@MrBionic:

I heard at first it was just Lucas. Sorry.

But man. That sucks.

Nekusagi

@Nekusagi: I hadn't heard about this before, but did some searching. Seems like Gen Con didn't pay a whole bunch of people/companies. I fail to see how this is Lucas' fault ;)

MrBionic

@Odin:

Being in the UK, you could also hop over to the Leipzig Games Convention in Germany.

LittleBigPlaneteer

@Fnor: cabin for a week or two. Bad Fnor, bad!

Fnor

@Odin: Why would I spend most of the money so I can go sleep in a hotel room and spend my days in a cramped hall with loads of sweaty, screaming fanboys?

$1500 for a PSP and a couple dozen PSP and DS games and a nice cabin/cottage near a lake. Do a lot of gaming while enjoying the fishing and the scenery. That would be a great vacation.

Fnor

Got a little thing right here in Indianapolis called Gen Con Indy. In a little legal trouble now on account of George Lucas being a prick. Would be lovely if you came down and helped a pal out.

Nekusagi

If you lived in the US $1500 would probably get you tickets, flights and accommadation for PAX as well as money to spend there. As a gaming thing it's probably the best bet. Personally from the UK I see it more likely that I make it to a Darkmoon Faire or the Blizzard Worldwide invitational in Paris.

Odin

I like traveling. I always try to make sure I can do something sometime during the year. Can't see myself going to a convention or expo for a trip though. Maybe if there was something else I could do then maybe.

My favorite place to go definitely has to be Disneyland. I've been there so many times that I know my way around like the back of my own hand.

namyr26

I'd def wanna go to TGS but i don't think $1,500 would get me very far lol

SolidOni

I guess I'd choose to just head to the local comic store, play a little tabletop gaming, see if maybe anyone wants to throw a little LAN party, and then take the money out and buy a bunch of peripherals I wouldn't splurge on otherwise.

wild homes got the wrong bloke!

PAX and BlizzCon are the two events that I'd like to attend someday. Those are the greatest vacations I could imagine.

cZEAL

1,500 is so little. Of the shows, I'd want to go to TGS the most.

LittleBigPlaneteer

My room is the #1 must see spot if you're a fan of video game inspired cursing.

Forkball

$1,500? Hrm. I'd probably drive myself down the coast to San Diego and go to the Zoo there. To heck with gaming.

MrBionic

PAX is going to be full of whiny fanboys, and I will hate every moment no doubt. However some visiting friends are going, so I can deal. Take it easy people games aren't that important. Do you really need facial tattoos of a company logo? :)

Mongoosekun

@LittleBigPlaneteer:
I'd probably be hampered by my complete lack of any German language knowledge (behind hello, goodbye, mulled wine and sausage). Granted my French isn't much better but there's still some of it. Leipzig doesn't hold a huge amount of interest for me anyway.

Personally I'd love to hit up PAX at some point but alas flights to the US are expensive. It's on my list of places I'd like to go though but first I'd probably go to Japan.

Odin

Akihabara. You get to see the game stores, the manga stores, the arcades, Italian girls advertising their japanophile websites, cosplay weirdos dealing flyers and (last but not least) crazy factory workers stabbing random people.

ariete

I did Akihabara on $2000 a couple of months ago. It was awesome to see Arcades with new games and people in them.

Rurik

I love gaming and the culture, but with that kind of money I would rather go see the world than just dick around at a show or a con. I have been to GDC(School Trip) and I am attending GC in August(Leipzig is a 30 euro busride away) but aside from that I would rather see the rest of europe, Turkey, Korea, Africa etc than just see in person what I could easily experience online

djlowballer

Vegas! I would check out the shows, play some table games and hang by the pool. Hotel Hoppin for sure!!!

Awoken

I'd also probably go to PAX just because it's closer and cheaper for me to get to and find accommodations around. On the other hand, I'd really like to go to TGS and see the Tokyo area, though that trip would be way more expensive.

Blah8

interesting. the travel industry is so desperate to maintain the holidaying mindset so carefully cultivated, so financially blessed, in the general population for half a century while the economy circles the drain and they face the reality that people will hunker down and save their money for important things, they will target ever more incongruous sections of society. now theyre writing travel guides for gamers. a demographic associated explicitly with staying in. i look forward to ever more frenzied death throes.

aestheticity

I had someone contact me about this same subject a while ago.

[parttimegamer.blogspot.com]

Justin

I would probably try to go to Japan. Although I'm sure $1500 wouldn't get me there.

thegreatjordino

Flights are cheap. It's the hotel rooms and rental car that are expensive if you're staying a few days.

Kohath

@thegreatjordino: i'm sure $1500 would be enough to get you to japan. getting back, however, is a different story lol...

izzy_k

@thegreatjordino:
Tickets range from 1500-4000. I was planning on visiting my fiancee come this winter but poo poo on that. I'm probably much closer to Japan than you are, too.

Channing

With games becoming more "realistic" and drawing their environments from real-world inspiration, I think a great gaming vacation would involve seeing one of those real places. For example, I was in Miami last year, in the South Beach area, and I was stunned by the familiarity of it all thanks to all those hours of playing Vice City. The new GTA should hopefully draw fans to New York, if they needed another reason to visit Earth's Greatest City.

$1500 should get you to Japan, but I don't think it would leave you much money to get around, buy anything, or stay in a reasonable hotel. Personally, if anyone out there is seriously considering coming to Japan for TGS (or any other time) I can't recommend enough the JR Rail Pass. That way you can see more of the country than just Tokyo.

feitclub

I would gladly spend $1500 to go back to Japan in a heartbeat! Last expo I been to is AX and going to E For All for my next expo aside from a few conventions. I love going to expos and conventions. Feels like vacation for me. Also, I would go to TGS if I had the time.

mikes_stalker

It's good to see these places getting recognized. I hope all the conferences do well. (just don't invite Reggie!)

thirstypilgrim97

with 1500 Dollars, I would go to Blizzcon. No doubt about it.
Why doesn't anything ever happen in florida! It's always California. Poo to you!

HOWEVER. (I live 3 hours away from Disney in Florida ) .. I went to Disney Quest before and it is REALLY worth the visit, 3~ (+?) stories of every arcade game that you could ever want to play..It was really exciting.

gessyca