San Fran, CA Force Unleashed -

Who is this? The Robert I know hates everything new about Star Wars.

 

OK, I believe I can post this now.

Some of you already know this, but there will be a big lauch event for The Force Unleashed in San Francisco on Monday, Sept. 15, from 7 pm - 1 am at the Best Buy at 1717 Harrison St (the game will be sold at midnight).

Lucasfilm has asked the Rebel Legion and 501st Legion for volunteers with (approved) costumes to provide atmosphere and to take photos with customers waiting to purchase the game at midnight. Those chosen by LFL as volunteers will get something special from LFL (and from me)!

P.S. A special guest or two may just show up too!




Hope everyone can make it! Bring your cameras, cuz this looks like this will be huge!

 

So has anyone tried the demo? I played this the other night on my PS3 and must say it's a blast. Quite fun to force grip someone and toss them around like rag dolls and pick up TIE fighters and toss them across a landing bay.

 

^Ouch!

Anyways, a radio ad said the actors from the game will be at the event too. I think the guy who plays Vader's apprentice was on BSG.

 

COUNT ME IN AS BESPIN LUKE (with yoda backpack too)

 

Tom, just making sure you understand that you can come in costume to the event, but the 40 "official" volunteers from Rebel Legion and the 501st Legion will be chosen by Lucasfilm, and they will be the only ones getting a free game and will have access to the changing areas.

Of course, you can always submit your costume to Rebel Legion, and if you get accepted by the deadline of Sept. 5, then you're in too.

 

I understand, I just wanna be there. I wouldn't have anything to play it on if I got the game anyway cause I dont own any consoles :/

I did however download TFU for my cellphone though...

 

Thanks to elmoizme for finding this:

http://www.starwars.com/games/videogames/news20080905.html

http://www.lucasarts.com/games/theforceunleashed/party/

 

Can't Wait! I'm really excited abut this. My first event in costume.

 

Did a quick event yesterday at Best Buy to promote the event on the 15th and got some nice gifts from LucasArts. The names of volunteers has already been sent to Lucasfilm, with the list of those chosen to be posted hopefully sometime this week.

 

Pics from yesterday:

http://www.goldengategarrison.com/gallery2/v/Main/Lucasarts+Promo/

 

Since I work across from the best buy where this event is taking place, matt asked me to post what I know about parking options. I am assuming that the best buy parking lot will be the first option. If you plan to get there early and want to park in their lot, let them know you are here for the event. I have had coworkers towed out of both Best Buy and Office Max parking lots so don't think they won't do it. Street parking in the daytime can be tough. If you are coming earlier in the afternoon, be prepared to do some driving around and be willing to park a couple of blocks away. If you come closer to 7pm, there is a chance that some of the street parking will open up. Unfortunatly there are no public parking lots close by. Hopefully this info will be useful. Sorry I can't give you better choices. Just remember that forewarned is forearmed. May the force be with you.

 

Thanks, Rach.

Could you check if Costco's garage will be open for the duration of the event? I know they used to (not sure if they still do) allow people to park there for a small fee for the nightclubs around the area.

 

Just saw the LFL "RL selection" for the TFU event... I'll save my venom for else where but honestly I ain't surprised. Looks like it's time for another mandatory retirement cos I don't see the point of it anymore. More over, I only particapated cos of Chanel... that was enough but now... meh... lol.

 

I changed my mind, here's a lil venom... Just learned that a non-RL member (but a Fan Force member) was added to the roster for people participating in the TFU event in Jedi gear. Congrats to him (right on bro! I totally mean that, cos you didn't play by the "RL rules" and still got in, and I totally respect that...) but as for RL... lol... so much for standards and the freakin hoops we jumped through to just participate just to get dismissed like yesterdays newpaper. I'm definitely quitting RL now, I see no point to it what so ever, and more over I'm put off and even insulted.

 

First of all, Ming, I opened this up to and told Mary I would invite Rebel Legion AND Fan Force members. I'm assuming he was chosen because its a face character (?), and because he brings the kids to many events and Mary probably remembered him. That's my assumption anyway. If you want to know the real reason, you can ask Mary yourself on Monday (if you go).


Anyway, back to topic:

For those volunteers who were chosen for the event, Lucasfilm has reserved 30 parking stalls at the California Parking Lot behind Best Buy on Florida St. I need to know who will be carpooling (what names for each car) by Sunday at 6 pm. This is ONLY for those who were chosen for the event. The changing area will be behind Best Buy across from California Parking Lot.

For those of you were not chosen, but are still planning on coming, I also spoke to someone at Best Buy and asked if we could park in their main lot. He said there will be two buses for the event, and that sometime Sunday night they will reserve an area for anyone involved in the event. I was planning on parking there, but now I see LFL has reserved the California Parking lot behind Best Buy. I'll confirm this Sunday night. Here are other places for people to park (those not chosen but are coming anyway):


-Florida St. behind Best Buy = YES (no street cleaning)
-14th St. next to Office Max = YES (no street cleaning)
-Harrison St. (opposite of Best Buy) = YES (no street cleaning)
-Costco (Harrison St, bet. 10th & 11th) = YES, but only after 8:30 pm in section B4. They are open until 2:30 am and it is $10. The walk is about a block away.

-Harrison St. (Best Buy side) = NO (street cleaning after midnight)
-Treat St. (behind Best Buy) = NO (street cleaning after midnight)


I also found the nearest places to get something to eat:

-Costco - to order a pizza in advance, call 415-626-2124

-Potrero Center (Potrero & 16th) - about 5 minutes away, there's McDonald's, Boston Market, Teriyaki Sushi, Noah's Bagels, Peet's Coffee, Togo's Sandwiches, Jamba Juice, and Safeway. There's even a Radio Shack there for last-minute armor electronic problems.

