So NZ drive on the same side as UK?
#exilecon
burnt light
I assume all commonwealth countries are the same
lilac kelp
No four way stop signs
I was really surprised by those in the States. Haven't seen them anywhere else
timid monolith
roundabouts are more efficient but just not done in the US
typically right turn on red will depend on levels of traffic
same with leading/lagging lefts
earnest sandal
@burnt light Canada has driving on the right, so not exactly =)
But yeah I'm looking at the list of left-hand traffic countries but now and it's a good indicator tbh
plain fog
maybe it's more likely for commonwealth countries without a land border
do they drive on the left in india?
earnest sandal
Looks like they do, yeah
plain fog
well, guess canada switched over because the US is next door then
earnest sandal
Super interesting stuff tbh https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left-_and_right-hand_traffic
I don't think we ever had left-hand traffic
Considering we started out as a French colony, that makes sense
I wonder why the US is RHT, though. ๐ค
plain fog
also france I suspect
earnest sandal
So looks like Canada did have LHT in British Columbia and other England-colonized territories, but the French-colonized areas have always been RHT.
And it took until the early 1900s to switch! That's crazy. TIL
In the late 1700s, traffic in the United States was RHT based on teamsters' use of large freight wagons pulled by several pairs of horses. The wagons had no driver's seat, so the (typically right-handed) postilion held his whip in his right hand and thus sat on the left rear horse. Seated on the left, the driver preferred that other wagons pass him on the left so that he could be sure to keep clear of the wheels of oncoming wagons.
Well there we go. It's the horses' fault =P
plain fog
I think European traffic was traditionally LHT until then for similarly quirky reasons - the one I'd heard was so that the driver's sword hand was facing oncoming traffic
earnest sandal
Interesting indeed. It's crazy how such an everyday thing has such an history =)
glossy locust
David Brevik 
burnt light
I see that news post sold about half the remaining regular tickets
quiet tusk
has anyone applied for an NZeTA?
if so, should I do it now? or should i wait until closer to departure.. the app doesnt have a date of visit section or anything
glossy locust
Just exchanged a few emails with my immigration officer, and have some clarity on the NZeTA
even if you have a visa already planned
you WILL need a NZeTA
arctic drum
The NZeTA is good for 2 years.
hexed wraith
shrewd forge
burnt light
So you had to pay for something like nzeta before nzeta became a thing?
arctic drum
Has GGG posted a weapons policy for costumes?
Edit: I got an email reply; it basically says the same as what Rach says below. There's no official weapons policy yet, so use common sense. No sharp edges, that sort of thing. They'll check props at the door and confiscate anything that's inappropriate for the convention.
daring crag
You might want to email them on that one
naive jackal
They'll probably follow normal con guidelines - neon tips on everything, rubber/foam only. But yeah, emailing them is the best.
Let us know what you find out!
burnt light
Or email the convention centre
naive jackal
I'd hit up GGG first, personally.
raven whale
Morning all! We don't have a specific policy in place regarding weaponry at this time, however I expect it'll be much like any other con ๐
Also worth noting is that if you're coming from overseas, whatever costume weapon you'd like to bring would need to make it through NZ customs
timber latch
Also, Remember, Australian Citizens do not need an NZETA due to Bilateral agreements.
lavish birch
Do dual citizens need a NZETA?
(US/Aus)
and I'm not sure abuot NZETA and diplomatic passports
burnt light
I didn't even know you could get dual citizenship with US/aus
I THINK you don't if you use an Aus passport, but that's just a guess
glossy locust
@lavish birch from the information provided to us, as long as you are an Australian citizen, you don't need a NZeTA
So from what it sounds like, you are
Best to use your Aussie passport when entering NZ though
sand spindle
Whatโs this about weta workshop Trip?
prisma galleon
Hey! I hit up Weta to ask them if them if there was some validity to organising a group event to go, I was hoping we could see the kitava statue from the race. They said they have it but it isn't necessarily somewhere that the tour would usually go, but if we organise something they'd try to get it to a place where we could check it out.
I also thought it made sense to do the whole thing with a bunch of you beautiful / handsome people instead of with strangers / on our own.
That way the price should be slightly better and the experience might be too!
sand spindle
Iโm interested. And have a group trying to organize various excursions while weโre there. So a date earlier than later would be ideal
prisma galleon
Essentially we need at least 20 people, and a max of 60 - we'll see how we go with people saying they're interested and I'll speak with them to organise from there.
sand spindle
Weโve also got a couple of ultra vips doing stuff on Monday. So thatโs likely out for us. ๐ฆ
prisma galleon
very true, I'd hoped to go after (probably Tuesday) but perhaps beforehand makes more sense.
If everyone could give an indication of their interested and a preference for before or after perhaps we can go from there.
I'm happy to help organise it regardless of whether I get to attend with the larger group
sand spindle
Tuesday could work.
prisma galleon
Here's the information I have so far:
This takes about 1.5 hours in total at a cost of $30.00pp
Weta did make a statue for Path of Exile and it is currently housed in our Conference Room. We can make enquires to see if we could have it at the tour space for your groups viewing but note that it is unlikely photography would be permitted.```No photos with the statue eh. Thatโs sad. Any idea how much travel time to there from around the convention?
prisma galleon
It's around 10 minutes from the wellington airport. (so a day drive from auckland, or if you're doing other parts of NZ it makes a bit more sense)
sand spindle
Oof. Probably too far for us.
prisma galleon
It's not a uber away that's for sure!
prisma galleon
No worries! Anyone else who is interested feel free just to throw a reaction on the post above with the details so I can get a gauge for how many people would be keen.
sand spindle
My group is 5 maybes. While dates are in flux.
And we look into travel and what else we want to do while we're there.
prisma galleon
๐
heavy wedge
GGG Sent out an Exilecon newsletter about an hour ago, reposting it here for interested people:
https://i.imgur.com/1wv0V7m.png
lone pelican
Hey, my buddy and me would like to join, buuut we won't fly bc we'll get a caravan when we arrive in Auckland and will visit Wellington after Exilecon anyway.
In case a second group later after Exilecon is also be possible we'd be interested.
prisma galleon
We're driving too, we'll be there 20/21
glossy locust
Damn it's in Wellington ๐ญ
main dust
mossy mango
Just saw the newsletter, read about the community trip to WETA, how is this being done ? where to talk about it ?
@prisma galleon if you are the one organising the trip to Weta you have a +1 in me
just let me know the details i'll be in nz from 11th - 24th
trail stag
Is it all wheelchair accessible?
keen violet
burnt light
What's the price/person for the weta tour? That's like the only thing I'm actually interested in
@prisma galleon Potentially a +2 from me and a friend
naive jackal
@trail stag If you're talking about the venue, I believe it is. If you're talking about the Weta Workshop tour, I imagine it would but, but probably best to check with them.
sharp carbon
Where can I get more info about the Weta workshop tour?
lilac kelp
@sharp carbon read from https://discordapp.com/channels/174993814845521922/555479316939669534/613603496117403659
Or contact dan directly
sharp carbon
thanks mate, didn't think it was just there ๐คฃ
graceful crane
also interested in the weta tour, but need to know when
modest warren
Hi folks, could you include me into the lord of the rings stuff as well?
naive jackal
You mean the weta tour, @modest warren?
@prisma galleon, two more potentials for you, seems like. :>
burnt light
@prisma galleon which one of the tours is it?
graceful crane
whats the best way to get down to wellington?
fly?
I looked at their site and it says their busses are not wheelchair accessible, but i can get up and sit in a regular seat... so I emailed them about if they have a place to store it
naive jackal
As a person living in NZ, it's easiest to fly, yes.
At the normal speed limit, it's an 8hr drive in a car.
If you're taking a bus, I'd allow some more time for scheduled stops and being speed limited as a heavy vehicle. Possibly up to 2 hours longer.
If you're taking a bus from AKL > Welly, there may be storage for your chair in the luggage compartment under the bus (see pic), but they also might have other options so emailing was a really good idea.
Generally, we try to be pretty low-mobility friendly.
As a culture.
