It hasn't been easy to resume our normal lives this week after the marathon of awesomeness that was QuakeCon 2009. Real life just doesn't compare. But the volunteer staff of QuakeCon have been doing our best.

To relive the epic party, we will soon be sharing our massive collection of photographs from the event. And we are going to need your help to get them all tagged and identified properly. More on that later.

Our coverage partners have also been hard at work. We are delighted to share with you the voluminous video archive generated by Quake Live TV. They've passed along this handy guide to their coverage:

A few minutes ago, the BYOC officially closed, thus bringing an end to another QuakeCon.

QuakeCon 2009 shattered records, exceeded expectations, and just generally kicked ass. Last night brought top notch competitions, an awesome party headlined by Kid Beyond, and many fun contests in the BYOC. And of course the gaming continued into the wee hours.

One of the highlights of the evening occurred when Chris "wiper" Bandy won the Shelby GT from most excellent sponsors, Ventrilo. Wiper, earned by his chance at the car by volunteering his time to help the event. In fact, Wiper is a seven year veteran of volunteering at QuakeCon and currently leads our tech help desk. It is extremely satisfying to know that the we were able to give the car to someone that has given so much to QuakeCon. You earned it, wiper!

And speaking of volunteers, even though the fun parts are over, we still have droves of eager gamers pitching in to tear down and clean up the BYOC. A daunting task considering that the room has played home to thousands of gamers for four straight days. But that's the amazing thing about QuakeCon. People love helping out and doing whatever it takes to make the event possible. This event would not exist without their support. Thanks to all!

It was an exciting evening of top notch competitive gaming and we're thrilled to announce this year's grand champions:

The Intel QUAKE LIVE Masters Championship

• 1st Place: Shane "Rapha" Hendrixson - $14,000
• 2nd Place: Sebastian "Spart1e" Siira - $7,500
• 3rd Place: Alexei "Cypher" Yauusheusui - $4,000

The Intel QUAKE LIVE Open Tournament

We are thrilled to announce the winner of the Ventrilo Ultimate Power Up Sweepstakes: Chris "wiper" Bandy!

He will be driving away from QuakeCon in a brand new 2010 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 Coupe, worth over $52,000.

Congratulations to the winners of our QUAKE LIVE Open Tournament:

The Intel QUAKE LIVE Open Championship

• 1st Place: Jeff "Flysher" Heakes - $1,500
• 2nd Place: Nelson "Hardup" Maxson - $750
• 3rd Place: Clifton "Cliffy" Houck - $250

The QuakeCon 2009 Capture the Flag Tournament has just concluded and we are proud to announce our winners:

The QUAKE LIVE Capture the Flag Championship

• 1st Place Team: EG (Evil Geniuses) - $12,000
• 2nd Place Team: WhoRunIt - $6,000
• 3rd Place Team: Fnatic - $4,000

Another glorious day at QuakeCon. And it's official. QuakeCon 2009 is the largest LAN party ever held in the Western Hemisphere! Thanks to everyone for helping us make history.

There is still lots more going on today. Highlights include the first public demo of Rage, and various showings from our exhibitors. The excitement will culminate in a massive party on the Main Stage featuring the Tournament Finals, drawings, and Shelby giveaway.

If you are not lucky enough to be at QuakeCon, do yourself a favor and follow along with our coverage partners:

http://www.quadv.com/quakecon
http://quakecon.quake-live.tv/

They have live streams and pre-recorded video of all the great stuff you're missing (including John Carmack's keynote address). And while you're watching... it might be a good time to start planning ahead to attend QuakeCon 2010.

If you participated in the Bawl Chugging Tournament, you should check this list to see if you are in the semifinals.

If you made it, you will need to be on the event stage (in the exhibitor area) at 4pm. Good luck!

It has been an exciting day at QuakeCon 2009. The Tournaments are in full swing, the exhibitor hall is packed and people are just generally having a kickass time.

This is shaping up to be the largest QuakeCon ever. In fact, the BYOC almost at maximum capacity. There are still a couple hundred spots left, but there is a very good chance they will fill up tonight as the after-work crowd rolls in. If so, it will only be the second time in QuakeCon's history we've filled to capacity.

Today's highlights include some great showings by Bethesda Game Studios. For the first time anywhere they showcased their upcoming action-packed title Brink. And later Executive Producer Todd Howard took the stage to give an inside look into how his company makes such fantastic games.

For our attendees that lacked the patience for such "sit-down-and-listen" type events, we held a massive Dodgeball tournament. The action was wicked fast and violent.

If you are looking to follow along with our various Tournaments, you can always check our scores and standings pages. And then definitely go watch some matches with our coverage partners:

http://www.quadv.com/quakecon
http://quakecon.quake-live.tv/

Still coming up tonight is a Main Stage extravaganza from NVIDIA, the Fatal1ty challenge, and a talk from Escalation Studio's Tom Mustaine.

The evening will be capped off with a party/performance by Master Pancake, skillful practitioners of the cinematic lambaste. This year they will be taking on one of the best loved tales in geek culture. Leave your chain mail at the door.

id Software's press conference has just ended and John Carmack's is taking the stage for his keynote address. Read this press release to learn about everything that was announced and demonstrated!

