GameStorm starts today

Forecasters are predicting that GameStorm 11, starting today, will be the fiercest yet. Portland-area gamers will be blown away by the non-stop action across all genres. From today until March 29th at the Hilton Vancouver WA, attendees can expect to be hit by a blizzard of board games, a maelstrom of miniatures, and a rage of roleplaying – the perfect storm of hobby gaming. Here are some of the highlights:

• Bigger, Better Space than Ever! – In 2009, GameStorm moves into its new home, the luscious Hilton Vancouver WA and Convention Center, featuring 21,000 sq. ft. of event space across from beautiful Esther Short Park and convenient to many food options.

• Board Game Guests of Honor – GameStorm welcomes the prodigiously talented Andy and Kristin Looney, founders of Looney Labs. Andy’s game designs – including Fluxx, Ice House, Cosmic Coasters and Chrononauts – have won numerous awards and remain gamer favorites.

• “Andy vs. Everybody” – Andy Looney loves playing multiple games simultaneously. He’s been known to play against dozens of people at once, in more than 10 separate games! It’s great fun watching him run from one table to the next, taking his turns as fast as he can! How many people can Andy take on at once? Challenge him to Fluxx (any version), Chrononauts (either version), Aquarius, Just Desserts, Volcano, Martian Chess, or Homeworlds.

• Roleplaying Guests of Honor- Who could ignore the transformation wrought by Dungeons and Dragons 4th edition? Lead Designers/Developers Andy Collins and Rob Heinsoo are ready to bask in the praise or take the heat! Expect a few select opportunities to game with these masters of the RPG universe.

• Artist Guest of Honor – GameStorm steps up its game this year with our first-ever Artist Guest of Honor, the graphically gifted Rob Alexander. Rob has been painting Magic: The Gathering card art since the beginning; one might even call him the “Land” Lord of Magic! Rob’s work generously graces our t-shirts and program in 2009.

• Rob Alexander’s Magic: The Gathering Preconstructed Challenge – Pick a pre-constructed Magic deck from among our selection and challenge GoH Rob Alexander to a duel. One special rule: “All Lands not painted by Rob Alexander come into play Tapped.” Beat the “Land” Lord of Magic and win a prize! Not all registrants may get to play within the time allotted.

• Fantasy Illustration Techniques with GoH Rob Alexander – Our Artist Guest of Honor, Rob Alexander, discusses and demonstrates techniques of illustration and painting for Fantasy. Rob will be working with watercolors as he talks with the audience. Here is your opportunity as a budding artist or just an art aficionado to ask questions about how a professional puts it all together.

• Castle Falkenstein LARP – hosted by the designer, Mike Pondsmith – Castle Falkenstein is a steampunk-themed fantasy game. Players play the roles of gallant adventurers, facing the intrigue and derring-do of Victorian adventures. The world resembles our own, with a number of major variations: the denizens of Faerie do exist and mingle with humans, as do creatures and beasts from myth and legend and a number of characters that are considered fictional in our world. Magic has allowed technology to stretch in unexpected directions. The game introduces Engine Magic, which helped propel the Renaissance via a magically enabled Industrial Revolution. These subtle changes to New Europa’s history have made it quite divergent from our own. Enrollment will be very limited, so start practicing your fencing, fisticuffs, and courtly etiquette now!

• Dead Gentlemen Productions Presents… – screenings of “The Gamers” and “The Gamers: Dorkness Rising” – Actors Scott Brown and Christian Doyle will be on hand to screen their genre spoof classic and it’s wildly successful sequel, and to answer your questions.

• “Spontaneous Rambunction:” The Dead Gentlemen Improv Comedy Hour – Scott Brown and Christian Doyle of Dead Gentlemen Productions display their carefully honed comedic timing in this totally unscripted improv performance. Aw, who are we kidding? They’re just going to keep acting silly until somebody laughs!

• “Indie Hurricane” Returns! – Last year, attendees responded so well to our indie roleplaying forum that the folks from GoPlay PDX are back, with more new games and more programming. Experience roleplaying on the cutting edge and you may put down your d20s for good!

• Game Lab – GameStorm continues its commitment to developing the industry with an even broader program of game design workshops, evaluated demos, and opportunities to pitch to industry professionals. If you’ve got a prototype, register for Game Lab and put your design to the test.

• Privateer Press – There should be lots of skirmishing action in Main Gaming as Dave Dauterive, Kevin Clark and the Press Gangers from Privateer stage bruising miniature battles for Hordes, Warmachine and Monsterpocalypse.

• Miniatures Painting Contest – Sponsored by Privateer Press – Pick up your figure on Friday, already primed and ready for your brush. Let your artistic side run wild and turn in your finished job by Sunday morning. Figures and prizes furnished by Privateer Press

• Mayfair Games Tournament – Our retail stalwarts at Rainy Day Games, who last year produced the Rio Grande Tournament, will be hosting a Mayfair Games Tournament in 2009. Sharpen your crayons, stock up on bricks, and dream of Victory Points.

• Greg Gorden presents… “Like Clockwork” – RPG Industry veteran Greg Gorden (Castle Greyhawk, Torg, DC Heroes, D&D 4.0) presents an epic adventure in two parts. In Part 1, wards have protected Auguston from primordial depredation for nearly a millennium. But during the chaos of the Spellplague, could you really expect the good citizens to keep track of exactly when those wards expire? Our intrepid heroes are to revitalize the wards if possible, seal any breaches if not. What could possibly go wrong? In Part 2, things get much worse. You don’t have play in Part 1 to play in Part 2; just grab your dice and head on over. Greg will be using some of the material he wrote for the Monster Manual 2 and DMG 2. Be among the first to die …er… experience these additions to the D&D universe.

• Dealers Room – Now at 6,000 sq ft., our Dealers Room has even more tables for demos, tournaments and up-close game play with our exhibiting publishers and retailers. Featured publishers include: Bucephalus Games, Flying Buffalo, Cypher Studios, Exile Game Studios, Dragondyne Publishing, Khepera Publishing and Indie Press Revolution. Games Plus, Guardian Games, Rainy Day Games and Knightfall Games will anchor our retail. We welcome back Gallant Hand Gamers Gear and introduce Sinister Metalworks.

• Much, Much More – We couldn’t possibly fit it all in to this notice, so please visit http://www.GameStorm.org to register for the convention, to submit events, and to get the latest info as we confirm it.