When I wasn’t playing Munchkin in the Marriot bar or having a couple drinks with presenters, I managed to catch some of the sessions. Here are my notes on 3.5.

The creating successful original characters for comics session was led by a 17-year old named Jei. Our presenter informed us she started drawing cartoons and creating characters at the ripe old age of 12. Still, at half my age she has quadruple my drawing talent. Jei presented rules about creating original characters, including everything you add to a character tells their story, do your background research, and put your character in different circumstances and see how they would react. However, the most important words of wisdom from Jei – “present you character, not yourself as a character.” While it’s okay to use your life experiences in creating a character and their background, do not make them you.

I attended a session called “Remember geeking out in the 90’s,” which billed itself in the note as a general discussion of what was “cool” a decade ago. This informal session lived up to the billing, with attendees reminiscing about learning how to use the Internet, the birth of MMO’s, Sliders, Doom, The Tick, Anime on VHS, Atari Jaguar, Quantum Leap, the Nintendo Power Glove, Zina: Warrior Princess, Gargoyles, Final Fantasy 6 & 7, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (with Vanilla Ice singing the theme song). “Some of the most popular stuff in the 2000’s we got a taste of in the 90’s,” explained one participant, pointing to shows like South Park, Futurama and Family Guy.

A panel on games publishing and one on writing conveyed the same overarching themes but for different audiences. Don’t quit your day job right away. Find the right publisher for what you create. Get opinions on your product from people other than friends and family. Determine the true costs – including your time for everything you create.

The writing panel added the difference between work for hire (writing in world someone else created – aka Disney, Marvel, etc.) and spec work (original worlds and ideas). Writer Matt Forbeck – who has penned over a dozen novels – has his first spec novel coming out this winter. Most panelists agreed creating your own idea is better and more rewarding, but the instant money that comes with work for hire can be hard to turn down. Still, the best piece of advice came from writer Aaron Pavao: “Writing is a muscle that should be worked every day.”

The panels at Geek.Kon 2010 were strong, and there is a lot of room to grow. What did you enjoy or would you like to see in 2011?

GeekKon

While the event was growing up, those attending were getting younger.

I last attended GeekKon its first year.  Maybe it was because it was held on campus, but a large section of the crowd was at least college age.  This year the demographic skewed younger.  When I entered the hotel, most of the faces that greeted me looked barely old enough to drive a car.  Parents hung out and occasionally joined their children in costume.

I chatted with a mother whose 15-year old daughter was dressed as an anime character.  The mother held the camera, snapping pictures of other exquisite costume parading through the lobby.  I asked her what she thought of her daughter’s fascination with Japanese cartoons and video games.

“There are a lot worse things she could be into,” she responded.  “I’d rather have her spend her time and money making a costume than getting into trouble.”

It is hard to argue with logic.

Some other random thoughts from GeekKon:

• Costumes were INCREDIBLE, and there were plenty of them.  Team Fortress 2 characters were popular, as were anime and classic video game avatars. Some pictures are below, and I missed many of the better ones.

• Panels were entertaining and informative.  From practical sessions explaining how to get your work published to ‘scientific’ debate on how time travel would work if it were possible, the hosts were entertaining and informative.

• I had an opportunity to see two youngsters playing Borderlands in the video game room.  After watching roughly 30 seconds of the game, I realized it must be mine.  Anyone else with a 360 should join me.  It looks like HD version of Golden Eye with collaborative play – what’s not to love?

• To those attending next year – if you feel tired, please take your nap someplace other than in a speaker session.  On two separate occasions, the snoring of someone in the audience was enough to interrupt the speakers.  In one the panel got their revenge, snapping pictures and video of the offender.

While in college I quickly realized the cost of games when they are first released, as my parents no longer subsidized my obsession.  Sure, I enjoyed being the first person to beat Streets of Rage, but I learned that if I waited six months, the price would drop in half.  Being a poor college kid, that was like an extra two months of ramen noodles and a case of Schlitz.

Today I still love video games, and still hate paying release-day prices for them.  A new release for my Xbox 360 costs roughly $60, with pc games running marginally less.  Still, if I wait six months to a year, the same game can be found for $20 on Xbox and occasionally under $10 for PC.  So what’s the rush?

I write this article as a precursor to my impending video game reviews on this site.  As you see titles from 2-3 years ago pop up and start to think, “does he mean the sequel to that game,” you now know why.  These delayed reviews are also due partially to that little thing called graduate school I attended for two years (unlike my early undergrad years, I realize more time spent on video games than studying is NOT a good idea).

The benefit for you is these games are now dirt cheap – probably less than a case of the new Schlitz.  Also, for those unlike me who beat these games eons ago, it is a chance to go down a digital memory lane.  Remember how you defeated that boss in Final Fantasy 12.  Ah yes, it was good.  In the reviews of these games, I will also post how much I paid for the game, if it was worth it, and if it is worth the price when it first came out.

I know there are other cheap bastards out there like me.

During the past two years, I was a full time student, part time web geek and lived in a city where every night was a Saturday night.  One of my favorite passions – gaming – suffered.  I determined once I graduated I would play catch up; play the great games I missed over the last year or so.

That time is now.

Starting this weekend, I will play and review one video game per week.  You can find the reviews  posted here each weekend.  I will continue for 14 weeks, playing a minimum of 14 games.  These will be some of the top games that I’ve neglected from the past year and a half, plus anything exciting that surfaces during that time that strikes my fancy.  On April 15 – tax day – I will choose my game of the year and compile my “best of” list.  I am limiting this to mostly 360 and computer games, unless I find a place that rents PS3′s where I live.  So check back for updates on what I’m playing and weekly reviews.

Thanks Katy.