Chicago FFR Meet-up

[PsYcHoZeRoSk8eR]

Originally Posted by HammyMcSquirrel

There's also a GameWorks in Schaumburg, IL but that's unfortunately ~40 minutes from downtown it looks like. However it's a lot closer to the airport than Dave & Buster's and will probably be closer to a lot of people staying in hotels. (I can't imagine people wanting to stay in a hotel really close to downtown because of prices.) Maybe the first evening would work out better at that place and then finding a place downtown the next day could be the plan. I need to look into these places more before I can be assured they can offer enough entertainment.

Gameworks is pretty cool, but unless something has changed their pads have gone a little under the weather if I remember correctly. There are a few good hotels around this area, as well as a few other things to do, but I would suggest the city instead of the suburbs if you guys are planning on doing anything Chicago.
As for Chicago hotels, if you guys don't mind sharing, you can get something pretty nice for a good price, especially if you book in advance. I can attest, and so can a few others, that you can get a pretty good deal, downtown too, if you're willing to put in the time to make it happen. Plus then you're right were all of the action is.

Originally Posted by TC_Halogen

You rang?

2.) Depaul University:
The student center of Depaul is fairly large, and is close by a few places you could go eat out at (Potbelly's if you're hungry; Coldstone - if you have a sweet tooth , Mr. Submarine, which has some great subs; Subway - literally right next door, lol; Wendy's - as bad as it is; the list goes on and there's quite a bit of stuff to eat within a mile or two). In the student center, is a cafe, and a food court (although it's a bit over-priced, so watch yourself). On the second floor, you have the recreation center, which has some pool tables, a few arcade games (last I checked, they had a Guitar Hero machine?) including In The Groove 2 and some air hockey.

Seeing as I go to school here...
1. Don't eat here unless you have to, everything is extremely overpriced. Vending machines are your friends.
2. No Guitar Hero
3. Last time I went to play the ITG machine, with fiction and a few others , it wasn't working real well and was pretty terrible in general.

But yeah, there is a lot to do right around there, food wise, from cheap to not so cheap. It's right near the train which can get you almost anywhere easily and decently quickly. There aren't a whole lot of hotels in this area, but there are a few, unfortunately with similar prices to those that would be downtown. My best bet would be to check and see where the best deal would be.

Originally Posted by TC_Halogen

4.) Dave & Busters
This is a nice party venue as well, there's just one issue: what if there's people here who are under than 18? I remember having issues getting in two years ago, but I'm not sure if it pertained to that. Just wondering...

This D&B has some decent food and games, but I don't recall it having internet access, and the closest thing you're getting to a rhythm game is PIU: NX2.

Almost right in the middle of the city (a few blocks north of the central loop / downtown area). I don't know about the young kids during the day, but at night it does turn into a bar kinda place and I don't think they would be able to get in easily. I could check on this, but I really don't want to have to do this for you guys unless it is necessary.

[TC_Halogen]

Heh, I don't remember DePaul's machine being that bad, although they don't seem to like people working on their pads (yeah, found out from experience)...I was able to pass a few 14s/15s on them, though.

[ghost-]

sonuvabitch I can't attend I have to go to basic training

screw everything >__>

[Suicidalfatman]

busters and waveland bowl sound fine to me though the waveland bowl by lanetech had a crapped out ddr machine >.<

[i love you]

I might be able to go this time now that I have my own house and everything. I might even bring a few friends with me as well. It all depends lol

[TC_Halogen]

Originally Posted by Suicidalfatman

busters and waveland bowl sound fine to me though the waveland bowl by lanetech had a crapped out ddr machine >.<

They did fix the machine at one point...well at least - the pads were fixed. The screen looked like it had a magnet go through it, unfortunately. (I was attending Lane Tech before I moved out to PA and SC.)

[HammyMcSquirrel]

Depaul University and Ignite LAN Center seem like some great options. I looked on the site for the LAN Center and it's $5/hour, so we could always meet at the university and make the decision to go to LAN Center at that point. (Depending on who has money and if enough is available for our group.)

If there's an age restriction at Dave & Buster's then we'll probably avoid that. If Waveland Bowl is close to the LAN Center and DePaul University then that could be an option for us to decide on while we are there for sure.

What times during the day is the Depaul University student center open? Is there WiFi that can be accessed by non-students? (And if so, what is the charge if any?) Are there computers available that we would be able to use? (Perhaps in the recreation center itself?)

