Arkehyna’s First Visit to SOE’s Fan Faire:
An Interview by Susan "Soffrina" Rummani

Soffrina: What were your impressions of last year’s visit to Fan Faire?

Arkehyna: It was great…awesome…fun and I need to come up with lots of other adjectives to describe it.

My adventure started with a trip of more than 24 hours that included traveling from my home town to Paris, and then catching a flight to Salt Lake City, and then to Las Vegas. I still wonder how I could have held a conversation with the taxi driver when I arrived.

My first shock was when the plane made its descent into Las Vegas. The city seems to be in the middle of nowhere and even though I have formed an idea of what to expect from watching TV or surfing the internet, seeing it in person is quiet different. I was fortunate to arrive one day prior to Fan Faire so I got to visit the city and that’s when I got my second shock, when I saw the crowd at the hotel. There were many people there and they are all asking each other “Which game do you play” "Where are you from?" "Which server do you play on?”  It was enough to start a discussion as time passed by. :)

A certain conviviality developed. All this left an impression on me during the following three days which made my first visit to Fan Faire very pleasant.

Soffrina: You have played EverQuest and EverQuestII.  How long have you been playing SOE’s games?

Arkehyna: I have been playing SOE games for quiet some time. I started playing EverQuest in August of 2000. Now I’m playing EverQuestII.

Soffrina: Is there a particular Fan Faire event that has left its mark on you (that impressed you the most)?

Arkehyna: Yes, it’s the movie EverCracked! I attended the morning session and the room was so crowded. I was wondering how so many people could fit in that room.

Soffrina: What was the most surprising thing during your visit to Fan Faire?

Arkehyna: What surprised me is the fact that there are people of all ages. During the Welcome Reception I was seated at the same table with a couple who might be the same age of my parents and others who were younger than me, and we all shared the same passion and that is our love for SOE’s games.

Soffrina: Before coming to SOE’s Fan Faire, you had probably formed an opinion on that event. Was it as you had imagined it or a little different? And if so, in what way?

Arkehyna: I did watch Fan Faire’s official website and there was plenty of information with pictures of previous Fan Faires and all the panels. The pictures helped me to form an opinion on preparing myself for the panels that interests me. For example, I wanted to take part in the Customer Service panel and the ones dedicated to EverQuest II. This helped me organize my time at Fan Faire avoiding running between panels and to get the maximum experience from my trip.

Since I have participated in several video shows in France, I was thinking that Fan Faire’s atmosphere would be similar to that. I remember that I got to test DC Universe Online in The Bazaar while walking around this immense ball room. I found that game unique and special.

Soffrina: What was your favorite American meal during Fan Faire?

Arkehyna: I tried few American specialties such as brownies and cookies. I had dinner at the banquet but it wasn’t a typical American meal.

Soffrina: If you have the chance to visit another Fan Faire, what would you do differently?

Arkehyna: I'll take more pictures, many more!

Well, what can I say! I had a wonderful time at Fan Faire that surpassed my expectations. I met so many people and got even to meet people who spoke French, and all of this left me with fond memories of Fan Faire 2009.