GenCon 2002 - update & policy

[Ron Edwards]

Hello,

Jason and I have spent some time hammering out these points and procedures. I know some of them are different from what we said before, but we hit a couple of hard rocks of reality.

Costs
The price for an exhibitor badge is $60, and the deadline is July 1. Hence if you are selling a game at GenCon (example: InSpectres) you must pay us $160 by July 1.

Yes, the fuckers, I mean the Wizards, have upped the exhibitor badge price. Last year, it was $45, and I don't think the increase parallels any inflation rate between 2001 and 2002.

Anyone who wants to do the "general Forge thing" is free to do so for $60, pending individual approval and space limits.

However, "helpers" for a specific game are not included in the $160. They have to register at GenCon like anyone else, or be a "general Forge booth" person for $60.

Obligations
Everyone who's included has a minimum booth work time - I suggest no less than two "units," in which a unit is 8 - 12 in the morning or 1 - 5 in the afternoon. Maybe three units.

When you're at the booth, you are responsible for knowing about every game that is featured during that time at the booth - at least to the extent of whether it's funny or not, highly improvisational or not, the setting, etc. We'll have a pamphlet to give to people about this too.

Clarification: all of the games people bring will be present at the booth at all times, and if a potential customer is interested in any of them, the game should be discussed. That's distinct from the games which are featured during that time, meaning, played and given first-up rights for casual, non-focused potential customers.

When you're at the booth, you are responsible for supporting the games that are being featured during that unit. These are the games whose representatives get to show people during that time, in a kind of "first up" way. However, you are free to rep any game that someone shows interest in (perhaps they were directed by me or Jason; perhaps they read about it in the pamphlet).

At least one of your "units" will feature your game, if you are selling a game. It may also be featured at other times.

Expectations
When you're at the booth, you are expected to be willing to play in a game at the booth at the drop of a hat. You are not a "ringer," as your presence at the booth is above-board.

When you're at the booth, you are expected to treat people in a friendly, interesting way - engage them in conversation first and foremost, and move to discussion of specific games second. Ask them about their favorite games or play experiences. Do not hawk the indie games as if it were a geeky flea market.

Sales
Jason and I will both have a point-of-purchase station at our respective ends of the space. We will handle primarily sales of our own games, although I'll have a few LF and he'll have a few Sorc, just in case.

For all the indie games in the middle, the for-sale copies are kept in the back in boxes; demo copies of the featured games will be up front (along with all freebies & flyers, which are available at all times). I also want to get a revolving comics rack, if I can find one.

If someone buys one:
a) Take a copy from the back.
b) Mark the sale on the roster.
c) Put the money into one cashbox (this will help with change and the like, as well.)

At the end of the day, tabulate - if Inspectres is $10 and sold 3 copies, pull out $30 and give it to Jared.

One person (not Jason, not me) will be designated the indie cashbox guy for a given unit. No disputes will be permitted about this.

Lodging
I still intend to reserve two hotel rooms; I'm not sure what Jason's plans are. Crash space is available for as many people who fit in them; we'll all split the final cost after the con. There will be a "Room Lord" designated for the room I'm not sleeping in.

Questions?

Best,
Ron

[Jared A. Sorensen]

When you're at the booth, you are expected to treat people in a friendly, interesting way

I can promise I'll be interesting...but friendly? Hmmm...

Hahaha. Anyway, Ron. How would you like to be reimbursed? Is PayPal okay?

[Paul Czege]

The price for an exhibitor badge is $60...

The increase is freakin' robbery. A regular four-day pass is $53. They're charging exhibitors more, because they know you can't afford the downtime of having your helpers wait in that damn line on Thursday morning.

Paul

[Ron Edwards]

Hey,

I agree with Paul, and I fully understand if anyone revises his or her plans and decides simply to register normally with GenCon. Doing so, however, means you can't work at the Forge booth at all, or sell your games there.

No matter what, though - if you have a game or flyer to be distributed for free, we'll do it.

Best,
Ron

[joshua neff]

Ron--

If I get a regular $53 pass, can I still hang out at the Forge table & play in demo games? If I want to run Sorcerer demos, do I need to pay the $60 price? Not that I mind paying the extra $7 (even though "highway robbery" is a good term for it).

[Jason L Blair]

Hey all.

First, I want to say something about the price. I fully agree that a $15 increase is outrageous. However, the extra $7 will get you in earlier and allow you to stay later. Which means you can beat the crowd if you want snag some games prior to the opening of the doors and stay for some of the functions after the hall closes. If that interests you, the $7 isn't that bad of an investment if you can afford it.

