From: cwatters@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Coyt D Watters)
Subject: Gencon Guide
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.misc
Reply-To: qqxxqq@mixcom.mixcom.com
Organization: The Ohio State University
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 19:17:16 GMT

[Note: 	I requested this for a couple of my players who are
	getting to  go to GenCon.  I (sigh) cannot.  But I
	think there's enough interest to post it.]


WARNING!    LONG LONG LONG File ahead.


From: John Setzer <qqxxqq@mixcom.mixcom.com>

John Setzer's Semi-Complete Guide to GEN CON
by John Setzer 
Internet:      john.setzer@mixcom.COM
U.S. Mail:     648 Hollybrook Lane
          Saukville, WI 53080

Introduction

This Guide was written for the benefit of people attending GEN CON
Game Fair.  Many names (such as GEN CON, for instance) are
trademarks of various companies.  The mention or use of these is
not a challenge to these companies' rights.  On the contrary, this
guide is meant to be purely informational so that patrons of GEN
CON will be able to better enjoy themselves.

Oh, and yes, I realize that this year it is "GEN CON/Origins"
instead of just "GEN CON."  This guide was originally written about
GEN CON, though, and so that is how I will refer to the convention. 
I expect that things will generally be the same at this
year's convention as they have been every other recent year.  The
biggest difference will be that the convention is larger and will
have a larger miniature/wargaming showing.  Also, it should be
noted that this is the 25th GEN CON, and there may well be some
"special" things going on to celebrate. (At least, I hope so!)

Now that that's out of the way...

Let me introduce myself.  I am a college student at Concordia
University Wisconsin majoring in English education.  I have been
a gamer for eleven years and have been attending GEN CON for seven
years (this is my eighth).  I am familiar with the Milwaukee
area, especially the downtown and North Shore areas (North Shore
is the north-east side of Milwaukee and the communities near
there).  I even took  special "research" trips downtown to verify
the locations of the places I will describe.

I am not perfect, however.  I may have misplaced something during
the making of the computer version of my downtown map.  Also, I
have put in this Guide what I thought were the most important and
interesting things to gamers.  If you find a mistake, a neat place
not mentioned here, or have ANYTHING to say about this guide please
TELL ME!  I will take suggestions into consideration for next
year's guide.  Also, some of the places listed (restaurants
especially) don't have much of a description because I have never
been there.  If you try a place, please let me know how it was;
perhaps I will put your comments in the Guide for next year (with
appropriate credit given to you, of course).  My addresses and
phone number are above.  Thanks.  And now...on with it!

Getting to GEN CON

Getting to GEN CON is fairly easy.  If you are flying, cabs will
take you from General Mitchell International Airport to your hotel
for reasonable rates (about $15 to downtown hotels, $17 to
UWM-Sandburg Hall).  There are also "limousine" services that can
take you to most metro-area hotels.  Note that these "limousines"
are small buses and vans, not long black Cadillacs :-).  AAA
Limousine Service (414-272-1955) and Limousine Service
(414-769-9100) both cost $6.50 to go to any metro hotel.  AAA
Limousine Service is round trip, so when the convention is over you
can pay another $6.50 to get back to the airport.  Both services
pick people up outside the baggage claim areas; they leave about
20 minutes after and ten minutes to the hour, respectively, between
8 AM and 10 PM.  Note that you can either walk-on at the time of
departure or make reservations with AAA (I don't think you can get
reservation with Limousine Service).  If you have any questions or
special needs concerning ground transportation in Milwaukee and the
surrounding areas, go to the Greater Milwaukee Convention &
Visitor's Bureau Traveler's Aid booth near the baggage claim area
(8 AM to 9 PM 7 days a week).  If you are staying at a hotel that
is not in the downtown area, you may be able to take the bus to
your hotel to MECCA and back (much cheaper than cabs)--your hotel
should have information for you.

For those of us who are driving, here's how to get to MECCA:  

>From Chicago, drive into Wisconsin on I-94.  Follow I-94 into
downtown Milwaukee, looking for the I-43 north signs that take you
to Green Bay (says Green Bay on the signs).  BE IN THE RIGHT LANE
at this point.  Take the I-43 lane/exit and continue on I-
3 or a very short time.  The exit to MECCA is the Kilbourn
Ave.-Civic Center exit; it is another RIGHT turn, so make sure you
are in the right lane as you get onto I-43.  You'll be entering a
tunnel (part of the Courthouse Annex, so named because it runs
right below the Milwaukee County Courthouse) and once you exit the
tunnel, you'll be at a stop-light intersection at 6th and Kilbourn. 
The tunnel from northbound I-43 is shown on the accompanying map.

