Ropecon AAR

[Eero Tuovinen]

Well, Ropecon came and went. I did some time behind the table, gave two lectures (one theory, one about Kätyrin osa) and ambled around. All in all an interesting experience. We adjusted our marketing strategy to lose practically all demoing of games after it became apparent that we wouldn't have enough people to both man the table and demo the games. I hope we didn't inconvenience any who worked to get us demo materials. We'll use them later on, promise.

Kätyrin osa (the translation of MLwM) was received well. We sold 43 copies during the convention, which is roughly what I expected going in. Many more people were interested, so I'd expect that we'll sell 50-60 before the year is out. Meaning that we just might break even, what with all the hassles with our printers.

Other games sold reasonably well, too. I'll give some random numbers off the top of my head. Books not mentioned sold from zero to three copies, roughly.
Burning Wheel: 6 (sold out within hours. Book Finland up for a reprint, our hobbyists want more heavy fantasy rules for pursuing the Dream)
Dust Devils: 5 (sold out next, being extremely likable for anyone with a whit of taste. Book us up for a reprint, Finland wants more.)
Elfs: 3 (which is two more than I expected in Finland, frankly)
kpfs: 10 (biggest surprise to me; they started selling after I figured out the need to force people to read the first sentence AND tell them that it's funnier than Paranoia. Forget one and it's either disgust or disinterest)
Sorcerer: 6 (about what I expected. This is a game I'm planning for the long run, building interest slowly.)
Universalis: 7 (likewise)

I don't have a clue as to where these stand compared to an American 3000-person convention. I'd expect the numbers to be a little higher, as many people come to Ropecon to buy games as well. Also, I might have some edge with my Finnish brethren as compared to American indie vendors and their people, what with things being less commercial overall here. Content counts for more, I imagine.

Overall people were glad and congratulatory for our stepping forth to get them games they've heard about. There's also a minority that takes Kätyrin osa as fighting for Finnish language, which it of course is. Then there's some that take any commercial activity as betraying the roleplaying revolution (don't laugh, Finland is a social-democratic country with a strongly anti-commercial culture). They were drowned by the positive opinions, though.

The single highest point of the convention was giving a lecture about Kätyrin osa. People there asked me why there were no demos of the game arranged. I explained about the manpower shortage and offered to give a demonstration for the interested after the lecture. I then ran a short Dracula remake for four people afterwards. It was extremely rewarding how each and every one got the game instantly, weaving an engrossing narrative about gypsy's love for his daughter, englishmen's pride and how a vampire can see innocence. I've planned before running a Dracula game, and this was all I could have hoped for. With complete strangers to boot. Finns are clearly ready for MLwM, I hope many people write us about their experiences with it.

I also "met" Eric Wujcik when he browsed our table. He picked up kpfs and asked how much it cost. No sale, probably because we'd had to price it at 15€ to cover shipping and buy-in. I'd have said something if I'd known how to pronounce his name (laugh all you want, and then try to pronounce my name correctly on your first try).

I'll supply additional details after the rest period if people are interested. Newsalor, others: how about telling your impressions about our exotic convention? And how'd you like the games you bought?

[Mike Holmes]

As far as sales numbers, I'd say that we'd be very hard pressed to do that well here for a convention of the size of Ropecon. Might even be impossible to do that well here, though Luke would know better.

Mike

[Merten]

I'll supply additional details after the rest period if people are interested. Newsalor, others: how about telling your impressions about our exotic convention? And how'd you like the games you bought?

I wasn't able to attend any panels or speeches, as I had a social overdrive day and spent it with beer & talking about games (which might lead to something - it's easy to get excited in conventions and then forget about it in the following week. But we'll see).

I bought Burning Wheel (and reserved a copy beforehand, which turned out to be a wise decision) and pondered between Universalis and Sorcerer, finally deciding on Universalis. The rest of the stuff looked instresting as well, so I'll have to buy the rest of the stuff available later.

Burning Wheel certainly looks intresting; being an all-rules book, it's not an easy read. With first glances, it'll looks complete, if a bit heavy system. I'll have to digest it with time. Universalis I've only managed to skim through so far; kudos for the clear layout and graphics. It seems to be easy to digest - the idea looks intresting, though probably not my piece of cake.

As for the sales, I did expect the numbers to be a bit higher - while Ropecon isn't really a sales convention (as far removed from such as possible, come to think of it, excluding card games), I would have thought that the low pricetags and indie-approach would have sold a few more copies.

[Luke]

from my very limited experience selling at cons, eero, I'd say those numbers are great!

it  looks like you've got a lot of interest in small, exotic games. A con like that would be a very good one for me.

-L

[Merten]

it  looks like you've got a lot of interest in small, exotic games. A con like that would be a very good one for me.

... Continuing that line of thought, I wouldn't mind having an indie game publisher and/or roleplaying theorist with attitude and opinions (preferably different ones than people representing major publishers have) being invited as a Guest of Honor in Ropecon 2005.

