[GenCon 2204] Booth design and logistics

[Michael S. Miller]

That frees up the entire east side for wide open demo all the way to the aisles, and it also puts the product close to the cashier.  That location is not only more convenient but also somewhat more secure I think.

Good thinking, Ralph. Shrinkage hadn't even occured to me. This is why head-in-the-clouds optimists like myself need to pay careful attention to the hard-eyed realists.

[Ron Edwards]

Hello,

Matt asked about storage space, and that's a tricky thing. Given that people arrive festooned with satchels, backpacks, bags of stuff they just bought, and various removable articles of clothing ...

... and that's just the booth staff, never mind the customers arriving who sit down to play demos or otherwise hang out ...

... then where to put boxes of stuff to sell are a serious problem. I'm sure everyone remembers how many times we had to dig frantically through a haphazard pile of boxes and bags and other crap in order to find a handful of games that had just sold off the shelf. Or that at least one table would end up commandeered as "space for my stuff" by someone or another by the middle of the day.

I really want to minimize all of that this year. I'm going to ask that people not bring their personal "house on my back" wad of stuff to the booth, and that one's stock at the booth should be given a single, identifiable space throughout the entire con.

Obviously, I don't want anyone to run out of stock, until the very last minute before they leave the booth for good. So saying something like, "You can't bring more than 20 copies at a time" seems like the wrong kind of rule to implement. Can anyone think of a better way to deal with it?

Oh, and to get to the crux of Matt's question, if the better solution (which I trust will appear in a few posts) can be graded to "senior" and "junior" categories which do not hose the "juniors," then that would be excellent.

Best,
Ron

[Valamir]

I think the easiest solution is:

1) to bring some reduced level of copies to the booth
2) to designate the closest hotel room (presumeably at the Westin or Hyatt) as space for additional daily inventory storage.
3) to leave a spare room key for that room in the cash box guarded by the cashier.
4) when minimal stock runs low a quick run over to nearby hotel room using key from cash box can refresh stock without having to lug tons of stuff around.
5) after hours more complete refreshing of stock in hotel room can be made from reserve stock in members own hotel room.

Of course this requires someone(s) in a nearby hotel room who would not mind non room residence entering room throughout the day to get restocked.


A slightly off the wall suggestion would be to ask all sellers to purchase the same model of stackable rubbermaid-esque transparent storage boxes of a size large enough to hold a dozen or two copies.   Ideally even the kind that function as drawers after you stack them.  

Inventory could then be housed in a neat, organized, easy to get to, and attractive if seen by others format.

If we wanted to get even slightly nuttier, such a stackable "wall" could even be used as a piece of booth furniture itself, serving as a back table for display of fliers and such instead of being under a table (perhaps using an opaque and labeled version instead of clear).

[Ron Edwards]

[rapidly seizes the day]

To all participants! Ralph (Valamir) is now in charge of the system he has just proposed, including tweaking it according to others' suggestions and his own judgment!

If my hotel room is located in as easy a place as last year (just across the street, connected by a single escalator and elevator ride), then I'll volunteer it for this purpose.

My vote is for the Rubbermaid thingie, but Ralph, you'll have to figure out just which brand and model we're supposed to get.

Best,
Ron

[Michael S. Miller]

Hi, Ralph.

To add to the wackiness, perhaps we "junior" booth members could share boxes. >>gasp<<

Also, I like the hotel room micro-warehouse idea (unfortunately, my rooom is about 4 blocks away, so mine won't do). Running to get restock is another thing booth monkeys can do to get us away from the booth itself.

[btrc]

If the demo tables had drapes, you could make the "pillar" that supports the table out of stackable "drawer-type" storage units, which you could then put a company label on so everyone would know where to find a item for shelf re-stocking.

The top storage unit (at least) would have to be anchored to the table top somehow, otherwise the first person to lean on it with their elbows would topple the whole mess. Preferably, all the units would be anchored together, and the bottom anchored to a wide base.

I'm great for ideas. Now to let someone else do the actual work...;)

Greg
BTRC

[Mike Holmes]

I'm staying with a friend, Tony, who lives in Indianapolis, and has a pickup truck. He orders, oh, 20 of these: http://www.aclassicpartyrental.com/images/chairs/barstool_2.jpg

And for $100 we get to have the barstools that we always wanted.  We could get the associated tall tables for $5 a throw. Lots of options here.

Heck, barring that, I know where I can get free folding chairs that are more sturdy and comfortable than the junky standard chairs that they provided for the booth, ones that I could just bring along myself.

I think this would go a long way to making a nicer atmosphere.

Mike

[Valamir]

high round tables with bar stools would rock on toast.

I'd be really tempted to go with one Umbrella table too, posters and such could be pinned to the fabric.  That would be kewl.

[btrc]

You know, I don't think there is an explicit prohibition against how -tall- a booth can be. Dya think we could make one a couple stories tall? Maybe a nice spiral staircase, a clock tower that we could rent out to potential snipers, a fireman's pole for the express checkout line, stuff like that?

