[Deptheads] Scheduling [WAS Seminar Event Label]

Wed Feb 22 12:04:53 PST 2012

I replied in the seminar event label with having an rpg demo table with 1 hour or less events....and mickey replied to that with the dungeon delve (how many encounters can you get thru in one hour).

Even with a few 2 hour sessions you will run into those people missing a 4 hour game to play the 2 hour game or the 2 hour game being space or horror themed and they only play fantasy. Al lrpgs don't appeal to all rpgers. I am picky too.
Plus rpgs moreso than any other game gm'ed can epic fail with a bad GM. They run the show start to finish and can run off players. The good ones fill up their games fast and people prereg just to get into them for sure. Many of our rpgers 
select games based on GM as well as theme or game. 
Our rpgers went thru alot in past years and mike overcame those icebergs and kept the ship going full steam...in fact it grew.
Robyn will find the right tweaks that keep it as good as it is now but making it bit better (without doing a new coke revamp and then have to go back after people complain).

V

From: Tim <Tim at stugiii.com>
To: deptheads at strategicon.net 
Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 12:26 PM
Subject: [Deptheads] Scheduling [WAS Seminar Event Label]

Schedules are something we can talk about.  Historically the problem was that the RPG players wanted the schedule set the way it was so they could go from one game to another and not have games starting an hour before their current game ended.  The flip side of that coin is the point that Kryssie makes (and I am sure she isn't alone).  There is an issue in Board Games where some players want to be in their own small rooms and others want to be in the Grand Ballroom (don't worry, nothing is changing there).  The problem is that we will never make everyone happy.

All that being said perhaps there is a clever solution to the problem.  We originally had a LARP seminar (that cancelled) and we made sure it was scheduled between LARP events so it could be attended.  We can do what we can to make sure that anything RPG related.  

But John is right, you have to make choices.  You play your game or attend a seminar.

Is there anyway we could run a few two hour RPGs?  Space them out between the normal four hour games.  Make them light and fun, but give the players waiting or between games something to do.  Make them like a "waiting room" or open gaming for the regular RPG games? 

