UK Meetup Feb 2006

(Event over, obviously - Dylan)

Please note that this party is an unofficial gathering for which Three Rings is not responsible.

= Summary =

Our main location for this event is now the Hotel Belvedere. We have more space there for events, and although as far as rooms are concerned it is fully booked, there are literally a hundred other hotels within a few hundred metres. If you don't have a room booked yet, see below, 'Hotels'.

Please keep our membership secretary Mariclare, pirate@computerbooth.com, fully updated on your plans to come. If you don't e-mail her, we don't know you are coming, and you won't be getting any goodies for your registration. Let her know which hotel you are staying at too.

We can continue to offer Bed & Breakfast for at most £25 per person per night, and if you are lucky a few pounds less, which you will pay directly to your hotel. Our registration fee of £10 will be collected on Friday evening or Saturday morning, or on arrival, and will be put 100% back in to this event. The only other charge we expect to have is for the banquet, which will once again be a buffet, at £7.50 a head.

The goodie bag will probably include a pack of YPP cards for everybody attending, a named headband, a drinks voucher, and an information pack. No promises, but 90% likely.

REGISTRATION HAS NOW CLOSED
Registration is now closed. See ye all at the final meeting and then at Blackpool! --Pip(t 06:03, 18 February 2006 (PST)

IMPORTANT MEETING BEFORE THE EVENT
'''A chance to meet your fellow pirates coming to the event at the end of the month. Day - Sunday, Date - 19th, Time, 8pm GMT, Location - Calamarie's Townhouse (aka mariclare). Send Calamarie a tell asking for invite sometime before the event on the day please. Come along, chance to discuss anything, perhaps talk about some travel arrangements, what gonna happen over that weekend, and generally chat and meet the players before the event. '''

= Main details =

There will be a UK Puzzle Pirates Meet-up from the 24th to 26th of February 2006 in Blackpool. All pirates, from the UK, EU, or further afield, are welcome. Most events will be off-line, but there will be an on-line thread too, as well as non-piratey activities. This page is a central point for managing the programme and volunteers. There is also a forum discussion thread here. And now Demeter has confirmed she will be our Guest of Honour!

= Programme outline =

Friday 24th February (Getting to know each other)

3 p.m. Pre-registration - volunteers welcome to turn up

6 - 8 p.m. Registration and Meet Yer Mates - socializing

8 - 10 p.m. Dinner - either in or out, depending on the weather.

10 p.m. - 12 a.m. A multitude of small events - a chance to circulate - real card tables, room v room PvP, etc.

Saturday 25th February (Main events)

8.30 - 10 a.m. Breakfast

10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Daytime events - Online and offline thread, lunch, treasure hunt around Blackpool, costume making workshop, etc

6 - 8 p.m. Banquet! Details to follow.

8 p.m. - 2 a.m. Evening events - Fancy dress or yer head, Yarr! Pub quiz, fewer online events, fewer laptops in the bar in particular. Socialize!

Sunday 26th February (Parting is such sweet sorrow)

8.30 - 10 a.m. Breakfast

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. More smaller events

3 - 4 p.m. Closing ceremony and awards for the competitions we run.

4 - 8 p.m. Walks on the beach, tidying the flotsam and jetsam in the hotel, dinner for those staying or leaving later.

8 p.m. - MIDNIGHT Dead dog party.

Offline programme (Thread Alpha)
This section will be update with start times of events of the offline programme. Please don't edit it unless you are organising an event at that time.

Friday 24th February


 * 3 p.m. Pre-registration - volunteers welcome to turn up (Committee)
 * 5 p.m. Stroll on the beach - get your toes wet!
 * 6 p.m. Registration and Meet Yer Mates - socializing (Committee)
 * 8 p.m. Dinner - either in or out, depending on the weather.
 * 10 p.m. Socializing - talk to each other.

