cost estimate

So, it looks like rooms for Gen Con, right now, are between $30 and $80 a night. I'm half tempted to get a cheap fucking room now, because the Indy Convention Center is right across the road from the RCA dome. I think that weekend is during the NFL pre-season, so right now, I could get a room downtown for what a room in the sticks will cost closer to the Con....

Then there's travel. If I go solo, I'm flying. Why? Round trip, driving, is 18 hours. Give or take. Figer 28 mpg@$3/gal, and it's about $130ish for gas. A round trip ticket with stops in Milwaukee takes 6 hours of flight for $245. I could put together my own itenary on different airlines, fly out with no stops and back through Detroit or something, spend less than 4 hours in transit, and burn about $350. Not cost effective by any means, but if I'm running solo, staying awake on the trip is a major concern (when you consider the schedule is work an 8h, drive 9, spend the next day gaming before checking into the hotel). I still haven't decided about renting a car or taxiing it if I fly. Of course, if you figer $30 a day to rent a car, it pays to spend a little and get a room within walking distance.

Figer $60/day-room/car, $245 plane ticket, $60 for the four day pass, and $30ish/day - food. Total bill: $665 if I'm solo. That's about twice the cost of Wizard World Chicago for Wendy and I, but considerably more luxurious. If I drive, I get a cheaper room, $30/day, spend less on gas $130 and the rest is the same. Total bill:$430. And it goes down with someone splitting the room and gas costs. Of course, with someone splitting room costs, it probably pays off to get a more convenient/closer room and just walk anyway....

Regardless, there's my lame cost breakdown. I didn't estimate the cost of buying shit, cause really the only way to do that is just set put fun money in my jock and leave it at that limit.....