THE PACK Message Boards

A-Kon 19
Date: May 30th - June 1st, 2008
Location: Dallas, Texas; Adam's Mark Convention Center
Additional Info: www.a-kon.com

The PACK Events:
Nothing decided or scheduled yet.

Confirmed PACK Members Attending: (0 - 10 scale of how likely)
This list not started yet. To be activated on Dec. 1, 2007.



Original Messege:

Kaebora wrote:May as well start the new one. I'm already making plans to go to this convention. (Sorry I couldn't make it to A-Kon 18 this year.)

I'm pulling out all the stops, and making this a full week excursion to Texas to celebrate the completion of my Associates Degree. A-Kon is just the first stop. Anyone else planing to go to A-Kon 19 in 2008?

LOL!! already...nice hehe

It really depends on where it is. I'm clueless when it comes to conventions, are they always in the same place or do they move around?

Kaebora wrote:Anyone else planing to go to A-Kon 19 in 2008?

Its waaaaaaay to early for me to tell. All I can do is wait for my turn to pick the week I need for vacation. If a senior driver picks the week I need before me....then I can't go. I could ask him if we could trade...but if he needs that week off...then I'm screwed.

I'll be there. Only 363 days to go!

Heh, I'll see if I can make a Flash animated countdown timer for the event.

I've edited my first post to include info that we can make clear to everyone. As I understand it, A-Kon 18 was a bit unorganized as far as Pack events are concerned. I'm going to personally assit in setting up events for The Pack to participate in so I can be sure that it's partly my fault if things go bad. LOL! Don't know what will be planned for fun yet, but I'm going to first tackle the issue of how we may want to start a donation driven treasury for funding these said events. I'll start more discussion on that eventually.

For now, we can be opimistic for next year's event, and inevitably watch this thread go inactive for six months at a time.

We'll be there heh me an Z We're going to start saving super early

on the how sure we are that we will be there I am about a 8 right now, so chances are good I will be there again ^_^

i would like to but im thinking about going to do anthrocon with my mate this time

spongypants23 wrote:It really depends on where it is. I'm clueless when it comes to conventions, are they always in the same place or do they move around?

Since the very start....A-kon has been in several hotels.

The Adam's Mark in downtown Dallas is suppose to be the biggest hotel in Texas. I'm not sure where A-kon is going to move if they need a bigger place.

heck yeah!

Z wrote:im goin with a hyena suit next year!

If I can make it next year....I might get a Figarou costume made.

Figarou wrote:

Z wrote:im goin with a hyena suit next year!

If I can make it next year....I might get a Figarou costume made.

that would be freakin awesome to see.

Figarou wrote:

spongypants23 wrote:It really depends on where it is. I'm clueless when it comes to conventions, are they always in the same place or do they move around?

Since the very start....A-kon has been in several hotels.

The Adam's Mark in downtown Dallas is suppose to be the biggest hotel in Texas. I'm not sure where A-kon is going to move if they need a bigger place.

I think the Gaylord Texan would be able top hold it. That place is massive. It is out in Grapevine but I think the cost would be a bit too much for people to afford.

Figarou wrote:

Z wrote:im goin with a hyena suit next year!

If I can make it next year....I might get a Figarou costume made.

Yeah, now that a real suitmaker offered, huh?

lol, a rat? That would be cute!
Either one would be cool!

Figarou: consider Shadowsaber's offer; she's a regular prize-winner, and as one of her customers, I'll recommend her in a heartbeat. The costumes require a bit of skill and maintainance, but they're absolutely stunning. And, one can move around easily--you'll be able to throw duckies.

If you're not able to make A-Kon, we'll have to see what other conventions are out there that you can make. If neccessary, we could even start our own con. There's a new Hilton under construction just past my back window, with a small convention center nearby. Imagine Pack-Con I in 2009? There's a theater nearby, too--bribe them into a late-night screening of Red Victoria...

Z: Rat or hyena, hmm... What about your blue and black striped velociraptor?

Short Tail: Adam's Mark is already by many peoples' standards pricy. They gave us huge price breaks over their regular rates. I'm sure you noticed how upscale the Adam's Mark is--the beautiful lobby, the elegant uniforms of the concierge, valet, and bell services, and so forth. I'm really glad I wasn't charged the rates listed on our door for our suite; the normal daily rate for one person was a thousand bucks! Granted, that's a remodelled suite, and, granted, almost no one gets charged the official rate on the door. But, I suspect my room normally would have run $400 to $500 or so a night.

I'd hate to see A-Kon leave Adam's Mark; they've been so generous to the convention for the past four years. They've been very friendly towards A-Kon's weirdness, and they haven't at all been the least bit snobbish towards the thousands of teenagers and young adults showing up with backpacks and paper bags for luggage. They've instead been very friendly.

I do have to note that A-Kon's previous hotels were cheaper. The ones in the mid-1990s, when A-Kon had less than a thousand attendees, ran $70 to $80 a night; divided among four people, one could go pretty cheap. My first A-Kon cost me about $300 for everything--a $10 badge, about $100 for the room, and $20 or so for food. The rest was on stuff--VHS videos of Vampire Hunter D, Robot Carnival, and so forth. Granted, that was 1993 dollars. But, even factoring inflation, A-Kon today is a bit pricier a venue, because it's a different convention--it's huge. But, I think it's worth the extra money, especially where the hotel is concerned; choice of hotel makes or breaks a lot.