Saturday 25th February


 * 8.30 a.m. Breakfast - Black pudding compulsory for all overseas visitors.
 * 10 a.m. Costume Workshop - Bring rags and frilly shirts, and make the best costume! (Calamarie (aka Mariclare) plus Volunteers)
 * Noon. Pillage Blackpool - Our confusing map will lead you past fine food shoppes. (Dylan, Silverchris & Calamarie)
 * 2 p.m. Beach Blockade - Confuse the locals, contest flags, and fire paper rockets at each other! (Dylan)
 * 4 p.m. Kraken Racing - Team event featuring wagers with Pirate PoE and Fun Forfeits! (Sailerboylee)
 * 6 p.m. Buffet Banquet! - Finger Food galore. £10 tattoo ticket - don't miss it.
 * 8 p.m. Innquizition - Starring Tomás de Torquemada and/or Anne Robinson (Piplicus and his lovely assistant Calamarie)
 * 9 p.m. Masquerade - Show off your costume. Prizes for the best! (Guests of Honour judge how loud the cheering/whistling is)
 * 10 p.m. Shanty Singalong - To be broadcast to the world on Shanty Raid-io! (Dylan & Salmon)
 * 11 p.m. Poetry Presentations - Read or sing! Listeners are expected to show their appreciation, but not too loudly - liquid libation will be prefered (Dylan & Salmon)
 * Midnight Team drinking - Using puzzle mechanics - better have a second drink available! (Dylan)

Event Details

 * 8 p.m. The innquizition will be designed for 75 participants, although a deviation of a few people from this number can easily be catered for.

There will be 15 teams of 5, and the quiz will consist of 4 rounds: >Round 1 will consist of 20 multiple-choice questions about Puzzle Pirates, and the top 10 highest scoring teams will advance to the next round. >Round 2 will consist of 10 questions that require you to think laterally. The top 5 teams will move on to round 3. >Round 3 will mirror the format of 70s TV show Wikipedia:Winner_Takes_All, with 5 very difficult questions relating to the world of Puzzle Pirates. The top two teams will oppose each other in round 4. >Round 4's format will be announced on the day.

Sunday 26th February


 * 8.30 Breakfast
 * 10 a.m. Arrrt Workshop - The better artists will help you learn to draw (Volunteers)
 * Noon. Arrrt Auction - Bid for the best pieces of artwork, newly created or brought along for display (Dylan)
 * 2 p.m. Back to the Best - A second run of the favourite event run so far (All)
 * 3 p.m. Closing Ceremony - Awards for the competitions we run. (Dylan, Mariclare, Guests)
 * 4 p.m. Walks on the beach, tidying the flotsam and jetsam in the hotel, dinner for those staying or leaving later.
 * 8 p.m. Dead Dog party - Relax with yer new mates. Make megalomaniac plans for NEXT time.

Midnight. Sing Auld Lang Syne

Online programme (Thread Beta)
This section will be update with start times of events of the online programme. Please don't edit it unless you are organising an event at that time.

What online events we will have depends on how many people bring laptops. We will be WiFi enabled with multiple access points in the bar and breakfast room etc. We will help people set up users with low permissions on Windows 2000 and XP, as well as use group greenie accounts, but we will be asking for instant bannination for anybody silly enough to misuse anothers laptop. We will move laptops out of the bar at 6 p.m. to prevent drink-related accidents.

Friday 24th February


 * 4 p.m. Tech workshop - setting up Wireless networks, etc.

Saturday 25th February


 * 11 a.m. The big PvP - When two tribes go to war. Or just two brigs! (Committee & Guests)
 * 1 p.m. Puzzle workshop - Learn duty puzzles from the best! (Volunteers)
 * 3 p.m. The big pillage - See if teaming is easier when you can shout at each other. (All)
 * 5 p.m. Swords World Cup Tournament Finals - Play or cheer your champion! Entrants must accept spectators, laptops back to back, contestants face to face. (Qualifiers)

Sunday 26th February


 * 11 a.m. Small PvP - teams of 4 in sloops, room v room. (Volunteers)
 * 1 p.m. Puzzle workshop - Demonstrations of the crafting puzzles, with focus on distilling. Walkthroughs expected, with opportunities for questions. (Piplicus)

Other programme (Thread Gamma)
This section will be update with start times of events of the remaining programming. Feel free to add suggestions here if you are attending and wish to help, or have a great idea.

Friday 24th February


 * 9.30 p.m. Bingo. (Calamarie)
 * (Whenever) DDR (Piplicus) - Smoni's bringing two mats and three PS1 discs, Piplicus provides the PS1!

Saturday 25th February


 * 5.30 p.m. Bingo. (Calamarie)
 * All day. Duty puzzle X; 10-15mins per player. (Sailerboylee)
 * All day. Spades.
 * All day. Hearts.
 * All day. Furnishing contest - Hand-puzzle contest, with a furnishing (re-arranging) theme. (Piplicus)

Sunday 26th February


 * 10.30 a.m. Spades Final.
 * 11.30 a.m. Hearts Final.
 * 12.30 p.m. Bingo. (Calamarie)

= Membership, Location, Date =

Membership is £10 per person.

