After last night's festivities, today was officially the first day of GDC Canada, and I rolled into the convention center around 10am to catch the start of the sessions at 10:30. I skipped the keynote, as I usually do at conferences because they are always covered online later anyways - case in point.
I should mention that I'm staying in the Days Inn Downtown, which is actually a great little hotel if you're looking to save some bucks attending GDC Canada and are either too late to get the conference rate at the Marriott or are just cheap out of principle. I was a bit of the former to be honest but don't mind the latter. Anyways it's $160 a night (conference rate at the Marriott was $168) and is two blocks south and around the corner from the convention center.
So the conference! It was nice, I attended three sessions, two of which I will be combining into one iPhone writeup as there was much that was discussed in both sessions that resonates between the two. Three things in particular were 1) how important it was to be recognized and featured by Apple; 2) how lite app versions lifted sales of paid app versions; 3) how in-game app ads that promoted your other games also led to significant sales lifts. Note that although being featured by Apple provided the largest (by far) sales lifts on the many charts shown in both talks, the time to fall-off in sales seemed about the same. So getting noticed by Apple is good, but it won't sustain you.
But on to the title of this post! So the VIP Party being held tonight was at the Renaissance Hotel (as listed on the GDC program schedule). So I type in "Renaissance Hotel Vancouver" to search for the address in Google. Go ahead and do that. No wait, I'll do it for you. Okay, so what pops up as the first result? The Renaissance Vancouver Hotel Harbourside! Bingo! I look at the map and see that it's way on the other side of the city. Now, my brain goes "hold up a second Drew, that's too far for a normal conference party." Yet another part of me goes "but this is where Google Maps says it is!".
Unfortunately it turns out the first thought was the one that came from the rational side of my brain, and I listened to the second one.
So I left the hotel and walked down to Portside Park (you can see it on the map if you still have it open) with a book to read for a bit, then walked through Chinatown and ate some Chinese food. By then it was 7:15 and time to arrive fashionably late to the party. Walking down Hastings Street, I notice the buildings in the distance are getting smaller. And smaller. Finally I accept that there's no way this hotel can be 4 stories tall, and allow myself a phone a friend lifeline. "Hi Teresa, where's the party again?" Teresa: "Oh it's just around the block from the convention center." Me in my head: "FUCK!!!!"
It's now around 7:45, and I have a looong walk back to the city. Resisting the total defeat of calling a cab, I grit my teeth and start walking. Now, it turns out that Hastings Street on this side of town (and on the West side too for a bit) is home to a lot of junkies. One block is like a junkie flea market set out on the sidewalk. They didn't give me any trouble, but it was definitely a part of town visitors don't really visit. But you know what? If I'm going to experience a city, I don't mind experiencing the seedier parts either.
So onward I walked, and as approached the center of downtown once again I happened upon these two shops. Sikora's Classical Music? Awesome. Then there is Academie Duello, which does fencing and medieval sword instruction - I picked up a brochure for a free lesson. Earlier on also I passed a theater called the Rickshaw and learned that Vancouver International Burlesque Festival is going on this week. Might check out a show.
Anyways I swing by my hotel to double-check Google Maps (no data plan for my phone up here - I feel so crippled!). Who was wrong? Did Google supply an improper address or did I screw up in my hotel search? The result? Google screwed up. Here is the owner-verified listing on Google Maps. Where is the real hotel? On West Hastings of course!! It's also an un-verified listing.
/facepalm
GDC Director Simon Carless experienced a similar mishap as he arrived in Vancouver seeing that he was staying at the hotel. So at least he had a cab when he realized that he had the wrong address. He also tweeted about it, and I saw this tweet, but I did not at the time realize its true meaning. D'oh!
Fortunately alls-well that ends well, although it still almost didn't. I got there and found out that media had to be RSVP'd ahead of time, and they wouldn't let me in. I tried calling Teresa again for help since she's in charge of media stuff but couldn't reach her. Then I noticed an iTouch lying nearly invisible on the black tile floor by the wall and handed it in to the desk people. Charmed by this gesture, I got my drink ticket and party admission! *phew!* would have sucked to have done all that walking for naught. Now I'm bushed, and heading to bed to be ready for Day Two. Nite!
