Special Events
Origins Game Fair 2008 is proud to bring you a wide assortment of events to choose from every year: RPGs, Miniatures, Tabletops, LARPs, and CCGs.
But there are events that transcend categories or have no real category to call home. Some of these events are unique to Origins and can be found nowhere else. These Special Events help to make your Origins Experience like none other.
Smithee Awards
XVII: Almost Legal
Hi there, boys and girls! Can you say “Bad Movies?” I knew you could.
It’s a beautiful year in the Smithee-verse, and we
Smith-ka-teers are just so
hip-hap-happy to share our pictures with our Origins® neighbors again! We’re just bursting to see old friends and heaps of shiny new faces at our
peachy-keen awards ceremony!
The 17th Annual Smithee Awards is brought to you by the numbers 19 and 5 (as in “19 kooky categories of 5 stinky movie clips”), and by the letter “U” (as in “YOU vote for the winners!”). Learn and grow with: Stupidest-Looking Monsters that don’t eat cookies. Grown-ups that take off their sneakers and sweaters in the oddest ways. Inane Dialogue (silly talk) that would insult even a Teletubby’s intelligence. And oodles more.
So for a fun-fun super-special time, stay up way past your
bedtime with the Smith-ka-teers on Saturday at 7pm. Jammies optional.
It’ll be...educational.
Titan Tournament
This is the year Titan fans have been waiting for! Valley Games has done a wonderful job republishing Avalon Hill's game of Titan!! Titan is scheduled for public release in July, but you can be among the first to play the new Valley Games version at this year's Origins! Each of the winners of the qualifying sessions not only advance to the finals, but the winner keeps the game! Winner of the final also wins a special collectors set of Titan miniatures and free entry to Origins 2009. Titan game creator Jason McAllister is scheduled to appear at Origins this year!
Super Dimensional Karaoke!
Friday and Saturday Night at the Hyatt Regency's 'Big Bar on 2' from 9 p.m. till 1:30 a.m. Presented by Sho ‘Nuff entertainment, South Florida's most exciting Karaoke experience makes it's inaugural voyage to Origins Game Fair! Sing! Dance! Drink! It's your time to be a Star!"
The
popular Mayfair Ribbon program is back for 2008! Earn resource ribbons by
playing in Mayfair Games events, demos in the
The Origins Film Room
Screenings Daily 10:00 a.m.-Midnightish from Thursday until Sunday afternoon. Have some spare time? Want to see "that movie" about your favorite game/genre? Feel free to pop by and have a look. Schedule posted daily at the screening room.
This year we've added Darkon, a very well
done documentary following the Darkon LARP in
Returning from last year is "Fellowship of the
Dice", a mockumentary covering an RPG group and Geekin', both are comedys
about an RPG group and what happens when "a girl gets involved" in
their game, different groups, different girls, lots of laughs. Also in the
comedic vein we'll be screening "The Gamers" and "Demon Hunters:
Brotherhood Orientation Video". "The Call of Cthulhu" will be
screened at midnight twice. For the MST3K inclined to enjoy, "
For those of you who love low budget films one of our best
supporters, Filmrunner.net, has added several new titles to our upcoming
screening schedule such as "Shattered Dreams & the Pretty Peach
Martini", "The Granite Orchard", "
For the wargamers kids (and kids at heart) be sure to catch "The Blue Fox" and "Fritzkrieg" for the aerial adventures of a cute flying fox.
For ratings and content, filmmaker details etc and schedule updates visit the Origins Film Room Page for the linked schedule.
Origins Auction
Over the years, the Origins auction has provided hundreds of attendees with the money to pay all or part of their costs in attending Origins, as well as extra dollars to buy stuff in the exhibitor hall.
For collectors, the Origins auction can be one of the most anticipated events
of the year, with the hope of once more obtaining that rare item, or getting a
bargain on something wanted for a long time.
In 2006, the Origins auction’s management was taken over by Troll and Toad, who has moved this into the modern era by adding auctions for collectible card games, collectible miniatures, and video games.
So, between now and Origins, gather together your unwanted gaming and sci-fi/comic-related items, whether it’s a unopened Fallen Empires box, that copy of Caylus that you never get around to playing, a stack of Ars Magica RPGs, or a box of Star Wars action figures, and make sure that you bring these to the famous Origins Auction for 2008.
There are two ways to sell – no risk with the auction store, or paying a small fee and to put stuff in the live auction. There is no entry fee for items going into the store. The auction store is great for items you want displayed all weekend, and the live auction is for rare items, more expensive things, collections, etc. Also, you can stop by the auction at anytime to check on what items you’ve sold, or get a payout for items.
