Forge @ GenCon SoCal 2006

[Clinton R. Nixon]

People,

I will be at GenCon SoCal again this year. The deadline for the booth getting is September 26. Lest you think GenCon SoCal is no GenCon at all, know that this is the last year before it takes over where E3 left off (one of the biggest computer game conventions) and that they have a large presence of school field trips to the con. I believe it's about 6000 person attendance.

I will organize a Forge booth for this convention if I get interest. I would very much like to do this. What I need are booth sponsors and the number of interested souls. I expect this to be much like Origins - a very nice, clean sales rack and one central round table for constant demos. If I get more than 5 publishers interested, I could increase that.

GenCon SoCal is in Anaheim. It's very nice, and very relaxed. It will be fun, and you want to hang out in southern California with me. Your sales will be lower than GenCon by far. I expect to sell 7 copies of TSOY and 15 copies of TPK there.

Also, if you are interested and you are also a Lulu author, let me know that! There may be something I can swing here.

- Clinton

[Luke]

I'm in.

-L

[Justin D. Jacobson]

I'm in. Lord willing, Passages will be done by then. (And by Lord, I mean the God of Procrastination.)

[Nathan P.]

I would not be able to attend, but I am interested and I am a lulu author. Let me know what you have in mind!

[Albert of Feh]

How interested is 'interested'? I'm definitely interested in being there, buying a few things from a Forge booth, and hanging/gaming out with Forge people. I could also probably be conned into demoing at least a few games at a booth, or running a slot or two if we want to try for a mini-IGE or GoD sort of thing. I don't, however, have a game to sell.

[Clinton R. Nixon]

Nathan P. and Albert,

Thank you. I should have been more clear.

If you are interested in being at the Forge booth at GenCon SoCal and are financially invested in it (you have a game to sell), let me know here.

Luke and Justin,

You're in, as in you'll be coming to the convention? Ok, this is a good start.

[joepub]

Count me as on-the-fence.

[Justin D. Jacobson]

Nathan P. and Albert,

Thank you. I should have been more clear.

If you are interested in being at the Forge booth at GenCon SoCal and are financially invested in it (you have a game to sell), let me know here.

Luke and Justin,

You're in, as in you'll be coming to the convention? Ok, this is a good start.

I will definitely participate financially. As for attending, I probably will not be able to do that, but I won't know for sure for a little bit yet.

[Luke]

I'll be at the con with you, side by side, fighting the tides of orcs!

-L

[Luke]

SoCal is not a big rpg con, therefore we can't just show up expecting GenCon Round 2. We need to go and work this con. Work the shit out of it.

What we need at SoCal:

A corner booth with a demo table.
A small selection of games at said booth. Preferably with a display space.
Two people to man that booth.

We then need everyone else to run scheduled games and seminars. The booth drives traffic to the events. The events drive traffic to the booth.

We need flyers, stickers and promo items to brand ID ourselves, too. To show people where we are at and who we are.
-Luke

[Clinton R. Nixon]

Luke,

We are in complete and total agreement. I am taking exams all weekend, and then we will talk seriously about this on Monday.

[Malcolm Craig]

Just looking for some clarity: is it possible to make a financial contribution to the booth (I realise some people have mooted this), have your game(s) there but not be in attendance? Another Transatlantic hop is pretty much no-go for me this year, but I'd appreciate it if you could let me know what the score is as regards this question.

Thanks
Malcolm

[Justin D. Jacobson]

I just may be able to get out there for the first part, leaving on Saturday. November 19th is both my wife's birthday and my daughter's first birthday--so I will not be missing that. But I'd really like to get out there to pimp Passages and do what I should have been doing at Indy.

If I were able to swing it, it would be my first GC SoCal. How does it compare logistically to Indy? What's the hotel situation like? Would anyone happen to be looking for a roommate? (I snore but am otherwise excellent company.)

[Clinton R. Nixon]

Malcolm and others,

Assuming this happens - I will be having some talks early this week to make sure we actually want to go forth with this - the GenCon SoCal Forge booth will be run a bit differently. The major difference: if you want your books there, you need to be there or have someone there who has personally committed to representing you. (Yes, Brennan counts, but I don't think IPR will come to California this year. I need to ask him personally.)

[Josh Roby]

Clinton, I am so all over this.  Here is my mouth, and here is my money stuffed inside.  FLFS is due to release at GenCon SoCal, and if the layout gods smile on me, I may have Agora by that time, too.  And Anaheim is in my backyard.

I cannot stress how right Luke is.  West coast cons work differently than your fangled east coast and midwest cons.  There is no "Open Play" bullshit.  We like our shit scheduled.  We like to register, sign up, and be assured a seat.  We come to cons with each day already blocked out.  I'm pretty sure Games on Demand, while made of awesome, would fall right on its face out here.

Might I suggest running "Smorgasbord" or "Speed Gaming" events, especially in the first couple days of the con, where people can play six games in a three-hour slot, and come away with a flyer listing off, "This is what you played, here's a short description to remind you, it's available at the Forge Booth for $X."

Additionally, I can print up some Conquer the Horizon freebie games with Forge Booth stamped all over it -- we can give them out at our scheduled games and seminars.

Again, though: here's me, jumping up and down.  I am so in.