Saturday 6 September 2014

Fighting Fantasy Fest 2014 - A few final things...

This time tomorrow* I shall be at the DoubleTree Hilton hotel in Ealing, setting up for the world's first, international, Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks convention, Fighting Fantasy Fest 2014**.

If you are attending tomorrow (tickets are now no longer on sale) there are a few things to bear in mind.

1) Car Parking 
There is free parking at the hotel for those attending FFF 2014. As you arrive at the car park, you will need to take a ticket from the barrier machine and get this validated at reception. Reception are aware that complimentary car parking is offered to all guests attending the event.

2) Tickets
Please remember to bring your tickets with you tomorrow, so that we can check you in at Registration with the minimum amount of fuss. (Doors open at 10.30am, but we may well be able to starting registering you before then.)

3) Book Signing
The mass signing will be at (or maybe even just slightly before) 3.00pm on Sunday. Due to the numbers of people we are expecting, there will be a limit of two items signed by each guest at the mass signing***. If the queue has gone down later, by all means come back then to get something else signed, or try to catch your idols as the event is winding down at the end of the day. And there's no reason why you can't ask the guests to sign something for you while you're chatting to them earlier on in the day.

4) Collecting your copy of YOU ARE THE HERO
If you are planning on collecting your Kickstarter backer copy of YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks at FFF 2014, hopefully you've emailed me by now at info@jonathangreenauthor.com. (If you haven't, you have until midday today, otherwise I cannot guarantee your book will be ready for you tomorrow.) As everyone excitedly enters the con, our priority will be checking in attendees and giving out the correct goodie bags to everyone. As a result, you might need to wait until the dust has settled before collecting your copy of YOU ARE THE HERO from Registration. I only ask that you be patient with us.

5) Food and Drink
Both are available in the hotel, and although there are other eateries nearby, it would be a shame to miss out on the atmosphere of what is going to be a very exciting day for everyone involved. So if possible, frequent the Black Lobster Tavern in the main event foyer (where you could end up having a drink with one of your childhood idols), or use the hotel cafe (just across the hotel lobby from the function rooms). Failing that, I would recommend bringing some sandwiches to tide you over during the day.

6) WiFi
There is free WiFi at the hotel for FFF 2014 attendees. The username and password will be displayed inside the event. Although we have an official photographer and videographer, feel free to take your own photos and video snippets of panels on your smartphone throughout the day. The only thing I would ask is that you publish them on social media (via Facebook, Twitter and the like) and Tweet using the hashtag #FFF2014 as well as the handles @fightingfantasy @stevejacksonuk @ian_livingstone @jonathangreen @You_Are_TheHero @snowbooks @tinmangames @inkleStudios etc.

The only thing that there remains for me to say is I shall look forward to seeing you tomorrow, and let's hope all our STAMINA scores hold out until the end of the adventure.


* That's 7.00am on Sunday morning, in case you're wondering.

** Don't know what I'm talking about? Where have you been for the last four months?

*** So you could ask Tony Hough to sign two books but ask me to sign to completely different books, for example.

1 comment:

Jam Hirons said...

Think I've absorbed all that and doubly pleased you mentioned about sustanence suppliers. I'll be bringing two cameras in case one conks out and have a page made ready for my blog.
This whole thing including YATH has been an epic adventure on its own and for me and on behalf of all other fans I'm sure, I would like to thank you for giving us all the opportunity to fuse even closer to our beloved Fighting Fantasy heroes, not to mention be listed in an official Fighting Fantasy time itself.
You are a genius and I can't wait to thank you in person tomorrow.