Just a Really Great Experience I Had!

For my last blog, I just wanted to recount something exciting that happened to me. For clarification, I knew about this, but I was still very excited and surprised throughout the experience! 

Here’s some context behind why this is so exciting for me. Around 2018, I got into the MMORPG FFXIV (Final Fantasy 14) and it became a huge source of interest for me. To this day, it is one of my favorite games and has shaped my creative ideas and method. I love my characters that I’ve made using the game’s already detailed worldbuilding, and I love that the game has allowed me to make lasting friendships and express myself. I just love this game, from its characters to plot to areas. I especially love the care that has gone into building up the NPCs that we see grow along with our own player character. 

An older photo my friend took of our characters while we were doing content together!

A picture of Thancred.

So, imagine my excitement when I realized that some of the voice actors for our NPC companions would be doing signings! And live on stream for that matter! For someone like me, who isn’t able to just fly out to cons to meet those behind my favorite characters in media, this was a BIG deal. I purchased a print very quickly, and waited with bated breath for the day of the live. My favorite thing is that we were allowed to have custom messages, so I was able to get the voice of Thancred from FFXIV, Peter Bramhill, to draw a little message for me. 

The live lasted around 4 hours, and I was so excited the entire time I could barely even concentrate on other things I was doing. Peter was amazing during the live, and he actively engaged with the audience of around 50 or so people as they asked him questions and made jokes alongside him. Something that is absolutely crazy is that I sent more than a few messages in chat, talking about inside jokes me and my friends have about Thancred, the character he voices, and other supportive messages, and he RESPONDED to some of them! Not even just a simple read, a full response. I thought I was going to actually explode with excitement. I talked about drawing Thancred over a picture of him in the live, and he was all for it and wanted to see it happen. He also said that seeing the creativity of the community was one of his favorite things, and that just made me feel really special as an artist in the community. 

Before you think I’m weird, I genuinely love this game and the talent behind it. In particular, I adore Thancred as a character and I think Peter is an amazing, kindhearted man. His care to respond to me, who was just one of around 50, really made me feel noticed and appreciated as a fan. Hearing him care so much to joke back with us and create a welcoming setting during his live was just amazing to experience. 

My print was signed near the end of the 4 hours, and I couldn’t have been more excited. He actually recognized that it was me because of my name, and when I explained the reasoning behind what I had him sign on the print, other fans thought it was fun and cute. I didn’t get too good of a shot of him holding up my print, but I have it on video that I will condense and edit later! 

When I left the live, I sent him a heartfelt thank you to try and express how much I love his work and how I think he’s an exceptional part of our community, and he responded to that too! He told me that he was glad I was able to come, and was overall just very, very sweet. I hope that in the future I’ll be able to continue to support him, and maybe even get the chance to meet him in person at a con!  

Peter signed my print!!!!

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