Below you will find a list of the various services we have provided to make your QuakeCon experience more enjoyable.

Local Services

• quakelive.at.quakecon.org -- Play Quake Live in the BYOC.
• master.at.quakecon.org -- List of official game servers available in the BYOC.
• volunteer.at.quakecon.org -- The QuakeCon Volunteer System (QCVS).
• chat.at.quakecon.org -- IRC server for local chat in the BYOC.
• tourney.byoc.at.quakecon.org -- BYOC tournaments.
• vent.byoc.at.quakecon.org -- Our local BYOC Ventrilo servers.

Web Services

• http://quakecon.org/about/schedule -- Official event schedule.
• http://www.quakecon.org/about/byoc -- BYOC information and FAQ.
• http://tournaments.quakecon.org -- Tournaments schedule and standings.

And for live updates on Twitter, follow: @QuakeCon, @QuakeConBYOC, @QuakeConTourney, @QCVS

QuakeCon 2009 has officially started and the rockets are flying!

A steady stream of attendees with hotrod computers are filling up the BYOC, the tournaments are just kicking off, and the exhibitor area is wowing the masses.

If you are here at QuakeCon, then you simply MUST check out the special custom version of Quake Live we've got running here. Genetically enhanced to celebrate the glory of QuakeCon!

And we are extremely pleased to announce that there are MAC and LINUX versions of Quake Live available as well! Available only at QuakeCon! We'd love it if you would help us test them out. Simply point your browsers at:

To see everything that is planned here for today, be sure to check out the Schedule.

It's official! The BYOC is complete and the very first attendees are bringing in their computers. Right now our volunteers are being given the opportunity to set up first as a "thank you" for all their hard work. The general BYOC pre-registered line will be moving shortly!

QuakeCon 2009 is almost upon us!

We have posted a slew of new time-lapse videos chronicling our setup efforts over the past two days. Take a look on our Gallery page!

This year the BYOC will play host to the Console Village, an area specifically dedicated to groups running events and tournaments on video game consoles. These groups applied for and received Official QuakeCon Approval(tm) to organize their events and provide fun and thrills for all our attendees.

The Village was incorporated over on the far right wall of the BYOC. Let's meet the Village Settlers, shall we?

Team: POPATRON
Who They Are: Clan Members from the PMS and H2O clans, led by the indomitable H2O POPATRON.
What to Expect: Rock Band and Guitar Hero competitions, Street Fighter 4, and a possible Call of Duty 4 tournament.

Team: YoungGamersClub
Who They Are: The Young Gamers Club, led by the intrepid Adam and Leanne Pyle.
What to Expect: Free-form gaming on the XBox 360 and Wii in a unique setting, paying homage to their gaming forefathers.

Team: Team t41
Who They Are: Members of Team t41, led by the redoubtable thatGUY.
What to Expect: All varieties of Guitar Hero and Rock Band games. Band vs. Band tournaments with a 4-player minimum to compete.

Team: GOON TOWN
Who They Are: Denizens on the Something Awful forums. Led by the fearless Suriel (aka thataaronguy on SA).
What to Expect: Street Firght 4, BlazBlue, King of Fighters 12. "Arcade Style" public play with users passing controllors. Tournaments every night starting at 9pm. Prizes TBD.

The latest word from the BYOC team is that they're over 95% done. Everybody ready?

We just got an update from the BYOC team that they're up to 80%.




Also we wanted to take an opportunity to introduce the Executive Staff and give a quick peek at part of the team that make QuakeCon happen.

The fine folks at NVIDIA have come up with a great way for BYOC participants to use their spare CPU cycles for a good cause AND have the chance to win some cool prizes at the same time. Read the following press release and then see the FAQ (PDF) for more details.

To leverage the power of your NVIDIA GPU when using Folding@Home, make sure you are using this High Performance for Windows. Other versions (including those for Mac and Linux) can be downloaded here. We will make a local copies available, as well, once the BYOC opens.

It's Wednesday morning, and in spite of a few setbacks requiring that some of the backbone connections to the NOC be re-run, we're up to 70% complete.

We are pleased to share with you the official wallpaper for QuakeCon 2009:

Head over to our Media Page to download a copy.

Additionally, we're happy to give a progress update on the the BYOC build - currently at 40%. Stay tuned for updates:


Finally, we have a few time-lapsed videos of various BYOC setup activities. Head over to the Gallery page to check them out.

And don't forget to follow @QuakeCon on Twitter for additional updates.

Starting a day earlier than in previous years, the QuakeCon team has descended upon the Gaylord Texan in Dallas. Our volunteers have been furiously programming switches, configuring servers, laying out power, and spinning Ethernet cable. The BYOC has started to take shape. The finishing touches will be applied over the next two days.

Yes, it's August in Dallas. And once again it's starting to feel like QuakeCon!