Back to the timing, for us that's a huuuuge drive. For some of y'all, that might not be so onerous.
plain fog
considering how much of the state highway network consists of windy two-lane roads, I'd definitely opt for a flight if possible
naive jackal
It's beautiful though. ๐
plain fog
we don't have high-speed trains unfortunately
timid kestrel
Hey yaโll! Super excited for this convention! Flying from Montana, US! Interested in the Weta workshop as I am putting together my itinerary for Nov 13-24.
When were you guys thinking of getting a group together to go? @prisma galleon
iron ember
Iโm currently planning on a week poking down the island after the con and could be interested in joining a group for weta the following weekend. Coming solo
graceful crane
So... Having to operate a car with hand controls, I'm finding it difficult to determine if there's anywhere in auckland I can rent a car from? Was considering doing the glow cave too but it looks like the only way to get there is to drive. Any locals have info? @naive jackal ?
grim wave
There's always a bunch of rental car companies at airports, which if you didn't fly will still have public transport there. Getting to the glow cave will be either a drive or some big tour bus. If you end up at the caves don't just go to the glow worms. There's a bunch of smaller less crowded and expensive tours by locals too. If you're there at night there are nature walks (like everywhere in nz). They've got tons of worms on them too, one of them was in Nat Geo at some point.
Caves can also be closed if CO2 levels are too high. It's rare and usually not an issue.
naive jackal
You're more likely to hit closures due to water levels
But even then, it's not often
But I agree with Nutboi(gurl). The waitomo tour is an experience, but it's not the only place you'll see the worms.
west carbon
@prisma galleon our group of three is interested in the weta tour. We'll be in Wellington Nov 21-23
prisma galleon
@timid kestrel current plan is to try for 20/21st thats enough time to fly or drive down
timid kestrel
@prisma galleon ok please let me know which day you guys decide on as I would love to join!
prisma galleon
Fantastic, will do I might throw a straw poll in if there will be enough people We've got osmething like 10+ at the moment, we need 20
glossy locust
@prisma galleon I'm most certainly interested, do you have an approx NZ$ for return flights?
naive jackal
I looked at it yesterday. Auckland to Wellington is anywhere from $20usd to $100usd one way, depending on the day you fly.
austere void
@prisma galleon Add one more for interest.
Also, @glossy locust https://www.google.com/flights?lite=0#flt=/m/012ts./m/0853g.2019-11-18*/m/0853g./m/012ts.2019-11-21;c:USD;e:1;a:NZ*NZ;sd:1;t:f shows flights between AUK and WLG to be around 186NZD for a round trip flight. YOu can fiddle with the dates yourself to get a better idea.
modest warren
@naive jackal yes I ment weta tour ๐
By the way, I'll be in NZ for the whole November, do you guys locals recommend something I should not miss?
naive jackal
Uhh I'll pass on this question because I'm a hermit with no personality.
But more srsly, what sort of things would you be interested in? Would you be looking to travel in the north island, or more staying in Auckland?
burnt light
doesn't weta workshop provide a shuttlebus anyway
is that too expensive compared to flying?
naive jackal
Shuttle: "Guided transfers depart 7 days a week from the bus park opposite the Amora Hotel โ just up the road from the Wellington iSITE on Wakefield Street"
naive jackal
Looks like welly city to the wetacave
plain fog
auckland is a pretty generic city all things considered, I'd definitely recommend going outside the city
plain fog
for weird suggestions - just a little west of auckland there's Karekare, Piha, Bethells beaches and a few coastal walking tracks which might be reminiscent of parts of act 1, particularly Twilight Strand and The Ledge
a few less dead people most days though, and Kuduku has not been spotted yet
it's also a popular surfing area if you're into that
I tend to prefer hiking and agricultural stuff
naive jackal
We previously listed some "wierd places" - thread starts way back here: https://discordapp.com/channels/174993814845521922/555479316939669534/602714865328455690
little jetty
Hey guys, whats going on with the Weta Workshop tour? I'm planning on driving down to Wellington after Exilecon finishes
lilac kelp
@little jetty read from https://discordapp.com/channels/174993814845521922/555479316939669534/613603496117403659 - worth contacting Dan directly to register your interest
prisma galleon
@plain fog i kind of want to see a nz museum while we're over there. We're visiting Auckland, rotorua, , Wellington and Queenstown. Is there a good one anywhere around there.
plain fog
there's the national museum in Wellington which is probably worth a look: https://www.tepapa.govt.nz/
in Auckland there's a handful that I know of, depending what you're particularly interested in
Auckland War Memorial Museum: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com
Museum of Transport and Technology: https://www.motat.org.nz/
Auckland Art Gallery: https://www.aucklandartgallery.com/
I haven't been to Rotorua in ages so can't remember what's there, but I do know it's a good place to see stuff on NZ Maori history
little jetty
For someone without much experience driving long distances (outside of the city) how hard is the drive from Auckland to Wellington?
naive jackal
It's not particularly hard as such. It's mostly farmland, a few quite windy spots, but mostly well maintained road. Most towns/rest stops arent more than about two hours apart.
Windy as in lots of corners.
Not as in weather.
plain fog
The windy as in weather bit happens when you reach Wellington
dim nest
I'd be interested in a Weta tour. I live a couple hours north of Wellington so I'd be heading back down this way anyway after the con.
Also for those who will be in Wellington after the convention, Zealandia would be a cool place to check out. It's a native wildlife sanctuary within the city
Also it was just named by TIME as one of the 100 greatest places in 2019 ๐
The Tongariro alpine crossing in the central North Island is an awesome hike, but you'd need to set aside a full day for that. That area was used as Mt Doom in the LOTR films
If you're going to be heading down State Highway 2 instead of SH1, then the Pukaha National Wildlife Centre just north of Masterton would be a worthwhile stop
In Napier (on SH2) is our national aquarium, I haven't been there in like 15 years but it was a pretty cool experience then lol
plain fog
I'd be thinking about it myself but not sure how much time I'm going to have
prisma galleon
Thanks heaps for the recommendations guys! I talked to the boss and she says "we're already seeing the kiwi birds in rotorua"
.. more convicing to be done ๐
quiet tusk
any Canadians familiar with obtaining an international drivers permit?
quiet tusk
or do i even need one?
trim epoch
You can legally drive in New Zealand for up to 12 months if you have either a current driver's licence from your home country or an International Driving Permit (IDP).
Keep in mind they drive on the left side of the road in NZ
quiet tusk
im aware of that. so i have a full valid G license in canada.. i won't need an IDP?
i think im just going to get one to be safe, it's only $25
plain fog
Yeah so long as you have a full licence (not a learners or equivalent) you don't need a permit
prisma galleon
@naive jackal already married..... what now
plain fog
Not sure what species Zealandia hosts exactly - I haven't been to Wellington in about 20 years but it's one of the main things I want to visit next time I go there. One of my old guild mates who immigrated from the US ended up in Wellington and worked there as a volunteer - sounds like it is something special
dim nest
Kiwi, kaka, kokako, hihi, tuatara, kakariki, kereru, takahe, pukeko (maybe), as well as native insects and fish probably
I haven't been to Zealandia though so I'm just listing the species we have at the wildlife sanctuary I work at lol
prisma galleon
I read that list without seeing BK's comments and assumed these were a list of acceptable terms for someone from New Zealand.
naive jackal
Kea, usually as well.
Pukeko you can pretty much see on the side of the road anywhere. They're called swamp hens in other places, so a little like roadside chickens. They cute though.
Seeing them swim is a bit of a chuckle
dim nest
Oh they'll probably have tieke at Zealandia too
naive jackal
Not a bunch. It's a bit of mahi learning them, but you're all ka Pai after that.
burnt light
When I look at the map, there are only like 5 places with English names
It's interesting
naive jackal
Yep, pretty accurate. And they're all pronounced kinda wierd
naive jackal
Lol, that's not maori
burnt light
oh I thought you meant the english ones
yeah I only learned a few weeks ago that wh is pronounced f
naive jackal
Yeah, is always hilarious listening to Google maps get all the names wrong.
