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EVE Online Fanfest 2011: Keynote from the top of the world
It's an exciting time to be an EVE Online capsuleer, especially if you have the ability to make it to Iceland or are checking out the livestreams. For the rest of us desk-bound mortals who weren't able to hop across the pond to make it to Fanfest 2011, well... there's always next year! Even now, pilots are partying down with the CCP development team and talking all things internet spaceships while others are networking. We'd bet there's probably even a bit of setup for an in-game scam or two going on as well. We are talking about EVE Online, after all. Thankfully, we here at Massively have sent two of our own intrepid adventurers to get into the thick of the action: Shawn Schuster and Brendan Drain. These two brave souls are facing the crowds at the top of the world to catch all the myriad events this weekend and have sent us some Quafe t-shirts field reports of all the action going on at Fanfest 2011. First up, it's a tasty overview of this year's opening keynote. So grab your drink of choice and join us after the break for more!
Level 3 to offer streaming of EVE Online Fanfest
Are you bummed that your budget won't allow for a trip to Reykjavik for the EVE Online Fanfest this year? Perhaps you're still new to New Eden and aren't sure what kind of stuff goes on at the party on top of the world? Well, in either case, CCP and Level 3 have you covered. According to a press release from earlier this morning, Level 3 -- already known for offering live-streaming of the EVE Online Alliance tournaments -- will be offering its services to allow fans at home to check out some of the myriad Fanfest events. The press release was followed by a blog post on the official EVE Online site that offers up even more details on the event streams. For those who have one spare PLEX lying around (or the equivalent cash), a high-definition stream of the events will be available for purchase. As if the HD-streaming deal weren't sweet enough, all players who opt to purchase the higher-end stream will be granted a special Quafe t-shirt similar to the ones that attendees of Fanfest will receive, only this particular version will be for their characters' in-game use when Incarna rolls out. However, if spending money on the Fanfest stream isn't for you, you can still check out the weekend's panels and events via the lower-definition EVE TV stream that will be available on the main Fanfest site starting on March 25th and running until the evening of March 26th. Check out the EVE Online streaming blog post for all the details!
CCP's CEO talks about upcoming EVE Fanfest
The party at the top of the world approaches, and some very excited (and lucky) EVE Online players are gearing up to head for Iceland to see the company, people, and land from which their favorite game originates. It's a pilgrimage many pilots look forward to enjoying each year. Whether it's hot PvP action, panels and roundtable discussions, or just the idea of getting to go pub crawling with CCP devs in an incredibly picturesque location, there's a ton for the EVE Online devotee to look forward to. For the non-EVE partners who go along, the Sisters of EVE tour similarly offers tons of interesting things to do. As a lead-up to this year's extravaganza of all things EVE, CCP's CEO, Hilmar Veigar Pétursson (aka CCP Hellmar), has taken the time to pen a very interesting open letter to all who are attending or thinking of attending. His pride and passion for the game are nearly contagious. So if you're eager for more information on the upcoming Fanfest -- or are just killing time until you get to attend -- be sure to head over to the EVE Online site and check out Pétursson's open letter to the community.
CCP releases details for EVE Fanfest 2011
We knew it was coming, considering we caught a whiff of the travel packages for fanfest the other day (which, interestingly enough, are down as of the time of this writing). This morning, however, it's official -- the EVE Online full fanfest site is online, with quite a lot of information for curious capsuleers. As expected, this year's celebration looks like it's going to be enormous, running from March 24-26, 2011, and will additionally feature optional excursions before and after the event for those who would like to make it an extra-long vacation. The website lets us know that we'll see the return of not only the wildly popular PvP tournaments and silent auctions, but also "pub crawl with a dev," which offers a menu that could only appeal to extremely open-minded foodies or gobsmackingly drunk people. We hear that those evenings are legend... wait for it... dary. Along with the fun, CCP is partnering with Icelandair and Iceland Excursions to bring back the Sisters of EVE offering for partners/friends/stowaways of EVE Online players. This will allow capsuleers to get their party on at the event while knowing their non-EVE-playing [insert relationship here] won't be sitting around getting progressively grumpier about being left out. To top it all off, passes for the party on top of the world can be purchased via PLEX, for capsuleers who are rolling in ISK and would like to defray at least some of the cost. For the rest of us, the current ticket prices are $99 US for the Fanfest badge, and $200 US for the Sisters of EVE excursion, although neither are currently available through account management as yet. For all the most up-to-date information, warp on over to the official fanfest 2011 site! [Thanks, CrazyKinux!]
Make your travel plans for EVE Online's fanfest
With the holidays coming up, there's a plethora of things a capsuleer could ask for: that shiny new T3 ship you've been eyeballing, a pile of PLEX, or perhaps a bargain at the EVE Online store sale. But the savvy holiday shopper knows to save his cash for the upcoming Fanfest that is slated to be held in 2011. With Incursion coming up, Incarna to follow, DUST 514 underway, and World of Darkness recently announced, this year's party at the top of the world looks like it's going to be full of all manner of cool stuff to check out. Thanks to a bit of internet digging, it appears that IcelandAir has already released its travel packages for those looking to get the jump on the event and book in at the lowest rates. The travel site indicates that the dates for the upcoming Fanfest are March 24-26, leaving lots of time to get those vacation requests in early. Additionally, IcelandAir lists a CCP dev-attended city tour and a party after the event that offer some idea of the festivities to come, although they're not included with the travel package itself. We've contacted CCP for additional information and will be certain to let you know when we hear more. For now, make sure your passports are in order and get over to the IcelandAir site to get your package booked!
Passes on sale for The Party at the Top of the World
CCP has finally opened their war declaration on boring game conventions, opening up the sales for the much-anticipated passes to the EVE Online Fan Fest. Also known as "The Party at the Top of the World", this year's Fan Fest looks to be a continuation of the excitement and fun of years past! Events scheduled for this year include all the regular events that EVE Online fans have come to love, such as PvP tournaments, lots of different presentations and panels, the Jita meetup and a silent auction. Additionally, this year players will get a chance to check out a special hands-on demo of the incoming Ambulation technology, which will allow players to finally break free of their pods! (You know, without the use of someone else's weaponry.)Passes are on sale for $75 USD, which nets you a confirmation code to bring to the event for badge pickup. Spouse passes aren't available yet, but will only be available if you've already purchased a regular EVEnt pass. Also, if you need travel and hotel there are still some spots open in Icelandair's group packages, so be sure to book soon before they all run out!
The Daily Grind: Planning to attend any conventions?
Tis the season to be traveling! As the summer ramps up, more and more companies are planning different outings and fan events. Blizzard has announced that not only will they have their (now sold-out) Worldwide Invitational in Paris, but also will be hosting another Blizzcon this October. Sony Online Entertainment has announced the next in a long line of highly successful Fan Faires coming to Vegas this August. CCP is expected to host yet another "party at the top of the world" as their EVE Online fan fair returns this year. Funcom will have a great showing as part of the MMO track at Dragon*Con where they've been partying with fans for years. And who can forget all the gaming goodness that goes on at PAX, GenCon, and other related conventions happening all around the world! For today's Daily Grind, we thought we'd ask you what kind of plans you have for traveling this year? Are there any conventions that are absolutely must-see events for you? Which events, if any, are you excited to check out? And if it's a general event like Dragon*Con or PAX, what are your "must see" games while you're there?