Not included in the schedule press release earlier today, our friends at NVIDIA have confirmed two outstanding Saturday workshops that should interest hardware fans:

The QuakeCon volunteer organization is very proud to present the QuakeCon 2009 Schedule of Events. id Software and our sponsors have lined up an amazing collection of exciting events for QuakeCon attendees, and we've spread out the excitement in a way that allows for plenty of gaming!

The press release below details the events that are available, while our new Google Calendar based event schedule gives attendees a new way to stay on top of the upcoming happenings at QuakeCon. So check out the schedule of events and start to fill your personal calendars, and make special note that late Saturday night, the BYOC is the place to be! Starting at 11:00pm on Saturday, the BYOC becomes the main attraction, fittingly, for the largest LAN party in North America.

If you've had questions about QuakeCon's epic Bring Your Own Computer (BYOC) area, we have a feature for you. Our new BYOC Guide features the QuakeCon 2009 BYOC floor plan to help you plan to meet up with friends, a "sound" overlay to help attendees plan for the level of excitement they prefer with their BYOC experience, descriptions of some of the great new landmarks and features we've added to the BYOC space, and a small guide to answer some of the essential answers for questions BYOC attendees may have before the event.

It's the first place to start to learn more about the BYOC. Even if you're a QuakeCon veteran, you'll want to check the guide for any changes that might effect your plans. If you have additional questions, problems, or concerns, contact us!

To help streamline the on-site registration and check-in process, we've made the QuakeCon 2009 Release and Acknowledgment form (in PDF format) available on our media page. All attendees must submit a completed Acknowledgement and Release form to enter the event.

Attendees under the age of 18 must have the form signed by their parent or legal guardian and the completed form must be submitted at the time of registration.

While the acknowledgement and release form will be available on site, it will speed up the registration process if you already have a form completed in advance!

Continuing the efforts to assure that BYOC Tournaments Make a Huge Comeback, we've already had some great responses from community tournament organizers and gamers alike in our BYOC Tourneys forum.

The QuakeCon BYOC staff is happy to announce that we're partnering with The Texan Gamer to bring their LAN party oriented tournament management system to the QuakeCon BYOC! You can start browsing the available BYOC tournaments now and begin registering for informal organized play in your favorite LAN games.

Currently we have six varied tournaments with committed organizers and staff liaisons, with more possibilities springing up each day in our BYOC Tourney forums. Check out http://byoc.thetexangamer.com right now to register for:

• QUAKE LIVE 1v1 for Younger Gamers, organized by Lilie and SyncError
• Warsow 1v1, Organized by The Texan Gamer
• Street Fighter IV PC, Organized by _hedge
• Company of Heroes 1v1 BYOC, Organized by Neg1
• Left 4 Dead BYOC, Organized by Montag
• Team Fortress 2 6v6 BYOC, Organized by freebeer

If you have other games you're wanting to organize or play, be sure to visit the BYOC Tourney forum to throw your hat in the ring! The tournament management software will remain online to handle registration through next week and then will be moving on-site to facilitate the fun that is organized play in the BYOC!

MESQUITE, Texas - July 22, 2009 - Ventrilo, the premier group voice communications program used in tournaments and multiplayer games, is ready to blow the doors off of QuakeCon 2009 with the sponsorship of its annual "QuakeCon Ultimate Power Up" Sweepstakes. One extremely lucky attendee will rocket away from QuakeCon 2009 in a brand new supercharged 2010 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 Coupe, valued at approximately $52,000. The 14th annual QuakeCon will be held at the Gaylord Texan in Dallas from August 13 - 16, 2009 and is open to the public and free to all attendees.

"One look under the hood of this 2010 Shelby and you'll start strategizing on how to get your hands on this powerhouse street machine," said Brian Knapp, president, Flagship Industries. "Ford and Shelby are both iconic American names that represent a long history of street legal horsepower, and it's a thrill to be giving one away to the lucky winner of the Ventrilo Ultimate Power Up competition. As always it's an honor to be working with our friends at id Software and giving back to the gaming community."

"This is the most powerful production Mustang ever made and thanks to Ventrilo, someone from QuakeCon will walk away with the keys to this beast of a machine," said Todd Hollenshead, president, id Software. "QuakeCon 2009 will be a can't miss event for LAN fiends, game fans or id Software devotees; and Ventrilo giving away this bad ass muscle car is an example of why everyone needs to make sure that they have August 13 to 16 on their calendar for the world's best video game party."

The 2010 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 Coupe to be given away will be Kona blue and comes with a six speed transmission mated to a supercharged 5.4 liter V-8 pumping out a brutal 540 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of pavement destroying torque. The car will be on display throughout QuakeCon in the main exhibition area.

A total of 100 tickets for the Shelby Mustang GT500 drawing will be awarded to QuakeCon attendees for everything from performance in the QuakeCon Pro, Open and Quick Draw Tournaments, to participation in other QuakeCon contests, events and random drawings. The winner will be randomly selected at 9 p.m. (Central Standard Time) on Saturday, August 15, as part of the tournament finals event on the QuakeCon Main Stage.