The venue Aotea, for instance, is pronounced Ay-oh-tee-ah. Then you just mash the Ay-oh a little bit closer together to make something that's not quite the pronunciation of "our", and you're pretty good.
naive jackal
Also, y'all gotta keep an eye out for wierd pie flavours. Like butter chicken pie and chicken/cranberry pie. They're always worth a giggle.
mossy mango
neither of those sound weird, they sound delicious
naive jackal
They are, but for some cultures where meat pie isn't A Thing
It's pretty luls
Oh, Americans! Our peanut butter isn't sweet, it's savory. And if you ask for jelly, you'll get a bowl of dessert gelatine, if they even offer it. And our white bread is savory too.
naive jackal
Nah, their jelly is jam, I think
mossy mango
^
naive jackal
Idk what they call what we call jelly. Hence that description. :P
naive jackal
Good to know. But if you ask for jelly wanting something to put on bread, y'all gonna be sad.
Unless you're into that sort of thing...
Our jelly doesn't have as much gelatine in it though. It never seems as stiff as USA jelly
burnt light
huh I just looked it up and apparently jelly is something similar to jam
oh brain fart
naive jackal
Jelly is a specific type of jam, but not what we instantly associate with the spread. Only ya granny gonna pic up on that distinction
naive jackal
Jelly doesn't have fruit bits, and is make solely with juice not with whole fruit. (Or something)
burnt light
It's just that I've always called the gelatin stuff "jelly" and the fruit thingy "jam"
might be a stupid question but when you ask for water at a restaurant what do you get
naive jackal
Also, grape jam.isnt a thing here? Like I imagine you can get it at real speciality places but it's sorry uncommon.
*super
Tap water
Usually
burnt light
ok
I was asking because I heard that in Germany you get soda water
Or carbonated water
Sparkling water, whatever
wise nexus
depends on what you ask for
burnt light
why are there so many names for this lol
naive jackal
Nah, you.might get offered fancy bottled water, but it's rarer to have sparkling water on offer, and it wouldn't be the default
wise nexus
You can get carbonated water, uncarbonated or tap water if you ask specifically for it
burnt light
supposedly in Germany you have to ask for mineral water to get tap water
naive jackal
Ask for lemonade, you'll get Sprite.
wise nexus
if you ask for mineral water you're getting carbonated
burnt light
I'm fully prepared to be uncultured in new zealand
wise nexus
(Germany that is btw, not NZ)
wise nexus
it's shit in ger tho if you dont pay attention you'll pay 3-4โฌ/.5l of water
burnt light
that's surprising. I thought it would be more available than the US
naive jackal
Gas stations don't have beer
Pharmacies don't have beer
Booze can't be sold before 10am in most places.
And won't be sold on public holidays (not that any occur in November iirc)
burnt light
Idk about before 10am, but where I live they stop selling by midnight
Damn, NZ is strict with hop juice
naive jackal
I'm not a drinker, so not too sure when they close because I'm sleeping
Oh! Our EMS number is 111, but 911 will redirect there, as well as 000(the Aussie number) and 999(the UK? number)
And we can't sue people so you don't need to worry about Good Samaritan laws or nada
If you know first aid and need to use it
burnt light
lol I hope that doesn't happen
naive jackal
Me either.
I know first aid but pretty terrified at possibly having to use it. Although I know I can CPR for like 5min, which is nice.
naive jackal
Pretty much.
burnt light
Speaking of surprises, I was surprised that weta workshop apparently gets so many chinese tourists they have a chinese tour
naive jackal
Heeeck yeah. A heap of our tourism is China and Asian countries
mossy mango
How much $$$ will merch and stuff be ? i want to make sure im bringing enough for my 2 week stay
naive jackal
Idk, but maybe if Rach is lurking, she'll see your query and advise
[Rach, take my energy]
naive jackal
Dunno. I saw them up there answer a question once, so..
Natalia might see it though, but I've never seen her respond in this channel.
burnt light
I've never seen any GGG member message in any channel
except Bex made a few announcements in the main news ch.
wow I almost forgot this is the poe discord
mossy mango
hope so, i'd hate to come un prepared and not be able to get everything i want
naive jackal
The venue has ATM available inside, I think? If not, the venue is on the main street in Auckland, so there'll be ATM's on the street and money exchange as well, although I can't comment on using a money exchange, because I've never needed to.
burnt light
I would imagine you can purchase with cards?
naive jackal
Should do
Might even be apple pay or Google pay compatible. That's becoming more popular now
burnt light
Do restaurants take cards?
naive jackal
Yup
burnt light
It's gonna feel so weird not tipping
naive jackal
Amex is a bit hit and miss, but Visa MasterCard are staples here
Although the occasional shop doesn't accept credit, but that would be a minority.
Limited to the occasional dairy or takeaway shop, mostly.
We'll still take tips, if you want to give them - restaurants/bars usually have a tip cup where you can get rid of change, and high end restaurants will have a place on the receipt where you can write in a tip, or leave cash with your bill, but it's certainly not the norm, and you're in no way expected to do so.
There will be no social judgement if you choose not to tip.
naive jackal
Our minimum wage is like... $15 or something?
burnt light
our great system of $2.15
naive jackal
The only way you're paid less than that is if you're a minor, or a trade apprentice, iirc
Youth minimum wage is like $10?
burnt light
But most servers prefer the tipping system because they make much more
naive jackal
I can imagine.
burnt light
especially at a high end place, I've seen people making $200 from one large party
naive jackal
I think the most I've ever tipped in NZ was a super high end degustation restaurant where we fucked up our timing during the day and didn't have time to shower and change before it was dinner time, so we showed up in day clothes - singlet and shorts and beanie. Hella out of place with all the suits and dresses, but they were really nice about it, so we rounded our bill up by like $50.
burnt light
Man, I have not been to a high end place lol
naive jackal
It's the fanciest place Ive ever been. We were halfway through dinner, and my partner was like... "You know, if I had bothered to think about it, this would have been a good time to propose."
And then just picked up his fork and continued eating.
burnt light
haha
I don't know though, doing that in a public place is
embarrassing to say the least
naive jackal
Hmmm November is also end of spring and beginning of summer ish, so weather should be good.
glossy locust
Does anyone currently live and rent in auckland?
naive jackal
Eh, he could just steal my hand while we're watching Minecraft videos in bed and I'd probably say yes.
I currently live in Auckland, but don't rent, if that's useful?
glossy locust
How much of a dent is rent?
naive jackal
Depending on where you are and what you expect, anywhere from $200 to $500 a week
Inner city vs outskirts, one bedroom apartment vs flatmates.
glossy locust
either, got a working holiday visa, so would like to rent something after a month
naive jackal
Ooh, fancy. Any idea what sort of work you might pick up eventually?
glossy locust
To start with, just something to allow me to find a place, but eventually software development (I have a cs degree)
burnt light
Have you heard about this company called GGG
naive jackal
Soz bro, they only take NZ/Aus residents for most positions, iirc.
plain fog
Flatting can be a bit cheaper again, depending on how many people you share with and what kind of house
The old houses weren't built with insulation, so although the winters don't get cold here, it can be uncomfortable and damp indoors in the ones that haven't been renovated
Can usually find a good flatting arrangement for around $200 per week, plus or minus $50 depending how close to the central city you go
raven whale
hello o/
naive jackal
Rach! How was lunch.
raven whale
How much $$$ will merch and stuff be ? i want to make sure im bringing enough for my 2 week stay
We don't have a confirmed merchandise list, but I can get in touch with the right people and see if some information can be included in any future newsletters or announcements ๐
naive jackal
@mossy mango ^
raven whale
and lunch was excellent, thanks! ๐
mossy mango
@raven whale that would be fantastic, thanks
vapid bluff
I'd rather not double ping if possible so I hope Rach is looking, lol. I'm worried that there might not be enough for everyone to get the merchandise they would like. Is there going to be a mail option for those who don't to the booth in time to get any of the merch they would like? It would be awful to spend that much time and money on the trip to not get the shirt/bath towel/krillson statue one wanted
grim spruce
I'm thinking the same. Why not start showing mech planned early and give the option for people to pre-book for on site collection? Might help give an indication of which may be more popular so hopefully still time to stock more of the popular stuff?
