Rejoice, as event registration is now active!

This is going to be my first Origins. Any tips for a newb? Anyone want to hang out? :D

Are you are gencon regular?  if so, some of the same rules/hints apply to Origins.  the 2 bigger differences i see with Origins compared to Gencon are

1) All events are in the con center or the 2 attached hotels and their confrence rooms vice spread all over the place like with Gencon

2) it has an attached food court which has many decent food options, so often you don't need to leave the area to get grub.

Very good. Thank you. 

Yes, I'm a Gencon reg. 11 years and counting. 

But I'm excited to try origins. I think this is going to be fun. :)

What games do you usually play??

The food court is fine, and that was it go-to for several years, until last year we discovered the North Market, just a block or so away! The food options are so good there, though it can get busy. I recommend checking it out at least once...IMO it was worth the short walk outside.

I usually play RPGs - which I know Origins is not super big on. So I'll probably check out some minis games. Or maybe even Pathfinder Society - but I worry about finding a good group. 

While i agree, RPGs are not as prolific as Gencon, they are still around.  Heck the shadowrun group is probably as big here as it is at gencon.

I tend to run the same role playing events at Origins Game Fair that I ran the previous year at Gen Con.  I have met some really good role players at both.

That's good to know! Thanks!

Weidster - what do you run? 

Me..  I run and play D6 starwars, but in the downtime i have between games (or if i don't run in one slot for what ever reason), i go down to where the battle tech is going on, and play in the grinder.

I run DC Heroes, Marvel Super Heroes and third edition Call of Cthulhu.  What can I say?  I like playing with dead things...

There are actually some spots available for Frozone: The Cold Never Bothered Me Anyway and Classical Cthulhu:  Much A Doom about Romeo and Juliet.

I'm glad someone brought up the North Market.  It's amazing and it really is just a short block away.  I've been known to get an entree from one food vendor, a drink from someone else and dessert from yet a third.  So many great options and all of them yummy!

Have any of you stayed at the Sheraton downtown? If so, was it convenient to get to the convention? 

Looking at the maps, it seems the Sheraton is a few blocks south.  So it shouldn't be too hard to walk to the convention.

I do Origins as a day trip, mostly to see some people i don't have time for at Gencon. North market always worth the walk, lot of good places to nibble at if you walk towards the art district. If you don't mind a walk there is a BD's downtown withing walking distance as well. Origins is nice that everything is one complex without having to crisscross skywalks/hotels to find your events. I plan on shooting down to Thurs/Fri to hopefully token swap a bit.