Still, if it continues to get larger, maybe the Westin might be willing to provide additional space for the con itself, rather than just rooms for overflow attendees? According to ShadowSaber, DragonCon takes over half of downtown Atlanta. I can see A-Kon doing the same for Dallas by 2012.

This is true. I remember my first convention at A-Kon 15, which was the last year they were in the Hyatt in DFW International Airport. Conveniant if you flew there, but you'd had to go through a toll booth if you drove. I was lucky enough to be an airport employee at the time and not have to pay the toll, but it sucks if you did, with a $16 maximum fee per day. The Adam's Mark has been MUCH better with parking and crowd control.

The Gaylord Texan Hotel and Resort is the largest in the state. Awful expensive too. I attended Quake-Kon there in 2004. I didn't even attempt to get a room, rather I dove home every night. Saved $700 in doing so. Phoenix Entertainment might lose money if they relocate there.

I also will be making a more elaborate version of the Kaebora costume. He's a inter-dimensional starship captain after all, so a more uniformed look would be awesome. Should I start wearing a captain's hat?

PariahPoet wrote:

Figarou wrote:

Z wrote:im goin with a hyena suit next year!

If I can make it next year....I might get a Figarou costume made.

Yeah, now that a real suitmaker offered, huh?

Your a real suit maker..You just don't get the respect you deserve which is sad..Almost as if people don't like the unique ideas..Realistic always wins over it seems..I still want one from you, well a partial

I was thinking of coming in fur next year too lol either as DarkJoker or Sabre or both I would have 2 masks. Me an Z thought of the idea of having 2 costumes each. Besides the Sabre/Joker I'd like to come as one of my created charries..Hmmm need to think it through heh got plenty of time meh thinks I LOVE the idea of a Pack Con!!!!

PariahPoet wrote:

Figarou wrote:

Z wrote:im goin with a hyena suit next year!

If I can make it next year....I might get a Figarou costume made.

Yeah, now that a real suitmaker offered, huh?

real suitmaker? Hey...at least you know how to make a fursuit. I have no clue how to make one even if I tried.

Noticed I said might? It may never happen do to personal reasons.

(You already know what they are. )

Scott Gardener wrote:Figarou: consider Shadowsaber's offer; she's a regular prize-winner, and as one of her customers, I'll recommend her in a heartbeat. The costumes require a bit of skill and maintainance, but they're absolutely stunning. And, one can move around easily--you'll be able to throw duckies.

Thats something I don't have.


It may not happen do to personal reasons, stress from work, the loss of my mother and back pains.

Teh_DarkJokerWolf wrote:

PariahPoet wrote:

Figarou wrote:

Z wrote:im goin with a hyena suit next year!

If I can make it next year....I might get a Figarou costume made.

Yeah, now that a real suitmaker offered, huh?

Your a real suit maker..You just don't get the respect you deserve which is sad..Almost as if people don't like the unique ideas..Realistic always wins over it seems..I still want one from you, well a partial

I was thinking of coming in fur next year too lol either as DarkJoker or Sabre or both I would have 2 masks. Me an Z thought of the idea of having 2 costumes each. Besides the Sabre/Joker I'd like to come as one of my created charries..Hmmm need to think it through heh got plenty of time meh thinks I LOVE the idea of a Pack Con!!!!

Heh, thanks, I appreciate it. I'd love to help out in any way I can with your mask, but I think Red is probably going to be my last costume. I love doing it, but it just isn't worth all the sleepless nights and hours upon hours of work. Maybe someday if I get out of Texas, but for now it's pointless. The con went exactly as I expected. I don't like being compared to people. Me and Shadowsaber have different styles. Yes, she's great, but I'm tired of putting hundereds of hours into my stuff and getting ignored.

PariahPoet wrote: Heh, thanks, I appreciate it. I'd love to help out in any way I can with your mask, but I think Red is probably going to be my last costume. I love doing it, but it just isn't worth all the sleepless nights and hours upon hours of work. Maybe someday if I get out of Texas, but for now it's pointless. The con went exactly as I expected. I don't like being compared to people. Me and Shadowsaber have different styles. Yes, she's great, but I'm tired of putting hundereds of hours into my stuff and getting ignored.

ignored?

I wouldn't say that. You did get judge's pick.

Don't feel ignored. You have a special talent and creativity. Be proud of what you did.

Red got LOTS of attention. And you made that suit. I know you told me its because he was a well known character. But still...I think you did an outstanding job on it!!

Red got a lot of hugs, and I think that our judge just liked furries, but I meant the Pack. Joker and Z were the only packmates there who were supportive of my stuff. The same thing happened to Z. Nobody could stop talking about the wolves long enough to recognize what a phenomenal job she did on her Joker costume.

PariahPoet wrote:but I meant the Pack. Joker and Z were the only packmates there who were supportive of my stuff.

What about me? I wanted to see you in your costume.

PariahPoet wrote:The same thing happened to Z. Nobody could stop talking about the wolves long enough to recognize what a phenomenal job she did on her Joker costume.

She got stopped a bunch of times for pictures. And since someone was there in a Batman suit....Z's timing was perfect when she decided to make a joker costume.

Yeah, she got the attention she deserved in the con, but not from the Pack.

Fig, you're always going to be my friend, I wouldn't let anything as petty as my need for attention get in the way of that, but you really weren't interested.
Remember I sent you a pm saying I wasn't sure if it was worth finishing Red becaue I didn't want to compete with Okami?
Your reaction- OOH! I didn't know she was making an Okami!

I mean, it's not that big a deal. You liked her stuff before I even started making suits. But you know me, I have to whine.
It's just that I really didn't have much fun this year.