GenCon 2002: the lowdown

[mahoux]

Crap on a stick!  As the lead (and only) designer and artist for the Mal-Ange release Le Mon Mouri, I assume I must finishe the artwork so Sean can publish it.

I told Sean about this and he was absolutely floored that LMM could be demoed at GenCon.  I am sure that when he picks himself up off the floor he will address it himself.

As for the game, it should be totally done by GenCon, and hopefully looking quite stylish.

Aaron

[mearls]

Cool, this sounds like an excellent idea, Ron. I'm totally up for demoing Sorcerer, Sorcerer & Sword, and just about anything else. Hell, I just caught an unexpected 100 dollar windfall. Maybe I should put together something of my own over the next few weeks.

- Mearls

[sdemory]

I'm dancing around the possibility of hitting GenCon, and would love to shake my Narrativist/Simulationist thang for the shimmy-show that is indie gaming if I do, indeed, show up.
   Nice thing is, I found out this weekend that I'll be pulling down what is commonly known as mad fat tax refund dollars, which makes a GenCon trip a little less financially onerous.
   What would the mechanics of this whole thing be? I know I'd need to throw some cash to someone to sell the beast (which I'd like to do). Ron, if you could send me some general info on how much things cost and how I'd go about getting things in gear, I'd greatly appreciate it. I'd need the most basic info, really.
   Oh, yeah... definitely cocktails. And smoking jackets. And Indie-RPG Bunnies. Maybe not the Bunnies, but I've found that I'm always a little more Narrativist with a Cuba Libre in my hand.

[joshua neff]

And Indie-RPG Bunnies.

Ron, I think it's time for you to spill your other GenCon idea.

[Ron Edwards]

Here are some points people should consider.

1) If you are "staff" at the booth, you pay no registration and stand in no lines. That's right! The cost of the badge ($45) and the cost to us ($100 if you're selling) is it.

That means that if you show up with a fistful of give-away photocopies and a promo pamphlet, and you're gonna do the Forge thing for a significant amount of time (which means playing your ass off), then you pay a whole $45, not a penny more.

2) Need a place to stay? I am not averse to sharing my hotel room with ten semi-strange men (or whatever). Did it last year. Chip in a bit on the bill, and given enough people it should cost us all hardly anything. Bring your own fuckin' towel and some means of sleeping stuff.

Best,
Ron

[Le Joueur]

That's right! The cost of the badge ($45)

What's the deadline for the headcount for these badges?  (We need those 'steenking badges.')

and you're gonna do the Forge thing for a significant amount of time (which means playing your ass off)

And what kind of time commitment is that?  In ballpark terms?  (I am in the habit of having family crises at conventions and wouldn't want to sign-up for more than I can muster.)

Fang Langford
(Who's actually beginning to think of the possibilities...)

[Ron Edwards]

Hi Fang,

Payment for badges that I pay for can come at the con itself. I'd prefer earlier, but certainly we're talking about June/July, not any time soon.

Basically, Jason and I get X many badges with the booth (forget how many, not very many though). After that they cost us $45 apiece. As I said, I'm willing to let it shake out at the con, like I did last year. Jason may be more sensible than me and ask for reimbursement ahead of time, but it's up to him.

As for actual time at the booth? This depends to some degree on the number of people. What I want is about six people there at any given moment, besides Jason and myself (or whoever we have manning the registers, which in my case is rarely anyone besides myself). That way impromptu demos can be pretty easy, two or three at a time if necessary, without everyone fallin' over each other.

So, for you, I'd say, oh, couple hours a day, maybe a half day for at least one of them? That's with the proviso that "family crisis" means you have to scoot off.

Best,
Ron

[Matt Gwinn]

Hey Ron,
I was wondering how the cash situation is going to work for those of us selling stuff.  Meaning, if I'm running a demo of something who will collect the money when someone wants to buy a copy of Kayfabe or a T-shirt?  I know some people may be touchy about running someone else's register.  Should I arange to have someone there to back me up?  I'm sure there will be plenty of people there I can trust with my money, but aside from Moose I don't know anyone well enough that will want that responsibility.



On another note, I am looking for T-shirt ideas.  If anyone can think of an idea for a t-shirt that may be popular I'm planning to have a bunch of T-shirts screened.  

At the moment I have the potential to bring any of the following.

