[Deptheads] Information Requested

Wed Nov 5 07:44:40 PST 2008

I think you hit the nail right on the head Ryan, and agreed on con wide
strategy would be a really good idea.   But the question is how will we get
everyone to agree?

On Tue, Nov 4, 2008 at 8:16 PM, Ryan McMullan <rmcmullan at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hey John,
>
>         I like what you're saying but I think the underlying problem is
> that there isn't room for all of the departments to get big in the current
> (or any previous) hotel, so it quickly becomes "us vs them" tribalism
> between the departments.  I think this is largely because the way of
> allocating space seems to be based on screaming the loudest, rather than any
> sort of convention-wide strategy or big picture metric (such as player-hours
> delivered or something like that).  I don't want to come out as too negative
> -- the con is doing remarkably well -- just explaining why the departments
> see themselves as competing over limited resources (namely money and
> space).
>
> Ryan
>
>
>
> At 09:29 AM 11/3/2008, you wrote:
>
>  Hello everyone.
>
> It has been almost a week since I put out the below message, and I have
> received no input from anyone yet.  After re-reading it, I wanted to make
> sure everyone knows the intent of it.  As a convention, we should be working
> to improve our weaknesses and strengthen the convention as a whole. I am
> asking everyone for their input on which departments are most in need of
> improvement OR have the most room for improvement, whichever fits the
> situation.
>
> The last convention management team failed for 2 primary reasons,
> complacency and a "that's not my department" attitude.  Don't fall into that
> trap.  Work your department, help the others.  When we started, everyone
> worked as a TEAM to get things better.  Don't let the teamwork end.  In
> about a year, the convention will have a big hurdle to jump - rising prices
> no matter where we go.  the only way to combat this is with attendance -
> more attendance for ALL DEPARTMENTS.  I would love to see the computer room
> having to be moved to a room like the Penthouse because they have 4 Rock
> Band set-ups and all are being used in a weekend long tournament.  I would
> love for Collectibles to have to move into a full ballroom because they have
> a Regional qualifier for a M:TG event with 400 people.  I would love to see
> Boardgames need another room because they have a 248 person Axis and Allies
> tournament like I used to run at Origins. I would love to see Heather get
> the entire Fantasy Flight staff out here with their own room running their
> events to a packed house.
>
> Should I not do anything about it because those aren't my departments?
>
> Ok, enough rant.  Please send me your feelings on how our departments stack
> up so I can compile a "priority list" and get it to Eric so we can talk
> about it next meeting and see what we can do to help each department.
>
> John
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>  From: <Evil5757 at aol.com>
> To: deptheads at strategicon.net
> Sent: 10/29/2008 11:39:06 PM
> Subject: Re: [Deptheads] Boardgames Query
>
> You are absolutely right, we are getting worse at getting along, period. We
> are all fighting the circumstances, and that has led to fighting each other
> to protect each department's interests.
>
> I was going to suggest this when things calmed down a bit, but now seems
> like a good place to start.  The saying "we are as strong as our weakest
> link" is sooo true at every convention I have been staff on since 1978.  The
> complaints that are published in writing or word of mouth always focus on
> the weakest link at a convention, sometimes inversely.  Remember when people
> stopped coming to Strategicon because it was a "card convention"?  It is so
> easy to look at what we do best and GO FOR IT!  The best conventions I have
> ever worked with put their attention on problem areas and areas that needed
> to grow rather than what they were strong with.
>
> When I first joined Strategicon, the first thing I said was we needed to
> get collectibles and LARPs going again, and that was our primary focus for
> the first 2 conventions.  We now have solid departments that are steadily
> improving each convention.  This is what we need to focus on.  Earlier I was
> criticized for my opinion because I am not in the RPG department.  Well, now
> I am putting together a staff to run a Gaming Community Department, trying
> to bring open gaming back to the rightful place it should be.  I want input
> from Victor.  I want input from Janice.  I want input from Chris.  I want
> input from Heather.  I want input from EVERYONE.  I don't care if they are
> not a part of the Community Gaming Department.  Sometimes people see things
> better or at a different angle than if they are in the middle of it. That is
> how we also keep from getting set in our ways and complacent (which we are
> starting to do).
>
> The state of things as I see them:
>
> Boardgames - Great job, slow steady improvement on little things to fine