There will also be a Charity Auction this year at Origins. The charity auction will be for Gary Gygax's favorite charity, the Christian Children's Fund. Anyone willing to donate items to this cause will be able to do so during item registration. All proceeds from the charity auction will be going to this fund.To see the rules for the auction, or to pre-register your items, please visit http://www.livegameauctions.com/Originsauction.jsp
Play with a Creator Series
In 2004, Origins introduced a new
signature series of events which give you opportunity to play a game with that
game’s creator. There’s something really special about going head-to-head with
the designer, and trying to beat them at their own game! See the Origins Web
site www.originsgames.com
and the Onsite Program for the full schedule.
GAMA Retailer
Are you a retailer, who just
hasn’t had time to get to the GAMA Trade Show? Interested in becoming a
retailer some day? Join our GAMA Retail Division Board Members and expert
retailers as they show you how it’s done, in our GAMA Retailer Summit.
Origins Premiere Track
Two
of the main reasons gamers come to Origins are to play games with a
new/expanded group of people and to play games that they don't already play all
of the time at home. Do you (and your
friends) fit into this group? If so, the
Origins Premiere Track is for you!
What will you need to play? Nothing; not even experience! The Premiere Track is a chance for manufacturers to debut games that are showing up at their first Origins (post-release) and to get get a great cross-section of beta testers for products still in development!
Premiere Track signups are random and you never know what you'll get. All types of games are involved, since all types of opinions are sought. Please note: Game Manufacturers may require you to sign legally-binding Non-Disclosure Forms to keep what you see and do inside the room a secret. Also, know that the more manufacturers that sign up for the program, the more times that you can participate. Come on out and try something new!
Nintendo DS Competition – Electronic
Versions of the Games we Love!
As the gaming industry continues to expand, so too does Origins.
More and more games are achieving their own electronic counterparts and this year, several will be featured. Origins 2008 will include a Nintendo DS program highlighting several electronic versions of games already enjoyed at Origins!
What will you need to play? Everyone will need a Nintendo DS system. Some of the featured games will require you to own a copy of the game; these include Pokemon Diamond & Pearl, FullMetal Alchemist TCG, Marvel Trading Card Game, and Yu-Gi-Oh World Championships 2008. Other games will be playable without owning your own copy of the game; these include Poker, Chess, WarHammer 40k: Squad Command, Sudoku, and Pokemon Trozei!
There will be several tournaments scheduled throughout the five days of the game fair, so be sure to check back at OriginsGameFair.com for more details!
Hall of Fame’s Guest of Honor Banquet
The Guest of Honor Banquet is a
very limited-seating event that gives you an opportunity to share a meal and
some quiet conversation with our Hall of Fame inductees and our Guests of
Honor. Would you like to ask Ed Greenwood about his early experiences in the
industry? Chat with Mike Mearls about working on D&D 4th
Edition? Would you like some game design tips from Reiner Knizia? Just $25 buys
you a great meal and an experience you’ll never forget!
TerrorWerks: Planetfall
An original live-action event, returning
to Origins after their triumphant debut last year! Join the crew from PST
Productions, and step into their new adventure! Air-Soft weaponry provided.
With electronic effects, amazing scenery, and the brilliance of the PST crew,
this event will have to be experienced to be believed!
The
Co-sponsored by the Red Cross and
One World by Night, we’re proud to have the
Mensa Test
Do you have what it takes to join Mensa? The Mensa Admission Test takes two hours to complete and includes two tests featuring questions involving logic and deductive reasoning. If you score at or above the 98th percentile on either of the two tests, you will qualify and be invited to join Mensa. Our testing fee is $40. Please note that American Mensa cannot test individuals younger than 14 years of age; however, prospective members of any age may submit evidence of prior testing to qualify. Please note that individuals can only take the Mensa test battery once. Individuals who have taken a Mensa test and did not meet the requirement to join are encouraged to submit evidence of another accepted standardized test. Information for submitting prior evidence can be found at www.us.mensa.org and at our booth during Origins.
I'm a Star, Eurostar!
This is your chance to play as a villainous member of Eurostar in this action intense, high powered Champions event! The villain team Eurostar is hot on the trail to stealing a powerful new military weapon! With this new weapon your team will be unstoppable! HERO system author Steve Long will make a special guest appearance as a most memorable NPC in this adventure!
