Penguicon 2.0

[RaconteurX]

Penguicon 2.0
April 16-18, 2004
Detroit Sheraton Novi Hotel
Novi, Michigan


To those of you familiar with the Linux and Open Source community, think of a weekend long Linux Users Group meeting with hundreds of other geeks which also just happens to have nationally acclaimed guests, its own wireless network, free caffeine and snacks always available, lots of folks talking about Science Fiction and Fantasy, situated next to a place to buy really cool t-shirts and buttons and such, and with some extra events like amateur singing, anime, a costume contest, and a fantasy art show.

To those of you familiar with Science Fiction conventions, imagine all the convention features you know and love, with the addition of wireless internet access, computer gaming (including the fabulous Celebrity Frag Fest), non-stop Internet access, people who know about online publishing / books on demand / digital art, a programming track involving computing topics and another one focusing on the crossover between Science Fiction and computing.

The Penguicon 2.0 Guests of Honor:

• Neil Gaiman - Award winning Fantasy author, and creator of The Sandman series.
• Jeff Bates - Cofounder of Slashdot.org "News for Nerds. Stuff that matters."
• Steve Jackson - Founder of Steve Jackson Games, possible secret head of the Illuminati.
• Wil Wheaton - Actor (Wesley Crusher of ST:TNG), Linux Cheerleader, and now Author.
• Jon "Maddog" Hall - Executive director of Linux International and Linux/Unix guru

And what else was there at the first Penguicon? There was a shared computing and SF dealer's room. There was an Art Show, a Masquerade, and a rocking Dance. There were reading and signing sessions from our guest authors, 24 hour gaming, an anime room, and a Live Action Role Playing game. There was a Linux Installfest, Birds of a Feather sessions, computing and programming tutorials, and email and Internet kiosks. We had coffee, cola, and the famed "Water Joe" in the con suite, which is open to everyone. We did technical presentations and seminars. There was a writing workshop. There was filk. There were homemade robots.

All of this on a three day weekend. And Penguicon 2.0 will have even more. We're looking forward to seeing YOU there!

Surf over to the Penguicon website for all the details.

[RaconteurX]

Just as an aside, I will be running games at Penguicon in homage to Guests of Honor Neil Gaiman and Wil Wheaton. I also intend to run an all-night superheroes marathon.

[RaconteurX]

One of the ideas I had for Penguicon is "Crisis on Infinite Treks". The premise is that the Trek franchise is in peril, and only the Wil Wheatons of various alternate universes can save it. Characters will all be Wil Wheaton, except the players get to choose several things to differentiate their Wils from the others. One example: a Wil who appeared not in TNG but in his universe's TOS.

Thoughts? Opinions?

[RaconteurX]

A bump for timeliness... registration still open, all you Midwestern geeks.

[AslanC]

Originally posted by RaconteurX
One of the ideas I had for Penguicon is "Crisis on Infinite Treks". The premise is that the Trek franchise is in peril, and only the Wil Wheatons of various alternate universes can save it. Characters will all be Wil Wheaton, except the players get to choose several things to differentiate their Wils from the others. One example: a Wil who appeared not in TNG but in his universe's TOS.

Thoughts? Opinions?

I LOVE this idea! I mean L-O-V-E this idea!

Let us know hoe it turns out.

[RaconteurX]

Originally posted by AslanC
I LOVE this idea! I mean L-O-V-E this idea!

Thanks. The basic idea is to use a friend's non-system (the "Maximum Game Fun" rules) to run the game. The players get to detail the following:

• name five things you do better than the average Wil Wheaton;
• name five things you do worse than the average Wil Wheaton;
• name three things everyone knows about you;
• name three things no one knows about you;
• choose your age (the average Wil Wheaton is 28);
• choose the Star Trek series on which you appeared;
• choose a favorite Star Trek prop;
• briefly describe how your universe and your Star Trek differ from that of the average Wil Wheaton.

I plan to use a pair of FUDGE dice to resolve contested or inherently difficult task attempts. Being better or worse than the average Wil may obviate the need for a die roll.

[RaconteurX]

Another timeliness bump...

[RaconteurX]

Final timeliness bump...

[RaconteurX]

Wil Wheaton Sends Regrets

It is with great regret that I have to inform everyone that Wil Wheaton has had to cancel his appearance at Penguicon. Wil is currently slated to film a new movie, and the production schedule for his character has been shifting. He was just told that he must be ready to film this weekend, or the part will go to another actor. We will very much miss Wil at the convention this weekend, but we do understand his need to earn a living, keep his family fed, and avoid sleeping in a cardboard box in a dead-end street.

Unfortunately, cancellations are a fact of life for conventions, especially in the case of media guests, who can't always set their own schedule. (See our General Info page for our earlier comments about this.) As Penguicon has 15 Guest of Honor and Nifty Guests this year, there was a better than usual chance that someone would have an irreconcilable schedule conflict at some point.

Wil sent me the following note this afternoon:

Sorry for not getting back to you sooner. I wanted to have all the information I could get before I did.

I'm "on hold," which means, "we probably won't use you, but we'll take the part elsewhere if you aren't available."

Anyway, since I'm sitting here "on hold," I can't leave to come to Penguicon. I feared this would happen, which is why I brought it up several weeks ago . . . I hope my not being there doesn't disappoint too many people. If I can ease the pain by sending, say, ten signed books for give aways or auctions or something, let me know and I'll do that today.

Talk to you soon,

Wil

Again, we're all very sorry that Wil is not going to be able to join us. As far as the impact on the Penguicon schedule that this will have, any scheduled session that was a solo presentation by Wil will be cancelled. Any session where Wil was one of several panelists will still go on. And the Charity Auction that Wil was going to MC will also still go on with a different MC. Lastly, there will obviously be no table with Wil at the Penguicon Banquet; the Banquet will still go as planned, but we may make some changes to seating numbers at the other tables. Keep watching for that information.

With Regrets,

Steve Gutterman
Penguicon 2.0 Chair