burnt light
If I were to guess, GGG would have to develop the pre-purchase system which would take time and effort that they do not want to/cannot expend
And I'm fully prepared to not being able to get anything because I can't run fast enough to the booth
If only drinking quicksilver irl gives you speed
grim spruce
honestly its not that hard. there's only 2k+ attendees. you can work on orders with a intern + excel
burnt light
maybe they'll do it towards the end of 3.8
burnt light
it should be the last week of 3.8
raven whale
hey @vapid bluff, thanks for asking ๐ unfortunately we don't have a confirmed list of merchandise just yet but that is a very valid concern! We are still looking into options to help make sure that everyone gets the merchandise they want, and I've passed yours and Jerle's suggestions on to the members of the team that are taking the lead for this
little jetty
For those of you in Wellington, is a car required? Planning on driving from Auckland, should i keep the car when I'm in Wellington?
austere badge
someone interested in trade regional pokemon (PoGo) at exilecon?
dim nest
A car would be nice but not required by any means. Wellington has a decent public transport system, and the city is pretty small anyway so you can walk from one end to the other in under 3 hours. It's not like Auckland where everything is so spread out that a car is a necessity
mossy mango
What are the best ways to get down to wellington form auckland ? is it just to fly ?
burnt light
sounds like it
dim nest
Yeah it's only like an hour flight
Otherwise the bus is cheaper but then you're sitting on a bus for 10 hours...
glossy minnow
is there a group going to any events after the con?
naive jackal
Not that anyone's mentioned, besides the Weta Workshop trip that's in the planning. Was there something that you were interested in, in particular?
mossy mango
woo, just got my nzeta email through im allowed to come to nz 
serene cape
anyone doing a short tour around north island after the con? Looking around for options but it seems like the ones that i'd go for have a minimum number of people required ๐ฆ
vapid bluff
@austere badge totally! I'll catch tauros where I see them. would be nice if someone had a mr mime to trade
hallow temple
@austere badge which region are you from? Also, Dm me your PoGo code :)
@vapid bluff I have mr mimes to trade if you're interested.
vapid bluff
yusss
mossy mango
Any word on what the "exclusive digital microtransactions" are going to be ?
naive jackal
No idea yet.
naive jackal
https://discordapp.com/channels/174993814845521922/555479316939669534/616409283138945024 <- Rach's previous comment. I imagine it would include the digital merch.
burnt light
It's entirely possible they haven't even made it yet
naive jackal
Everyone gets a character from the toucan.
burnt light
No reason to anyway... until a week before the con
naive jackal
You have to all assemble at once in one place to display the whole touc.
hallow temple
A waddling Toucan pet
mossy mango
I think they've said they arent going to release any more but a unique kiwi pet would be cool
seeing as the con is held in nz
burnt light
inb4 unique weta pet
mossy mango
super colossal weta takes up 1/2 of your screen
burnt light
headhunted weta
burnt light
those are original supporter packs
naive jackal
Closed Beta supporter packs.
burnt light
yep
I got closed beta but I didn't get the big packs with mtx
didn't really like the game back then
naive jackal
The learning curve was insane back then.
burnt light
it's still insane now
honestly worse
with the new league mechanics and stuff
but we've been through all these over time
mossy mango
yea, they said they arent going to make any more to keep them exclusive to the people who got them back in beta, was just thought it would be a cool idea
burnt light
wet chicken
naive jackal
All blue and stuff.
plain fog
I saw some of those around here not too long ago. So did this cat
raven whale
if anyone was interested in picking up a Pukeko Pet, feel free ๐
https://www.pathofexile.com/shop/category/pets#microtransaction-PukekoPet
vapid bluff
oh lol
I think my chickens would get their feelings hurt if they got, uh, outsourced like that
lol
also they fit my angelic theme a bit nicer imo
naive jackal
https://www.pathofexile.com/shop/category/pets#microtransaction-TwoLeggedGoat Everyone knows Mr Goat is where it's at!
glossy locust
Nice advertising there Rach
gloomy wigeon
@raven whale do you know if i can pick up the badge/ticket/MTX on Saturday instead of Friday (as per Exilecon email?)
raven whale
@gloomy wigeon We're still working out exact details with regard to timing, however it's currently looking like registrations will be open from 2pm-5pm on the Friday. We will also be allowing badge collection on Saturday and Sunday if you're not able to collect on Friday ๐
gloomy wigeon
thanks!
@raven whale can i make a suggestion, are you able to open up collection on Saturday early so we can also line up in time for the convention opening? ๐
arctic drum
Would it be weird if the only t-shirts I bring are PoE shirts?
vapid bluff
Might wanna bring shirts from other video games for easier conversation starters
austere void
An oversized white T shirt might not be a bad idea either.
glossy locust
@vapid bluff That's why I'm bringing only Diablo shirts 
vapid bluff
What's the difference?
glossy locust
high umbra
where's everyone staying? finally got confirmation from work that I can go
burnt light
airbnb, much cheaper than hotels
high umbra
sure, but like... for Evo in Las Vegas, you are -really- missing out if you're not at the venue hotel
this will be my first solo trip, usually go with friends, so it's weird lol
burnt light
exilecon isn't at a hotel
naive jackal
Also, the recommended hotels from the emails etc are probably waaay full already, tbqh.
lilac kelp
The venue is smack bang in the middle of the CBD from memory, right?
As long as you can get there easily enough you're not going to miss out
burnt light
I don't know if I can go anymore...
Long story short, problem with passport that I only hope can get resolved in time
I even bought the plane ticket already
raven whale
Hey everyone! That's correct that ExileCon isn't being held at a hotel, but at the Aotea Centre in Auckland CBD ๐
I've checked the hotels listed here: http://www.pathofexile.com/exilecon/accommodation
and can confirm that all except Cordis still have rooms available over the ExileCon weekend (most with ExileCon-related discounts)
Also if you do want to be closer to ExileCon, that page I linked above has the distance each hotel is from Aotea Centre
I'm really sorry to hear that @burnt light ๐ฆ finger's crossed your passport gets sorted ๐ค
naive jackal
(Cordis has the best buffet restaurant I've had in Auckland. Restaurant 8 is faaancy)
glossy locust
@high umbra or if you want the real cheap option, I'm staying at a hostel in the CBD
high umbra
What's that looking like? I saw hostels on airbnb for ~$20 a night
naive jackal
Seems pretty accurate, if you don't mind a dorm and shared facilities
glossy locust
Yeah, I went with Hobson Lodge, it's dorms are made so you look out at the window, not another person in the dorm
Around ยฃ14 a night
I looked through Google's accommodation thing
quiet tusk
@naive jackal tell me more about this buffet you speak of
worldly sail
2 months until my trip begins. Hope to be able to grab some beers/drinks with some fellow Exiles. Will be going SSF. Will be doing the Hobbit dinner thing on the 13th and the caves that morning. Will be my first time to NZ, a county I never thought I would get to visit.
raven whale
@worldly sail Sounds like an adventure for sure! ๐
glossy locust
That's true, you can even visit North Korea, although you get taken on a very planned out guided tour
glossy locust
LUL
There are videos of when they show shops in the capital, but they're just fake fronts, it's really mysterious
quiet tusk
nobody else is concerned about lack of buffet information?
burnt light
nobody is living in those hotels I guess
vapid bluff
yeah I would be on that if I could access the buffet without a room
also I'm up to 8 tauros now
quiet tusk
wait you need a room to access the buffet? bullocks
naive jackal
Yup! No room needed, but you DO have to make a reservation. You can do it online though.
It's called 8 because there's 8 different dining sections that they call kitchens.