It might skyrocket the sales, but I'd be even more intrested in what kind of content such person could bring to our little convention. We have a long list of  established designers with long (and usually well known) careers as GoH's - I'd be quite happy hear views, opinions and outright challenging of the status quo delivered in one or two speeches.

Just a thought.

[Eero Tuovinen]

... Continuing that line of thought, I wouldn't mind having an indie game publisher and/or roleplaying theorist with attitude and opinions (preferably different ones than people representing major publishers have) being invited as a Guest of Honor in Ropecon 2005.

This is something I've lobbied somewhat with the people deciding on the convention, but the main part of activists here are strongly immersionist and "nordic", with all the attitudes that entails. I therefore don't see this happening yet, but who knows - it's possible that we could invite someone in the year 2006... Talk with your con representatives to make it happen!

[Merten]

... Continuing that line of thought, I wouldn't mind having an indie game publisher and/or roleplaying theorist with attitude and opinions (preferably different ones than people representing major publishers have) being invited as a Guest of Honor in Ropecon 2005.

This is something I've lobbied somewhat with the people deciding on the convention, but the main part of activists here are strongly immersionist and "nordic", with all the attitudes that entails. I therefore don't see this happening yet, but who knows - it's possible that we could invite someone in the year 2006... Talk with your con representatives to make it happen!

I don't that's the main issue (though it might be, I wouldn't know); the main problem is that indie games and/or roleplaying theory is something that covers a rather small percentage of intrests of the participants. This seems to be chancing, though.

Have to think about it and do some queries as the organising committee for the next year's convention forms.

[Ville Takanen]

Hmm... I think most of the participants are more intrested in GW / MTG tournaments ;-)

The idea of lobbying an indie game designer as one of the GOHs is an novel one, alltough maybe not for 2005... There will probably be much fuss about the White Wolfs "WOD 2.0" material in next years 'con.

And not to mention, that I think all the larp GOHs have been indie game designers as well!

ps. Does that 6 pcs. of Sorcerer include supplements too?

[Eero Tuovinen]

And not to mention, that I think all the larp GOHs have been indie game designers as well!

Good point, indeed! The main difference of course is the frame of reference, as the Forge-type indie designer works through the American sociological theoretical frame, while the larp designer draws from the nordic tradition. So getting an American would be a change of pace theoretically, not ideologically.

What I'd expect from such a GOH would be one lecture on theory he bases his work on and another on the industry.

ps. Does that 6 pcs. of Sorcerer include supplements too?

Nope, we sold some of those, too. I expect that the rest will start moving after people get a chance to realize how good a book they have.

[Ville Takanen]

IMHO:
As the lecture on theory, would be of intrest to the developers lurking at the 'con, I think that it should be more "this is my game (and I used these theories while designing it)", as we would like to promote the indie games too.
And the industry lecture should be more, "what is indie game designign and why/how it it happens".

[Merten]

As the lecture on theory, would be of intrest to the developers lurking at the 'con, I think that it should be more "this is my game (and I used these theories while designing it)", as we would like to promote the indie games too. And the industry lecture should be more, "what is indie game designign and why/how it it happens".

Not to forget publishing and market; Finland is clearly lacking in games translated to other languages (in other words, none come to my mind), so that should be intresting and hopefully thought-provoking.

What comes to larp GOH's, I'm not aware that they would have an indie publishing career.

[M. J. Young]

It would be challenging to get an American to a convention in Finland, I fear. I don't know how many copies of a game would have to sell to finance such a trip, so it would have to be someone who either was coming to Europe for some other reason anyway, or could arrange to do a string of conventions successfully.

Also, it might mean skipping Origins or Gencon or both, which are mainstays of many game publishers' income (although less so for indies, I think).

But I'm sure you could find several who would love to do it.

--M. J. Young

[Merten]

It would be challenging to get an American to a convention in Finland, I fear. I don't know how many copies of a game would have to sell to finance such a trip, so it would have to be someone who either was coming to Europe for some other reason anyway, or could arrange to do a string of conventions successfully.

Well, considering that the Convention pays for the trips, accomondation and food (*), the financial stress shouldn't be too hard. And isn't Origins well before and GenCon well after the last week of July?

*) Unless things have drastically changed in the last few years. But how many American designers would come to Northern Europe on their own?

[Eero Tuovinen]

Merten is right: the con policy has for many years been to handle the GOHs with greatest honors, and thus we haven't usually had any trouble getting prestigious guests. One of the best points of Ropecon, IMO. We've had Justin Achilli, Eric Wujik, Jonathan Tweet and other's of similar calibre, and usually they've been happy to come and have talked about the convention afterwards with highest praise.

[Mike Holmes]

Wow, a con the size of Ropecon in the US would almost certainly not be able to comp transatlantic flights.

Wow.

How are these things funded?

Mike