Just a few comments:
First - absolutely awesome experience...just top notch! I stayed from Thursday morning at set up until Saturday morning when I broke down my Firepower. This was my second time attending, first time participating. My brother and I had a great time, and, although sometimes there were a few lines, for the most part we did not have an issue getting to play any certain machine that we wanted to. It was also just a blast to see so many people having fun on my machine and enjoying the work that I put into it.
I would like to thank Gabe for making all of this possible, and especially for allowing my brother to volunteer on Thursday, thus allowing him to help me set up things before he would have otherwise been able to enter. That was a huge plus for me.
My thanks also to the repair staff. I encountered an issue on Thursday evening where 80% of my solenoids wouldn't function, and, thankfully it was an easy fix and they helped me track down the problem. I also thank the people who were dedicated to keeping their respective machines running.
Special When Lit party was great...good food, good atmosphere. Timing was good, too...just the right time for that post-dinner meal!
Seminars were great as well - the TNT video comedy show was a blast. Their board-cleaning techniques were also very helpful; I learned some techniques that will help me with old computer repair, another hobby of mine.
Second - Some things that could have been better: machines that were never even usable. Some guy brought machines in on Friday evening in the one corner of the free play room...and they never worked once from start to finish. Four of them: not one worked. I realize that this was a ticket into the show (mine included), but I hope something was done about people pretty much freeloading their way in.
The area in between free play and the vendor hall is a little bit confusing...in the sense that it it somewhat of a netherworld. Perhaps a little redesign would help, in the sense of other things being sold there (perhaps more vender space other than art), making the console video games a bit more meaningful (i.e. perhaps have a tournament. Some of us around my age - I'm 34 - grew up on video games but also love pinball). Something like a Nintendo 64 GoldenEye tournament would be fun.
All in all, a great time. I will come again next year (sans machine - that was a lot of work, it's the only one I have, and now I have to do some repair because of all the play it got!), but I will hopefully be bringing more relatives as well. Gabe, I am sorry that I did not get to meet you in person while there, but thank you very much none the less for a wonderful time.