you are there to just enjoy what's going on it's freaking awesome.
If you are a fan of ESPORTS, or just want to hang out with like-minded gamers in a friendly (albeit fairly SMELLY) environment, I cannot emphasize what it is like to go to a live event. You meet tons of new people with similar interests; you get to buy lots of nerdy shit; you get to watch some awesome games, and maybe have some other new experiences. Even if you are a shy person, there is always a Gretorp to hug you. Go to a live event!
It doesn't have to be an MLG. It can even be a small one! Hopefully, I will encourage you to go to an event in the future and have conveyed my experience of the event over to you with these videos. I wish I had more time to edit things, but I wanted to put this video up already as it's been a week and a half since the event. It starts to lose relevance.
Day 1: Justin needs to piss
Day 2: Machine vs. Pie
Day 3: Marth owes me
Days 4 + 5: Leenock and aftermath of Twitch.tv party
TOP TEN POWERHUG RANKING:
10. djWHEAT - I almost didn't put him on the rankings list but I felt obligated since we play some team games together or whatever. This guy...this fucking guy...he was barely enthused to see me, but later at the party when the event was over he loosened up a bit and gave me some proper hugs. If Artosis and Tasteless are hetero life partners, Marcus is mine.
9. Hot_Bid - I finally got to hug the elusive Hot_Bid at the after party. It was inevitable. The hug was soft, almost effeminate. It was timid with a hint of pity.
8. Tasteless - Yes, this happened. It was like magic.
7. Slasher - WHAT THE FUCK? Yes. Slasher can hug. I'm not sure if it's his nerdy body having the right amount of booze in it at the after party or what... but Slasher is actually a good hugger. I can't believe it. Still in shock.
6. jade519 (Mrs. djWHEAT) - I haven't seen JenJen in like 7 years or something crazy. Her hugs were awesome and she actually missed me. She didn't fake it like djWHEAT (that bastard).
5. SirScoots - Apparently the old man gamer club captain has black belt in hugging. I could feel the ESPORTS being squeezed out of him during the hug. Either that or it was Bengay. :D
4. LzGaMeR - See, I expected some good hugs from Lz. He's a super nice guy and we got to hang out a tiny bit at the event. Missed out on a breakfast with him due to some meetings, but dude hugs like a pro!
3. Kennigit - Okay, this was a surprise. Kennigit didn't actually strike me as a potential power hug guy, but he actually initiated the power hug after he recognized me. Just the right amount of power hugging.
2. Catz - Another excellent power hugger. It was incredibly difficult choosing between him and Gretorp as the top hugger. Catz actually seemed thrilled to see me, and ambushed me at the afterparty with another power hug. Great guy!
1. Gretorp - This man can hug. If I was gay, then Gretorp would have sold me. He is an incredibly affectionate hugger and feels like he gives a piece of his heart to you every time. I salute your hugs, sir. I salute them.
Notable people I was too nervous, shy, or unable to ask for hugs that I probably could have got them from:
HuK - Don't know him very well.
IdrA - He was incredibly nice, and I totally should have asked for a hug. Was initimidated I guess. He's one of the few people we've had on Kings of Tin that made me really nervous.
iNcontroL - Geoff is an intimidating guy. He was pretty focused, didn't want to bother him.
Sheth - I don't know why I didn't ask. He had a lot of people around him all the time, I guess.
MC - He was super cool in person to everyone. I probably could have asked.
Leenock - Probably would have gotten beat down by security or something.
MarineKing - Barely saw him, but he was very friendly with everyone that I saw.
TLO - I got kind of a bro-hug for a picture at the club. Couldn't see in the poor lighting though.
Artosis - very iffy. He was very unavailable for the whole event. I feel like if I tried hard enough it could have happened.
All in all, this was a fantastic experience. I had so much fun and I can't wait to go to another one.
Thanks to everyone that I got to meet or hang out with at the event, you were all awesome and it was a pleasure!
