UPDATE: Registration page is complete! Click here!

Date: Sunday, June 5, 2005
Time: 10 am - 8 pm
City: Chicago, IL
Location: Holiday Inn 4th floor conference room.
Cost/person: $25 (includes cost of meeting room and lunch)
LAN capacity: 16
Maximum # of Attendees: 20
Registration Deadline: 4/30/05

Convention Pre-Party: Hosted by Norky!! More info here .

Yes you heard right! A ThinkTanks Convention will be held this summer in the Chicago area. Mark your calendars!

This is an opportunity to not only meet some fellow TTers, but an extremely rare opportunity to play ThinkTanks on a Local Area Network (translation: NO LAG) in the same room with some of the finest players in the world.

Can you imagine hearing your opponents tank exploding right next to you after you nail them with an area effect? Or better yet, can you imagine shouting "die you bastard!" directly to your opponent in person?

Our idea is this. We show up on Saturday evening or Sunday early morning. I have reserved a conference room with a central table and 17 chairs around it (boardroom style). The room has high-speed internet access. At 10 am on Sunday morning, we begin set-up. We will set up one or two LANs (depending on turnout), each with a dedicated computer to be used as a server. Ethernet hubs/routers will also be set up to accommodate 10 players per server.

Participants must bring their own laptop computer with a registered copy of TT. You will also need a 10' ethernet cable, and an external mouse (and keyboard probably too). You should also be sure to have the latest TT_Mod_Pack® installed and the MM_Observer script. Non-participants are welcome to come also.

Continental breakfast and a simple lunch buffet will be provided. I have also reserved a block of 10 rooms. For now they are King bed rooms for $89. To get this rate just tell them you are with the "ThinkTanks Convention" (yes - for real!). I will see if I can get a better rate on rooms with Queen beds.

Leopard and Chief have generously volunteered to provide servers and routers/hubs. Napalm will help coordinate software configurations. We will need a couple of more volunteers to coordinate some pleasing refreshments!

Wooooot! XD

EDIT: Hotel security is very tight and everyone who wants to just "show up" needs to actually register before the deadline (which will be around the end of April). The hotel contract is very specific and they take this very serioulsy. Registering adds your name to the attendee list which I need to submit well beforehand. Thx!
____________________________________
Registration Deadline: 4/30/05
Maximum # of Attendees: 20

Tentative participants (will be updated periodically)
See the TT Convention page for list of confirmed registrants.

Name..........I will bring my laptop?
Reagent X..........yes
Professor...........yes
Chief (UF)..........yes
Leopard.............yes (will provide a desktop system for a server)
LONEWOLF(UF)............no (will be using one of Rooster's)
Rabban.............no
Napalm.............yes
Bolo..................no (will borrow Chief's)
Nuts!.................Kinda (has a really old one)
Weentank..........no
Mystery Man.....yes
Blind Cide.........yes (will provide a desktop system for a server - Mac)
Rooster.............yes
KillinBrainCells..desktop system
MJ....................yes
MonkeeMan......no (will need to use an extra computer)
HugoBaaarain....no (will need to use an extra computer)
Ass Clone Army..yes
RustBucket.......desktop

Last edited: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 at 10:40:13 PM

^ NP!

Should we have some tournaments?

Yes XD

This rocks! I've registered, but my available time on Sunday will depend on if we move into our new place in Chicago that weekend or before.

I'm planning on at least making it to the party at Norky's (and exactly when are you looking for golfers, Leopard?).

And I think I figured out why Tally isn't going (now I'm all hungry... Got milk?):
http://www.comics.com/comics/pearls/archive/pearls-20050424.html

Wooot Ge0rge!! It will be great to meet you.

Yes we should definitely plan some tounament action! No Lag Lan is a RARE opportunity to compete indeed!

REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS TOMORROW! We still have room for a few more peeps, so please join the fun!!

I will work up a draft schedule of events in the next few days and then post it to get some feedback. Also I will work on the network configuration so we can prepare the servers with the right software.

YEEEHAW!

Oh noice...Ge0rge is up ins! I'm gonna have to buy me a camcorder or digital camera for this action :P
Woooters!

Have fun u guys.......and I just realized.........that its the weekend tat I graduate to high school..........lol.......ill hope to be on tat day to play with u guys...have fun

Well guys...I had to make a choice.

Get with you guys in Chicago or visit an old friend in Los Angeles.

So this...

Or this...

I think the answer is obvious! XD
_{BTW, my old friend is a guy, but he's talked alot about surfing!}

Last edited: Monday, May 02, 2005 at 7:17:11 AM

^ Wow Rabby, that's a guy! Man, I had no idea you were into that sort of thing! XD

Sorry you can't make it.

Yeah he's stacked.....

Sorry we'll miss you Rab.

