[Deptheads] Demographics

[Victor B]

Data collection is beneficial to everyone and has many many uses.

Signup sheets with names, badge numbers, and who actually showed up and played (as well as who played each round for multi-round games and tourneys) helps those demographics.
This includes 4-day badges to 1 day badges, volunteer to paid attendee in events, popularity of events (is it same people or different people, is it because the game ran 4 times a day, is it the time slot). 

What events competed against each other that in previous conventions shared the same players--knowing this means you can prevent player overlap and schedule better.
What events sunk at certain time slots and sailed smoothly at other time slots. What ran too much, what ran too little. Did payout matter. What were destinations and what were time fillers between other events. Which Pre-regs don't show often.
 Lots of things can be seen.
 
Security.
When the new ownership took over the convention years ago they did not want convention security running around checking people for badges. GMs and volunteers checking badges for people participating in their events (and writing it on the signup sheet) solves any issue and GMs are on all 3 floors of the con and in all the rooms at the same time. No badge- no play. It is a public hotel so people will wander into certain areas, and that is ok and good promotion of our con and as they look around, and if they like what they see and want to participate in the convention events they can go buy a badge. 
Also realize that going to payout area will not accomplish you anything without a badge--your badge id should be on the payout form the gm turned in and you have to show up with your badge to receive payout. 
GMs and volunteers checking badges for people that want to participate in events works at most every gaming convention and has worked for us. 

 
If someone does not have a badge (even those who are creepy and giving heebie jeebies) a staff member can go introduce themselves to that person, ask them what brings them to the hotel or convention, tell them a bit about the con, and show them where reg desk is if they want to participate. Tell them they need a badge to participate in any events. If they are a local gamer just lurking around trying to get in free games by talking to them you just let them know they are not invisible and they now know they are watched and will need a badge to participate. As far as creepy people---there will be several people that give the heebie jeebies at a gaming convention..and most will have a badge and be totally harmless. Some will be so grimey you will swear they wouldn't hit water even if they fell off a ship in the middle of the ocean. But as long as they have a badge and are not bothering people or making people complain because of smell it's ok. Anyone
 without a badge and being disruptive will not be tolerated and we will ask them to leave the convention area and notify hotel security (so if they are not staying at hotel they get the boot and if staying at hotel they will be told to stay out of the convention rooms and areas). Now the hotel security is watching them on camera. The few gamers who come to the hotel to sneak into games for free get "Epic Fail" because event signup requires you having a badge and your badge number recorded ...and they cannot get payout without being on payout sheet for the event and showing up at payout with their badge. We just have to maintain vols and staff checking badges and writing down the badge numbers for participants in events. And no exceptions.
Staff should always wear their badge while in convention areas and staff and volunteers should always have their bade present when participating in an event. No badge no play...including staff and vols. Go get it if you forgot it. We have to lead by example. No exceptions including staff means no one can squawk that we know them and they can get their badge later .


V
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