Araneatrox's Time in Dreamhack! Updated daily

[Araneatrox]

Well as some of you may know, i have been given the amazing experience to goto Dreamhack as a member of the Press for TLN. Granted, not much Halo action. But the largest Gaming event in the world, it will be good to for everyone to know what was going on.

First of all, Many thanks to Mr P for allowing me to go and get a Press Pass.

Now, for those of you that do not know what Dreamhack is, i will give you some backstory.
Dreamhack first started in the early 90's, it used to just a few mates inviting a few more friends over for fun and games. It moved to an actual competition in format in the late 90's when it moved to Borl�nge, Sweden.

Since the early 2000's it has been held in J�nk�ping, Sweden and was put in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest LAN party in the world. This summer it is expected that 10,000 people will attend and with prize money of over 1million SEK($160k)

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LY9cT60uSMk/R0_p22zOAtI/AAAAAAAAAO0/wHizhG29jzE/s1600-R/DSC_0004.JPG

Me at Dreamhack
Well, i have always wanted to goto Sweden. Now that the Girlfriend lives there this was a perfect excuse to get some time with her.

Anyway onto the Dreamhack side of things. Well, They are going full out Starcraft entertainment. Day9 and Apollo are casting all the main action, with Total Biscuit as a backup caster.

http://admin.itsgosu.com/FileUploads/Images/Profile/Medium/681E765EB2C34F7597401EC7F2357048.jpg

That is the purpose build tent for full Starcraft awesomeness, the 2 ends will be open to stop is turning into a sweatbox as these events undoubtedly do. However the doors are all seal-able just in case it is terrible weather.

Along with all this, This summers event will have a Paintball arena and a go kart track. So there is always something to do.

The Equipment

For the main bulk of the interviews and purchases i will have access to a lovely Nikon D3 Camera.retailing at ~$6000+ they are without doubt at amazing camera.


As for the recording i have had to fork out the last remaining wage packet from work(Before my contract runs out) in order to get something that would be suitable to record voices and putting them on the PC. So i had to go for an Olympus VN7600PC, which i am hoping does the job. If it doesn't you may all have to do with written interviews with pictures.

So far, i have got interviews lines up with a few professional League of Legends Teams. Day9, dApollo and Total Biscuit. With more coming up over the course of the weekend.

So, let me know if you want anything in particular folks and i will do my best to try and cater to it. But so far this is what i have planned.

Walk round the center
Interview with some of the Staff
Interview with LoL and Sc2 players
Player profiles

I will also try my best to get an interview with IdrA about this last weekends MLG.

So long for now
Mark, Araneatrox.

[Cantro]

lucky!!!!!!!!!!!

[Gravity]

Just remember to have fun and enjoy the experience! I am soooo jelly right now, so do your best to bring the experience to us at home. GL HF ;)

[Fir3]

Congratulations bro! That was very nice of Mr. P! The man never ceases to amaze me.

[Araneatrox]

Congratulations bro! That was very nice of Mr. P! The man never ceases to amaze me.

It was more the case of

'Hey, i am going to Dreamhack. Will you allow me to put my name to this website and go as a member of the press'

'sure, here is an email address'

Paraphrased ofc

[Lefthanded]

Sooo awesome!!!! I cannot wait for the day I get to meet day[9] :D I hope its an amazing time for you!!

Can't wait to see/read the interviews :)

[Antidote]

I'm still jelly. Only big esports event that I've not been to and still want to :(

[garymcbride]

Absolutely sick, hope you enjoy it man :)

[Araneatrox]

Just got some news from Dreamhack.

Playable version of Battlefield 3 will be at Dreamhack.

[Araneatrox]

Arrived in Sweden about 4 hours ago. Got to where i was staying for the 2 weeks and passed out asleep for 3 hours...

Damn you travel

[Antidote]

Arrived in Sweden about 4 hours ago. Got to where i was staying for the 2 weeks and passed out asleep for 3 hours...

Damn you travel

I'm still jelly about this. You better get some sleep and enjoy it!

[AntKeyyy]

Wow, that is amazing Aran, I'm jelly too.

[Araneatrox]

Updates for you all.

Sweden is strange... And Bloody expensive too. 20 minute train ride from the Airport to the center of town is �24(40 dollars) I However later found out you are still considered a child untill 25 and i could have got the train for �10. I have spent a good few hours walking around with the girlfriend now aswell and i can safely say, i have never seen so many moustaches. Almost every white man over 50 has himself a well maintained moustache.