The location is Blackpool, at the Hotel Belvedere, which is 15 minutes walk north of the town centre.

Although there are literally hundreds of hotels nearby, we have picked three to recommend we get people to book at:

Hotel Collingwood has 10 rooms, and although unlicensed will allow you to bring your own drink on their premises. It is only about 50 yards south from the Belvedere, and although not the nicest, probably the cheapest at £22-24 pppn. They have a bar billiards table too.

The Cherry Blossom Hotel is just a little further along the Promenade, and has 15 rooms and a Pub downstairs. They quote £25 pppn, and have a pool table and the public inn is pretty big.

The Brayton Hotel isn't on the sea front, but it has a lovely view over a small park and mini-golf course. The proprietors are friends of the Belvedere's, and will stick to the £25 pound mark, even for single occupancy of doubles if needed. To be honest, their singles are small, but all are en suite, and they have a reasonably large bar and a pinball machine - Demolition Man. Again, they are only 200m away from the main hotel.

The Hilton is another option, they have a deal for £149 for two people for two nights which includes dinner on the Friday night, but their 3rd night option is very spendy - and additional £97. Still, they are very close, and if you want a brand name you can trust and want to pay the extra 50%, so be it. In the same vein, the Savoy have a hotel just as close. Bloody chains.

The date, once again, is Friday 24th to Sunday 26th of February, 2006.

= Travel =

We will have people traveling by planes, trains, and automobiles. Myself, I plan to pillage Liverpool on my way from North Wales. Travel is your own responsibility, but to save expenses I'd suggest people car-pool, ask for pick-ups from airports, travel on the same train, etc.

For information about trains to/from Blackpool North Station from anywhere in the UK, see the UK Train Timetables.

Use this section to add your own travel planning: (one line per person, requests and offers)


 * Dylan - Driving past Chester or Liverpool, small car, also willing to pick people up from Blackpool airport Saturday morning).
 * Silverchris - Driving up from Chester. Picking up Gnarr & Novykh from Manchester airport en route on Friday morning.
 * Dubbrub - Travelling from Birmingham, ride would be useful (will chip in fuel and cookies costs), also willing to travel in group on train
 * padore - Driving from grantham. large car, but willing to pick up along the way. Going via Birmingham then up M6 so if you are on the route let me know see what i can do. Travelling Fri/monday
 * Gnarr - Flying to Manchester early Friday. Get a ride from there.
 * Novykh - Flying to Manchester early Friday. Get a ride from there.
 * Amatoria/Snowhite - Flying into Manchester, arrival Friday 10:45 am. So far arrangement with Napalm to pick me up.
 * Lionizer - arriving at Blackpool North Train-thingy 13:21 (transportation options from there?) and need to be at Blackpool Airport monday morning around 6am (how to do that? help please)
 * Dolphines - same as Lion
 * Kivo - **EDIT** - Travelling with co-worker as far as Liverpool on *THURSDAY* evening. Any takers?
 * Eleniel and Grevan travelling from Cambridge, in need of a ride, but will chip in with fuel costs etc.
 * Goldrum and Jjin will be flying in from Brussels to Liverpool, in need of a ride, will ofcourse chip in on fuel costs. If we can't find a ride, we'll have to figure out train/bus travel once we land. Help would be very much appreciated.
 * Lonlystar&Pyrus Will arive at Blackpool airport thursday at 21:20 and has to be back there at monday morning sometime before 7am:-s

= Volunteers =

If you want to volunteer to help any event, a specific one or just a time-slot, put your name and details here:


 * Dylan - will not be doing specific events, but co-ordinating (*cough* Mariclare)
 * Sabata - willing to help where needed (times be added later :))
 * Kivo - Very much willing to help with just about anything. (Music side of things++)
 * Blyndew - Always preferred running stuff to attending stuff. Consider me on-call for 'owt
 * Aramis - Ok I've got a makeup kit, some chemicals and a crash course in making cool looking scars from an expert. If you fancy a nasty facial scar, powder burns or the alcholic look I'll give it a try. All I need is willing victims and a bit of time. Probably best to do this during the costume making session on Saturday.