Tim

On 2/22/2012 10:58 AM, Kryssie wrote: 
I wasn't implying that Mike did anything less than a terrific job.  I was just expressing the fact that it's very difficult for an RPGer-Only to fully enjoy the con when stuff like that happens.  I had a game cancelled on me and couldn't get into another one and had to leave another because of the GM.  No other games were available.  If there was something scheduled, say, at 4pm, then being outsted from a 2pm game is more tolerable.  As it stands, there's nothing to join until 8pm.  LOOOOONG time for someone with ADHD to wait to do something.  "I'm bored" came out of my mouth *a lot* during the convention...and since I was tied up in the mornings with tours and such...made for a very long day.  My husband had the same problem with working as a volunteer in boardgames.  Again, it's something I'll talk to Robyn about.  I know we can't make changes and such just for me (because, really, your worlds don't revolve around me, though they should!),
 and I recognize I'm weird in that I'm *only* an RPGer/LARPer...but... I don't think I'm the *only* one out there.  I'm likely a small subset.  
>
>
>Mike was amazing--he scolded the GM I'd complained about.  I was happy with that.  Guy was a jerk.  Just because I'm pretty and have boobs does not mean I don't understand 1st Edition D&D... >_>
>
>
>ANYWAY!  This is a derailment from Tim's original question.
>
>
>"Interactive" or "Audience Interactive" are my votes. :-)
>
>
>On Wed, Feb 22, 2012 at 10:42 AM, <Evil5757 at aol.com> wrote:
>
>You are exactly right, you can't do 2 things at once so you have to choose. This is why we need to make the Seminars an attractive event to attend.
>>
>>At Gateway, Columbia Games had 20 people show up to hear about their new products and get feedback on their gaming line. They were VERY happy with the 20 people for an hour situation. If we provide good seminars, they will make the time if they desire. As such, the people there will be excited to be there and make it a better atmosphere for the speaker.
>>
>>For RPGs, Mike did a TERRIFIC job in keeping the RPGs with set start times. A major problem we had before this with coordinators who let RPGs happen whenever was people were constantly leaving games before they ended to get into their next game or having to wait 3 hours because there wasn't anything scheduled after their game ended. We need to keep the times the way they are, this is a BIG reason the RPGs are flourishing as they are.
>>
>>We might want to look into bringing someone from Pathfinder in for a Seminar, then schedule a minimal number of events for the time they are going to speak OR make it during the dinner break and see if they will sponsor their seminar with pizza for Pathfinder players....?
>>
>>John
>>
>>
>>In a message dated 2/22/2012 10:25:30 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, phantom.hopscotch at gmail.com writes:
>>The speaking seminars, to my knowledge and one year experience, are never well attended.  Likely because there's just *so much* to do and the seminars fall during games and such that it's difficult for people to get to everything they want to play and see.  
>>>
>>>
>>>For example.  In RPGs, if I want to play a 2pm game AND go to a speaker/seminar at 5pm, I'm sorta SOL.  I have to choose one or the other--and if I choose the seminar, I get to stand around for 3 hours and do nothing (I'm not a board gamer or a card gamer).  In fact, that was a problem I ran into this past convention--even with all the games going on in RPGs, I still found myself with nothing to do for hours on end because games were full or I had something scheduled in the middle of a game or, in one case, I was so offended by the GM, I left 10 minutes into the game.  
>>>
>>>
>>>Maybe we should re-look at our scheduling?  We could offer more RPGs if people were willing to start them every hour.  I know it forces us to use more space, but if we stagger the start times of games, you don't have people wandering around, waiting...plus, it makes it easier for people to get into a board game/tournament and/or see a guest speaker or go on a tour or something like that if they don't or cant' join a 2pm RPG or something. 
>>>
>>>
>>>Perhaps I could talk to Robyn about it offline... >_>  It just popped into my head due to running a couple things over the past year that have had less than vibrant attendance--like the seminar I'd planned for Women in Gaming...and Costuming & Cosplay... the Costume Contest (but, that's moving completely into something else).  I know there was a guest who was doing a Q&A once who had all of three people show up--and 2 of them worked with me in the D20 Girls...they weren't there because they wanted to be, they were there because they felt badly.
>>>
>>>
>>>Sorry for the long-winded response.  I just think we really need to re-examine our scheduling and try to coordinate it all a little bit better. 
>>>
>>>
>>>On Wed, Feb 22, 2012 at 10:12 AM, <Evil5757 at aol.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>I feel the best option is to have Seminars actually become a department instead of a collection of "who's speaking." We used to have people come to the con JUST FOR the seminars and they had a blast. To the best of my knowledge, we don't have anyone beating the bushes for speakers or a War College and we should. 
>>>>
>>>>Karl and Mike, would you be willing to tie into Bootcamp and Historical Miniatures and fill the War College void and get it going again? I will be working with the Manufactors next convention to build towards them giving a talk on all their new products coming up (hopefully kicking off with Gateway). If successful, it should bring 11 or more manufactors to speak, each with give-aways at the seminar.
>>>>
>>>>I seriously think it should be something we work to improve. A new label might be in order, but we should look at it in a positive way. Maybe "Guest Speakers," "Gaming Speakers," "something to let people know it will be new and exciting information.
>>>>
>>>>John
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>In a message dated 2/22/2012 7:33:49 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, Tim at stugiii.com writes:
>>>>We need to change the "Seminar" "department" and label to something more meaningful.  I know some con's label these events as "Other" or "Misc.".  I really don't like those labels.  We can't call them "Special Events" because we already have a definition for that and some of the events currently listed under "Seminar" would not fit there.
>>>>>
>>>>>Perhaps "General"?
>>>>>
>>>>>Anyone have any ideas?
>>>>>
>>>>>Tim
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>-- 
>>>>>"Among our chief weapons are fear, surprise, ruthless efficiency and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope…” - Cardinal Ximinez 
>>>>>
>>>>>www.strategicon.net 
>>>>> www.StuGIII.com 
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>>>-- 
>>>Kryssie Mackey 
>>>Talent Acquisitions & Marketing
>>>310-766-9954
>>>phantom.hopscotch at gmail.com
>>>Strategicon Events
>>>Follow me on Twitter & Facebook!
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>
>
>
>-- 
>Kryssie Mackey 
>Talent Acquisitions & Marketing
>310-766-9954
>phantom.hopscotch at gmail.com
>Strategicon Events
>Follow me on Twitter & Facebook!
>
>
> 
>
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