QuakeCon Power Up Rules:
QuakeCon 2009 registered attendees who are 18 years of age and older AND are legal residents of the United States, its territories and possessions and the District of Columbia are eligible to participate. No purchase necessary. A total of 100 raffle tickets will be distributed throughout the QuakeCon event. Additional information about contest rules, eligibility, restrictions and requirements will be available at www.quakecon.org.

About QuakeCon:
Often described as the "Woodstock of Gaming," QuakeCon is a four-day, non-stop celebration of games and the people who play them. Free to all and open to the public, QuakeCon 2009 will feature North America's largest Bring-Your-Own-Computer (BYOC) LAN party for nearly 3,000 people, drawings and contests for over $75,000 in cash and prizes, the $50,000 QUAKE LIVE Duel and Capture the Flag Championship tournaments, exhibits with the latest games and hardware, and non-stop entertainment, parties and events. First created in 1996 by a group of friends on IRC and now going into its fourteenth year, QuakeCon remains true to its original mission as an event created by gamers, for gamers. Sponsored by id Software and other industry-leading software and hardware manufacturers, QuakeCon continues to be run by a dedicated group of volunteers, including an executive team with more than 75 years of combined experience producing the event. 6,000 people attended QuakeCon 2008.





About Flagship Industries:
Flagship Industries Inc, located in Maryville, Illinois, was founded in 2003 to pursue the development and marketing of the Ventrilo product line which was originally started in the spring of 1999. Due to its superior sound quality, reliability, scalability, user interface and ever evolving feature set, Ventrilo has become the preferred group communications tool. More information can be found at www.ventrilo.com

About id Software:
id Software, part of the ZeniMax Media Inc. family of companies, has provided technical, design and artistic leadership as a world-renowned game developer and technology innovator since its founding in 1991. id Software's iconic brands such as Wolfenstein, DOOM, QUAKE and Enemy Territory have become staples of popular culture for generations of gamers. More information on id Software can be found at www.idsoftware.com.

id, Wolfenstein, DOOM, QUAKE, RAGE, Enemy Territory, and QuakeCon and related logos are registered trademarks or trademarks owned by ZeniMax Media Inc.

All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

MESQUITE, Texas - July 15, 2009 - QuakeCon once again becomes the center of the professional gaming universe from August 13 - 16, 2009, as the best players in the world set their sights on Dallas, TX, and a chance to walk away with their share of one of the richest prize pools in professional gaming. With $50,000 in cold, hard cash on the line, more than 200 top professional and up-and-coming players will clash in three days of fierce QUAKE LIVE Duel and Capture the Flag championship tournaments.

"This year stands to be our best ever with three incredible tournaments, including exclusive tournaments for professionals and amateurs, $50,000 in prize money, the greatest game ever made for first-person competition, an outstanding sponsorship partner in Intel, and the best broadcasting team on the Internet," said Todd Hollenshead, president, id Software. "Whether you're watching all of the action live on-site, or you're glued to your monitor at home, you can't afford to miss a second of these great players competing for one of the most coveted prizes in professional gaming - the right to call yourself a QuakeCon Champion."

Broadcasting live from the tournament floor and over the Internet, shoutcasting legends djWHEAT and TosspoT will go wire-to-wire, capturing all of the energy, excitement and behind-the-scenes drama, with live match coverage, player interviews and expert analysis. Totally free and open to the public, QuakeCon offers an unparalleled opportunity to see the greatest and most famous players in the world competing in the purest form of online competition at the coolest fan-based gaming event on planet Earth. More than 6,000 people are expected to visit the four-day LAN party, competition, exhibition and party.

Following is the QuakeCon 2009 Tournament Lineup:

The Intel QUAKE LIVE Masters Championship
There is no more definitive measure of gaming skill than the 1 vs. 1 duel, and for the first time ever, QuakeCon will feature known professionals and top QUAKE LIVE competitors in their own exclusive tournament. 64 of the world’s best QUAKE LIVE players will face-off for more than $25,000 in a double elimination bracket, with each match played in a best-of-three-games format. With two players left standing, thousands will gather at the QuakeCon Main Stage on Saturday night to watch as the survivors go toe-to-toe in a single elimination, best-of-five-games blow-out with $14,000 for the champion.

The Intel QUAKE LIVE Open Tournament
Available exclusively for up to 128 amateurs and up-and-coming competitors, the Intel QUAKE LIVE Open will offer players a taste of the excitement and pressure of professional gaming. Battling for a $2,500 prize purse, including $1,500 for the champion, players will compete in a single elimination bracket, with each match played in a best-of-three-games format.

Matches in both the Intel Masters Championship and Open Tournament will feature the same pool of seven arenas.

The QUAKE LIVE Capture the Flag Championship, Sponsored by id Software
Simple, classic and thrilling to watch, the Capture the Flag Championship will feature 4 vs. 4 competitions for up to 32 teams battling it out in a single elimination bracket and best-of three-games format using five arenas. Those who come out on top will share in a $22,000 prize purse, including $12,000 for this year's team of champions.




