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That's easy, there'll be gaming and other assorted geekiness going on for the entire duration. Relax and have fun.

It can be a bit overwhelming at first. Its hard to phantom that just about everyone around you is a big Palladium fan and that you can strike up a conversation with anyone and be on the exact same wavelength in seconds. Now it depends one why you’re going because here is what you'll find.

Direct access to Kevin Siembieda and his staff.

Guided tour of the offices, often by Kevin. See where the magic actually happens in putting together your favorite RPG book.

Dozens of freelancers who have written or did artwork for Palladium.

Again direct access to the freelancers to pick their brains, ask why the heck they wrote x, or ask them what were you thinking and so on. Or ask them what's in the pipeline for future books

Games everywhere! There are scheduled games with Kevin, Palladium Staffers, Freelancers, and Megaversal Ambassadors. Cost for the games is ZERO dollars.

Palladium Product!! Palladium's entire catalog and some extra's are all displayed and you can buy what you need from opening till about 5 or 6 PM. (I'm really not sure when they close shop). There may also be a few auctions for rare or out of print items. Or one of a kind items created by freelancers.

Food is available if you go on VIP Thursday. That is a catered event with fantastic food and you get a sit down meal with
Kevin the freelancers and Staff.

For the rest of the event Palladium does a small concession style stand with very reasonably priced snacks, soda, and in the past they had pizza delivered so people could get hot pizza. There may have been other snacks available, but I can't recall.

Events include panel talks with writers, artist, experienced game masters, and a costume contest. I'm not sure if they have anything more planned for "09" but keep your eyes peeled.

In all it’s a hell of a lot of fun. It has a family reunion type atmosphere. Especially for folks who chat on the boards. It’s a lot fin putting a face to an internet handle.

Come and enjoy

Yeah, it really is a family reunion. I can't wait to see many of the people that I saw last time.

Get a hotel room. With a shower preferrably.
Bring soap.
Use soap, while in shower. Other areas may not be covered by insurance.
Bring dice.
Bring pencils (or other writing utensil of choice; crayons count) & paper.
Bring characters (if you have any pre-rolled)
Bring your imagination.
Ask Galactus Kid: 'What's this Madhaven thing I keep hearing about?'
Ask Josh Sinsapaugh: 'How do you pronounce your name anyways?'
Ask Warwolf: 'When are you getting a haircut, you hippie?'
Ask Killer Cyborg to pass the cheese doodles.
Worship Jason Richards
Have fun.

Danger's got the most accurate "to do list" so far. Unfortunately I've never been able to check them all off (although last year I got everything except the 'bring your imagination' item, so I was pretty close).

It's also a tradition that all newbies have to buy each of the veteran freelancers at least one drink. This is a very delicate thing, because you can't go too cheap, otherwise you risk being "shunned." Shunning is a big deal, and I dare not even type the dire consequences involved in a Shunning.

Also, if you don't do it, it's bad luck for seven years.

Citizen Lazlo wrote:

mumah wrote:It's also a tradition that all newbies have to buy each of the veteran freelancers at least one drink. This is a very delicate thing, because you can't go too cheap, otherwise you risk being "shunned." Shunning is a big deal, and I dare not even type the dire consequences involved in a Shunning.

Also, if you don't do it, it's bad luck for seven years.

Unless the Freelancer is Mumah, then you just throw money.

That also works!

You can also throw sketch requests at the artists with money attached. The last artist standing gets the cash.

Danger wrote:You can also throw sketch requests at the artists with money attached. The last artist standing gets the cash.

LOL, awesome. Just make sure this is done before you buy drinks for the artists. I don't drink that much, and I know I wouldn't stand a chance against an alcohol fueled Mumah or Bradshaw on a drunken rampage. They seem like some mean drunks to me, and I don't think I can withstand the power of their beer soaked musculature. I know I can take Allen, though (mostly because he's not here to defend himself).

I'm thinking that there could be something to this Artist Death Match thing.

We could move all of the pallets of books together to create a pit. Then we could throw them all in there and hang the cash from a rope in the center. Last artist standing gets to do the sketches....

Hmmm, I bet Comfort Love could take the lot of you.

Then we get the writers to write about how epic it all was.

Xar wrote:I'm thinking that there could be something to this Artist Death Match thing.

We could move all of the pallets of books together to create a pit. Then we could throw them all in there and hang the cash from a rope in the center. Last artist standing gets to do the sketches....

Hmmm, I bet Comfort Love could take the lot of you.

Then we get the writers to write about how epic it all was.

If all the artists are being fitted for toe-tags, then there wouldn't be anyone left to try to make sense of the hacks....ahem....writer's gibberish. (Comfort wouldn't have known that i had poisoned him before the match, but the Love's constitution was strong enough to allow him to endure, only dying at the end of the match.)

Jaguar Wong wrote:

Danger wrote:You can also throw sketch requests at the artists with money attached. The last artist standing gets the cash.

LOL, awesome. Just make sure this is done before you buy drinks for the artists. I don't drink that much, and I know I wouldn't stand a chance against an alcohol fueled Mumah or Bradshaw on a drunken rampage. They seem like some mean drunks to me, and I don't think I can withstand the power of their beer soaked musculature. I know I can take Allen, though (mostly because he's not here to defend himself).

Hey now, Servo's a Jeopardy champ. You can't top that.

that list would be accurate except he forgot places to eat and sleep.

Prince Artemis wrote:that list would be accurate except he forgot places to eat and sleep.

They sold pizza and hot dogs at the warehouse and who needs sleep!

