Feldon 
Over the last five years, SOE’s Fan Faire player gathering has braved the unforgiving glare of the Las Vegas desert during its hottest months. This year, the event has a new name, and will be graced with cooler temperatures. SOE Live returns to the familiar Bally’s Casino Hotel but this time, the event will be knocking on Halloween’s door with its October 18-21st weekend. News of SOE Live tickets going on sale got a bit lost in the shuffle during our extended server migration, but we’re back, and Las Vegas is the city that never sleeps.
This year’s SOE Live event mimics past years with an All Access Pass covering the whole weekend for $139 (currently $119 as an Early Bird special). New to 2012 are two optional events — Laser Tag on Saturday from 10am to Noon, and a Developer Brunch on Sunday from 10am to Noon. These events cost $40 and $50 respectively and are first-come-first-served, so if you plan to be in Vegas, and either of these events interest you, don’t hesitate.
There had been some speculation that Saturday night’s Pool Party wouldn’t happen this year due to the mid-October timing (the desert can cool off dramatically at night), but we’ve been advised that the party is still on the schedule. As for how many folks will come out the other side of the Pool Party hangover-free, we can’t say. No assumptions should be made that your favorite developer will make it to the brunch, as they may return to San Diego early, or be catching up on sleep. 😉
Airfare
As we have advised about Flights in the past, the sweet spot tends to be 45 days prior to departure. This is when airline prices have generally stabilized before they start climbing again. Check Kayak, Orbitz, or other service frequently. You may get lucky!
Hotel
SOE has secured special event pricing at Bally’s for the week, although realize this is in the South Tower which is a bit of a walk to the conference rooms. You may be able to upgrade to a North Tower room when you get to Check-in for free, or an additional charge. Negotiated hotel rates (mention “SOE Live”) are as follows:
- Monday, October 15th: $80
- Tuesday, October 16th: $80
- Wednesday, October 17th: $80
- Thursday, October 18th: $80
- Friday, October 19th: $130
- Saturday, October 20th: $130
- Sunday, October 21st: $80
- Monday, October 22nd: $80
In-Game Item
It’s too early for any confirmation as to whether SOE Live attendees will receive the upcoming EverQuest II expansion, but we do know the in-game item we’ll receive, apparently a unique mercenary:
EverQuest II In-game item: Dashenti Lasheris
- Vampire Mercenary — Healer Type.
If you are interested in SOE Live, you should check out the snazzy new website. The first thing we noticed was that SOE plans to have some kind of Keynote announcements every evening at 5pm.