>From Minneapolis,  take I-90/I-94 to Madison.  From LaCrosse, take
I-90 to Madison.  Once in Madison (capitol city of Wisconsin and
home of the University of Wisconsin's main campus; called the
Madzone by some college students), take I-94 to Milwaukee. 
There is quite a bit of construction on this road, with miles and
miles of one-lane traffic.  Be prepared for possible delays.  Once
you get near Milwaukee, it's time to be on the lookout for some
signs.  First, you will see the road split into I-894 (Chicago
Airport), Hwy. 45 (North Fond Du Lac/Green Bay) and I-94 (Downtown
Milwaukee).  You want I-94 DOWNTOWN MILWAUKEE, chummer.  You'll
pass some of Milwaukee's famous spots: Milwaukee County Stadium on
the right, which is home of the MLB Brewers who, BTW, are not doing
too badly; Miller Brewery on your left, which is what you'd expect
from the brew Town; and Marquette University, also on your left. 
While you're enjoying these sights (ha!), keep on the lookout for
a sign that says I-794.  YOU WANT TO GET ON I-794, which pretty
much goes straight ahead as opposed to I-94 going right and I-43
going left.  CONTINUE ON I-794 EAST and exit on Plankinton Ave. 
Go north to Kilbourn Ave; MECCA is a block left.  See map:
Plankinton is on the right side of the map.

>From Dubuque, Iowa, drive east into Wisconsin on Highway 11.  I
have not personally driven this route at all, but my parents have
because my younger brother will be going to the University of
Dubuque next year.  They say it's a pretty quick ride but very
 fat and boring (unless you're into farms).  Anyhow, you drive to
Janesville.  Once in Janesville, you have a choice to make.  Either
you can stay on Highway 11 east and follow it to I-94, then follow
the Chicago directions, or you can get on I-43 toward Milwaukee. 
If you take the second option (I-43), you should look for I-894. 
Proceed south on I-894 until you see the I-94 (Downtown Milwaukee)
exit.  Once you get on I-94 into downtown Milwaukee, follow the
directions for the Chicago drivers.  The Highway 1 option is
simpler, but the I-43 option may be faster as you travel longer on
the interstate.

Finally, if you're coming from Green Bay/ north of Milwaukee (like
me), take I-43 south into Milwaukee.  When you pass the Saukville
exit (about 30 minutes north of GEN CON) honk your horn or flash
your lights or something; this is where I live :-).  Once
 you get past that, note that there is some major construction
going on at Silver Spring Road (in Milwaukee), so there will be
delays at most times of the day, starting at around Good Hope Road
(sometimes even at Brown Deer Road and even before Milwaukee 
he it's really bad!).  You should add at least 15 minutes to your
travel plans unless you are coming at really slow times (late
night/early morning or around noon on weekdays) where traffic is
light and there will be almost no delays.  Avoid rush hour at all
costs (around 8-10 Am and 4-6 PM) because the delays can get to be
intolerable at these times.  Once you get past the construction
area, look for signs showing the 4th St. exit.  Take the 4th St.
exit (also says Highway 145).  THIS EXIT IS LEFT, so be in the left
lane.  YOU WANT TO GET ON 4th St., which requires that you stay
left initially and then get in the right lane at the bottom of the
off-ramp.  You can proceed south (straight ahead) on 4th St. for
3 blocks to get to Kilbourn Ave.  MECCA is on your right.

What to Bring to GEN CON

Obviously, you should bring any pre-registration/judge materials
you received in the mail from GEN CON HQ.  Money, a check book, and
credit cards are also necessities.  Changes of clothes will be
needed if you're an out-of-towner.  If you're staying at a
hotel, a swimsuit should be considered; a late night swim after a
long day of gaming/before a long night of gaming can be a
life-saver.  Bring a briefcase, backpack, dufflebag, or something
like that for carrying your "stuff" around during the con. 
Rulebooks and copies of the games you will be playing are not only
a good idea, they are a must for some events (like the BATTLETECH
Open).  Along with the games, bring pencils, pens, dice, paper, and
other game-related items.  Some other useful items to consider are
scissors, adhesive tape, and a calculator.  You'll need a watch to
keep track of time (where you are now, where you need to be in five
minutes, where you should be tonight).  Tape recorders and cameras
are becoming popular at the con; you can photograph miniatures and
tape discussions with your favorite game designers (of course, ask
for permission).  Last but not least, munchies to hold you over
during long gaming sessions can make or break you (even though you
aren't supposed to bring food in, I think it'll be okay if you
bring in a candy bar or somesuch).

