Post by Aypok on May 11, 2009 16:53:26 GMT
Venue:
Date: 2009-06-20 - Saturday.
Time: 12:00 'til whenever?
Location: 13 New Road, Bromsgrove, B60 2JG.
It's a small office above "Chamberlains Independant Letting Agents" - they have a large sign out front, so it's easy to see it from the road. It's a very narrow drive-way, so be careful when turning in - if driving. Do not go through the front doors, as they will be locked. Go around the back; there will be a door on the right - I'll put up a "Sega8bit '09 Event" poster on the door so you can find it more easily.
The blue areas on this next map are car parks, but they are not free. The car park behind the venue is free, so I'd advise you use that.
Arriving by bus. Bromsgrove has a small bus station with good/frequent buses to and from Birmingham city centre (look up bus number 144). The bus station is literally a few minutes walk from the venue, as detailed in this picture:
The red line shows the route from the bus station (at the North) to the venue (South - marked with a red cross and "A" balloon). The green line shows how to get to the local Weatherspoons (circled in green). There's also a Pizza Hut a few doors down from that.
Coming via train? You may want to get the train to Birmingham New Street, then catch the 144 bus to Bromsgrove (it says "Worcester Via Bromsgrove" on the buses, though - more details can be provided). Bromsgrove does have a train station (actually, it's just a platform...), but it's a good thirty to sixty minute walk from the venue. Buses do run between the station and the venue (the bus stops directly outside of both), but it doesn't run late, is hourly and not very reliable... Here's how you do that anyway:
If coming from the North, or somewhere East of the venue, you'll want this map. Unless you've got a sat nav, but I digress. coming sound on the M5, you exit at junction five (I think) on to the M42 - you then exit at junction one on to the A38 and go South. If coming from the East, ignore the M5 bit and exit the M42 at junction one. Map:
those coming from the South can take a different route from the M5: you can exit at junction four and take the A/B roads to the venue. To be honest, it'd be easier to take the longer route and follow the M5 until it splits to the M42, then follow the above directions. Still, you can try this:
Apologies if those directions/maps suck - please let me know if they do and I'll update them and provide more information.
There are a bunch of free car parking spaces around the back of the building, as well as a council-run car park across the road and around the corner. The council-run ones are not cheap, but you may be forced to use them if we run out of spaces. Our car park is usually pretty empty on the weekends, though...
Hotels:
Premier Inn (Proximity: very close)
Map with directions: maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=b60+2jg&daddr=B61+0BA&hl=en&geocode=&mra=ls&sll=52.336978,-2.053885&sspn=0.012285,0.034032&ie=UTF8&ll=52.33551,-2.053671&spn=0.012285,0.034032&t=h&z=16
Hotel link: www.premierinn.com/pti/pTiibsRedirect.do?INNID=BROBRE
Hilton (Proximity: ten minute drive - not within walking distance)
Map with directions: maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=b60+2jg&daddr=B61+0JB&hl=en&geocode=&mra=ls&sll=52.367685,-2.047541&sspn=0.012276,0.034032&g=B61+0JB&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=14
Hotel link: www.hilton.co.uk/birminghambromsgrove
Ramada Jarvis (Proximity: you can almost see it from the office)
Map with directions: maps.google.com/maps?daddr=Kidderminster+Rd,+Bromsgrove,+Bromsgrove,+B61,+United+Kingdom+(Ramada+Jarvis+Perry+Hall+Hotel)&geocode=CSnAPGOHJnxxFXSMHgMdkHjg_yFuH3yJxDWg3g&dirflg=&saddr=b60+2jg&f=d&hl=en&dq=Ramada+Jarvis+Perry+Hall+Hotel%E2%80%8E+bromsgrove&sll=52.333684,-2.066288&sspn=0.006295,0.006295&cid=16041880990930181998&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=18
Hotel link: www.bookinhotels.com/birmingham/perry_hall_ramada_jarvis_hotel.html
Important: This hotel is not listed on the official Ramada Jarvis hotels site, so you'll need to check with them.
Attendees:
01: Aypok
02: Aypok's friend (he came last year)
03: PlayGeneration
04: Ninjabearhug
05: Rupert
06: Phil
The room we're planning to use for the event it only marginally bigger than last year's, so we can't have too many people showing up. There are other rooms we could possibly use if it gets too crowded, though.
Competitions:
TBA
Food:
Unlike the nice venue last year, this is not a pub: it's an office. Aypok's bosses' office, actually. So there are no on-site food facilities, per se. There is a microwave, toaster, kettle, small fridge and the usual stuff you get at an office - but that's about it.
There's a Weatherspoons across the road; it's not huge, but large enough - I've been there a few times and serves decent food and stuff.
We can also order pizza from the local Pizza Hut, if we like that idea.
You can bring your own food and drink, but that's no fun. :) There's an Asda supermarket across from the bus station, so I could stock up on food and drinks beforehand; let me know your requests.
Alcohol is permitted, but you'll have to bring it yourself. :)
After the competitions are done and we've finished playing games, we could probably go have food/drinks at the Weatherspoons across the road.
Equipment:
Format: item required - being brought by
Hardware:
28" CRT TV - Aypok
14" CRT TV (x2) - Aypok
19" LCD TV - Rupert
SMS Mk I (modded) - Aypok
SMS Mk II (x2) - Aypok
SMS Control Pads (x4) - Aypok
SMD Arcade Sticks (x2) - Aypok
SMS Light Phasers (x2) - Aypok
SMS Kiosk - Rupert
SC-3000 - PlayGeneration
Asian Mega Drive - Ninjabearhug
Games:
Micro Machines - Aypok
Cosmic Spacehead - Aypok
If you've got anything to bring, or want to request anything, please post in this thread.
Everything Else:
That's it, I hope. Maybe a list of stuff people are bringing.
If I've missed anything, please let me know.
. I'm going to practise the games this year too so I hopefully won't get my ass kicked quite as bad ;D