There is:
Bar for drinks
Salad bar
Sushi bar
Seafood kitchen (shellfish and regular fish that you can get them to cook for you)
Grill (selection of meats and veges you can get them to cook for ya)
Spice kitchen (curries and naan)
Cheese bar (with crackers and nuts and stuff)
Dessert bar! (my faaavourite)
So you can just wander in and out and serve yourself or get the peeps to cook you some stuff before your very eyes!
quiet tusk
price?
quiet tusk
holy shit, that would be the most expensive buffet ive ever been to
not including the 24 hour pass in vegas
worth it tho?
naive jackal
i reckon so
plain fog
NZ dollar is somewhere between 60 to 70 US cents so prices are about a third less taking that into account
naive jackal
Exchange rates make me sad.
plain fog
yeah it depends on which end of it you fall on - if you're selling stuff in the other currency as well you're sweet as
quiet tusk
im canadian so its pretty much par lol
outer root
hey guys, am i right that i do need to get an nzeta after getting a visa? (i'm not from a visa waiver country)
i tried to check the immigration site and on some of the pages it says that i don't need an nzeta if i have a visa, but other pages say that i do need it if i travel after 1 october
plain fog
yeah, it looks like you do need one
outer root
thanks!
glossy locust
@outer root 100% need one
indigo pine
Contact them
raven whale
Information post was made today: https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/2642327
grim spruce
Iโm not a fan unfortunately. Donโt really see the spitters as iconic to POE. I probably most want a tabula/untainted paradise T-shirt and maybe some resin models of iconic bosses if available.
naive jackal
Those would be pretty cool. Or resin models of some of the more well-know weapons
plain fog
Rhoa would be a good start
mossy mango
Resin models would be "fun" through airport baggage handlers
dim nest
where's my gigantic blue glowing cave weta plushie ๐ก
That sand splitter plushie is cool too tho
naive jackal
Astaroth: where's my gigantic blue glowing cave weta plushie ๐ก
Weta plushieeeee
burnt light
but I'd rather get the full shield crab
and you can take the shield off to get the sand splitter
that would be cool
mossy mango
Skitterbot plushies or RIOT 
storm ivy
Nessa hugpillow
vapid bluff
templar neckpillow
serene cape
can we have one of these in rhoa form: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeKMNW5p7zI
analog spoke
templar bodypillow
vapid bluff
what about a cloak of flames, but, like, actually constantly on fire?
plain fog
might be complicated to get that through customs
vapid bluff
just tell them it's your emotional support cloak and they'll be cool about it
quiet tusk
motion activated singing Cassia doll
vapid bluff
build-a-dropbear workshop
honestly the convention is probably too close for any real suggestions but that won't stop me from suggesting that ggg sell deeds for land exactly modeled after the hideouts in-game
naive jackal
Build-a-dropbear, but the bear skin and all of the accessories drop from the ceiling.
burnt light
real life razer footprints
naive jackal
Or a World-Vision type thing - you can buy a donation of white items to be included in chest drops for underprivileged Exiles in Twilight Strand
And you get a cute certificate.
"Your donation helped xxx_BabyBatter_xxx start their path to a new life!"
(entirely fictional items, of course - heaven knows you don't need any more item dicking around in TS)
burnt light
We should litter the convention floor with trash items
As true to the spirit of the game
naive jackal
Noooooo
naive jackal
Half-ass cosplay: buy a length of chain, put it around your waist, wear a headband with Chain Belt written on it - have a pocket of base chain belt stats, and just offer them to people... :P
See who's desperate enough to pick up a chain belt.
burnt light
Doesn't get more half assed than an oversized white shirt
naive jackal
That's not even half ass. That's like... One hundredth ass
naive jackal
[SpongeBob chicken meme]
vale stratus
Real cosplay. Don't wear pants but wear heavy clothes on rest of body
Like complete winter outfit but no pants
autumn bobcat
No One wants to see that Davoodinator ๐
autumn bobcat
Des anyone have any information on the exile invasion of Wepa Workshop?
autumn bobcat
Was trying to work out how to fit that in to the visit from Oz
formal pivot
Any of you guys have any inside info on what the VIP dinner format will be like? Wondering how GGG will handle interaction with the developers.
prisma galleon
Webform for Weta Workshop tour
https://forms.gle/fhDnjbPSov5nwrAw7
lilac kelp
mighty rapids
will Mathil be shirtless?
dim nest
God I hope so
quiet tusk
who?
vapid bluff
@quiet tusk relatively famous poe streamer
quiet tusk
never heard of her
burnt light
> her
quiet tusk
๐ ๐
naive jackal
I imagine you'd pick her out of the crowd easy enough though.
vale stratus
Is that mathil
naive jackal
Maybe yes, maybe no.
mighty rapids
needs mtx
burnt light
still debating if I want the sand splitter
violet oxide
/global 100
timid monolith
@violet oxide stop
violet oxide
sorry
hexed pagoda
Are most people planning their other activities and travel times before the convention or afterwards? I'm trying to plan stuff and would love to go with other exiles (Weta, hobbiton, maybe a mt doom hike)
If anyone is staying cheap (I'll be staying in a hostel not sure which one yet) and going by themselves and want a travel buddy hit me up!
hexed pagoda
@prisma galleon Are most Weta tours before or after the convention? I'm think about planning a bus trip from auckland to wellington and stopping at hobbiton and Mount Ngauruhoe on the way.
prisma galleon
most are after.
naive jackal
Wouldn't wanna spend all your excitement and energy before the main event!
hexed pagoda
I just added mine to the webform!
prisma galleon
dammit @hexed pagoda
hexed pagoda
Sorry ๐
prisma galleon
18 people entered details (including party size)
The date with the highest attendees by preference was the 19th which 10 people can attend
The date with the highest availability is the 21st, which 12 people can attend.
grim spruce
Any locals can recommend some nice restaurants or cafes in Auckland? May want to try some of the places with the wife while not at Exilecon.
naive jackal
Federal St Delicatessen has some great Poutine!
And Number 5 on City Road is super fancy (expensive) dinner restaurant.
Crab Shack on the viaduct isn't worth your money imho.
Uhhh. Daikoku is always worth a visit - it's s teppanyaki restaurant, and they have a cool dinner show if you don't mind sharing your table with another couple
(min 4 people for the dinner teppanyaki shows)
Tanuki's Cave up on Queen Street is an experience, esp on a friday/saturday night. Another teppanyaki place - it's got quite the rowdy atmosphere where you can sit around the bar, and their food is always quick.
Uhh. That's all I can think of right now. :>
vapid bluff
Nice, thanks
timid kestrel
@prisma galleon I wouldnโt be able to attend if itโs on the 19th :/. Going black water rafting! Please let me know as soon as you do what date is chosen as Iโm trying to finalize my itinerary. Thanks! ๐
paper reef
Anyone planning a tour of the shire or weta on the monday after exilecon? I will be there from the 14th to the 19th. Coming solo from America.
grim spruce
@naive jackal thanks for the recommends!
naive jackal
Np. I'm around that part of the city every now and then. :> If you're into the arts, Royal Russian ballet Swan Lake is showing around the beginning of November.
In Aotea centre
grim spruce
Not so much an arts fan ๐ but thanks!
glossy locust
@naive jackal how is the musical/theatre scene in Auckland
glossy locust
burnt light
Why is russian ballet special
naive jackal
They're widely considered the experts, iirc, and I can't recall any other foreign ballet companies that visit our little shithole corner of the World
glossy locust
@naive jackal that's what the Russians want you to believe
naive jackal
No one has yet presented me with more compelling evidence, comrade
glossy locust
1 month until I arrive
burnt light
Still waiting on my visa...
glossy locust
@burnt light give your immigration officer an email, that sped mine up
burnt light
I don't have an 'officer' yet. Still waiting for the initial response
Applied last week
glossy locust
ah, left it a little late there bud
It usually takes upto 40 working days
think mine was 35 working days
burnt light
long story short, I couldn't apply until this recently
their site said 90% are processed within 20 calendar days
analog spoke
anyways this is my rough itinerary if any NZ people have feedback/suggestions https://www.evernote.com/shard/s1/sh/875a85fc-a9ec-4336-884b-87213d6fea7a/8fb473ef26a4ee2a3da1a21434c09bf6
glossy locust
@analog spoke that's a lot of driving, power to you
analog spoke
cbd = downtown, in case people were confused booking airbnbs like me lol
plain wedge
anyone know if we can grab the lanyard and badges the day of the con?
raven whale
Hey @plain wedge! Tickets can be picked up while the event is open, or on the Friday beforehand during specific hours. ๐
arctic drum
I'm interested in the exclusive mtx. Is it time to wildly speculate what it will be?