Budgeting for GEN CON

It would be impossible for me to list all the possibilities of
travel and their costs from various parts of the country (and the
world).  Thus, I will just say that when you are figuring travel
costs (or any costs for that matter) err on the side of figuring
it will cost more.  If you figure travel expenses will be 250 bucks
and it turns out to be only 225, you have 25 dollars more than you
thought you would have.  If you figured it would only cost 210
bucks, you'd be in trouble.

The cheapest place to stay is Sandburg Hall at UWM.  It's about 20
bucks for one person, plus about $5 more for 24 hour parking, per
day.  That comes out to about $25/day and if you come on Wednesday
(which you should) that is 5 days, or $125 for lodging
 If you have no car, then it will only be $100, but it's about $5
for a cab ride to and from MECCA.  That means that to stay at
Sandburg and cab it costs roughly $40 just for the cab (2 trips/day
@ $4/trip for 5 days), making it a total of $140 for lodging/
travel to MECCA for the whole con.  Note that these estimates are
a bit on the high side for the reasons stated above.  The costs go
down considerably if you have 2, 3, or 4 people total in the room
at Sandburg; 2 people is $26/night, 3 is $44/night, and 4 s
$55/night.  So if you have three friends coming with you and all
four of you are staying at Sandburg in a room ("suite," actually),
the total cost is $270 for the room and $40 for the cab for 5 days,
making the total for all of you $310; however, divide that by four
and you get only $77.50 per person.  That's not bad at all for five
days.

The next best place is the Hotel Wisconsin; $52/one person but only
$56 for four, and it's right downtown so you can just walk a few
blocks to MECCA.  For 4 people it would only be $14/person!  A
GREAT deal, no matter what the conditions are like (hey, the
Wisconsin is not fancy but it's a room).  There are other places
to stay downtown; they are quite a bit more expensive.  You should
really use the form in the GEN CON Pre-registration Brochure to get
the prices listed above--they are "special GEN CON price."  BTW,
the phone number for Sandburg Hall is (414) 229-4068 and the one
for Hotel Wisconsin is (414) 271-4900.  I don't know if these
places have rooms still available, but it gives you and idea about
what to do for next year.  If you don't yet have a place to stay
and you are driving I can tell you this: there is a Super-8 motel
where I live (Saukville, 30 minutes north of Milwaukee).  If you're
driving a long way, an extra 20-30 minutes should not be a big
deal, and if you haven't gotten housing by now.

..At any rate, their number is (414) 284-9399.  While it is 35
miles from MECCA, it is VERY easy to get to: just go north on I-43
until you get to the Port Washington-Saukville exit.  Take a left
at the bottom of the off-ramp, then take the first left past he
interstate.  It is right on the left side of the road.  You can't
miss it.  Let me know if anyone ends up using this last (sort of
desperate) option, as I live right in this town.

After travel and lodging expenses, figure $15/day for food if you
eat at the various fast food places around MECCA.  The concessions
at MECCA are expensive, not too great, but convenient; however,
avoid them if you are on a tight budget.  I know carry-ins are not
really allowed, and may be confiscated, but it would be much
cheaper to bring your own, maybe even leave it in the car/hotel
room and go outside and eat there (or in the hotel room).  This may
take away some of your time, though.

The last part of your budgeting process is the hardest to figure:
gaming.  Sure, you know how much registration will be: $40 for all
four days, $10 for a one day pass, or $5 for an observer badge.
(The Observer Badge doesn't let you play in most of the games or
buy an auction card.)  Beyond registration costs, there is The
Great Hall to consider...gamer's paradise!  Almost every company
with their entire product line is there, and then there's the
auction and auction store where you can find some really good
deals...just remember to set yourself a limit and _try_ not to go
over it (I always end up spending more than I should...sigh).

