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Post by Feniiku on Aug 4, 2013 15:14:32 GMT
plus I was so happy people liked my NiGHTS poster, it was a big hit! I really wish I'd grabbed one of those posters, myself. Oh well; I'll always have the postcard. I got the feeling the poster Thalia gave me was originally intended for somebody else though... I didn't have many of the NiGHTS posers, as that size is pretty pricey to print a lot of XD; They are available in poster print form from my DA account, but in a slightly more convenient A3 size ^_^; I'm glad you like the postcard though!
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Post by Badly-Drawn Manchild on Aug 4, 2013 16:52:49 GMT
What surprised me a lot when I was there was that a couple of people actually recognised my voice from the retrospective videos I did ages back. Do you know how weird that is to be idly chatting to someone then they suddenly look at you as if they've only just recognised you? It's surreal.
I noticed that there weren't that many stage events this time round (mind you I wouldn't have seen them as I was in the art room all the time I was there). In one way that's a bad thing as it made the schedule look a bit bare, but on the other hand it meant I didn't have to suffer through any bad fan works.
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Post by Super Sonic on Aug 4, 2013 18:43:50 GMT
Oh well. We'll always have tubecon.
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Post by L. T. Dangerous on Aug 4, 2013 19:02:19 GMT
Great day out. The STCO team are tops, brilliant to meet you all.
Mostly spent the day hanging around the comics area. Ferran Rodriguez is so nice!
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Post by ShayMay on Aug 4, 2013 21:05:02 GMT
So, my first SoS. Didn't get anxious once the whole weekend which is a huge achievement for me. I was expecting to have panic attacks on the way down, in the venue, in the hotel, etc. But I was okay! So I'm just going to gush, all right?
Firstly, it was great meeting everyone. Luke (and Sian) were phenomenally nice the whole day (and they gave me Season 1 of Buffy and a t-shirt which can never hurt). Badly-Drawn Manchild was such a brilliant guy as well, and a real laugh. Plus he has great taste in hats. Stiv was a legend as well, putting up with my pestering and questions and general ineptitude and just generally getting everything sorted with a smile. Mark was a real laugh, brill to finally meet him too. Mike was a [censored] sweetheart, one of the most approachable and friendly people. Matt was such a legend, and he even brought print-outs to share! Chigs and Marcus, you guys made the STC-O table an absolute blast to be behind - and the guys on the other side of the table were great as well. All of them were up for a chat and a banter, my particular favourite moment being the absolute look of horror this girl got from an 8-year-old when she purchased Sonic '06. Doing the sketches was definitely the highlight of the day for me, it was a great atmosphere, and I was with some really talented people.
I also met the Nigels and got a couple of sketches from them, as well as chatting about designs and stuff. Both were so, so nice, and they recognised my name from STP which was incredibly humbling. I got a Guardian Robot sketch from Mr. Dobbyn and a Chuck D. Head sketch from Mr. Kitching (I initially asked for Captain Plunder but plumped for Chuck instead as Plunder would have taken ages, required lots of reference, and I nicked the idea off Luke anyway). Ferran Rodriguez was there as well, and I think he might be the nicest man in the world. He did a couple of last-minute sketches - one for me, and one for Pete who unfortunately couldn't be there.
Also met Thalia (whose art I love so so much - I think I have as much nostalgia for that as I do Elson) and Feniiku, and what a great pair they were as well. Sorry I didn't stick around too long to chat, there.
I didn't get to play Sonic Lost World as the queue would have taken hours and I didn't want to spend my day rooted to the spot. Plus, I'm cool with waiting for October. Never Mind the Buzz Bombers was fun, if a little... er... awkward at points (I love the announcer's enthusiasm, but I think he ought to move the mic away from his mouth a smidge), it was great seeing Luke and Stiv on-stage next to Jun Senoue et al.
I also got interviewed. I have no idea why. It was by the ComicBookCast, I believe? They interviewed Stiv a while back too. It was a good laugh.
There was an afterparty but I didn't go: between my hotel being a bit far away, not knowing what times the tubes stopped, me carrying a whole bunch of stuff, me being exhausted and the planning being a bit last-minute, I thought I'd sit it out this time. Hope everyone who went had a good time, though!
So yeah. Wonderful day, one of the best I've had in ages. Thank you to all involved.
Edit: Oh, I also met TRiPPY briefly who was inordinately friendly and made a fool of myself more than once, especially at lunchtime. Sorry, Matt, Stiv, Luke and Sian.