= Food =

Breakfast is obviously included in B&B. Time in the main hotel will be 9.30-10 a.m., in other hotels it may be open to negotiation. The hoteliers won't stay up for 5 hours for staggered breakfasts though.

Lunch will be ad-hoc. We may decide to pillage supermarkets on a treasure-hunt of Blackpool, and if people bring enough cakes, cookies and muffins, we will have judging of those!

On Saturday night, the plan is back to a buffet banquet. At £7.50 a head, we will have salads and cold food as well as hot food coming in from 6 p.m., and including desserts.

The main hotel will not accept people bringing in their own food, although they won't have a problem with the odd bag of crisps. Please don't sneak curries or fish and chips in. Main meals for Friday and Sunday can be ordered in advance (same day morning) and lunches of sandwiches will be available too.

= Drink =

The first and most important thing to note is that the downstairs bar will stay open as long as it is worthwhile for them to do so. If that means staying open all night, it will happen. However, we do expect everybody to have their breakfast on Sunday morning!

Second to that is, please don't abuse the hospitality of our hotel(s). With the exception of the Collingwood which isn't licensed, but which is happy for you to drink there (if/with a resident) don't bring your own booze on the premises. What you do in your own rooms is your own concern, of course, but  if you want a cheaper drink, please pop out of the premises. The Cherry Blossom will have cheaper prices. And don't forget, if we do provide significant turnover, we may get a round back in return from the hotel, on the house.

We will also be working with a drinks voucher scheme, to be finalised.

= Attending Member List =

Although we have our own list of members who are registered or just interested, you can list yourself or hearties who you are going in a group with below for reference. If we see names we don't recognise, we will ask you - so please don't joke with this.

Guests of Honour


 * Artemis - OM Guest of Honour (Referring all victim activities to Demeter)
 * Demeter - OM Guest of Honour/victim/target
 * Piplicus - Fan Guest of Honour/general dogsbody/SBL's singing partner

Committee


 * Dylan - Scapegoat/Chairpirate (definitely coming)
 * Fourking - Hotel Liason
 * Silverchris - Secretary
 * Mariclare (aka Calamarie) - Membership secretary, Dylan's assistant
 * Sailerboylee - Urchin
 * Smiler - Youth Co-ordinator

Volunteers
 * Salmon - Shanty Raid-io correspondent

Other members (list yourselves here)
 * Aramis & Seanne
 * Barnie
 * Biosilver
 * Blyndpew
 * Calarad
 * Callam
 * Callirrhoe
 * Chewbacca (the hobbit wookie)
 * Coraline
 * Crystalclaws
 * Dolgan
 * Dolphines (Is being dragged along by Lion.)
 * Dubbrub
 * DarkViper - Swordfighter Extraordinaire
 * Debbledoo
 * Elbereth
 * Endolf
 * Flojo
 * Gnarr
 * Goldrum
 * JJin
 * Jyn
 * Kivo
 * Leaddolphin
 * Lionizer
 * Lucykim
 * Lonlystar & Pyrus
 * Missredtears
 * MissViper
 * Napalm
 * Novykh
 * Oneiropoios
 * otterman
 * Padore
 * Patchey
 * Pauleypirate
 * Phnatom
 * Pufferdog
 * Radders
 * Rubyspoon
 * Sabata
 * Salmon
 * Salvia
 * SeaSnake
 * Snowhite/Amatoria
 * Skullcracker
 * Smiler
 * Smoni
 * Starcabbage
 * Twigilicious

= Any other business =

Since this page may be quite busy, unless you are on the organising committee, please only add to the lists your own details. Any other business can be dealt with in the discussion page for this topic, on the forums, or directly with the committee.

Known unregistered pirates
We still need registration details from the following pirates. Please get in touch with us:

Callam, Otterman, Pufferdog, Albrat - Pannah - Bazza

Added information about Pirate Costume making
Can i ask everyone, even those not intending to dress up or make a pirate costume to bring something to contribute to the making of them. Rags, material, scissors, cotton, needles, fabric pens etc. All of these items will be needed and we would like everybody to bring at least one item towards this. (Mariclare)

Tide information
The Blackpool beach is long and lovely, but it has a vicious tide. Fortunately the low tide is at about 15:36 on Saturday, which means that for any beach events it will be safe from 2 p.m. until dusk. Please don't go for walks on the beach in the middle of the night, or you will soon be six foot under.

= Hotel plan =