;)

Greg
BTRC

[Mike Holmes]

I (or someone else, maybe) proposed it last year, Greg. :-)

Actually I think fire code or something does prevent it. Otherwise...

Mike

[Ron Edwards]

Hello,

I need someone to examine the relative costs of these two things:

1. The services provided by George E. Fern, the company which works directly with GenCon.

2. The services of any plausible source of alternative furniture. Mike, you just referred to free chairs, which sounds wonderful, but not until we have a real and actual commitment by someone to bring the things to and from the exhibit hall.

I've got the information for #1 although not the time (at this very moment) to post it. Can anyone start looking into #2 with a real, practical eye, as opposed to saying, "I'm sure we could rent from somewhere in Indianapolis" or similar what-iffy suggestions?

Best,
Ron

[Keith Senkowski]

Ron

Did a quick Google and found this company in Carmel, IN.  Here is a link to their http://ptrinc.com/05.html">Chair Rental Page.  I try and find some more in the area.

Keith

[Matt Snyder]

Folks, is this even possible? Doesn't GenCon require you to use (expensive) furniture they provide? Ron, do you know? Is this something we can ask Peter A and/or his staff?

I was under the impression that bringing in chairs or furniture like this is a big no-no. As expensive as it is (and boy is it expensive!), this is a key component of how GenCon and the convention center make money, no?

[Dav]

Regarding stuff:

1) GenCon does not require you to use their furnishings... you may bring your own.  A lot of people suggest those cheapass folding chair things from the WalMarts of the World... I do not.  They collapse unexpectedly -- with your ass in them.  It isn't fun, especially if you go through conventions in the state I do.

2) As with last year, I think the Apophis booth is against a wall... which is just plain awesome for storage.  Should some of you kids need, and should the wall-thing be the case, I have no problem with letting you guys put a moderate couple of things stashed back there for easy-access storage throughout the day.

3) As always: banners, flyers, pamphlets, and what-have-you: I gots tha hookups!  Let me know what you need.

Dav

[Andy Kitkowski]

Hey all, I have no input: Last GenCon for me was back in 96, so I'm totally out of the loop.

I'll be there, though, on the Forge Booth Babe Team (aka Booth Monkeys, etc).  My back is strong and my legs are fast, I don't tire easily, so I'll be happy to be the Running Man-bitch for Ralph and crew; runing to the hotel room to grab boxes of books, etc. I'd appreciate if people can spot me some Gatorade sometime in return, tho, if you see me wheezing/sweating like a dog.

Questions: EDIT: Answered by self

Q (for Ron): IIRC, Ron had one of those "Swiper" credit card readers, and because of it booth sales were pretty high (Yay, credit! etc)... Was that swiper used for ALL Forge booth products, or just for Adept Press products?

EDIT: Nevermind, I needed to do a little search to see that in 2K3, Adept and Driftwood accepted CC payments, and that for this year:

What this entitles you to is this: (a) banner space on the back wall and curtain, (b) inclusion in a spiffy handout pamphlet (logos, shiny paper, etc), (c) scheduled and volunteer-supported demo play (your demos will be played), (d) credit card payment privileges. This is in addition to the benefits listed in the two categories above.

Comments:

* "Quickie Concept Cards" (or somesuch):  Based on a few recent topics on kickers, bangs and scene-framing that really caught peoples attention and interest at RPGNet (now about a dozen people are psyched for using some of these techniques in their games), I'd love to see something like those "wallet laminated prayer cards", but instead focusing on an interesting RPG running technique (Narrativist perhaps, but something that most games don't make explicit use of).  Like one for "Kickers", "Bangs", "Scene Framing", etc.  We could just pass them out, or sell them for 25 cents or something.  And if there's enough room/time, maybe give a quick 5 minute demonstration of the technique to an interested person/group.  Kinda like how you can go into Home Depot on a "demo day", and get a quick 5 minute tutorial on "How to Caulk", "How to Finish", etc.  But, like, "How to Frame Scenes", "How to use Bangs", etc.

IMO, there are some people (like me) that these ideas, when read on paper, make little sense.  But seeing it demonstrated by an enthusiastic individual really makes a difference.  So why not (if there's enough humans, and it doesn't get in the way of sales) try to push some Forge-born techniques on people through way of "quickie mini seminars"? I think if even one out of four people walked away willing to try it with their group, that would be a success.

It's just a thought, and perhaps as lame as "Jump to Conclusions" mats, but still, if enough people are interested in it, I could go ahead and make up the cards, the lessons, and do quick training for the other booth monkeys, etc.

* Lunch.  Well, this is probably a concern better for closer to GenCon.  I want to try to save cash and my waistline as much as possible, so I'm probably bringing my rice-cooker.  I could provide everyone with a solid chinese/japanese-style lunch (regular or vegetarian) for like $3 per person (make it at the hotel, smuggle it into the Con).  This isn't as important a concern as the booth specifics, I know, but if this idea appeals to any booth monkeys out there, let me know closer to the Con and I'll work out something for those that are interested.