- Aquatic life
- Something 4.0 related (monster)
- Something NZ related (can't be kiwi or drop bear... glow worms?)
arctic drum
There's a glow worms hideout decoration I think
"Conbadge lanyard helmet attachment"
Let's start at the beginning... What mtx slot will it be? Social frame, portal, pet, armor, cape, character effect, apparition...
Something that says, "I flew halfway across the world and all I got was this stupid t-shirt"
OMG it's going to be Horror Reef
naive jackal
Jade weapon skin would be cool
grim spruce
Noob question: whatโs the best way to get from the airport to Auckland city centre?
plain fog
there's an airport bus - I think the trip is something like $15
unfortunately it'll probably be several years before we have a rail link
naive jackal
You can take a SkyBus to Britomart, which will cost $19
Britomart is the main transport hub in the city centre, closest to the Venue
It's a dedicated bus that's red/white - airport information should be able to direct you to the right part of the airport
If you wanna ride in comfort, an Uber will sting you about $45-$60 for the same trip, depending on surge pricing.
Taxi probably a little more, I think?
If you're staying at a hotel, they might offer transfers.
grim spruce
Thanks guys!
mossy mango
is that in nzd or usd?
lilac kelp
NZD @mossy mango
mossy mango
ty
glossy locust
Good prices
frosty bear
On that note ^ whats the best method of transportation around Auckland?
naive jackal
Uhhh. They're all a shit show, really.
Train is most reliable but has limited range.
Bus has great range, but spotty reliability.
Uber is less expense than taxi, but still costs
Taxi is expensive and you have to find one.
Lime/Wave/Flamingo scooters are easily found in the central cbd only
Walking is fine for cbd, but won't get you to any other suburbs
Renting a car doesn't work if you don't have a license, and parking is hard to find in cbd.
IMHO? Bus is the way to go, but you gotta be prepared for services not on time
If you're going to bus, I would recommend buying a 'Hop card' transport card, $nzd10, and downloading the AT Metro app, it'll help you plan better, and if you top up and use the transport card, it's cheaper than using cash, especially for shorter trips.
(ofc the app is assuming you'll use data/wifi while you're here)
burnt light
I only have 2 free days in NZ so I won't be able to do much anyway
but still hoping to get on the weta tour
naive jackal
Down in wellywood? Coolio
So Hop transport card probs not too useful for you - regular buses should work fine depending on how far you wanna go in Akld
heavy wedge
thanks for all that info @naive jackal
naive jackal
:> it's way easier to plan stuff with local knowledge. Sometimes just googling doesn't quite cut it.
frosty bear
When looking at car rentals has anyone else see these '$9 A day' car rentals? Am I the only one who finds that suspicious?
naive jackal
Don't know, sorry. ยฏ_(ใ)_/ยฏ
burnt light
Thanks!
nimble gust
so hyped
analog swallow
Hey GGG .. Congrats , good luck with Exile-Con , Safe travels to all ๐
timid kestrel
Do we have a date for weta workshop yet? A little more than a month out..
naive jackal
@timid kestrel https://discordapp.com/channels/174993814845521922/555479316939669534/628440298124476416 - message Dan about it, I think.
pearl kernel
raven whale
@pearl kernel you can be there with us in spirit ๐ we'll be streaming the highlights throughout the weekend, including the keynote presentation!
timid kestrel
@prisma galleon when is the weta workshop trip taking place?
ivory glade
I keep forgetting about Exilecon and having to check I haven't missed it
vapid bluff
if you're talking about the event itself (rather than this chat) there's a countdown on the login screen for an event happening at exilecon, which is about the same thing
@ivory glade
prisma galleon
@timid kestrel the Weta workshop guys have let us know that they won't be able to organise anything specific or larger tours for fewer than 20 people. unfortunatley even with everyone in attendance on the same day there wasn't enough so it looks like we should all just head down there when it suits and book a regular tour.
lilac kelp
timid kestrel
@prisma galleon bummer! Thanks for the update!
glossy locust
So we won't get to see Kitava? ๐ญ
mossy mango
thats a bit of a bummer about weta
serene cape
any of the native folks know if there is uber in rotorua? some attractions we're looking into are not that bus friendly, and we want to avoid renting a car ๐
burnt light
I thought you meant uber elder and got really confused
naive jackal
@serene cape Yes! Apparently they're starting on Rotorua this month (October)
So the availability might be a bit butts, but it'll be there
serene cape
^yea I saw those articles too, but I tried it in the app and it seem to suggest no drivers available even within the city center haha
this was at about 7pm in NZ time yesterday
naive jackal
Lol oop.
zenith notch
hey do you guys know if we have to pickup the badges on THE friday, and if we can pickup saturday instead?
grim spruce
This should be an faq.
zenith notch
thanks!
crisp tusk
are any ppl doing a meetup a few days before the event ? ill be arriving in nz on the 13th
lilac kelp
glossy locust
@crisp tusk I'm down, I'll be there from the 4th
wanton coral
@Uburr @glossy locust Me too! I'll be there from the 11th
uneven quartz
Hey Exiles, I'm late to the party but I will be going to ExileCon and will remain in NZ until Nov 22. Anyone interested in going to Hobbiton, Rotorua, Waitomo, Coromandel, Waiheke or any local Auckland sights/venues from Nov 18-22?
prisma sky
There's a major fire in a convention center in Auckland right now, in case anyone wonders that's not the one where ExileCon is, but just ~200m away from it https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/401539/major-fire-breaks-out-in-central-auckland
looks pretty impressive ๐ค https://i.redd.it/ps32q0njkzt31.jpg
naive jackal
It's still burning. 20+ fire appliances, at least one fire chopper...
I've been watching the smoke out the window at work.
plain fog
Still visible from Westgate now the rain has cleared
hallow temple
@crisp tusk @glossy locust @wanton coral ill be there from the 28th. Super down to meet
burnt light
fireeeeeeeeeeeee
hexed pagoda
Im flying in on Friday right before the con but will be in NZ on the north island for like 3 weeks
So if anyone wants to do anything or any locals that want to hang out lmk
wanton coral
I'm flying in to Auckland on the 11th and looking at potentially do the Hobbiton / Glowworm cave combined day-trip, one of these organised bus tours... Any other fellow exile that have similiar plans and would like to team up? Date would be either 13th or 14th of Nov.
heavy wedge
@wanton coral ah I'm already signed up for that bus tour on the 11th, otherwise I'd join you
mossy mango
Is it worth it booking any attractions we want to go while in NZ early or just turn up on the day?
short turtle
It depends. I'd recommend booking for things that you're travelling a decent distance/time for, aren't in a tourist hotspot (e.g. Auckland or Rotorua), and you want to do in a pretty strict time window. I know Hobbiton is something that needs (heavily recommended) to be booked in advance; glowworm tours can be fully booked if you arrive on the day, etc.
sour torrent
heya o/ my bf bought a ticket for me and it just occurred to me that he will get eventual updates in his mailbox on the PoE site regarding exilecon and I don't, sooo... were there any messages with more news or updates? I will ask him to login later and check, but I'm super curious now as I'm planning the trip ^^
especially VIP dinner dates and times?
vapid bluff
They're sent via email so you can have him forward them to you @sour torrent
haughty ginkgo
The waitomo glowworm caves is pretty damn cool. Worth the memory for sure
No clue what your budget or expectations are, but I had a really good experience working with the YHA on my visit. Met good people, clean rooms, friendly support, etc
prisma sky
waitomo + hobitton from auckland sounds like a lot in a single day ๐ค
frank adder
Woot woot! Finally booked everything and am ready to rock and roll. Any suggestions for things fellow exiles will be doing in New Zealand. Coming all the way from Florida.
mossy mango
i know that there is the reddit thread about things to do and possible meet ups you might want to check that out @frank adder
glossy locust
@mossy mango do you have a link for that?
