Indie RPG Explosion at Dreamation 2005

[Michael S. Miller]

In this thread, we'll be putting together the Indie RPG Explosion at Dreamation '05 in January in New Brunswick, NJ.

What are our goals?
As Double Exposure has generously offered sales space, I say we focus on selling games. I think that should be our primary goal with a secondary goal of promoting awareness of the "indie scene." Along with these goals, we must also fulfill what DE has requested of us: A) Run at least one game in every timeslot and B) participate in a forum on Independent Publishing.

How do we meet those goals?
By running great games. Particularly by running those games that we'll have on-hand to sell. Looking at Luke's stock (which will be there even if he won't), plus what Dregg and Tony bring, we'll have the following games to sell:

Capes
Dogs in the Vinyard
InSpectres
My Life with Master
No Press Anthology
octaNe
Pulp Era
Sorcerer (& Supplements)
Universalis
With Great Power...

The convention has 12 time slots (Thursday 8PM and midnight, Friday and Saturday 10AM, 3PM, 8PM and Midnight, and Sunday 10AM and 2PM.) Ten games in twelve slots means that some games will need to be run more than once. No problem there.

Since we'll have product and a cashbox at the table, that will need to be manned continuously. I think if we each take a few slots when we're not running games, we'll be covered.

I need everyone involved to answer the following questions: (here, preferrably, but PM will do)

A) When do you expect to arrive at the con and when do you expect to depart?
B) Will you be taking advantage of the crash space generously provided by Double Exposure (four double beds if I understand correctly)?
C) What games, of those listed above, will you be willing and able to run for a 4-hour session? How many time slots will you be willing to run in?
D) How interested would you be in participating in the forum on independent publishing?

I'd like everyone's responses by next Friday, 11/12 at the latest. I'll draw up a schedule and submit it to DE by 11/26. We'll talk about flyers and any other promotional stuff later.


I'll go first:
A) Kat and I will go Thursday night and stay till Sunday, after the last slot.
B) Kat and I will be making use of crash space.
C) I'm willing to run Dogs in the Vinyard, InSpectres, My Life with Master, No Press Anthology, octaNe, Sorcerer, Universalis, or With Great Power... and I'm willing to run a maximum of 8 slots.
Kat's willing to run Dogs in the Vinyard, My Life with Master,or With Great Power...
D) I'd be rather interested (7 out of 10) in participating in a panel on independent publishing. Kat's not interested.

I hope to hear from everyone soon.

[timfire]

Is there any sort of "buy-in" charge involved with this? From reading the other thread, it didn't sound like it, but I wanted to double check.

Thanks!

[Helvetian]

There is never a charge for company reps to come to our events and have demo/display space.  Just tell me how many badges you need, and send me names/reg info, and they'll be waiting for you at registration.  The only out-of-pocket expenses for publishers are travel costs, any meals outside of what we're providing in the staff suite (and we really do keep the basics covered for every meal as long as you don't need anything fancy), and sleep space.  And in the case of the Forge-associate Indie publishers, you will have two rooms with two double beds each for sleeping.  One, of course, will offer a little less crash time since there will be parties and games being run there.

And thank you so much for being willing to organize this, Michael!  :)  Just let me know, if you need anything at all from me.

Also, since I've already been asked once, the mass transit information to the hotel.  I can find more specifics regarding NJ Transit, if people need it:

Take a Suburban Transit bus to the Neilson Parking Plaza. There may be more than one route that goes there so ask from which gate the next one is leaving. Usually they leave from Gate 420 or 421, in NYC.

Important point: though the hotel calls the stop Tower Center, the Suburban Transit website calls it the Neilson Parking Plaza.

Do NOT take the Suburban Transit bus to Transportation Center, it's not the same as Tower Center!

Do NOT take any NJ Transit bus (unless you you what you're doing).

[Clinton R. Nixon]

I'm provisionally coming to Dreamation as well. (Hi, Helvetian! Mark me down.) I've got to clear it through work, but, well, I hate my job, so I'm coming whether I get an OK or not. The $100 JetBlue tickets are too good to pass up. I expect to arrive mid-afternoon on the 26th, and leave early[/b] on the 31st. I will be taking serious advantage of the crash space.

I definitely want to be on the independent publishing panel, specifically on technical tools to push your game. TSOY has been an awesome experience in using free, open-source tools, and I think it'll provide a good example of what you can do without buying into the Adobe publishing machine.

Games to sell
The Shadow of Yesterday
Donjon

Games I'll sign up to run
The Shadow of Yesterday
Sorcerer (with heavy &Sword influence, probably)

[Clinton R. Nixon]

Oh! I forgot:

I will run kill puppies for satan like a motherfucker. I suggest a weird late-night 2-hour-kpfs/2-hour-dogs-in-the-vineyard game, but that might be because I'm very caffeinated.

[Matt Wilson]

Well, this has me confused. The Dreamation folks emailed me directly. Should I confirm through them or on this thread?