I already snagged my room, so all extra beds in Ron's room lot are available.

[Ron Edwards]

Hi Josh,

If you pay the $53, you can hang out at the Sorcerer booth and play demo games. I don't think I can accept the run demo games part, at least not at the booth. That wouldn't be fair to folks whose games are being demo'd, who paid the full $60 or $160 - even though I, actually, would be the person who'd benefit.

Best,
Ron

[Paul Czege]

Hey Jason,

Personally, I've been planning since January to be part of the booth crew. I've got my hotel room reserved, and I'm sure both I and my girlfriend will pony up for the $60 badges. I know you and Ron are spending a boatload of cash to have an indie games presence at the con, potentially allowing Adept Press and Key20 to be eclipsed a bit for the greater good of all indie games, trading on your hard earned individual successes for the benefit of other designers, and we both recognize how cool that is and want to be part of the booth. It's not the $7 that bothers me, but that the 33% increase in the cost of exhibitor badges seems so targeted at trashing the kind of collective endeavors of enthusiasm the two of you have made sacrifices for. Who'd have thought rigor-mortis would defend itself so aggressively? WotC isn't dead, it's undead. Blech!

Paul

[Zak Arntson]

No matter what, though - if you have a game or flyer to be distributed for free, we'll do it.

Howdy. I'd like to attend, but as some of you know, it's beyond my control (and choice, bleagh). I would like to somehow provide a free sheet of paper with one-two Harlekin-Maus games on it (Shadows and something else?)

Anyhow, would anyone going to GenCon be willing for me to send them the sheet-to-copy & a check to cover photocopy and effort costs? I'd love for someone to just photocopy like 100 copies (would that be the right amount?) and plonk 'em down for free grabs on the Indie Gaming table.

[Jason L Blair]

Paul,

I fully agree, man. Especially considering extra badges at Origins were only $30. It will be interesting to see what changes Peter Adkison makes in order to make GenCon more exhibitor-friendly (if any). I know GAMA wants to institute some company-friendly initiatives to boost exhibitor attendance at Origins. Who knows? Maybe Origins will become the place to be. But that's another thread.

[Ron Edwards]

Zak,

And everyone,

Yes, please send any sort of flier or advert or whatever you'd like, including game copies. If it's free, we'll pass it out. It will get picked up too; a great deal of energy seems to be spent at GenCon combing tables for free "stuff" of any kind.

By "send," I mean, ensure that someone who'll be there is going to bring it. The means to do this are legion - email it, have them photocopy it, pay them; photocopy it, give it to them physically; etc, etc, etc. Whatever you want.

I respectfully request that you don't send it to me, though. Last year I did that, and it worked out fine, but I think my hands are a little too full this year.

Best,
Ron

[Seth L. Blumberg]

So.  I already have a regular four-day badge ($53).  If I want to pitch in and help demo games, can I trade that in (with an additional $7) for an exhibitor badge? Is there any way of which you are aware for me to get my $53 refunded so I can afford to buy an exhibitor badge? Do you know anyone who wants a regular four-day badge?

(Why do I want to help demo games when I haven't written any? For the same reason that I prefer running SF conventions to attending them, and if you figure out what that is, please let me know.)

[Ron Edwards]

Seth,

I dunno, man, you're getting out of the zone where we can help you. Although Jason and I have carried this whole thing out within the rules, it's required a lot of dialogue with the convention people for them to see that it is within the rules. We really don't have any connection or authority regarding which badges were bought and exchanging them or anything of the sort.

The real hell of this is that the exhibitor badges are largely acquired on-site. That means that most of the people at the booth are showing up to GenCon with no official status or registry at all, taking my and Jason's word that they'll get an exhibitor badge. This also means that you can turn in your registration and get (I presume) your $53 back ... but for nothing. No exchange, no $7 + exhibitor badge mailed to you, no nothing.

You're welcome to do that, of course - or to transfer your registration to someone else, if that's allowed (talk to WotC). Then pay me or Jason $60 and you'll be at the booth. However, as discussed above in the thread, you're also welcome to stay as you are, come by the booth, play a lot, and generally be there without being "staff."

Best,
Ron

[Seth L. Blumberg]

Badges are supposedly non-refundable, but I'm hoping (since you can't help me) that I might be able to talk to someone in convention management and work out a way to "trade up."  If you can give me a name and a phone number to start at, I'll do the rest.

Anyway, whether I manage to get an exhibitor badge or not, I need crash space, and I'm willing to work for it.

[Jason L Blair]

Seth (and anyone else who has questions concerning areas outside of Ron's and my control),

The contact page for GenCon is here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=gencon/article/contact