GEN CON Policies

There are some things you should be aware of about this year's GEN
CON.  Most of you probably know these rules, but for the benefit
of those who are new to this I'll just say a few words here.

The badge you get when you register must be worn at all times.

When you come to pick up your materials or register, have some form
of I.D. with you.  It should be a photo-I.D., like driver's license
or student I.D. card.

If you lose or forget your badge and/or registration tickets, you
will have to go to the registration booth to re-register, costing
you the normal rates of ($40 for four-day player's badge, for
instance).  You can be reimbursed if you find the original
materials during the con by taking them to the Information Booth
- Lost & Found.  If you left them at home, you can mail GEN CON HQ
your original materials AND a copy of the new, replacement
registration materials that you purchased on site, before September
30, 1992 to get reimbursed.

There has not been much said about early check-in this year; the
Pre-reg booklet only says that there will be early check-in
starting at noon on Wednesday, August 19.  The following text is
from last year's edition of this GEN CON Guide; I can only assume
t at early check-in will be run pretty much the same way as in
other years:

Early pre-registration, judge check-in, and on-site registration
will be held on Wednesday, August 19, from noon to 6 PM.  This
year, note that the location has changed: it will be held in the
MAIN LOBBY OF THE CONVENTION HALL, not Bruce Hall as in previous
years.  (NOTE: This year, for GEN CON/Origins 1992, it could be
held at either place...just look for the lines around MECCA.)  If
you pre-registered, you can pick up any materials that you did not
already get in the mail, plus a badge, badge holder and
the (drum-roll) Most Revered and Cherished Official On-Site
Program.  If you are a judge, you'll also get all the stuff you
need to judge (like scenarios) as well.  If you did not
pre-register and are not a judge, COME TO THIS EARLY CHECK-IN
ANYWAY.  The reason is because you can register for the con here,
getting your badge, program, etc., now instead of standing in the
massive registration line tomorrow.  You can also buy generic
tickets, which will allow you to just look around for a game and
play if there are openings.  You can't get actual event tickets
(specific to an event), but at least you'll be registered.  MAKE
SURE THAT IF YOU PRE-REGISTERED OR ARE A JUDGE THAT YOU BRING all
the MATERIALS YOU RECEIVED THROUGH THE MAIL WITH YOU, as well as
I.D.

Downtown Map Key

On the map that comes with this bundle of info I have located
several areas of interest to gamers.  Most have to do with food,
as this is one of the most important things not only to gamers but
to everybody :-)  Note that the key to symbols is on the bottom
right side of the map and the compass is on the top right.  The
top of the map is north.

I thought that a map showing greater detail in a small-block radius
of MECCA would be more desirable than a map showing a larger area
in lesser detail.  Perhaps next year I'll add another map or two
detailing other areas (like east of the Milwaukee River
. Let me know what you think.

I may have missed a couple of things (like there's a Dominos Pizza
shop downtown somewhere, near 8th and Wisconsin I think).  Let me
know if you find a place during your GEN CON stay that I should
have on the map but don't.  Also, I am pretty positive the map is
correct as far as locations and such are concerned, but I may have
made an error during the map making/keying process.  If you find
one, let me know about that, too.  Note that there are more one-way
streets and sections of streets than I have
 s
own as well; sorry bout that, but even I have a difficult time
recalling all the idiosyncrasies of downtown Milwaukee traffic
(What?  that's not good enough?  You want to know it all for next
year?  Sigh...).  Just remember, don't panic if you run into a
one-way.  You can always go another block or two, make two right
turns and be okay.  Jus
 use the map and you should be all right.

1    MacArthur Square Parking Entrance  Parking is in an
underground complex.  Very safe and convenient--right below
MacArthur Square, a nice park.  Price a very reasonable $4.25 all
day.

2    Major Goolsby's     A very popular downtown spot.  Sports bar
that is a major hangout for both fans and players of pro teams that
play in the Arena and Bradley Center (home of NBA Milwaukee Bucks). 
Known for it's sandwiches and "the Pig"...a stuffed pig wearing a
Philadelphia 76ers basketball jersey in honor of Charles Barkley
(they hate him here).