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Post by Badly-Drawn Manchild on Aug 4, 2013 21:42:44 GMT
Yeah, I'd say it was worth the trip down just to see you guys again. Shay, Luke, it was great to meet you both, same with Thalia and Feniiku, and the two Nigels, and I really wish I'd spoken to Ferran more than I actually did. Like I say I was surprised and kinda flattered that people actually recognised me from my silly little vids on my more-or-less dead YouTube channel. Two face-to-face compliments beat a whole bunch of comment section crap any day. I did get to play Sonic Lost World. The two-speed system took some getting used to (especially as there were no control tutorials to my knowledge), but I liked the variety of routes that could be taken through a level, so it seems like it could be fun for both full exploration and speed runs. Plus the aesthetic on the first level has a very classic Sonic feel to it, which I found very pleasing. Anyway, I'll try and pick out some photos to stick up on Dropbox and send the links when I've done so.
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TheFatPanda
New Boomer
Bulging out of his t-shirt like a boss
Posts: 41
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Post by TheFatPanda on Aug 5, 2013 14:35:08 GMT
What surprised me a lot when I was there was that a couple of people actually recognised my voice from the retrospective videos I did ages back. Do you know how weird that is to be idly chatting to someone then they suddenly look at you as if they've only just recognised you? It's surreal. Well you have a pretty distinctive voice it also helps that those retrospectives are still popular even to this day (I assume). It was fun talking to you, even though I get the feeling I made you feel kinda awkward on a few occasions... I tend to do that when I'm trying to make conversation.
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Post by Badly-Drawn Manchild on Aug 5, 2013 15:23:08 GMT
Here; have a few photos! If anybody has a problem with me showing photos of them like this, please let me know and I'll take them down. Queuecon with Shay, Luke and Sian.The Sea of Sonic Nerds. The Past to Present of STC/O artists, featuring Matt and Ferran Rodriguez. Insert Brian Conley quote here."Hey, no photos! I'm not looking my best!" Guess where that particular STC quote came from. Jun's with Stupid, featuring Jun Senoue. "We are not amused!". Featuring Nigel Dobbyn, Nigel Kitching and Megadroid. Stiv the Easily-Distracted. Featuring Stiv and Marcus. "And now if you'll sit on the carpet, children, Uncle Sonic will tell you a story!"Sonic the Podcast, sponsored by Sega and Sonic: Lost World!Tubecon is not recommended. Featuring Matt, Bryce, Mark and Kieran. Are these trustworthy faces to you? Featuring Matt, Bryce and Mark.
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Post by projectzuel on Aug 5, 2013 17:07:24 GMT
It's taking a while to collect my thoughts on the latest Summer of Sonic. The day just went by so fast and they was so much going on (even though I didn't move much at all...). Ah, well, summary time After getting to the event with my friend Felix I was surprised by how much bigger the venue was. Sure some of it wasn't part of the event but overall it was bigger and I think the edition of two venue segements like last year (one with the stage in and the other being the art and merch area) was a smart move. That isn't even including another area being a dedicated eating area; it may have not been a Sonic themed cafe but that's a small consolation. I honestly don't have much to say on stuff outside the art area because I only quickly scoped it out. The inclusion of an area to specifically play games was an interesting addition but I ponder the concept of putting the rare sonic merch cabinet in the game area because it meant you had to go in to play games to take a gander at the cabinet. I, like many members of the STC-O team didn't get a chance to play Sonic Lost World which is a bit of a shame really. To be honest I was expecting not to get a chance to play it before even entering the event but as soon as I walked in and noticed that the queue was quite massive I knew for sure I wouldn't get a playthrough. The idea of waiting in a line for over an hour just didn't appeal to me considering I could spend that time chatting to artists and doing sketches for people. I didn't want to shave off the time I could spend having laughs with the STC-O team because that was the highlight of the event for me once again. It's a shame that the STC-O table as well as the guest artist section was under representated, especially the former considering it was STCs 20th. The guest artists and STC-O table was pushed behind the main art drawing area; I didn't even know where it was until I took a deeper look through that area. There was a clear lack of signs labeling or pointing to the area almost as if SOS'13 didn't want anyone to know they had invited guest artists. I don't know what goes on behind the scenes but that was probably one of the few areas that needs a re-think; considering even finding the announced guest artists on the Summer of Sonic website is a chore. I was also a bit upset but not surprised that I couldn't buy any of Thalia or Feniiku's excellant artwork and it made me feel guilty getting such amazing artwork for free. It also means no more new prints from the Nigels which is also a downer. I guess that's the price of a free event. I may seem critical (I always am) but I still wouldn't trade this event for anything. I got to spent an entire day hanging out with the STC crew and thats worth a lot to me. I spent most of it hanging out with Chigs who is super nice, chatty and real good at pitching the story of STC to all the people who stopped by the table. Before we crashed at the table for most of the day we had an extended chat with Mike who once again was a pleasure to talk to, so much so that we were kind of getting in the way of his staff duties. Mike also got a lot of well deserved compliments on his hand made STC logo models. I finally got to meet