QuakeCon Live!
Live streaming of Quakecon 2009 will be brought to you by QuadV and the Live on Three (LO3) team. Watch all of the action on-site from the broadcast lounge or tune in throughout the event to hear tournament play-by-play, color commentary and post-match interviews delivered by djWHEAT, TosspoT and other special guests. The entire co-production can be seen live at QuakeCon, and will also be delivered across the world's largest content delivery network. If you can't be at QuakeCon, then do the next best thing - catch all of the action at QuadV.com and djWHEAT.tv.

Registration Information
Players with professional gaming experience or extensive QUAKE LIVE experience can register for the Intel QUAKE LIVE Masters Championship on-site at QuakeCon from 12 noon - 3 p.m. (CT) on Thursday, August 13. Competitors qualified for the Masters Championship will be selected and seeded by a committee of experts at the close of registration. Players selected for the Intel QUAKE LIVE Masters Championship are not eligible for the Open Tournament.

Registration for the QUAKE LIVE Open Tournament is first come, first served at QuakeCon from 12 noon - 3 p.m. (CT) on Thursday, August 13.

Registration for the QUAKE LIVE Capture the Flag Championship is first come, first served at QuakeCon from 2:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. (CT) on Thursday, August 13.

For official rules, requirements, prize money distribution, pool of arenas and additional information, please go to www.quakecon.org

About QuakeCon:
Often described as the "Woodstock of Gaming," QuakeCon is a four-day, non-stop celebration of games and the people who play them. Free to all and open to the public, QuakeCon 2009 features North America's largest Bring-Your-Own-Computer (BYOC) LAN party for nearly 3,000 people, drawings and contests for over $75,000 in cash and prizes, the $50,000 QUAKE LIVE Duel and Capture the Flag Championship tournaments, exhibits with the latest games and hardware, and non-stop entertainment, parties and events. First created in 1996 by a group of friends on IRC and now going into its fourteenth year, QuakeCon remains true to its original mission as an event created by gamers, for gamers. Sponsored by id Software and other industry-leading software and hardware manufacturers, QuakeCon continues to be run by a dedicated group of volunteers, including an executive team with more than 75 years of combined experience producing the event. 6,000 people attended QuakeCon 2008.

About id Software
id Software, part of the ZeniMax Media Inc. family of companies, has provided technical, design and artistic leadership as a world-renowned game developer and technology innovator since its founding in 1991. id Software's iconic brands such as Wolfenstein, DOOM, QUAKE and Enemy Territory have become staples of popular culture for generations of gamers. More information on id Software can be found at www.idsoftware.com. id Software, Wolfenstein, DOOM, QUAKE, RAGE, Enemy Territory, QuakeCon and related logos are registered trademarks or trademarks owned by ZeniMax Media Inc.

While a formal announcement with the exact structure and complete rule-sets for this year's official QuakeCon tournaments is right around the corner, we wanted to provide the selected map lists so players can start practicing for the competitions.

For the QUAKE LIVE duel tournaments, the map pool will consist of:

• Campgrounds (qzdm6)
• Lost World (qzdm13)
• Vertical Vengeance (qztourney4)
• Furious Heights (qztourney7)
• House of Decay (qztourney9)
• Bloodrun (ztntourney1)
• Trinity (qzca2)

For the QUAKE LIVE CTF tournament, the map pool will be:

• Troubled Waters (qzctf2)
• Iron Works (qzctf7)
• Siberia (qzctf8)
• Bloodlust CTF (qzctf9)
• Courtyard Conundrum (qzctf10)

Map selection will be handled in a new way this year where each player or team will have the opportunity to select a map within the first two rounds of play - before any maps are discarded. Complete tournament details, format, rules and prize money will be announced on Monday.

The Gaylord Texan hotel is accepting room reservations. Reservations at the Gaylord Texan can be made by calling 866-782-7897 and referencing group code S-IDS09. Rooms are $129 plus $15 resort fee per night ($144). Availability is already limited with no rooms left for Thursday, Aug. 13. Rooms for Friday and Saturday nights are still available, but going fast.

Overflow Hotel Information

We've also secured additional rooms at a preferred rate at the Embassy Suites Hotel located less than 2 miles from the Gaylord. The special QuakeCon rate of $129/night includes single, double, triple, or quad occupancy, complimentary breakfast, and regularly scheduled shuttle service between the Embassy Suites and QuakeCon at the Gaylord Texan. Reservations can be made by calling the hotel directly at 972-724-2600 or Embassy Suites Brand Reservations at 1-800-EMBASSY, and referencing the group "ID Software-QuakeCon". Online reservations can use the group code "IDS" to receive the specially negotiated rates. Rooms are limited, so make your reservations now!

Looking to get to QuakeCon from the airport? We've got just the ticket! Kathy "Ubermom" Hirsh has arranged a special discount with Super Shuttle for QuakeCon attendees that is valid for travel to and from the local airports. A trip to or from DFW is just $10, and Love Field is only $17.

All the information you need is in this handy flyer!