Citizen Lazlo wrote:

Misfit KotLD wrote:

Prince Artemis wrote:that list would be accurate except he forgot places to eat and sleep.

They sold pizza and hot dogs at the warehouse and who needs sleep!

I do!

Yeah, but you're OLD.

Misfit KotLD wrote:

Citizen Lazlo wrote:

Misfit KotLD wrote:

Prince Artemis wrote:that list would be accurate except he forgot places to eat and sleep.

They sold pizza and hot dogs at the warehouse and who needs sleep!

I do!

Yeah, but you're OLD.

so's your face!

Prince Artemis wrote:that list would be accurate except he forgot places to eat and sleep.

That's not true. I listed the hotel room first.

I did, however, neglect to include 'find good restaurant' on the list. I didn't add that to the list cause I figure that if there's one thing we gamers know, it's how to eat.

Apollyon7 wrote:I'm planning on attending this year (Will be my first too), and I have a few questions of my own.

Are we allowed to bring our own food/snacks/drinks?

We have been able to the last two Open Houses.

I'd assume they take credit/debit cards for purchasing books, but what about food and drink purchases from them?

Yes and yes.

Does anyone know the exact address? (GPS ftw)

Palladium Books, Inc.
39074 Webb Court
Westland, MI 48185
Phone: 734-721-2900
Order Line: 734-721-2903
Fax: 734-721-1238

General question of how we as players get to choose which game session we want to play? First come first served?

They had a sign up book and you signed up for gates first come/first served.
It is my hope that this year, they can post the game sheets in an area. It would speed up the sign in process

Apollyon7 wrote:General question of how we as players get to choose which game session we want to play? First come first served?

If you dig through this forum, you will hopefully find the thread by Alex M (IIRC) that gave a link to the webpage where the 2007 game schedule was posted. It was posted about a week before the Open House.

At the end of the VIP Night, we got to sign up for games for the weekend and I hope we get to do that again because it was a great benefit. Otherwise, everyone else got in line the next morning, got their badge and then first come, first served for sign ups.

But never saw anybody sitting around without a game to play. If anything, most of us were scrambling for time between games to talk to the artists, freelancers, Palladium staff and grab a moment with Kevin. If your idea of fun is gaming from 10am to midnight and hitting the hotel for another game until 4am, you are going to love the Open House.

Besides the games on the schedule, they had several open gaming tables set up and people were always playing something. My best method for "playing what I want to play" is to show up as the GM.

I have no idea how they plan to have it work for 2009. Hopefully, they will do the same with VIP Thursday and then work out something smoother for the Weekend crowd to minimize the lines.

Apollyon7 wrote:Thanks for the replies

One last question: I played for a few years before my group broke up, and I haven't played in almost 5 years. I'm hoping to have started a new group up before OH09, but do you think I should stick to beginner tables to take into account me being at all rusty?

There's not really any beginners tables. What's great about the Open House is that all different levels of gamer play, and it's cool. I've played with freelancers and with people who were completely new to the hobby, all at the same table. We had a blast at every game.

I really worried about it before my first Open House too. Can I cut the mustard, gaming wise? I only play sporadically, and I'm not in a regular group. Well, I found that I could play, just fine. I'm sure you'll do fine as well. The next year, I worried that I wouldn't be able to be a good enough GM, but my players had a good time, and we had a great ending to the story as well.

Just plan on having fun, and don't worry about making mistakes. It's Palladium: Fun and Cool trump rules almost always.

Apollyon7 wrote:Thanks for the replies

One last question: I played for a few years before my group broke up, and I haven't played in almost 5 years. I'm hoping to have started a new group up before OH09, but do you think I should stick to beginner tables to take into account me being at all rusty?

I to have been out of luck for table top gaming in recent years, though I've found a great PbP game site that got me reading again. And while I may not be a rules lawyer, my familiarity with the Palladium settings sure has increased.

Check it out Explorer's Unlimited

That's the link to the thread here on Palladium's site. It has links to the Explorer's Unlimited Rifts board and their Otherworlds board that has; Phase World, Heroes Unlimited, Chaos Earth, Robotech, Beyond the Supernatural, and the board owner's setting made via the Palladium rules, called Nadira. Which has details submitted by several members of the site.

Eastern Time Zone

mumah wrote:It's also a tradition that all newbies have to buy each of the veteran freelancers at least one drink. This is a very delicate thing, because you can't go too cheap, otherwise you risk being "shunned." Shunning is a big deal, and I dare not even type the dire consequences involved in a Shunning.

Also, if you don't do it, it's bad luck for seven years.

..What qualifies as a veteran freelancer?

Danger wrote:I did, however, neglect to include 'find good restaurant' on the list. I didn't add that to the list cause I figure that if there's one thing we gamers know, it's how to eat.

..There are no good little diners near the new location. Especially one's that have great breakfast deals. None. Really. No, don't bother looking... ermm.. try McDonalds, it's just down the street...

Apollyon7 wrote:Does anyone know the exact address? (GPS ftw)

..That's tricky. I drove back and forth between the two locations maybe 12 times, and got lost every time. After Carmen's all night Robotech game, I ended up in Dearborne, which is beautiful at 4AM, but not where the hotel was....

Apollyon7 wrote:Thanks for the replies

One last question: I played for a few years before my group broke up, and I haven't played in almost 5 years. I'm hoping to have started a new group up before OH09, but do you think I should stick to beginner tables to take into account me being at all rusty?

I suck at gaming, but nobody seemed to notice. You'll do fine.

-Mike <8]