Shay who is probably one of the funniest people I've had the pleasure to speak with and I did an absolute geek out at this slick Espio sketch he did for someone....and he also got Grumps Banana Shoes music in my head again, so props to you mate. I didn't get much chance to talk to Stiv but every time I did was a laugh, along with another geek out at this adorable princess Amy he drew. I don't think I managed to talk to Matt as much as I'd have liked, he brought these slick prints that I'm sure everyone enjoyed taking a gander at; he had Sonic-cat for a hilarious time which made me struggle to keep a straight face. It was great to see the Nigels again and I've think I've managed to steady my heart beats when I talk to them; god I'm such a spaz. I managed to get a sketch of Igor from Kitching who even inked it for me and it, of course looks great. The speed he sketched it up is insane and it has line width variation and everything. I also got him to sign the reprinted AHAB comic and he also said that he had pitched a sequel to 2000AD but it wasn't accepted which I think is a crying shame; AHAB was such a brilliant read. I stupidly didn't get a sketch from Dobbyn this year as I left it a bit too late and he was packing up his supplies at the time I managed to get back to his table. I did manage to get a sign from both Nigels for my copy of the goodie back 20th Special STC issue; the issue itself being another delightful edition to the event. I also got an Amy Rose sketch from Ferran which I adore and I like many others must echo that he is one of the nicest guys I've ever met. I spent most of the even sketching and was bloody tired by the end of it but I was really happy. I regret not going to the afterparty but after spending the whole day with the STC-O crew I felt it would be jerkish of me to not spend some time with my friend Felix. Maybe next year guys If possible we should see if we can meet up more times in the year, maybe at another convention: I'm always up for it. Marcus over and out, thanks everyone for being super awesome as it helps me know I'm not introverted all the time.
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TheFatPanda
New Boomer
Bulging out of his t-shirt like a boss
Posts: 41
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Post by TheFatPanda on Aug 5, 2013 17:24:50 GMT
Look what Nigel Dobbyn did.Got a few things signed while was there too. StC issues 100, 125 and the free issue signed by the Nigels. My old copy of Sonic Adventure by Iizuka-san, and my copy of Sonic Universe #50 by Iizuka-san and Hishino-san (ya know, 'cos it's a Metal Sonic issue).
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Post by Feniiku on Aug 5, 2013 20:18:46 GMT
I was also a bit upset but not surprised that I couldn't buy any of Thalia or Feniiku's excellant artwork and it made me feel guilty getting such amazing artwork for free. It also means no more new prints from the Nigels which is also a downer. I guess that's the price of a free event. Believe me, it was incredibly frustrating for us both too, but ever since Sonic Merchandise started being at SoS SEGA have been pretty strict about no fan sales :/ I do do prints and commissions on my DA account, and Thalia'll be starting some up too I believe, but sadly guests who aren't 'zomg licensed by SEGA' aren't allowed to sell T_T Understandable, but annoying as heck. Also I was getting so annoyed at those pillars during the day you have no idea XD Neither me NOR Frobman could see the screens in the room so no stage events or whatever for us DX I do love the event but sometimes the layout can be a little better lol
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Post by Chigs! on Aug 5, 2013 21:58:38 GMT
True, always room for improvement, it did strike us as odd behind the table that given the size of the venue the artists alley had such a narrow space to work with - oh well, on the plus side it did pretty much guarantee traffic coming past the STCO table which can only be a good thing. Here's one of my free sketches from the day (as if I could charge even if I was allowed!) You can see a few more over on my tumblr, though alas I'm not super good at multitasking, so I forgot to take more snaps of my work and the lovely people who requested them - I hope if anyone did get sketches from us they'll share them online for everyone to see!
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Post by projectzuel on Aug 6, 2013 23:27:12 GMT
I was also a bit upset but not surprised that I couldn't buy any of Thalia or Feniiku's excellant artwork and it made me feel guilty getting such amazing artwork for free. It also means no more new prints from the Nigels which is also a downer. I guess that's the price of a free event. Believe me, it was incredibly frustrating for us both too, but ever since Sonic Merchandise started being at SoS SEGA have been pretty strict about no fan sales :/ I do do prints and commissions on my DA account, and Thalia'll be starting some up too I believe, but sadly guests who aren't 'zomg licensed by SEGA' aren't allowed to sell T_T Understandable, but annoying as heck. Also I was getting so annoyed at those pillars during the day you have no idea XD Neither me NOR Frobman could see the screens in the room so no stage events or whatever for us DX I do love the event but sometimes the layout can be a little better lol I'll probs be buying a poster off your DA page in the near future then.
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Post by ShayMay on Aug 15, 2013 18:08:04 GMT
Matt and I get interviewed by the Comic Book Cast!! Skip to 16:43 for the start of mine, and 22.40 for the beginning of Matt's interviews. Alternatively, Matt's is directly after mine.
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Post by Chigs! on Aug 15, 2013 22:27:21 GMT
Sorry for photobombing the back of your interviews guys!
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Post by Sam on Aug 26, 2013 19:13:07 GMT
Jesus Christ, if they want it filmed I'll come down next time with my team.
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