@ Rx

Guess we need to put together a masterlist of names, emails, cells, and all that good stuff??

Will be traveling the rest of the week - but my email now works on my Treo so I might can help you in my downtime.

Anyone flying in afternoon, June 4th? I'm a cheap bastard...looking for someone to split $30 cab fare...mb hotel has free service...hmmm...

Man, I'd do anything to come :(

Ahh Just checked - Karratha (australia) to Perth $1020 then onto Chicago - $4385 AUD
That equals 154 cartons of beer. Hmmm I will have to choose the beer this year.

Make sure someone takes heaps of photos, especially of how trashed Norky's place gets.
Nork - you are a brave man....... Have fun all.

Squidy

@Räbbän
Look at the choice in a different light.
This...

Or this...

I think the answer is obvious! XD

Aww, who am I kidding. :(

I might as well throw this disclaimer out right now.
Disclaimer
I would like to take this opportunity to deny everything. Your Honor, I was never even near the place and, what's more, those are not my trousers and those are most assuredly not my friends. They are merely a drunken and surly gang of computer geeks. I made the terrible, terrible mistake of giving them a lift to a convention. I promise to be good. Really. I swear.

I might have to rethink this whole thing!!!

_{Hey! Your bottle is digging into my hip!
That's not a bottle.}

^^ ROFL!! XD

Flights reserved...big woots! Gettin' excited!

1 month to go tell PARTY TIME !! :P

OK Ladies & Gentlemen!!

We are entering the planning phase! We have about 16 people (max) who are coming.

Here is what I am thinking:

Servers: Napalm and Blind Cide will be the official hosters, with Rooster as a backup. We will have two servers with up to 8 players in each. You guys need to configure your machine so it is capable of hosting a variety of maps. You should have several different copies of TT ready to roll. For each version, make a note of which maps are in the rotation. That way we can call up different rotations quickly. You should also have the averaging script and observer script installed, and some admin package as well.

Everyone: Now is the time to make sure TT works on your laptop and that you can connect to the internet. Put in your favorite skins, install observer if you want, and make sure your external mouse is working. Bring a good mouse!! Also I am going to bring an external keyboard, since my laptop keys are so goddamn tiny! You will want a good mouse and keyboard, so make sure you get them together now!!

Equipment: Please bring extenstion cords and power strips. I have asked the Hotel to provide some extention cords, but I know we will be short, so please bring some. Also bring your ethernet cables, of various lengths. I'm sure we will need some longer cables, so if you have some that are > 6 ft, please bring them along! Blind Cide and Rooster and Chief will bring some switches and routers. I think we can use Blind Cides 2 switches as the first choice.

Food: More later, but there will be a continental breakfast and a full lunch.

Woooot!

OK Ladies & Gentlemen!!

We are entering the planning phase! We have about 16 people (max) who are coming.

Here is what I am thinking:

Servers: Napalm and Blind Cide will be the official hosters, with Rooster as a backup. We will have two servers with up to 8 players in each. You guys need to configure your machine so it is capable of hosting a variety of maps. You should have several different copies of TT ready to roll. For each version, make a note of which maps are in the rotation. That way we can call up different rotations quickly. You should also have the averaging script and observer script installed, and some admin package as well.

Everyone: Now is the time to make sure TT works on your laptop and that you can connect to the internet. Put in your favorite skins, install observer if you want, and make sure your external mouse is working. Bring a good mouse!! Also I am going to bring an external keyboard, since my laptop keys are so goddamn tiny! You will want a good mouse and keyboard, so make sure you get them together now!!

Equipment: Please bring extenstion cords and power strips. I have asked the Hotel to provide some extention cords, but I know we will be short, so please bring some. Also bring your ethernet cables, of various lengths. I'm sure we will need some longer cables, so if you have some that are > 6 ft, please bring them along! Blind Cide and Rooster and Chief will bring some switches and routers. I think we can use Blind Cides 2 switches as the first choice.

Food: More later, but there will be a continental breakfast and a full lunch.

Woooot!

Now then, we also need to schedule the TT Radio/Video live broadcast. When would be the best time for it? Who would like to talk about the convention? Who has an extra $50 to spare for the equipment rentals? :o

Hey, money is really tight on my end. Does anyone want to split room costs or anything?... Or let me crash on their floor? Prof, I'm into spliting taxi cab fair if were at the airport the same time. Let me know what your schedule is and I'll try to get a close flight time. Running the tight budget here, so any accomodations will make me a happy Ass.

-ACA

Hey Chilled. I think we could do the video broadcast at around 1:30 pm (chicago time). I know Napalm and I have webcams and Tiger installed!

Here is a tentative schedule. What kind of tourney's do we want? We could have 4 teams of 3 compete against each other...