3    Calderone Club A restaurant/pub.

4    Toy's Chinese  I'm not much for Chinese, but this place gets
good reviews from people who like Oriental dishes.

5    George Webb's  Chain restaurant that is popular among many
Milwaukeans.  "Fast service, not fast food" is their motto.  Kind
of like a diner...American food (burgers, etc.).  They make the
food after you order, but it can be a bit on the greasy side. 
Prices reasonable, dine in or take out (phone number is 278-0255).

6    Radio Doctors  A very complete music store.  Wide selection,
prices are okay.

7    TYME machine   One of those Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs)
where you can get cash from various types of bank accounts.  Takes
all kinds of cards (TYME is the local one, but I believe Cirrus,
etc. are accepted).

8    Olympic Cafe   A cafe (gee, really :-)  I have not eaten here
so you'll have to go on your own.

9    Federal Plaza Parking Entrance     One of my favorite places
to park, for many reasons: it is VERY convenient, being connected
via skywalks to the Grand Avenue mall and the Hyatt Regency,
through which you can get to MECCA (all air conditioned, which
helps on hot days, and of course it's great when it's raining
because your covered); it is indoors and thus generally safer for
your car; and the price is not bad ($6 all day which is worth it
for convenience, and they often have special rates for special
events -I parked there two years ago for $3 a day!).  See Skywalk
Notes.

10   Federal Express     In case you need to send out a package or
get money wired to you, it's good to know that a Federal Express
is near :-).

11   TYME machine   Another ATM, see entry for 7 above.

12   McDonald's     "Over 50 billion served."  The classic fast
food restaurant.  Value menus help your dollar go farther, with 59
cent hamburgers.  

13   Taco Bell "Make a run for the border."  National Mexican food
chain.  I have a friend who refers to this place as "Taco Hell" due
to a bad experience... 

14   Burger King    The "other" major fast food restaurant.  You
MUST'VE eaten at one of these, chummer.

15   Walgreen's     Drug store for all those incidental needs that
come up, not to mention medicine.  I believe it's open 24 hours,
but I'm not positive (most Walgreen's are).

16   The Butlers Pizzeria     If you need pizza, eat here.

17   Marc's Big Boy A nice restaurant offering both sit down and
takeout orders (273-5555 is the ordering number for the takeout). 
A wide variety of foods can be had at reasonable prices.

18   Wendy's   Another national burger-chain, personally my least
favorite (but that's just me--I know lots of people who love the
place).  Several items are on their 99 cent value menu.

19   Pill & Puff    A drugstore-type place, similar to Walgreens
(see 15).  Doubt that they are open very late.

20   A&W  I HIGHLY recommend this place.  One of the best things
you can get on a hot day is a root beer float and A&W practically
invented them!  The food is good, cooked to order.  A laid-back
atmosphere.  Diner-style.  The biggest plus, though, is that the
owners/operators are Greek immigrants (I believe this to be the
case, due to HEAVY accents and several photographs of Greece around
the place).  The person who actually cooks is the husband of the
husband-wife team; he actually spoke very little English last I saw
him (a year ago) takes the orders and serves the food; she is VERY
friendly and kind as all get-out.  Prices are very reasonable.  My
friends and I always let the woman "keep the change" at the
counter--we just love the place.

21   Dunkin' Donuts Donut shop.  Very good selection, prices are
fairly low.  Get the ultimate junk breakfast here, con-goers!  (I
will, I'm sure, at some point)

22   Badger Bus Terminal A Wisconsin bus station.  Busses to and
from Madison run several times a day; if you are coming on one of
these from Madison here is where you'll be let off (college
students from the big one, the U of Wisconsin, use these often).

23   Greyhound Bus Terminal   If you are coming by Greyhound bus,
here is where you will be let off.

24   China House    A restaraunt with a fine reputation for
Oriental food.  Under new management.

25   Doug's Cool Subs    Used to be located near UWM, but moved to
this downtown location to cash in on the lucrative lunchtime crowds
downtown.  Has been voted to have Milwaukee's Finest Subs by
Milwaukee Magazine.  I'll stop here once or twice during the 'Con
for sure.

Other sites on the map:

Milwaukee Area Technical College: local tech school.  Note that 7th
St. is blocked off so that you must go around MATC to get to one
side or the other of 7th St., mainly important because MacArthur
Square and the parking below is accessed from 7th St.  N
t also that 7th St. is above 6th St. and the others that run east;
tunnels run below  7th St. to and from I-43 (although the tunnel
to I-43 is closed; see CON ).

