Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Conflux 06 On The Horizon!

[News] [Events]

The draft program for Conflux 06 is now available here.

For those who don't already have your memberships, it's not too late to attend! Conflux is a science fiction and fantasy convention in the comparatively mature Australian style, taking place in Canberra at the National Museum from 9 to 12 June 2006.

It's a huge line-up with hundreds of scheduled events.

Appearing by video linkup:
* Sir Arthur C Clarke (author, 2001: A Space Odyssey)
* Ray Bradbury (author, Fahrenheit 451)
* Lloyd Alexander (author, The Chronicles of Prydain)

Appearing in person
* Steve Jackson (Steve Jackson Games)
* Ellen Datlow (editor and author)
* Andy Chambers (game developer, Blizzard Entertainment, Games Workshop)
* Kate Forsyth (author, Witches of Eileanan)
* Jackie French (author, Cafe on Calisto)
* Joan D Vinge (author, The Snow Queen)
* James Frenkel (editor and agent)
* Nick Stathopoulos (artist and illustrator)
* Les Petersen (artist and illustrator)
* Greg Bridges (artist and illustrator)
* Dan Abnett (creator, Hairbutt the Hippo)
* Queenie Chan (creator, The Dreaming)

With a special appearance by:
* ABC's hit comedy series Double the Fist

A huge international art show, a gaming room roughly the size of the last Conflux all by itself, a massive media stream, film festival, trader's hall, cocktail party, tours and pub crawls, a masquerade and banquet dinner, book launches, signings, workshops, and of course debaucherous room parties which are in no way organised or officially condoned by the organisers of Conflux.

Memberships are NOT CHEAP, now going for $220 full membership or $155 student concession (you should have got in early), but I can promise you that it is worth every last dollar and then some. If you've never been to a top-shelf Australian convention then you don't know what you're missing; I've never met anyone who's regretted the cost of attending something like this. If you're one of the people who'll buy a PS3 for $1000 Australian under Sony's new "bend over and take it" pricing policy then you really have no excuse for missing out on an experience you'll remember long after you've finished MGS4 for the umpteenth time.

Also it looks like I may be involved in organising volunteers for the Hall of Gaming. If you're lucky I might get dispensation to thereby let people attend the gaming stream who otherwise couldn't get in, so if you're a lazy bum who can't afford to attend Conflux but would be willing to do some work in order to be around non-stop gaming then get in touch with me ASAP. (No promises.)

UPDATE: Forget that "work to get in" nonsense. Unless the Conflux website is full of dirty lies (which it may be), the gaming stream is apparently 100% free! That's right, attend the gaming stream with OR WITHOUT a Conflux membership! Take that, inferior gaming convention that Conflux is competing with! Uh... but I probably still need volunteers, so does anyone want to work for absolutely no benefit whatsoever just to fulfill my desire to have sockpuppet minions managing the gaming stream?

More details on the official Conflux website.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Yay! Conflux!

BTW - Everyone bow down and congratulate Ben, whose piece 'Ernie in Space - Bowldly Going Where No Fish Has Gone Before' has been accepted into the Conflux Art Show. Huzzah!

Greg Tannahill said...

The bowing has begun; it will continue until early tomorrow evening. Or, y'know, I'll get bored and play the DS. Whichever.

Greg Tannahill said...

UPDATE: I've been contacted by the wonderful Maxine McArthur, who has promised me I will be on at least one panel. Little does she know what she's getting herself in for... *evil cackle*. I'll post details when they're available so you can all come and subject yourself to my genius at the relevant time and place. Also I think Inventive are planning on trotting me out at some point so you can keep your eyeballs peeled for that.