10 am Breakfast
10 - 11:30 am Network setup, computer configuring
11:30 - 12:30 Morning TT sessions
12:30 - 1:30 Lunch (will be served in Meeting room).
1:30 - 2:00 Video broadcast.
2:00 - 4:00 Tournament #1
4:00 - 6:00 Tournament #2
6:00 - 7:00 Dinner
7:00 ---> Refreshments, On-Line TT party!

If only I were old enough....*sob*...

Rx what is this?? The marines!!

Lol j/k...i cant wait :)

B

Seniore Lizarde'

We should test this out well before the convention. Let's run some sort of test before then. I can hold some sort of conference with you and maybe Reagent, and Wiz?

Let me know what we have to do to get this going...

P.S. Reagent, I will be brining a desktop to server/play a laptop, webcam, lynksys router. I'll also try to pick up some various cat 5 cables for those who forget. Power cords, outlet strips, and a 55 gallon drum of balm.

Don't forget your camera's people. We can be adding images to PTT as the ho-down, goes-down.

Nap

@ All
Due to my room mate(for the hotel) backing out on me I will only be able to do Sun :(
I will be driving down in the morning and would have to leave by 6pm ! :[

Lone - buy me a plane ticket and I will cough up for the room + minibar !!!

OK, I sprung for juice, fruit, bagels & cream cheese, and coffee for breakfast.

We are also getting box lunches delivered to the room. You will be able to choose what you want from a menu earlier that morning and then they will bring it up. I told them we were going to have a "working lunch". XD

HELL YEA X!!!!

MMMMMMMM, munchies.

I've now rounded up two 24 + 2(gigabit) switches so we can have one at each end of the table. They work fine with my D-Link DI-524 wireless router so I'll bring that too. I've decided to bring a Mac Mini for hosting instead of lugging the tower.

I'll also bring some extra depends in case the restrooms are far away. :S

^ Great BC! That's excellent!!

@ ACA

My flight is scheduled to arrive around 5:10pm Saturday at O'Hare. If you end up in O'Hare around that time we can go dutch on cab. O'Hare is closer to hotel than Midway.

Can you say Toga Party? :P Mmmmm O'Hare and gigabytes (pulls a Homer)

Gee is there gonna be a big difference in age. 13 to 50 year olds XD lol

Hotel room booked
Will be arriving Sat afternoon
Driving in with the wife and the other woman
Should b fun
Roo

Someone's bringing the camera, right? Can't wait to see the group photo of all you crazy yankee dudes...

Also, I struck me the other day. If you don't want to hear others "game play" you may want to consider bringing your own headphones. Some people may be distracted by the ambient noises of the fellow players.

I can't wait to see/hear all of this. Should be a blast!!

Chilled Lizard:
I asked about doing a test for the video stream. This needs to be done before the convention. I WILL NOT spend my time on Sunday futzing around with this. I will have other things to do in addition to playing. Lets test this or I'm dropping the idea. Thanks!

Nap

Last edited: Thursday, May 19, 2005 at 6:30:30 AM

Oh yeah. Sorry, about that! If you could do me the favor of adding me on MSN Messenger, that would be great! Then perhaps we can get wiz on for a test run!

Bump :P

If u guys still do this in 4-5 years then count me in ;). Would love to come, but I would be the youngest I think ("only" 16 years). :(

Gweoraecyn
frontline of ST

It seems my band has a gig sat night june 4th. I can still come june 5th but I might be late?

B

Only a week and a half to go!!!!

I will be coming for the Kick Off Party at Norky's.
See you all there ! :P

You wont be the youngest Gweo, Im 15 this year

Napalm's almost ready.

OUCH!!!

I though we agreed to put these on our foreheads!

Stop staring at my nipple. It's making me uneasy. :S

Here have some of these.

Last edited: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 at 10:13:51 AM

Hey all,
A lot of things have conspired against me over the past couple weeks that are preventing me from going. My employer just had a %20 layoff of the company staff yesterday (not me luckily) and as a result my section is in a state of chaos and requires my presence over the next weeks. Out of paranoia of being layed off, I had registered my self for a foundations course to start a night time MBA program (figured I might as well go back to school if I'm layed off), and it starts up on 6/6.... Day after the convention. So now I'm pretty strapped for cash and don't think I'll be able to bear the costs of hauling my butt up there to kick all yer asses.
I do have a silver bullet hovering in the background that may yeild some un-expected cash at the last second, but I can't make any guarantees at this point.
In anycase, if I don't see you there, I'll see you on the field between work and classes.
Prof - sorry I probably won't get to share that cab ride with you. I guess it's for the better... I just don't see how our tank-brain asses would've fit in there anyway.

Hope you all have a good time...

And maybe... Hopefully.... My $ train may come in early so I can catch a last minute flight.

Good luck all,

ACA

Last edited: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 at 7:58:58 PM