One of the most longstanding QuakeCon traditions is that of the BYOC tournament. Leveraging the awesome size of the BYOC LAN, informal organized play can be the best gameplay experience that QuakeCon has to offer. This year, we're happy to announce that we're backing informal BYOC tournaments with official infrastructure.

New QuakeCon BYOC features to help with informal tournaments include a gathering area for organizing players, a (very) small stage to help organizers shout to their respective player-base, and a large facility for scribbling out and displaying brackets for tournaments. These public space resources will be available to anyone that wants to run BYOC floor organized play.

Additionally our BYOC NOC staff is dedicating themselves to providing servers for as many BYOC tournaments as possible and is willing to work with any tournament organizers to prepare games and organization. We're even commissioning an artist to create a limited number trophies for BYOC tournaments in the same vein as the trophies for the formal tournaments held at QuakeCon every year.

If you're the type of QuakeCon attendee and/or volunteer that is interested in organizing informal tournaments in the BYOC, consider getting started with your preparations early! We have a BYOC Tourneys forum were you can start drumming up interest or even pre-registering for your tournament.

Some important guidelines for BYOC tournaments:

• You may not secure any outside sponsorship for your BYOC tournaments. Sponsors should contact sponsors@quakecon.org for more information on being involved with QuakeCon.
• Sportsmanlike, community oriented conduct is expected from all attendees, especially those that are organizing play.
• The BYOC team will select as many informal tournaments to sponsor and support as possible, but resources are always limited.
• Need resources? Contact the BYOC staff early to plan for success!

We're really excited to see informal organized play come back to the QuakeCon BYOC in a big way, and we're dedicated to helping our amateur tournament organizers be successful. See you on the forums!

Each year, we are contacted by gamers that want to bring their favorite console games with them into the BYOC. Historically, we've granted exceptions to the most responsible and community oriented groups to set up console gaming stations, but within fairly tight restrictions. You've probably seen them scattered around the BYOC with projectors against the wall,. Console gaming isn't something that is easy to cater to with the infrastructure that we have in the BYOC, but it's something that we all want to find a way to encourage more of.

This year we're extremely proud to announce that we'll be providing first class support for up to six of those community groups that want to set up their own console gaming areas. This limited test group will help us determine what role console gaming will have in the future of QuakeCon events, and you can be a part of that.

We're looking for motivated, passionate console gamers that are willing to go the extra mile to make the BYOC more fun and enhance console gaming at QuakeCon. Due to the limited availability of console locations, Travis "Ash" Bradshaw will be taking applications, personally reviewing them, and selecting the gamers that will be granted this unique QuakeCon opportunity.

If you are selected to settle for the event into the "BYOC Console Village" we will provide you:

• An eight foot by eight foot plot in the BYOC, adjacent to a (low-traffic) walking path and wall.
• Network infrastructure to connect multiple consoles to the BYOC network.
• Open (although, not necessarily speedy) access to the online gaming networks associated with your console(s) of choice.
• Early access to the BYOC to set up your gear before anyone else enters.
• A negotiable number of "regular" BYOC seats that may be reserved near your plot for your friends and collaborators.
• A negotiable number of tables and chairs for your plot.

Things you must provide, at the very least, if you are to be selected to settle in the console village:

• A mechanism to sufficiently lock-up your equipment to prevent theft. (Your gear will need to remain in the BYOC for the duration of the event.)
• All the equipment necessary to enjoy your console gaming. (Projector, screen, cables, controllers, games, speakers, etc.)
• Some ability to enjoy your console gaming at limited volume. (Big speakers are negotiable, but some sort of headphones would be nice.)

Things you may provide:

• Furniture
• Decoration
• Open or tournament play for other BYOC attendees
• Lights
• Awesomeosity

Importantly, this is not an activity that you can use outside sponsorship, commercial or otherwise. This is entirely a community opportunity and organizations wishing to sponsor events or groups at QuakeCon can contact sponsors@quakecon.org for more details.

If this seems like something that interests you, then here is how you apply: Send an email with the subject "I want to settle the BYOC Console Village!" to ash@quakecon.org. In your email, please include:

• Your full name and handle and/or the full names and handles of your "team".
• Where you'll be traveling from and where you'll be staying while you're here.
• A short explanation of why you (and/or your team) would make an awesome addition to QuakeCon and the BYOC.
• The equipment you intend to bring, particularly the networking and power requirements of that equipment.
• Any special furniture, decoration, lighting, whatever that you intend to populate your village plot with. (Networking and power requirements, if any, for this gear as well.)
• Any 'community service' (tournaments? open play?) that you will provide for the BYOC attendees. (This isn't required, but would be nice.)
• Anything else you think makes you a great candidate for the first official console gamers at QuakeCon.

You can submit as often as you like, and are welcome to ask questions and Ash will work with you (as time alows) to get your proposal in top shape. Between zero and six console village settlers will be selected by August 1, so be sure to have something submitted by then!

