Update 5/28/2014
There are few things in this world that I enjoy more than a good LAN. Putting faces to names is endlessly satisfying, and there's an undeniable energy when meeting an old internet friend in person for the first time, or even the eighteenth time. Point is, I love LANs and I've been wanting one close to home for as long as I've been gaming. I've finally grown tired of waiting and have decided to make it happen.
Windy City Rendevous is a casual LAN at Chicago's Ignite Gaming Lounge where socializing and fun are the primary goals. Nothing does a better job of fostering a close-knit and respectful community than regular LAN events. Once names are put to faces so much of the online drama just fades away and it's easy to sit down and have a good time, be that a friendly conversation, some pick-up games, or anything else. We're all here because we love Team Fortress 2, and that's the way it should be.
- When: Saturday, July 26th, Noon to Midnight (12 hours)
- Where: Ignite Gaming Lounge (3341 N. Elston Ave. Chicago, IL 60618)
- Price: $48 per person for the full 12 hours, paid in advance
FAQ
Q: How do I sign up?
A: To be guaranteed a seat, you must pre-pay. You can do so by clicking the "pay now" button below:
Q: Can I arrive earlier than noon and stay later than midnight?
A: You can stay until 3AM if you buy additional hours at the register, but you cannot arrive earlier than noon.
Q: What if I don't plan on staying the full 12 hours, can I buy fewer than the full 12 hour package?
A: Yes. If you want to buy different hours outside of our event package, you can do so at the register.
Q: What is parking like at Ignite?
A:Ignite has a parking lot available right next to their building that can fit approximately 20 cars. Additionally, all street parking around Ignite is meter and permit free. It's one of the better Chicago neighborhoods to park in.
Q: Is the event all-ages?
A: Yes.
Q: Is alcohol consumption allowed?
A: Yes. The event is BYOB, and all alcohol will be stored in a private room that only we have access to. Anyone wishing to access this room must have valid ID and be over the age of 21. They will then receive a wristband allowing entry into this room. Alcohol can also be consumed on the main floor if you are wearing your wristband. Anyone found consuming alcohol without a wristband risks being ejected from the venue. Anyone behaving in a manner that others find objectionable may also be ejected from the venue. Please drink responsibly and know your limits.
Q: Will I have access to consoles and the Rock Band studios as part of this package deal?
A: No. You must purchase access to those separately at the register. To access consoles is an extra $10. Rock Band studios are a separate fee from consoles.
Q: Can I bring my own peripherals?
A: Yes, and you are strongly encouraged to do so. If you decide not to though, all stations have SteelSeries peripherals that are suitable for gaming. Please note that all your gear must be plug-and-play, no driver installations are allowed.
Q: Can we bring our own configs and HUDs?
A: Yes. Ignite is making special arrangements for us to have access to the "Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\tf\custom" folder. Normally users have no access to the filesystem, so I'm very thankful that Ignite is making a workaround for us.
Q: Are the monitors 120hz?
A: No. You can bring your own but we ask that you only do so if you truly cannot bear to play on 60hz. Swapping out 30+ monitors is a significant hassle, and Ignite is making a special exception in letting us bring in monitors at all.
Q: Will the event be streamed?
A: Yes. We will have a dedicated streaming station with professional lighting and camera(s). My current plan is to act as host, but let others come and commandeer the stream so it's not just me talking at the internet for twelve hours. You can play or you can commentate or you can just sit and talk to chat. I'll leave it up to whomever is in the hot seat.
Q: Can we stream from our personal station?
A: No, sorry. There will only be the official stream, but as mentioned in the previous question, we will be letting community members come up and be on stream for parts of the event.
Q: Will there be a tournament?
A: No, but you are more than welcome to organize some casual pugs if you like. Please keep in mind though that the #1 goal of this event is to socialize and meet people. Serious competition might not occur.
Q: Is there food nearby?
A: Yes, Ignite itself has a full-service cafe with paninis, hot dogs, shakes, etc. If you are looking for other food, there are a few places within walking distance. If you don't mind walking about 30 minutes, Roscoe Street in Roscoe Village has fantastic restaurant after fantastic restaurant.
Q: Are there hotels nearby?
A: Not within walking distance, unfortunately. There are a few hotels scattered in the nearby neighborhoods that would be easy to Uber or taxi to. Barring those you could definitely find a hotel near O'Hare and use either the Blue Line or Uber to get to and from Ignite. A one-way Uber ride from O'Hare to Ignite will run about $20.
Attendees: 46 (* = not pre-paid)
- Lange
- Dashner
- meb
- Sezco
- freakin*
- tagg
- Disengage
- nokk*
- TicTack*
- Cloudmaker2*
- Twilitlord
- Kip
- Mr. Owl
- raxozellet*
- wasabi*
- Cold
- toxic*
- CelticLady +1*
- ChaChi*
- Fenryr
- Epoch*
- capnfapn*
- SirBlitzkrieg*
- Thorn
- rainy*
- Dr. Ploxo
- julesdoingwork
- drshadowpuppet
- MATHYOU
- Odin's Beard
- PK
- LessGhost
- Pistola*
- Justin*
- Pascal*
- Skyrolla
- Bluebeefman
- duder
- Klepp*
- gaberoll
- Frostfire
- Bob
- sigafoo
- Note
- Loops
- Grawgs