The Country itself is pretty awesome, Fruit and Fresh produce are the cheapest things you can buy, today i bought 2 kilograms(4lbs) of strawberries for �3 MADNESS!. Coke, Pepsi and chocolate are heavily taxed, which means the entire country is filled with fresh food shops. Last night i went and bought all the ingrediants for a 15 inch pizza for �3.40($5). Because there is a rediculous tax here aswell there are 2 types of fast food place. You can either get a small lunch for �19 per person($30) or you can get yourself a proper cooked meal for �5($8-9) These things have made it very hard to judge if i should go out or stay in for food.

Hotdogs.... Swed's love them! The Hospital has �3 Hotdog and a bottle of Coke deal. Ice Cream shop has a � Hotdog and a bottle of coke deal. Starbucks has �4 Hotdog and a coffee deal. Hotdogs are EVERYWHERE!

The people are pretty rude, no manners for the most part. But i don't suppose you can all be happy when you have so many lakes, forests and pretty buildings to look at every day. /sarcasm Where i can currently staying is considered the Slums of Stockholm, because it is 40% Turkish/Arabic imigrants. But the area itself has one of the lowest crime rates in Svensk and looks bloody lovely. I should show the people that decided this was a slum Birmingham or some of east/south london.

Tomorrow i will be heading on the Dreamhack Train from Stockholm to J�nk�ping the train however leaves at 6:30 am so i need to be out of the GF house by 5:40am Which isn't too bad. seen as all Public transport in the city runs 24 hours.

Anyways, here are some pictures i have taken.

Manchester Airport 6am
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/2500/dscn0684o.jpg

5 minutes after Take Off
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/1658/img046k.jpg

Walk from the Train Station to my GF�s house.
http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/5162/dscn0686h.jpg

This area is considered the Slums of Stockholm... I cant see why
http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/678/dscn0688x.jpg

More Slums
http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/1728/dscn0693h.jpg

I will update you with MANY MANY More pictures when i get to dreamhack. Even some videos.


Sorry for any problems with random letters/spelling problems i am using a Swedish Laptop and it has strange characters in random places.

��� are some that are in odd places.

[heuer89]

Updates for you all.

Sweden is strange... And Bloody expensive too. 20 minute train ride from the Airport to the center of town is �24(40 dollars) I However later found out you are still considered a child untill 25 and i could have got the train for �10. I have spent a good few hours walking around with the girlfriend now aswell and i can safely say, i have never seen so many moustaches. Almost every white man over 50 has himself a well maintained moustache.

The Country itself is pretty awesome, Fruit and Fresh produce are the cheapest things you can buy, today i bought 2 kilograms(4lbs) of strawberries for �3 MADNESS!. Coke, Pepsi and chocolate are heavily taxed, which means the entire country is filled with fresh food shops. Last night i went and bought all the ingrediants for a 15 inch pizza for �3.40($5). Because there is a rediculous tax here aswell there are 2 types of fast food place. You can either get a small lunch for �19 per person($30) or you can get yourself a proper cooked meal for �5($8-9) These things have made it very hard to judge if i should go out or stay in for food.

Hotdogs.... Swed's love them! The Hospital has �3 Hotdog and a bottle of Coke deal. Ice Cream shop has a � Hotdog and a bottle of coke deal. Starbucks has �4 Hotdog and a coffee deal. Hotdogs are EVERYWHERE!

The people are pretty rude, no manners for the most part. But i don't suppose you can all be happy when you have so many lakes, forests and pretty buildings to look at every day. /sarcasm Where i can currently staying is considered the Slums of Stockholm, because it is 40% Turkish/Arabic imigrants. But the area itself has one of the lowest crime rates in Svensk and looks bloody lovely. I should show the people that decided this was a slum Birmingham or some of east/south london.

Tomorrow i will be heading on the Dreamhack Train from Stockholm to J�nk�ping the train however leaves at 6:30 am so i need to be out of the GF house by 5:40am Which isn't too bad. seen as all Public transport in the city runs 24 hours.

Anyways, here are some pictures i have taken.

Manchester Airport 6am
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/2500/dscn0684o.jpg

5 minutes after Take Off
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/1658/img046k.jpg

Walk from the Train Station to my GF�s house.
http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/5162/dscn0686h.jpg

This area is considered the Slums of Stockholm... I cant see why
http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/678/dscn0688x.jpg

More Slums
http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/1728/dscn0693h.jpg

I will update you with MANY MANY More pictures when i get to dreamhack. Even some videos.


Sorry for any problems with random letters/spelling problems i am using a Swedish Laptop and it has strange characters in random places.

��� are some that are in odd places.

Sounds like you're gonna have a blast! I hope that I can go there sometime in the future!