grim spruce
The thread has been stickied. Youโll see it right when u go to Poe reddit.
lilac kelp
how about I pin it here too just in case
Subreddit ExileCon meetup/activity thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/comments/dmirsh/exilecon_prep_and_plans_thread/
subtle jewel
oh yeah, did that go anywhere?
lime dawn
How are people going to the wetashop tours? According to google maps, the wetashop is 8 hours away from Auckland.
plain fog
8 hours' drive would be about right. Unless you're already doing a road trip though, or really enjoy driving, I'd recommend flying to Wellington instead
wild ice
What are some good low to mid budget hotel options relatively close to exilecon?
heavy wedge
^ Honestly, AirBnB
mossy mango
other then hostels airbnb is really the only option. for cheap
wild ice
Yeah, seems that way. Seems like most hotels are about 100+ dollars per night.
plain fog
in central auckland, yeah
there's a place I used to stay occasionally when travelling there for business that was cheap and tidy but they're all booked out on that weekend
subtle jewel
I'm staying at hobston lodge, iirc it's ~50$usd per night, and it's just next to the con center
waxen edge
Sorry - have tried searching for this, but unable to find an answer. Does anyone know the hours we can pick up badges on Friday, 15 Nov?
lilac kelp
@raven whale question above is probably one for you
raven whale
Thanks for the ping! We havenโt released that information just yet Iโm afraid, but should be sending out more details soon ๐ Iโm sorry I canโt provide more information at the moment!
waxen edge
Oh, OK. Was just trying to plan out a day trip around it. Hoping to do a bit of exploring on Friday, but still would like to pick up my badge to avoid the rush on Saturday. ๐
formal pivot
@raven whale Are you able to tell me a little about the format of the VIP dinner? I'm wondering how you guys are going to facilitate mingling with 250 people
grim spruce
I thought more that 250 vip tix were sold lol
formal pivot
Ah yeah it might be more than 250 you're right. Not 100% sure
Still... Seems like a lot of us versus not a lot of them? Unless it's like all 100+ GGG employees?
The party at the end of the con seems like it could be a disaster with over 2000 people. That's a dangerous proposition lol
Especially if they release PoE Immortal
radiant walrus
LUL
As far as we know, the majority of GGG will be there
Or atleast i've heard information along those lines a couple of times from GGG themselves
formal pivot
Okay, that's more than I've heard. All I knew was that it was "developers" and D2 dev special guests
radiant walrus
I won't name drop incase the person i was speaking with was wrong but a GGG dev did tell me that 'most of the staff will be there' as far as he knows
formal pivot
Sweet, sounds good
glossy locust
@subtle jewel yo i'm staying at the same place, when do you arrive
burnt light
I still don't have my visa either
subtle jewel
stressful huh?
burnt light
supposedly 90% of all applicants are processed within 20 days
glossy locust
burnt light
but I only heard back from them after 28 days
subtle jewel
you think it'll be fine?
burnt light
just fiiiiine
glossy locust
You guys gotta be more prepared in the future
burnt light
Knew you were gonna say that
subtle jewel
Do you think we can be for the mtx if that happens? ^^'
burnt light
it's a special case with me
I was in the process of switching to US citizenship, so I was hoping to go with a US passport
long story short, that didn't go as well as planned either, so I had to apply for a visa super late
subtle jewel
I mean
glossy locust
Ah
burnt light
F indeed
glossy locust
F
glossy locust
Ok sweet, let me know if all goes well
subtle jewel
Will do ^^'
Hopefully we have some time before the con where we're not dead inside from the jet lag
bright hemlock
Jetlag ain't too bad if you're used to traveling. Otherwise gl. I know for sure I'll be spending a few hours napping on the afternoon of the 14th, before heading out in the evening ๐
subtle jewel
there's huh
12 hours of jet lag
I don't mind a few hours
but that's just brutal
burnt light
I'm kinda used to that
subtle jewel
but maybe as you said, I need to travel more! XD
bright hemlock
well 12h feels like nothing tbh. the worse is when you have like 6-7h
because it screws things up with not only sleep but also food
burnt light
at least Immigration NZ confirmed that my visa application was taking unusually long
formal pivot
Connections to terrorism tend to do that
glossy locust
@burnt light ๐
subtle jewel
shhhh
burnt light
I was just trying to help the penguins
subtle jewel
they're not squirrels
burnt light
holy hentai
subtle jewel
...
naive jackal
frosty bear
Jetlag tip: If your flight occurs during night hours at your destination sleep on the flight, if not, force yourself to stay awake, this can be rough on especially long flights but its worth it in the end. When you arrive at your destination if it is late say (7pm-4am) go to sleep and get up at a regular time. If it is outside those hours stay awake until the next time sleeping hours roll around (you can go to bed early, like 7pm-ish if you HAVE to) and then make sure to get up at a regular time. The first day/night is usually the worst but if you keep to a normal schedule you end up feeling like you've pulled an all nighter or something and thats all, coffee will take care of that. Also, stay hydrated it will help prevent the headaches and the like that are associated with jetlag.
subtle jewel
to be fair, I can just schedule myself before, it's no problem for me since my sleep schedule is constantly fked anyways
I just happen to have a 12h stop in beijin in the middle of the night in NZT
which is a different problem ><
frosty bear
Thats an option too! But a lot of people have fixed working schedules ๐ฆ
Oh no tho! The Bejing airport is one of my favorites tho!
frosty bear
No risk? Do you have an entry pass to Bejing? They run quick great wall tours in less time than that
burnt light
I don't remember anything special about the beijing airport
subtle jewel
at 1am? XD
frosty bear
burnt light
yeah
frosty bear
There's nothing 'SPECIAL' about it... not like the Singapore airport... its just not like as awful as other airpots to be trapped in, lots of food, lots of power outlets and they give you cots and stuff to sleep on overnight
burnt light
oh yeah
subtle jewel
nice:
frosty bear
Yes connection works too. Layover, connection. same thing.
subtle jewel
!
frosty bear
Bejing is also the only airport I know of that runs those kinds of layover tours right out of the airport. Its great ^.^
I've heard people call them stopovers too but thats not common in my region.
subtle jewel
hi multi ^^
burnt light
gotta get some money out of you while they can
heavy wedge
@frosty bear hmm that's interesting
my flight leaves 8pm my time, and arrives 14h later at 7am NZ time
my plan was to stay awake for maybe 5 hours after my flight leaves (which will 'feel' like 1am) , then sleep normally for 9h and wake up at 7am NZ TIME and continue life
burnt light
something like that for me too
heavy wedge
honestly it seems like there will be very little jetlag at all? you seem much more experienced with that tho, curious what you think
subtle jewel
in beijin too?
frosty bear
@heavy wedge Thats perfect! On a flight like that they'll serve you two meals (usually) so you'll be awake for the 'dinner' they serve and then about 1.5-2 hrs before you land they'll serve you 'breakfast' So count on being woken up for breakfast. In my experience if you're not awake the person sitting next to you usually wakes you for food or the general increase in noise wakes you.
heavy wedge
gotcha
frosty bear
Wait @subtle jewel is your layover at Capital or Daxing?
subtle jewel
cvapital
frosty bear
Ah yeah okay capital is the one I know and like. Daxing is new and I've never been there.
glossy locust
I've got a 23hr layover in Singapore, can't wait to explore the city
lilac kelp
strongly recommend you get to the orchid garden if you can fit it in
burnt light
you can just get out of the airport without a visa?
glossy locust
In Singapore, yes
burnt light
you're american?
glossy locust
No
glossy locust
Yup, 90 days i believe
glossy locust
Yeah, well most layovers are less than a day, so that's alright
burnt light
I was short by 20 it seems like
welp
I'm chinese sooooo
not exactly on the "we like them" list of literally every country that's not china
glossy locust
subtle jewel
F
burnt light
F indeed
Although I guess NZ gets a lot of chinese tourists? For some reason the INZ website has only english and chinese
lilac kelp
given how huge Chinese tourism is here (Sydney), I assume NZ is the same
radiant walrus
We have a large chinese population yeah
A lot of our property market was bought up by chinese investors from overseas, there were some issues because a lot of housing was bought out and then no one was even living there xd
that's my layman understanding atleast
haven't researched much so take it with a grain of salt
burnt light
that sounds believable
hexed pagoda
Having a US passport is nice for sure, got all those visa waiver countries I can go to without a visa
plain fog
NZ has quite a few Chinese immigrants and students, yes
lilac kelp
as an expat Brit, I'm currently wondering whether I'll even bother renewing my British passport when it expires
hallow temple
I arrived in NZ yesterday. After 2 12+ hours flight and a 8hrs layover in Beijing. I spent the layover walking around the airport. It is MASSIVE.