 

Funny you mention that Matt, cos I've decided not to go to this event. Feel free to delete the rest of my RL account, I deleted what I could already.

 

I'll be there at 715ish! Hope to see y'all there!

 

See everyone tonight! You guys can't miss me. I'll be dressed as a Stormtrooper.

 

Matt call me so we can figure out the game plan.

 

Ming, Matt can't do it. I can't do it. I'll send you a PM here since I guess the PM I replied to at RL never got to you.

Hum, the "hoops" have always been there. I wouldn't even call them hoops, just an application for review. Ever since I joined like, 6 years ago we had to submit costume pictures for review and acceptance. It's just the way it is there and always has been.

We were not dismissed like yesterdays newspaper by LFL. All costumes were submitted to LFL for consideration for the event... including Charles's because Matt was being as fair as possible. What is LFL supposed to do when you have over 60 people apply for 40 spots? Everyone needed to be prepared that they might not be selected to be an official volunteer, but were still welcome to attend the party at best buy (heck, non-volunteers might have more fun because you are not on duty. You can have fun while we volunteers might be stationed in a corner some place, unable to speak to anyone). Matt, Dale and I submitted RL costumes as well, and none of ours were chosen this time around. We don't feel discarded in the least. I know my costumes are far from being like an old newspaper - and your Jedi costume is excellent too Ming! Dale's gonna attend as a non-volunteer and have fun anyway. Maybe more fun!

- Kathy

 

Sorry Kat, I don't share your optimistic appraisal of the situation... what should be a fun event turned into an excuse to force people to complete their registrations for RL, submit whatever to LFL, and be judged to the point for them to just say "sorry we want stormies and Vader" Oh! and the best part here... we want Fett and Obi cos they're not in the game but they're always popular... Not knocking the 501st here cos your guys costumes are great and deserve your rep and the marks you get from LFL but at the same time I don't want any part of it or anything similiar to keeping the strict regs concerning "costuming". Nor in the end will I be judged, period... You say it was there all along but I doubt my original costume that I submitted years ago when the RL was chiller in essence would have been accepted now even though all the basic elements are there and it's function over form. There was very little judgement as long as the basic elements where there and you just wanted to have fun which was Chanel's argument for me to join orignally.

I know I'm the only one directly speaking out loud here and that's fine, but I'm sure you are aware that my thoughts are NOT only my own. I'm just the only one speaking out about it cos as much as I want to stay in the corner out of the fight, I don't think it's right. So I boycott this event. I was excited for TFU and the event cos I think the game is gonna be an exceptional game with a really cool plot/story but overall this experience with RL and LFL has turned me off further and I don't want to contribute to it in even a small way, in gear or otherwise. Cos even just showing up adds to the environment and it would just perpetuate a standard and annoyance that I refuse to support and acknowledge. I may not even buy TFU if that's the case cos I'm THAT put off...

 

Hey guys,
I just want to say hi and thank Matt for the great job he did with the event.It was alot of fun. Matt did a great job and took care of everyone there. AS for being one of the 40 that got picked,it wasnt a big deal. all it meant was that we had to be there till 12:10 am to get the game. Most of all were ready to go home long before that. Best Buy and Mary were great and the staff took care of everyone in costume. It reaaly was one of those cool events to be a part of and have new member come out and really experince the fun of costumeing and sharing the loveof starwars. Thats why I go in costume, not for the free stuff but for the experience with friends and other people in public that have never seen costumes, especially younger kids when there eyes light up when you show your lightsaber for trooper rifle. Also, thanks to the 501st for allow Rl and SFFF to be part of the event. Everyone there was great and it was so much fun. The only thing that sucked was that none of us got VIP to hang out with George. We all tried. BUt there is always next time.Thanks again Matt for the great job and if you need help with any event let me know,it doesnt matter if I get free stuff or not.

 

Matt and I had zero say over who LFL ultimately chose out of roughly 60 people who applied for 40 positions. Perhaps if only 25 501st members applied then more RL members would have been able to be official volunteers. Neither LFL or our club members/organizers knew just how many people would apply at the start.

As for RL, nothing was an "excuse" to have people update their profile. I've been encouraging this all along as Base CO, I took your updated Jedi submission photos before I ever knew about the Force Unleashed event didn't I? I've been encouraging other members for months to update their profiles because you all have great costumes that deserve to be shown off and worn at events other than conventions Fact of the matter is, people tend to put off submitting their costumes until they have a reason to finally do it (ie, an event they want to be part of). The Rebel Legion has a club charter, I didn't write it but I have some obligation as base CO to try to stick to it for big events - and the charter essentially says that people need to have an RL approved for events we are requested to appear at. So, that's why I encourage people to update their profiles or apply ahead of time so it's easier for them to sign up for events when they come about.

I know that's not everyone's cup of tea. They'd rather just wear what they want to conventions or do events that come through fan force and not the Rebel Legion. To each his own, I respect whatever people want to do or whatever they are comfortable with. Clubs like the 501st and Rebel Legion are not for everyone, but there are a lot of fun things that are offered to both groups so I've had fun being a member of both.

And you know, people should just talk to Matt or I if they are feeling upset about something. Maybe they misunderstood something? Maybe if they were like Charles and just asked, they may have found that sure, it was no problem for Matt to include them on his list to Mary. People need to speak up, but I suggest a personal conversation rather than message boards.

 

We had a blast. It sucked that we did not finish our costumes in time for the event. But there is always the next. I was surprised this was not as populated as I though it would be.
I did not stay to get the game since my PS3 is on it's way to me as we speak. But I will pick it up this weekend to play.