MacArthur Square: a really nice park above the tunnels that run to
and from I-43 (tunnels BTW are called the Courthouse Annex).  Good
spot to eat lunch on a nice day if you have time.  Milwaukee Police
HQ and the Milwaukee County Courthouse provide a nice background. 
Milwaukee Public Museum is also nearby.  Staircases lead down to
the parking area below ground.

Skywalk Notes:  A skywalk connect MECCA to the Hyatt Regency hotel,
which then connects to Federal Plaza, which in turn connects to the
Grand Avenue Mall.  It is totally enclosed and thus
air-conditioned.  Signs let you know when you are entering a build
n.  The skywalk is ate the 2nd floor level of all the buildings. 
In Federal Plaza, on the north end (where the skywalk to the Hyatt
connects), there are doors to the Federal Plaza parking area (see
9).  An elevator will take you up or down in the parking structure,
as will some stairs.  The skywalk level is termed the "Mezzanine
Level" in Federal Plaza elevators and stair wells.  Note that if
you are going to the Grand Avenue, you have to go through Boston
Store for a bit to access the mall (Boston Store is  department
store), so remember that you have to go back through Boston Store
to get back to the skywalk to MECCA.

The Grand Avenue Mall: stores, restaurants, and pushcarts even! 
Parking in the Grand Avenue parking areas (part of the mall) CAN
be free with purchase receipts from the Grand Ave.  It costs $6 for
four or more hours without any receipts, but only $4.50 
if you have receipts totalling $5.  If you have $15 in receipts,
parking is free.  Note that these rates are for weekdays only; on
weekends and holidays there is a flat charge of only $1 per car.

In case you're wondering just what the Grand Avenue has to offer,
here is a partial list or stores/restaurants/services:

Harry W. Schwartz, R.A. Lang. and Waldenbooks               
Bookstores

Kay Bee Toy Hobby                            Toy store

Musicland, Tape World                             Music stores

Software, Etc.                               Computers, software

Radio Shack                                  Electronics

Federal Express                                   Shipping

First Bank Milwaukee, Garanty Savings                  Banks

Walgreens                               Drug store

Marc's Big Boy, Apricot Annie's, The Bridge, Vie De France, Buddy
Squirrel, The Carmalcrisp Shop, The Chocolate Factory (an
eatery--good subs!), Deliciously Different, Desi's Frozen Custard,
Door County Confect-ionary, Mrs. Field's Cookies, the Original 
okie Co., Quality Candy                                Food &
Restaurants

The SPEISGARTEN--a food court of sorts.  Get yourchow at any one
(or more) of the places here and meet your friends in the middle
at a table.  Located on the only real "third floor" of the Grand
Ave.  Escalators and an elevator take you up there on the west
ed of the mall,near Boston Store (and the skywalk to MECCA--how
very convenient :-).  The Speisgarten offers food from the
following places: Arby's, Boardwalk Fires, Chick-adilly Circus, Chi
Chi's, the Works, Mingo's, Grecian Garden, Haagen Dazs, Hot Sam,
Mike Houlihan's, Jerry's Sub Shop, 1 Potato 2, Orange Julius (great
fruitdrinks!), Rocky Rococo Pan Style Pizza, Saz's, The Turkey
Club, Wong's Wok, and Koepsell's Popcorn Wagon.

There are MANY more stores in the Grand Ave., but I am not about
to type them all in! (unless you ask me nicely, of course :-). 
Most of the eating places are covered, however.

Other points of Interest Not Shown On Map

The Safe House: there is no listing in the Yellow Pages for this
place, but since it has a spy motif, that sounds about right.  The
address is 779 N. Front St. (414-271-2007), so I'll give specific
directions to get there from MECCA.  First, get on Wells
S., which is the street on the south side of MECCA Convention
Center (behind-opposite side of the main entrance).  Then head
east, towards the Milwaukee River.  On the map included with this,
you will see that you will pass Plankinton Ave just before you
get to a bridge going over the river; you are still on Wells St.
at this point.  Cross the bridge; the first street that you come
to on your right should be Front St.  Front St. is very short--only
one block.  The Safe House is right here, but it looks like a
office.  There is a sign that says "International Imports/Exports"
at the entrance.  Go in and say the password to the guy who is
there (I don't know what it is--just ask for the Safe House and
you'll be fine).  Note that Front St. comes BEFORE Water St., so
if you see Water St. you've gone one block too far.  The Safe House
is, as I said before, spy motif.  There's like four bars and a
bunch of sit-down areas.  The place is a maze.  Lots of espionage
stuff on the walls.  You have to find the way out; one I believe
is a telephone booth.