50/50 T-shirts from sizes Medium to 2XL in the following colors: ash, gold, kelly green, royal or navy.  Sizes small thru XL will be $12.00 each and 2XLs will be $14.00

Exact colors available will depend on interest.  I'm thinking I will probably only be able to afford 2 colors and sizes L-2XL.

I may also do bags, hooded and crew style sweatshirts, duffle bags and nylon jackets if enough people are interested and I have enough money to have the stuff made.

Any ideas?

,Matt

[Jason L Blair]

For flyer purposes, I'd like to know who is involved by May. I don't need any money for badges by then but I would need a list so I can get the flyers designed and enough made.

As far as booth-action, I will be there most of the time. If not, Seth or Greg will be there. For me to be truly effective at the playtesting, however, I'd have to be able to play the games available. Which I certainly hope to do. ;)

As far as the selling situation, we can either all have separate registers or we can have an Adept one, a Key 20 one, and an indie one (that would be very dependent on good record-keeping) that would be divvied up at the end of the day. I think the latter one would be a good choice but it's not my money, so decide that on your own.

As far as badges, whoever wants Key 20 ones, just let me know and I'll buy them. If I could have the money the first day of the con, that'd be great. Cash only, please. ;)

Of course... I think we could buy the middle booth as "The Forge," but I'm not entirely sure. I'll have to read up on it.


Sorry if this meanders, I'm discussing St. Anselm with the missus.

[Dav]

Hey all;

I will have copies of The Eternal Twilight present at GenCon, and I hope to have Apophis as a whole adjacent or near to the Forge area this year.  

While TET will not be Apophis imprint (it is my own indie project, not the whole company), I am thinking it will be published under Repressed Publishing.

So, count me in.

Dav

[hardcoremoose]

Dav,

Off-topic here, but is there some place to find teaser imformation regarding The Eternal Twilight?  This is the first I've heard of it...

- Scott

[Mike Holmes]

An important detail: we need a rally point for distribution of badges. I met Moose last year holding up a box top that read "Ron Edwards". I too was looking for Herr Ron, as were a few others, standing outside of the exhibit area wondering how we were going to get in to get badges. It all worked out in the end, but it was not comfortable.

So, being as we cannot get into the exhibitor area without badges (well, not supposed to be able to), we'll need to get them somewhere outside. To avoid this catch-22 this year, I propose that we set up a Wednesday night meeting place to get these matters sorted out. If the badges are not available on Wednesday, then we should do it on Thursday morning before the exhibit area opens so as to be able to set up. In fact, now that I think of it, both a Wednesday night meeting and a Thursday rendezvous should be orgaznized for late arrivals, etc. Any number of details could be worked out at such meetings as well, and heck, I just want to see y'all again ASAP.

Perhaps this has all been considered, but I just wanted to make sure. I was thinking that we could possibly meet at my house on Wednesday, but it's probably a little out of the way as most will be staying downtown, and I'm a little ways out. Still, its available if we need space. But there are plenty of places to meet. Anybody have a suggestion? Or, like I said, has this already been planned?

Should we continue to plan on-line here, or is there a better venue? If discussion on this really gets rolling, perhaps a new forum would be in order? Lots of things to discuss. Just thinking out loud.

Mike

[Mike Holmes]

On another note, I am looking for T-shirt ideas.  If anyone can think of an idea for a t-shirt that may be popular I'm planning to have a bunch of T-shirts screened.  

I figured that Clinton or someone would be bringing "The Forge" Tees. As well as some other stuff like on Cafepress. I hope to be sporting one (or that apron I talked about if I can get one).

Maybe I'm mistaken. But I'd think it would be a cool idea. Probably wouldn't sell a ton, but I'm sure you'd get a few sales.

Mike

[Ron Edwards]

Mike,

All logistic details concerning badges and acquisition thereof are going to be established during the summer, as the con gets closer. I agree it does need to be organized better. That's a "later step" of the process though.

Best,
Ron

[Adam]

I don't know how they'll be doing things this year, but last year I just walked up to the WotC booth on the third floor, asked for a badge from the Fantasy Productions box, and that was that. No questions asked. I don't know if they would have given me more than one - although since I was standing next to a friend, I'm sure they would have given us two.

I wonder how many people wandered around for 4 days with exhibitors badges that weren't intended for them?