I have a favor to ask you. If you find Nerdphilia you need to make a sign that says "Heuer is awesome" (or something to that effect) take a picture of her holding it, and I will love you forever and ever and ever. More that I already do. Sososososo jelly.

(Reference to Nerdphilia: Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/Nerdphilia) | Tube of You (http://www.youtube.com/Nerdphilia))

[Araneatrox]

Because i said i would update this thread over the week of Dreamhack i should probs make a boring update today.

Got dragged about Stockholm my the Mrs and her Very Very Swedish friend. Found out that Swedish people love the British Accent. I also tryed my first ever Klondike bar(Spelling?) and talked to a tramp.

Thats about it.

Going to get many many more updates tomorrow.Dreamhack Train at 6am

[Araneatrox]

Hey Folks....U Jelly?

Been here 2 hours. Already awesome.
http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/3294/dsc1855m.jpg

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/9733/dsc1867a.jpg

[Araneatrox]

Well, exciting day has been exciting. After 5 hours on a train with some of the most annoying kids we finally get to Dreamhack. We are however told that we have to wait in the que with everyone else and there is no Press area untill later this afternoon(I am sitting here now)

Anyway, after taking my first look round the venue we decide to go out for a smoke. Low and behold outisde we see TTeSports' Duckload WhiteRa. After chatting with him abit about what he is doing, who he is playing i ask for a couple of pictures and went on our way. WOW! Been here less than an hour and we had alreay met WhiteRa. Things only got better from there.

After leaving WhiteRa and we started to move to the Day9 tent. On the way we passed Huk and TLO. I asked them for some pictures, they were nice enough to say yes, Huk then asked "Any idea where the pro area is? we are supposed to play in 10 minutes" I gave them directions and just before i was about to get on my merry way, he saw my tattoo. Huk then turned to TLO and said. "Hes an enemy, don't listen to him" Ohh how i laughed.

Now i will get onto the event itself. Fully air conditioned room with over 6000 PC's in it the smell is pretty bad to say the least. But that isn't anyones fault apart from the BYOC Players. As for the booths, Ohhh my word... Battlefield 3. I had a sneaky play test of the level they demo'd at E3. I actually turned to the guy standing next to me and said "Take my money now" Special edition Pre-Ordered no problem. The gunplay is so satisfying, you can sense the kick the weapons and vehicles have.

Something else i have never seen at an event before... Relaxation booths. You can spend upto 20 minutes laying on a giant beanbag listening to music while smoking something(Pretty sure its just flavoured smoke) I wanted to give it a try, but i thought to myself. 'I know i will fall asleep'

Day9's tent... My word is that cool. The size of it has been exadurated abit(I heard that it was supposed to seat 4000) Infact it can seat upto 500 with 200 more standing. I have not really been able to see any of the games that have been cast as i have been running around taking lots of pictures and trying to get interviews. But unfortunatly everyone is pretty with their first days games at the minute.

I am just going to give you some figures. Currently there are 30k people watching Starcraft, and about 2000 people watching Sc2 in the venue. Give or take a couple of hundred. However League of Legends that has the smallest stage of everything has about 50 people watching in the venue and as of posting 176,594 viewers online! With numbers like that MLG may think about picking up a new game.

Just as i write this, Liquid'Jinro just walked into the press office to give an interview with the Dreamhack Team about Korea and other things.

Anyway, I will keep updating you all as it goes on. And there will be 100+ pictures that i can upload later on tonight.

Mark, Araneatrox

P.S
Written on a Swedish Laptop, so excuse any spelling/grammar problems.

I am now going for a nap, and we will be back in the venue for 8pm!

[Araneatrox]

Picture Update. Pics of IdrA + Ret + Machine + Socke inc tomorrow.

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/264666_10150216048234353_693949352_7055701_2861400 _n.jpg
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/261286_10150216048334353_693949352_7055704_644042_ n.jpg
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/263007_10150216048359353_693949352_7055705_1660350 _n.jpg
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/262606_10150216064899353_693949352_7055880_8242293 _n.jpg
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/253478_10150216064964353_693949352_7055882_8102214 _n.jpg

[itwuzmagik]

OMG continue updates so pumped lol i can't wait to see how this ends

[Morgan]

Looks SO awesome!!! You must get a picture with Day9, I don't care what it takes! :p

[Araneatrox]

Fnal day of games, Just about to goto the Day9 tent and get some pics and watch Huk vs July

Toodle peeps

[Araneatrox]

Continued Updates from Inside the DH threater for the finals will come through my Twitter @araneatrox for updates. And all Pics will be posted on my FlicR Account.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/64257942@N03/