Knights of the Dinner Table - Live
Hilarious, interactive Knights of the Dinner Table Live Reading in which members of the audience read the part of a character from past KoDT comic strips! Chance to win prizes!
Meet the KenzerCo Crew!
Hang out with the award-winning staff of Kenzer and Company. See product previews, play in a trivia contest, have a Q&A about upcoming products, and just generally have a fun time!
Catan Tournament
The
World comes to the
Heroes and Villains Costume Contest
It's
Back! The Heroes & Villains Costume Contest! Fight the good fight for Good
vs. Evil! Show your support for your side of choice in this costume contest of
Heroes & Villains! Guest Judges include Darryl Banks, Captain Ohio, Jack
Emmerit & This Year will include Feedback from Stan Lee's "Who wants
to be a Superhero?" as the Guest MC for the event! Prize support from City
Of
Carnival of the Damned
Back again, brought to you by Twilight Creations! Step right up and get your 50 zombies, play the games and have the most zombies at the end of the evening. Many games. Many prizes. Much Fun!
Life-Sized Haunting House
Try this life-sized version of The Haunting House with many twists and turns. Be the first one out of the house.
Zombies Bag Toss
Use your throwing skills to distinguish yourself from your fellow gamers. Winner advanced to finals on Sunday. Big Prizes!!!
ARMA
Have you ever wanted to learn about medieval fighting skills? Do you like to have access to original resources and make up your own mind about a topic? Whether you are keenly interested to learn a rigorous martial art or even just fascinated by history, take a look at the Association for Renaissance Martial Arts (ARMA). It is an educational, non-profit, international organization dedicated to the study and practice of armed and unarmed combat with a specific focus on Western Medieval and Renaissance fighting skills
Morton’s List
Morton's List is The End to Boredom, because it is never the same twice. It's been called the Game of Real Life Adventure because it gives you the key to explore the exciting world you live in by allowing you to see the limitless possibilities for entertainment that exist all around you, but may be hard to see due to our daily routines or lack of motivation. Morton's List breaks all patterns and gives us access to a playful wonderland just beyond the veil of mundane existence. A simple game? A philosophy of life? Don't take our word for it, experience Morton's List for yourself this weekend at Origins with some of the world's leading Quest guides.
The Kobold Midnight Massacre IX – So Long
and Thanks for all the Babies!
After 9 years of Kobold Midnight Massacres wreak havoc at Origins, Kobolds are about to go….into Space, the Final Frontier! These are the voyages of the starship(s) Enterprize (and Hertz and Avis). Your five hour mission to seek out new life (and eat it) and new civilizations (and mock them), to KO-Boldly Go where no Kobold has gone before! Do-do-do-do-do-do-do! The 9th Level Team return to bring hundreds of gamers together to cause mischief, mayhem, and maximum kobold body count (now with phasers set to fricassee). This year’s Kobold Midnight Massacre will feature a unique “starship command crew” mechanic, with all of the traditional beer and pretzels dice-chucking, over-the-top, fan-favorite madness. This is a must play - never to be repeated event – celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Kobolds Ate My Baby Game, and feeding (pun intended) your need for bad Shatner impressions, planetary bombardment, horrible random transporter accidents, and more red shirt deaths than you can possibly imagine! All Hail Captain Torg!
Buttons in the Breezeway
For past three years the Smithee crew has commandeered a table in the breezeway to give out buttons but this year we're official. We'll be pressing buttons on demand as well as bringing a ton of blank Smithee buttons and coloring supplies to "Color your own Smithee button". Anyone and everyone are welcome to exercise their artistic talents and walk away with their own personalized buttonwear. We'll be pressing buttons from 1 to 5 Thursday afternoon (or until the supplies run out). Come visit us in the breezeway!
Origins Wedding Chapel
Ever wish that you and your betrothed could get married in the company of all your friends at Origins? Wish to renew your vows over a fresh rulebook and toss the ceremonial sealed deck? Come to the Origins Wedding Chapel! Our two pastors have specialized ceremonies for multiple different gaming styles, as well as a standard Protestant ceremony. (Or bring your own, including handfasting!) We can perform binding ceremonies if the couple picks up a wedding license from the county courthouse first. ("Player" is a couple. Wedding License must be valid in Franklin County, OH. Binding ceremonies for 18+ only, please.)
Origins Scavenger Hunt
Another season of hunting is ready to begin. Come to the 3rd year of the Amorphous Blob Games Scavenger Hunt. Bring a digital camera and your team to participate.
