[Deptheads] Volunteer Question

[Victor B]

1. A reward is given after a deed has been done- not simply someone stating they will do something.
A gm that ran a game and got reimbursed was rewarded. If you give them an assignment you offer the badge upfront to get them to come.
2. No one gets a badge just for running settlers of catan AND you do not know if players are experienced or not when they attend a game.
You can run "chutes and ladders" and have new players to it that need the rules explained. You can also run an obscure game where players have already read the translations online. This is 2008 not 1978. 
3. Name a non-game company or related industry person that went out and aquired and translated a czech game (unrealeased in usa) JUST so he could demo it at Strategicon  Be real. Anyone getting a foreign language game had a personal interest in it OR already talked to boardgaming about running demos of it. The $30 dollars for a weekend badge is not an issue to someone wanting to get players for their unavailable game. Not like anyone else can obtain the game in usa. People Teach new games all the time at t he con. People bring new and obscure games to the convention all the time and play it in open gaming and teach other players. You do not have to have a badge to bring your niche game to the con and get people to play it with you. If you spent the time and money you are bringing the game, finding players, and playing. If no luck you put it in trunk of car or hotel room and do other stuff.
Would you pay someone to come demo a foreign language game (that you cannt get copies of to sell) at your store?
4. We could give out 800 badges to people to come teach their favorite game. Advertise we  are giving a badge to anyone that will demo their favorite game.
I would have collectable card and mini gms everywhere with every game ever produced. Miniatures and roleplaying would also have same issues.
Every miniature gamer could bring his favorite game and run it and get a free badge. Sally can bring the 1977 charlies' angel boardgame and run it and get a badge.
Not to mention scheduling. You just don't throw a bunch of games out there. That is what open gaming is for. If we have 800 attend a con and 300 were staff and volunteers we are hurting. 
You also realize that non-destination games are all feeding from the same pool of players. The person running the czech translated naval board game could be running it at same time as john's naval game. On a sunday for example we have 500 players. at any given time 400 of those players are occupied (eating, in a game or event, shopping, etc) so you only have 100 people available. 20 will just want to walk around, 20 cannot get into a long game because they have an event to do in next hour, 40 will not be interested in the game style/genre/playing time of game/look of game. and that leaves around 20 players available walking around the entire con that might be interested in your specific event. Yes...that was thrown out there but so was someone translating a game solely to get a badge to strategicon (and not running the game at a local store or with friends).
It isn't my money so I don't just give a badge to anyone saying they will run a game. I am sure the other dept heads also pick and choose a few obscure, niche or older games to mix in with their core games and tourneys and not just ok anyone. A good mix of old and new works. Niche games with a built in following work too.
Scooby doo ccg gm bringing 12 players for her tourney is new badges for us as a destination game plus whomever else shows up seeing it on tourney locator on scooby doo ccg website .
Btw....many people would introduce others to new stuff just to get additional players and competition. Why do we run the con? It costs some of us alot of money.
I had 2 gms last con that said they didn't wnat their badges reimbursed. Said it was no big deal. They were glad to help.
Maybe the website should say free badge instead of reimbusement for badge. That would get more people to volunteer knowing they do not pay for a badge upfront.
But anyways....I believe in rewards. I do not believe in bribes unless you are getting a person to do something (like buying food for the person you send out to get you food..hehe). Now I am hungry. Dinner time.
V



----- Original Message ----
From: Robert Lionheart <spinachcat at yahoo.com>
To: deptheads at strategicon.net
Sent: Thursday, May 8, 2008 2:52:10 PM
Subject: Re: [Deptheads] Volunteer Question


I hear what you are saying Victor, but if anything, we should be rewarding GMs willing to teach lesser known games.   
 
Setting up Settlers of Catan and sitting down experienced players is no effort.   Setting up a boardgame unreleased in the US where you translated the rules from Czech just to demo at Gamex is effort that should be rewarded.  
 
I say trust them once.  If a GM can't get players, you will know and that goomba won't be able to get a free badge next time.   Otherwise, who would want to risk introducing people to new stuff? 
 
- R
 
 
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