plain fog
welcome and hope the weather holds up for you!
it's been a bit shit over the last two or three weeks, only just started to come right
radiant walrus
Weather is real strange, as usual
It's been like really hot one day, and then the next it's raining super hard and its freezing
hallow temple
So far today has been real nice. I spent the morning walking from parks to parks to read. It's real nice.
naive jackal
@hallow temple Are you staying in the central city somewhere?
hallow temple
Western Springs. Airbnb
radiant walrus
ah yeah, i study in central btw if anyone wants to pm questions in relation to auckland central (the CBD/area around where ExileCon is to be held) that i might be able to answer, feel free
heavy wedge
@radiant walrus I'll be staying in the CBD area. What are your top food spots in the area?
radiant walrus
that question is a difficult one, i am a poor student so my answers may be depressing LOL
naive jackal
Oh man, SushiPac on queen street is the tits,.
Just for a run-in, run out sort of lunchy thing
radiant walrus
the goto treat dinner meal is kbbq
not very exciting hahaha
i could ask some of my friends but honestly google probably knows best in regards to that
hexed pagoda
It seems most people planned their trips to end with exilecon. I hope people will still be around afterwards because I arrive the week of the con but am in NZ for 3 weeks.
plain fog
there's a few on the reddit thread who seem to be staying around afterwards - in my opinion that's probably the better way to do it, as the weather usually gets better toward december
that said, we've had some hopeless decembers in past too
sharp parcel
@hexed pagoda Same deal for me, arriving on the 5th and staying until the end of the month
radiant walrus
Exilecon is down the street from where i study, and it's starting right as i finish my degree
xD
subtle jewel
Sick!
radiant walrus
oh actually i just realized something
my degree is having it's end of year exhibition shortly after exilecon
i believe it will be open to the public
subtle jewel
Which field?
radiant walrus
it's Media Design Schools: Bachelor of Software Engineering, Bachelor of Advertising, Bachelor of uhhh... movie stuff
the software engineering degree (my degree) is centered around game programming, so we'll be showing off our third year production games
My teams game is a bit of a dumpster fire but there are some solid teams that have made some nice stuff
lilac kelp
you should see if you can convince some GGG staff to attend so they can be impressed and hire you
radiant walrus
hahaha
that'll be basically at the same location as exilecon also
its off in the left side of the building that exile con is held
subtle jewel
heh, that's really nice, when is it?
radiant walrus
19th of november afaik
Don't know how set in stone that is
but yeah for people who are sticking around ,thats a thing that is happening if you're interested in seeing what media design school students are up to
subtle jewel
Probably very, that's in less than a month XD
radiant walrus
mm
subtle jewel
I actually m, even from a personnal standpoint I'd be interested in being there
Just got my master in big data, but I'm looking for something else lol
radiant walrus
oh congrats :0
subtle jewel
you too ^^
radiant walrus
it's reasonably possible some GGG peoples might want to attend, i've heard they've hired from Media Design School a reasonable bit
I'll confirm with my lecturers that if it's open to the public tomorrow. Pretty sure i heard that it is though.
lilac kelp
I mean, if you would like to work at GGG it seems like something worth pursuing
radiant walrus
yeah ๐
subtle jewel
I'd like to work for ggg in the near future too ^^'
But I need a bit more self formation in c++, and I'm in france.
i'll see when I believe I have the tech skills.
radiant walrus
Just overestimate yourself and see what happens xD
the confidence might bridge the gap eheh
subtle jewel
No. There's very litle companies that do something I'd be proud of being a part of, and PoE is that kind of game.
If I apply to being a part of this project, I'm fully able to work on it. I still need experience in c++ for this.
The end is the beginning, it must be perfect
radiant walrus
I can respect that
I just wanna sneak my way in so i can grow in their environment
๐ฆ
subtle jewel
Also, gamedesign
I'm don't have a VG formation, I'm self learned in GD and there's plenty to know
radiant walrus
Well there's a lot of reaaaally nice GDC talks on youtube that can teach a lot about that sort of thing
subtle jewel
yeah I watched many, most of them are really nice, and it's always nice to listen to them ^^
radiant walrus
The game art and game programming degrees at Media Design School teach a reasonable bit about game design but I think it's really something you have to either learn through experience or through research in your own time
there's just so much to know..
lilac kelp
it's further complicated if you want to work on an established game. I've had multiple GGGs complain to me about potential hires coming in wanting to do what matches their vision for the game, instead of what matches Chris and Jonathan's vision for the game, and that causing all sorts of problems
radiant walrus
eeesh, yeah i can imagine that being a common thing
subtle jewel
viperesque, are you talking about GD or technical architectural design?
lilac kelp
game design
subtle jewel
oh ok, I was confused sincde I heard exactly the opposite on the architectural side of things ^^
Yeah, working in a team on art is complex indeed :p
radiant walrus
i'm working with art students, i wonder if this is worse or better than with professional artists
๐
radiant walrus
i've had some really great conversations when i listen to my artists trying to explain things to each other, or better yet to us programmers
i remember one of them trying to explain to the other what the shape of a deer model's antlers should be, it was something along the lines of:
"they should look like, strong but graceful, they should look like they can hold up the world"
plain fog
yeah that sounds about right
radiant walrus
i cracked up laughing really hard
plain fog
a little colourful exaggeration is a useful technique for communicating a visual concept
radiant walrus
it sure made us think atleast
subtle jewel
I'm starting to think I should have the required skills to draw concept art...
Doesn't need to look pretty, but I find it really difficult to convey needs from devs and/or designers to artists
I'm shit at drawing, can't even mock good looking UIs on paper
radiant walrus
that sounds like a good idea
plain fog
some technical drawing is useful but it's not required I think
radiant walrus
me and the other programmers frequently get around the whiteboard to draw horrid renditions of our ideas for the artists
plain fog
unless you're working in an art discipline
subtle jewel
I mean, there's an artist that helped us in the past (for a random independant project) and she had the same vision as us for the final product, so communication was implicit, and the result was perfect
but I'm guessing this is a rare thing
Aren't Video games an art discipline?
radiant walrus
making sure everyone has the same vision is really helpful and important
plain fog
yeah there's different sides of it though
subtle jewel
Well to me there's only 2, change my mind ^^
plain fog
the people who work on gameplay code for example will not need to do much drawing
radiant walrus
it depends on the size of your team
if you're working in a small team and you're all weighing in on game design
plain fog
yeah, that's true
radiant walrus
its important
if you're a junior gameplay dev at GGG
doesnt matter at all xD
afaik
subtle jewel
Well huh
The point of being part of a teamp is to be part of the team
It's not about taking the descisions, but the opinion of everyone should be heard before imo, even if it's irrelevent
radiant walrus
unfortunately a lot of places don't work like that ๐ฆ
plain fog
oh sure, absolutely - but I think most of that is verbal communication
radiant walrus
if we're talking big game companies atleast
i think the smaller the company the more relevant that is
i don't have experience to back that up though, that's just my assumption
could be completely wrong
plain fog
would have to ask someone who's worked at multiple studios in different places
radiant walrus
yeh
radiant walrus
cya ๐
plain fog
๐
subtle jewel
And huh, I'd be interested in being there the 19th, could you please confirm the date? not that I have anything planned anyways, but just to be sure :p
radiant walrus
yeah for sure
subtle jewel
(is date the correct word?)
subtle jewel
You might as well post in the meeting group discord
radiant walrus
kk ill have a look into that too
humble saddleBOT
Please don't post discord invites