The Coffee Trader & The Downer Street Cafe: I'll just give
directions to these two places as they are right around UWM, where
I used to go to school.  From MECCA, get on Wisconsin Avenue and
head east, over the river and right towards Lake Michigan.  Turn
left at the end of Wisconsin; you should now be on Lake Shore
Drive, heading north.  Drive 2-3 miles north until you get to the
intersection of Capital Drive.  Turn left on Capital (west).  Very
soon you will intersect Downer Street; turn left (south) on
Downer.  You'll pass my old school, UWM; when you do, look for The
Coffee Trader on your right.  The Chancery is a nice place, and
it's also on your right.  A block past the Trader is the Downer
Street Cafe, again on your right.

Napolean's:  my favorite place during the school year!  A great
games store.  The owner (Fritz) and his son (Franz) are really
nice, calling you by name and joking around with you.  All of the
workers here are great, love to talk, and know their stuff (about
gaming, of course).  To get here, get to Capital Drive (as per The
Coffee Trader instructions, above), but do not turn on Downer. 
Instead, go a few blocks farther to Maryland Avenue (stop lights)
and turn left.  Napolean's is RIGHT THERE on your left with the
red, white, and blue awning.  You can park immediately on the right
side of the street where parking is marked; if those few spots are
full, you'll have to go down to the end of the block, turn around
in the driveway on the right of the first street to your right, and
go down the other side of Maryland (you can only park on the side
of the street Napolean's is on for most of Maryland, thus the
slight hassle).

Media in Milwaukee

If you really become bored or are driving to GEN CON, you'll
probably want to listen to the radio.  Listed below are the various
radio stations in the Milwaukee area.  The descriptions of the
stations' programming is taken from the Milwaukee Sentinel,
Milwaukee's morning newspaper (the Journal is the evening paper).

AM- I don't listen to AM much except for sports broadcasts
(Brewers/Packers AM 620 WTMJ), but here they are.

540       WYLO      Inspirational-ethnic
620       WTMJ      Talk-middle of the road
860       WNOV      Soul-jazz
920       WOKY      Nostalgia
1130      WISN      Talk
1250      WEMP      `Oldies
1290      WMVP      Rhythm & blues
1340      WLZR      Album rock
1370      WKSH      Contemporary Christian
1460      WKKV      Adult Contemporary
1470      WBKV      Talk
1510      WAUK      Country/specialty
1540      WTKM      Polka/country
1560      WGLB      Mass appeal/pop

FM-what I usually listen to.  I like all kinds of music and am thus
familiar with most of these stations.  ones with an asterisk (*)
are the strongest signals.

88.9      WYMS      Jazz-educational
89.7      WUWM Informational       
90.7      WHAD      Fine-music-news-culture
91.7      WMSE      Alternative rock
92.1      WHKQ      Easy listening
92.5      WBWI      Country
93.3*          WQFM      Album rock          "The New QFM"
94.5*          WKTI      Contemporary hits   The most popular
station in Mil.
95.7*          WZTR      Oldies              "Star 95"
96.5*          WKLH      Classic rock        "Largest on-air music
library"
97.3*          WLTQ      Light favorites          "Light 97"
98.3      WFMR      Classical
99.1*          WMYX      Adult contemporary  "Mix 99 FM"
100.1          WGLB      Mass appeal/pop
100.7          WKKV      Adult contemporary  
102.1*         WLUM      Adult contemporary  "Hot 102", a lot of
dance
102.9*         WLZR      Album rock          "Lazer 103"
103.7          WEZW      Light music         "EZ 104"; VERY light
104.9          WTKM      Polka/country
106.1*         WMIL      Country favorites
107.7          WVCY      Christian-inspirational

Television:  In case you have time (and you shouldn't!), the
stations are:

4         WTMJ           NBC
6         WITI           CBS
10        WMVS           PBS
12        WISN           ABC
18        WVTV           independent
24        WCGV           FOX
30        WVCY           independant
36        WMVT           PBS
43        WAV            independent
46        W46AR               independent
49        WJJA           independent
58        WDJT           independent
65        W65BT               independent

One of the things that some people asked for last year was more
information on the actual events at GEN CON.  To this end, this
last and entirely new section of the GEN CON Guide will be just a
few comments on some of the best recurring events the con ha
 o offer.