MESQUITE, Texas - June 29, 2009 - id Software and the QuakeCon organization today announced that QuakeCon 2009, the ultimate video game festival, party, and tournament, is changing venues to the Gaylord Texan, located just north of Dallas. The four-day event will occur over the previously scheduled dates of August 13 - 16, 2009. The Gaylord Hotel was the site of the two largest previous QuakeCon events in 2004 and 2005. As always, the event is FREE and open to the public thanks to the support of id Software, the QuakeCon volunteer staff, and the 2009 event sponsors and exhibitors.

"The Gaylord Texan is a perfect venue for QuakeCon and we're excited to have even more space and greater resources to deliver a bigger BYOC, better exhibitor area, and totally new events and entertainment for everyone that joins in the excitement," said Todd Hollenshead, president of id Software. "We know the magnitude of this announcement, but we haven't lost a step in planning for the biggest and best QuakeCon yet."

QuakeCon will once again feature the largest BYOC (Bring-Your-Own-Computer) LAN party in North America - with spots for 3,000 gamers to hook their systems up and play on our world-class network. Of course, it wouldn’t be QuakeCon without the drama and intensity of the big-money pro tournaments, which will exclusively feature Duel and Capture the Flag competitions using id Software’s new free-to-play, web-based multiplayer game QUAKE LIVE - www.quakelive.com.

Whether you come for the BYOC and competitions, or just stop by to get a peek at the games people will be talking about next year, QuakeCon offers non-stop fun and entertainment. The world’s leading gaming and technology companies will be on hand to showcase their latest hardware and software in the exhibit hall, including exclusive looks at id Software's own anticipated games Wolfenstein and RAGE. In addition to the pro tournament prize money, more than $60,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded to lucky attendees through various contests and drawings, and every day of QuakeCon will be packed with activities, announcements and parties.

Attendees who made reservations at the Hilton Anatole Hotel will have their reservation at the Anatole automatically cancelled, and will be required to make a new reservation at the Gaylord Texan at an equal or lesser rate. id Software and The Gaylord Texan are in the process of finalizing the transition of venue, and the hotel will begin taking room reservations for QuakeCon 2009 very shortly - please continue to check www.quakecon.org for more information on when and how to make reservations. Pre-registering for QuakeCon 2009 is recommended for reserving a seat in the BYOC, but QuakeCon is open to the public and free for all attendees.

More exciting details and announcements about QuakeCon 2009 will follow. Visit www.quakecon.org to get the latest information.

Companies interested in receiving information on sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities should email sponsors@quakecon.org.

About id Software
id Software, part of the ZeniMax Media Inc. family of companies, has provided technical, design and artistic leadership as a world-renowned game developer and technology innovator since its founding in 1991. id Software's iconic brands such as Wolfenstein, DOOM, QUAKE and Enemy Territory have become staples of popular culture for generations of gamers.* More information on id Software can be found at www.idsoftware.com. id Software, Wolfenstein, DOOM, QUAKE, RAGE, Enemy Territory, and QuakeCon and related logos are registered trademarks owned by ZeniMax Media Inc.

We're starting a new information service for all volunteers and interested parties. Today we're launching the QuakeCon Volunteer Newsletter, so everyone can be informed about what we're doing behind the scenes. This newsletter will include information and updates regarding the QuakeCon event, year-round QuakeCon volunteer projects, tasks we need help with, as well as a place to highlight amazing volunteer service throughout our incredible organization.

This newsletter provides us a great opportunity to provide real transparency and a clear line of communication such that our entire QuakeCon volunteer army will feel as informed in the months and weeks leading up to the event as possible.

We hope to publish this as often as time will allow, certainly increasing in frequency in the weeks leading up to the event.

Please take the time to sign up for the newsletter now so that when we begin next week you're not missing any of the important information that could help you decide the perfect way for you to join our family of QuakeCon volunteers. Share in the peace, love, and rockets that only volunteering at QuakeCon can provide.

For many years, QuakeCon setup has began on the Tuesday before the event. For those volunteers making their travel plans, we'd like to give you a head's up that volunteer setup will begin on Monday, August 10.

We'll begin volunteer pre-scheduling in earnest when the QuakeCon Volunteer System re-launches for 2009, but we didn't want to disappoint any volunteers that need to make hotel reservations right away.

There has been a great deal of interest in our new logo. We have just made several versions available for your own use on our Media Page. Use the logos to link to us, promote QuakeCon, get tattoos... whatever.

Right now, we only have the some basic content available. We intend to publish a selection of buttons, banners, and other media in the near future. But we wanted to get something into your hands as soon as possible.

And while we are on the topic of our new logo, this might be a good time to talk about why we made the change.

Our old logo and branding was always well received and well loved. In use since 2001, we certainly got a lot of mileage out of it. But it just seemed like the right time for a change. The previous branding evoked a slick, high-tech feel. Seeing the logo on banners and on screens at QuakeCon reinforced the idea that you were part of a cool and futuristic event. While this is certainly still true, it's not really what makes us special.

QuakeCon is primarily a party and a celebration of a certain culture of gamers. It is the spirit of cooperation and festival atmosphere that truly make us special. We wanted to tap into that with the new logo. We also wanted to acknowledge the high level of competition that occurs at QuakeCon and echo the presentation and sheen of other professional sporting organizations.

