Fan Expo Canada 2007

When it comes to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre or MTCC,know my way around. I've been going to events at the MTCC for years prior to Fan Expo like the now defunct Comdex.  I was at South Hall for a Microsoft IT event months prior to Fan Expo.  I know the MTCC quite well though it does hold many secrets and no doubt other routes are available to South Hall.  It's alot easier to find parking on Lakeshore and simply walk in.  However for most, Front Street is the main entrance.  I'm publishing this route hesitantly.  After all, if everyone took this route the elevators will be clogged.  Yet for dealers like Worlds Away, parents with kids and or strollers, those in wheel chairs or those people in the masquerade with large costumes and props might want to consider this route.

 

When heading to the South Hall this is the first place people usually head. The Escalators are most peoples choice to start the trek. Just to the left of the escalators is a little used elevator.  This will take up to floor 400 which is level to the walkway to the South building.

 

After the long walk over the CN tracks to the beginning of the long walk to actual South Building.  This will drop you 4 floors to the main level of the South building.

 

You will walk out right into registration so be prepared for another LONG line-up.  Now you know why I bought TWO cans of pop at the hot dog wagon now.  The pricing for passes were up from last year but more equal.  For the first time, anime fans were allowed to buy day passes rather than be stuck buying a weekend pass.  Though you still needed a Deluxe pass to even get a ticket for the masquerade.

   

The rest of the way for dealers and those with strollers and other heavy things.

 

Head across the floor (600) pass the escalators and there is a stairwell and two sets of elevators which go down the 800 hall area.  This area was obstructed by the games registration booth right in front of it on Friday.

IT'S ALL A GAME

This year, Fan Expo had not one but two major video game competitions, World Series of Video Games and World Cyber Games. This turned a large section of the dealer's room into an arcade with the noise associated with it.  Only one small section had anything to do with the Wii.  Nothing of Sony nor the son coming PSP slim. Those in charge of Microsoft XNA game programing software for PC and XBOX would have been in their glory but they were no where to be seen. Though gaming wasn't on my agenda for Fan Expo anyway, I was still interested with web side of the consoles.

INTEL USB KEY DRIVE

One of bonuses of the games competitions was the Intel booth which had a large green screen and several workstations where Intel staff capture footage of participants moving in front of video cameras and mix 30 second commercial with participants in the commercial then give you the commercial on a 256 meg USB flash key drive.... FREE!  I tried it on Friday unfortunately with a green T-shirt on which tend to blend into background and the video file failed to play at home.  Next day, I went back with the USB key and got another copy and tried the same video with a white T-shirt.

 

Views of CHAOTIC

There was the share of board games as well as usual CCG like Magic The Gathering which brought many from London. 4 Kids Entertainment had their own version of CCG turned video game and cartoon series called CHAOTIC.  The difference was Chaotic is designed to be played online with each card having their own code so you can enter your deck to play via Macromedia Flash player online.  Brilliant idea but it will be a question of whether a CCG will actually play well online as it plays against a live face-to-face opponent.  It will depend on how well the TV series is and whether it grabs the kids.

NOTE: Chaotic website is now defunct. A message simply says thank you.

Role Playing 101

There was other non-CCG card games like Bo'Glin and Suitors which were both being pitched in the Artist Alley.  Bo'Glin was typical CCG fare but Suitors played like regular card game with 3 suits rather regular 4 suits of a regular card deck. The difference was the trump cards were CCG fare which did different things based on each descriptions.  it was also nice that a single deck consisted of the game which all the players draw from.

All this running around looking at games was for a friend's now defaunct gaming podcast, Role Playing 101. Since my promoting at Fan Expo, the website has been undergoing rapid build. Unfortunely RolePlaying101 couldn't find a new cohost. The idea for Role Playing 101 podcasts was that the hosts haven't play games with each other so they can give an objective view of the games people play.

The artist alley seemed squashed into the back of the hall this year but not as bad as last. Unfortunately for some the side show right beside in the Festival of Horror irked the artists right beside. Andrew and Risu-chan's tae had the misfortune of being right across the isle from it.

My heart was as broke as my wallet as I walked the isles of the Artist Alley this year. Many a fine artwork, I wished I could have own but alas not.  I did manage to collect many business cards of the artists to put into a special page just for them.  Maybe next year, fate will shine more brightly on my pocketbook.

www.ichigo-oh.deviantart.com

I must admit that there were a few things that stood out this year's Artist Alley but painting nails was a the one that stood out for me. Art at your fingertips.  Well at least for the ladies out there. I was impressed since it was the only booth of it's type there.  Anime North artist alley had many booth dealing more with cosplay aspect but it's slowly finding it's way into Fan Expo.

I'M CHARGIN' MY LASER!

 

One of the most hilarious cosplays I saw at Fan Expo this year happened at the end of the day.  It was a guy wearing a mask of 4-Chan's Chargin' My Laser guy.  While most of 4 Chan's imagery is NOT for the younger set this ongoing gag of changing images into animated gifs of destruction.  What can I say other than 'does Renamon survive against Chargin' My Laser guy?'