[TC_Halogen]

Originally Posted by HammyMcSquirrel

If Waveland Bowl is close to the LAN Center and DePaul University then that could be an option for us to decide on while we are there for sure.

They're very close - probably a mile or so from each other.

[PsYcHoZeRoSk8eR]

Originally Posted by HammyMcSquirrel

What times during the day is the Depaul University student center open? Is there WiFi that can be accessed by non-students? (And if so, what is the charge if any?) Are there computers available that we would be able to use? (Perhaps in the recreation center itself?)

During the school year, its open around 7am-11pm, or something like that, lots of time. I don't know when this is planned for so the hours might be a little different, but plan for normal business hours if this is not during the school year. FYI DePaul goes till mid June so there will be extended hours till then.
As for internet, there is internet, but it is protected aka for students only. I don't really have trouble helping you guys connect to the internet, but I'm not writing how to do that in such a public fashion.

[Suicidalfatman]

Originally Posted by TC_Halogen

They did fix the machine at one point...well at least - the pads were fixed. The screen looked like it had a magnet go through it, unfortunately. (I was attending Lane Tech before I moved out to PA and SC.)

most likely, was there 2 months ago with a friend who came for a visit from the airforce and it was broken like, not working but was on. may be fixed now i dunno xD

[HammyMcSquirrel]

Originally Posted by PsYcHoZeRoSk8eR

During the school year, its open around 7am-11pm, or something like that, lots of time. I don't know when this is planned for so the hours might be a little different, but plan for normal business hours if this is not during the school year. FYI DePaul goes till mid June so there will be extended hours till then.
As for internet, there is internet, but it is protected aka for students only. I don't really have trouble helping you guys connect to the internet, but I'm not writing how to do that in such a public fashion.

Alright, thank you for the information. I'll keep you updated if we decide to use that student center for our meet-up.

I have a question for everybody. I have the poll for the dates set to close at the end of March. I figured that would be enough time for the majority to figure out which date works best, and then have enough time before the chosen date comes around to prepare. Would you guys prefer for a final decision to be made sooner for more preparation or is it fine the way it is? Perhaps extend it if people need more time to decide? I didn't want the voting process to be up for too long because I know a few may fly in or take a bus and would want a good amount of time in advance to purchase tickets.

Also I got caught up in the discussion and forgot to update the list of those who may be able to attend so I did that now.

[jump_the_bullet]

id possibly be down. but i'll have to wait to give a definite answer till it gets closer to then. but it sounds pretty fun really.

[k-town hero]

Is this for anyone on FFR? Or is it a invite only thing?

[HammyMcSquirrel]

Originally Posted by k-town hero

Is this for anyone on FFR? Or is it a invite only thing?

Anyone is free to join in on whatever we end up doing. Transportation and such will have to be coordinated by the individual, though.

[Sweet_Feet]

Originally Posted by kommisar

anime north is already a meetup spot for me, gundam-dude, gpop, xiaounlimited, whocares and wtfbrandon soooooooooo



everything else is too west atlantic canada sucks dick

yeah....

[Aldentron]

If I do go I'm willing to split the cost of a hotel room with some one. My plan is to ride the Amtrak up there and ride my bicycle around doing all the touristy stuff. If anyone has good ideas of things for me to check out on a bike, let me know please!

Edit: I've been checking out maps of Chicago and DePaul is only 1 mile from Union Station so that would work great for me.

[reuben_tate]

Aww...I can't go. I can't leave the state until after July 10th (my 18th birthday/grad party) so yeah. It would be cool to have a convention here in Hawaii in the late summer(with me and other Hawaii-FFR-people doing the planning of course) and have a luau, but that would be a large travel expense for others. o.O

[irionman]

I can go.

[HammyMcSquirrel]

The poll has been pretty much static for a long time and no one responded to my previous post about extending it or closing it early, so I decided to close it early. We'll do the meet-up on the first weekend of July. (Again, July 1st through July 2nd. This is on a Friday and Saturday.)

At this point people can discuss where they plan on staying and how they plan on getting around. (I'll soon provide info on that for myself and a few others who will be staying with me.) We can also get a loose schedule of sorts going to begin coordination with any activities that have been discussed so far. I'll post some ideas when I have more time and am not tired.

[GG_Guru]

Why doesn't everyone just come over my house?

Free chips n' beer!