We are planning to do many things differently behind the scenes this year. The development process behind our new website is the first visible product of this. So it seemed like perfect timing to have a new logo with the new website. Both of which match our new mindset.

Tonight was perhaps our smoothest registration ever! The credit goes to our Resident Canadienne Wizard, Thrax. Also a big thanks goes to Star QuakeCon Volunteer Slimicus for his relentless load testing. Excellent work, guys!

Some Reg Night stats:

• daten was the very first person to register. Congratulations!
• It took 5 minutes 38 seconds for the first 1000 people to register.
• After one hour, 1750 people were registered.
• After one hour, the BYOC was over half full.
• After one hour, 88.75% of registrants were male, 11.35% were female.
• The registration server crashed zero times.
  

What are you waiting for? Signed up now for the party of the year!

Early Registration for QuakeCon 2009 begins in one hour! Are you ready? You can find out by heading over to our Registration Page right now!

To get the party started, we have teamed up with our pals at QuakeUnity.com and Tastyspleen to provide a Registration Night ShoutCast Extravaganza! They will be taking a look ahead to this year's event, conducting interviews with key QuakeCon staff members, and just generally providing a rockin' good time. The show starts at 9:00 EST / 6:00 PST. Tune in!

And, as always, we'd love for you to stop by #quakecon on irc.gamesurge.net. The QuakeCon regulars always crawl out of the woodwork on Reg Night. Join the fun!

Don't forget! Early Registration for QuakeCon 2009 will begin tomorrow night, March 6th at 9:30pm EST / 6:30pm PST. Registration is free and is required for all people planning on attending QuakeCon. Anyone and everyone is allowed to register, however children under the age of 18 planning to come without a parent or guardian will need bring a signed waiver. This waiver will be made available before the event.

This is your chance to reserve a spot in our massive Bring Your Own Computer (BYOC) network. Spots tend to fill up quickly. Don't find yourself on the waiting list!

And as an added treat, we are planning a few entertaining Reg Night surprises. Check back at news.quakecon.org, and join our online community on IRC.

See you tomorrow night!

As you can plainly see, we've been busy! We have launched a brand new website that we hope you will enjoy. Have a look around and kick our tires. You may find a few areas that still need to be fleshed out, but we're quite pleased with what we've created.

Along with the new website is a new look and feel for QuakeCon, as a whole. Front and center is our new logo which we think evokes some of the excitement of QuakeCon, itself. We'd love to know what you think! Head on over to our Forums and let us know.

This redesign was a massive effort by a large group of QuakeCon volunteers. The amount of dedication and sheer talent is staggering. Be sure to check out our Site Credits page to see who did what. And we're only just seeing the first examples of what our development team can accomplish. We have a slew of truly impressive projects lined up for the coming months. This year is absolutely shaping up to be a QuakeCon Renaissance.

Don't forget: Registration for QuakeCon 2009 begins at 9:30pm EST / 6:30pm PST on March 6, 2009.

MESQUITE, Texas - December 18, 2008 - As temperatures begin to fall and the holidays are fast approaching, it's time to start thinking about your summer vacation to the THE must-attend gaming event of the year - QuakeCon 2009! id Software and the QuakeCon organization has just announced that QuakeCon 2009, the world's ultimate video game festival and party, will take place August 13 - 16, 2009, in Dallas, TX at the Hilton Anatole Hotel. As always, the event is FREE to all attendees thanks to the support of id Software, the QuakeCon volunteer staff, and the 2009 event sponsors and exhibitors.

QuakeCon will once again host North America's largest BYOC (Bring-Your-Own-Computer) LAN party - with spots for nearly 3,000 gamers to hook their systems up and play on our world-class network. Of course, it wouldn't be QuakeCon without the drama and intensity of the big-money pro tournaments, featuring id Software's new free-to-play, web-based multiplayer game QUAKE LIVE. QuakeCon also offers non-stop fun and entertainment for those that don't bring their own computer. The world's leading gaming and technology companies will be on hand to demonstrate their latest hardware and software in the 35,000 square foot exhibit hall, and every day of QuakeCon is packed with contests, entertainment, announcements, panel discussions, and parties.

Online registration for QuakeCon will begin at 9:30pm EST / 6:30pm PST on March 6, 2009. Participation in the BYOC, tournaments, exhibits, conferences, and all other events is free of charge.

The Hilton Anatole is now taking room reservations for QuakeCon 2009 through their custom QuakeCon Reservation Page or through their toll-free reservations number, 1-800-HILTONS. To receive the specially negotiated room rate of $145 (single, double, triple or quad occupancy) and the special daily self-park rate of $7 (regularly $15 per day), you must request the group rate for "QuakeCon 2009" or book through the link above when making your reservation. You must be a guest of the hotel to receive the discounted parking rate during the event. The hotel requires a first night's deposit on reservations (refundable up to 48-hours in advance of the first day of the event). Rooms at this special rate are limited.

Companies interested in receiving information on sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities should email sponsors@quakecon.org.