The biggest attraction has to be the dealer's room: "The Great
Exhibit Hall," as it is called.  The Great Hall has over 60,000
square feet and it is all devoted to gaming.  Many game companies
save their major releases for GEN CON, and the largest companies
set up elaborate promotions for their games.  Extravagant
miniatures layouts, free demonstration gaming sessions, and special
discounts often accompany major new releases.

While you can pick up the latest releases in the Great Hall, it is
at the Auction and Auction Store where you can pick up some
timeless classics.  In order to bid on items in the auction, an
auction card must be purchased for $1.  The Auction Store is an
area where you can go in and browse through items and purchase them
for "minimum bid."  I bought a brand-new copy of Adeptus Titanicus
in the Auction Store two years ago for twenty dollars!  Visit these
areas often because the merchandise changes as time 
one
 on.

The Art Show is also one of the Con's most popular features. 
Incredible works of art by some of the best contemporary artists
are on display for all to see.  Artists who have done work for TSR
tend to have the most paintings on display, so if you like the work
of Larry Elmore, Keith Parkinson, and Clyde Caldwell, you will
thoroughly enjoy the Art Show.  Before being allowed into the art
show, be advised that all bags must be left at the entrance and
also that cameras are not allowed.  You can bid on many
of
the works, but some of it is VERY high priced, as such quality art
should be.  An origin
al pen-and-ink drawing may cost only (?) thirty dollars, but an
original Elmore will cost thousands!  While most of us can't afford
to place bids on the art, we can buy prints in the Print Shop, many
of them limited editions.  The Art Show will be open from 10 a.m.
to 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and from 10 a.m. to Noon on
Sunday.  

Along the line of art, there are the wonderfully painted miniatures
to consider.  The Miniatures Painting Competition draws the best
painters each year and the figures and dioramas are simply awesome. 
There are several categories to compete in, including: Historical
Units; Historical Single Figure; Historical Diorama; Fantasy Units;
Fantasy Single Figure; Fantasy Diorama; Science Fiction/Super Hero
Units; Science Fiction/Super Hero Single Figure; Science
Fiction/Super Hero Diorama; Masters--Fantasy/Science Fiction Units,
Figures, and Dioramas; Masters--Military Units, Figures, and
Dioramas (Masters events are for past winners and professional
painters and sculptors); and Novice-Single Figure and Dioramas (for
those who are 14 years old and under).  Entering apiece will cost
you $1 per entry.  Note that fantastically painted miniatures are
not found only in the Miniatures Competition.  Game companies often
have figures on display for use in promoting various games: TSR had
wonderful Spelljammer ships and figures last year and FASA had a
great Shadowrun/DMZ setup, just to name a few.  Miniature companies
like Ral Partha have some great painted miniatures.  (Ral Partha
was very accommodating when they saw my brother and I taking
pictures of their miniatures, they insisted on taking them out of
the glass case and arranging them on a satin background they found
lying around...that was just super-nice of them!)  The Painters'
Guild does some nice work as well, and you can buy their painted
figures at fairly reasonable prices.

On the subject of miniatures, I have found that it can be fun just
to go around the gaming halls and watch.  The largest miniatures
battle by far was a re-creation of the Siege of Gondor from
Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.  Run by the Historical Miniatures
Gaming Society (HGMS), this grand spectacle included thousands of
miniatures and a huge representation of the seven rings of Gondor;
they even re-created the morning fog with dry ice!  Over 300 gamers
participated in the event last year (not at once, of course...it
is an ongoing game than runs throughout most of the 'Con, with
people jumping in 
an out all the time.  Generic tickets come in handy here.  This
year, the event promises to be even better.

That's it for now.  Send me your comments and suggestions so that
next year the Guide will be better!  My address again:

     john.setzer@mixcom.COM        (email)

     John Setzer              (U.S. mail postal address)    648
Hollybrook Lane     Saukville, WI  53080

I hope this helps you have a more enjoyable GEN CON :-).


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