> tune constantly being done.
>
> Collectibles - Great turnaround from where we are a year ago.  Still room
> to improve the attendance with word-of-mouth and some big tournaments or
> some kind of big draw.
>
> Dealers Room - holding steady.  Even with the turmoil, Janice has done a
> good job of filling the place with various products.  Getting rid of
> exclusivity for non-mfrs a plus. Getting mfrs in is next goal.
>
> Computers - Good job with a department I was ready to give up on until we
> could have a big internet network to go with.  Good job proving me wring and
> I have a great computer guy starting in my department who can help out if
> you need it.
>
> Registration - Cleaned up VERY nicely.  Steady improvement each convention
> and I heard no complaints at all this last convention.  I am sure there is
> some behind the scenes logistics you are looking to improve on.
>
> Auction - Seems to be that moving it to Monday has improved things.  Maybe
> if we could get the listing of items up for auction out earlier it might
> improve attendance?  i don't really know, but might be worth a try (sign-up
> lots on Saturday, post lots on Sunday, auction on monday?).
>
> RPGs - The variety of games has been improving steadily.  There are a LOT
> of games not represented though, including out of print ones that can be
> run.  Remember, gamers love to reminisce.  if you have a blue Planet or a
> Space Opera game, people will get in on them and take home good memories of
> cons past.  RPG players seem to replay convention history in their head more
> than any other, old RPGs bring those memories back.
>
> RPGA - Seems to have a good system going with getting current modules
> quickly.  Back East, we used to have "This Convention Only" modules that
> were extremely popular.  Can we find out if we can do something like this
> and how we can make "Strategion Modules"?
>
> Miniatures - Sat and Sun good....Fri and Mon bad.  We badly need to help
> Jose and Robyn make this department a 4 dayer.
>
> Special Projects - improving every convention, but still 3 or 4 conventions
> away from being the 24/7 gaming location it is intended to be.  Adding a
> Battlestar Galactica large scale space combat game early this year and a
> 1/100 scale Wooden Ships and Iron Men game at the end of the year.
>
> Marketing - This has always been sticky because there is not a lot of money
> to put into it.  I have always felt that big impressive "LOOK AT ME" tshirts
> people can buy from us then advertise for us at their gaming clubs or with
> their friends is always the best investment of money (get your money back
> and free advertising).  We have about a month until Eric wants to get our
> marketing push out there for February.....please cost out and put some ideas
> out here that we can work with or find better prices on.
>
> Movie Room - Strange, because ideally we want everyone gaming and not have
> spare time to watch a movie. However, we want the movie list to make people
> say "I wish I had time to see that" so that anytime they want to take a
> break, grab a soda and a sandwich and sit down to watch a movie, they still
> enjoy themselves.  We need to publish the movie list on a poster though,
> BEFORE the movie is playing.
>
> Program - We have the basics in place, and with Eric working on the
> extraction program this should be a strong point by the end of the year.
> With everything growing though, we need to decide - larger book, smaller
> print, or what do we cut out?
>
> Open Gaming - Sucks.  Scattered all throughout the convention instead of a
> single location building energy. Everyone who is stretched for space should
> be asking open gamers to leave their area and come to Community Gaming.
>
> At this late hour, I probably forgot a department or 2, but you get the
> idea.  Our attention needs to be focused on our weakest links, Open Gaming
> and Marketing, and on our links that have the potential to improve the most,
> Computers, Miniatures, and Collectibles as I see it.
>
> Yes, i know people will say I put open gaming in there because I run it,
> but I volunteered to run it because I see how much it needs attention.
>
> What I would like to ask EVERYONE to do it write down the departments I
> have listed above (boardgames, collectibles, marketing, etc.) and make a
> list of strongest to weakest as you see them. No personality conflicts.  No
> department wars.  Please put them in order of whatever you feel more
> comfortable doing, either weakest to strongest OR strongest to "most room
> for improvement," as I listed collectibles earlier.  Strong, but a huge
> upside is possible the way Victor is running it.
>
> If you don't want to post it "out there" email it to me directly and I will
> put your input anonymously with everyone else's when I compile it.
>
> John
>
>
>
>
>
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-- 
Karl (zeotter at gmail.com)

"When I was born I was so surprised I didn't talk for a year and a half."
 - Gracie Allen
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