To answer the questions:
A) When do you expect to arrive at the con and when do you expect to depart?

I haven't booked any flights yet, but presumably afternoon 26th, evening 30th.

B) Will you be taking advantage of the crash space generously provided by Double Exposure (four double beds if I understand correctly)?

Hell yes.

C) What games, of those listed above, will you be willing and able to run for a 4-hour session? How many time slots will you be willing to run in?

Mike, you contemptible cur, what about my own game? Khannnn! I can run that (Primetime Adventures), plus Inspectres and Universalis no problem. I could also probably run Pagoda from the NPA.

However many time slots need to be filled, I will gladly run my share of them. How's that for an answer?

One Q: Any way we could split a 4-hour slot into two halves and run two shorter games? I think with many of these games, if not all, you could present a fantastic demo in 2 hours.

D) How interested would you be in participating in the forum on independent publishing?

I'm definitely interested, though I think I'd have less to say about publishing and more to say about finding an audience.

[Helvetian]

Well, this has me confused. The Dreamation folks emailed me directly. Should I confirm through them or on this thread?

One Q: Any way we could split a 4-hour slot into two halves and run two shorter games? I think with many of these games, if not all, you could present a fantastic demo in 2 hours.

D) How interested would you be in participating in the forum on independent publishing?

I'm definitely interested, though I think I'd have less to say about publishing and more to say about finding an audience.

Sorry about the confusion, both posting and emailing.  Even with the invitation being posted, I still prefer to send emails to folks.  You aren't all one entity, after all.  And I want to be certain to reach everyone as individual companies.  :)

Regarding the slots, you can absolutely schedule 2-hour demos.  Those are likely much better for games done at the demo tables, with the 4-hour slots being used for more 'proper' games.  If you guys want to schedule a separate track with just a series of shorter demos, we could certainly do that.  Actually, it would help for scheduling who gets the small tables that I'll be setting around the public area for demos.

About the forums, I think it would be great to have one about finding an audience/pushing the games.  That's pretty important. :)

[TonyLB]

(A) I'll show up Thursday pre-opening, and stay until Sunday post-close, running (and hopefully selling) Capes until my eyes bleed.  

(B) I'll bring a sleeping bag, and happily crash on any corner of floor.  Such memories!  A bed would just spoil my nostalgia.  Shower sure would be nice though... nostalgia only stretches so far.

(C) I'm very eager to run Capes.  I can also give a try at InSpectres and MLwM, though I'm worried about my (total) lack of experience with the systems.  Maximum of ten slots, more comfortable with eight.  I'm keen to run both slots thursday, to burn off my initial frantic energy.

(D) I'm up for a panel.  I can chatter unendingly (ask anyone!) about the creative process.  I can speculate hopefully about what it means to be published, but will mostly buck those issues to folks with actual experience.

[Helvetian]

I've just spoken with Vinny, and he's letting me offer you guys one page worth of quarter-page ads in the Dreamation program book.  We of course are accepting product for them, at a rate of $75/quarter-page ad.  Naturally, we have half and full pages available for product swap as well, at rates of $150 and $250.  The quarters will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.

[Matt Wilson]

Hey, maybe I should get this clarified for everyone.

The trade show regulars like Clinton and me are used to getting to a show the day before. Does this show start on Thursday evening or Thursday morning? If it starts in the evening, then I won't show up on the 26th, and maybe Clinton won't want to either.

Plus, what time does it end? Late Sunday or early Sunday?

Thanks.

[Clinton R. Nixon]

Hey, maybe I should get this clarified for everyone.

The trade show regulars like Clinton and me are used to getting to a show the day before. Does this show start on Thursday evening or Thursday morning? If it starts in the evening, then I won't show up on the 26th, and maybe Clinton won't want to either.

Plus, what time does it end? Late Sunday or early Sunday?

Matt,

We should probably wait for an official answer, but looking at the game schedule, it looks like a 8PM Thursday to 2PM Sunday thing, which confirms your thoughts. With that in mind, I'll be adjusting my travel to show up mid-afternoon on Thursday, and leave Sunday night.

[Helvetian]

The convention runs Thursday evening through Sunday afternoon. :)

Becca

[timfire]

I would very much like to come, by due to transportation costs, things don't look so good. (Anyone want to carpool?)

But anyway,  Mike M. said he would schedule a time slot for The Mountain Witch if I could find someone to run it, and Clinton has offered to do that. So it looks like the 'Witch will be there.

If everything goes according to schedule, I should be able to take pre-orders by then. I will hopefully have some sort of mock-up available for people to preview. I will try my hardest, but the schedule is kinda tight, and I won't know for sure-sure until around New Year's how things look for having the game available.

[Luke]

you guys are killing me. i want to come just to hang out and play your games.

the old lady is going to kill me,
-L

[Brennan Taylor]

I am definitely interested in being there as well, and I have a number of different games to bring and hopefully run (mine and other folks from IPR). Michael, or folks from the con, let me know what info you need from me!