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

I'm in.

-L

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

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!

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.

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.

Count me as on-the-fence.

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

-L

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

Luke,

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

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

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.)

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.)

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.

Oh, and "I'm in" means "Me, my wife, and probably my two brothers and maybe my sister in law" in terms of bodies available to be booth monkeys.

Joshua wrote:
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."

Justin wrote:
Clinton, If I were able to come out for the first two days, would that fly?

So how many confirmed do we have?  How many do we need?  By when?

I'm working out being there to represent IPR, pending details of how much time off I'll get from my new job. If I'm really lucky I'll be able to wangle a business trip to Mountain View to cover part of the cost. Brennan and I will get back here as soon as we've figured our shit out.

I'd like to come with Panty Explosion. What are we looking at cost wise? And will anyone share a room with me?

Jake

Hmm, actually looks like I have my room problem taken care of. So, what are we looking at cost wise per participant?

Clinton,

I can commit to being there, as a person (attendee/demoer/whatever).  As a publisher - are we taking similar buy-in numbers as the Indy booth?  If so, I can do that.   

Gordon

Gordon wrote:
Clinton,

I can commit to being there, as a person (attendee/demoer/whatever).  As a publisher - are we taking similar buy-in numbers as the Indy booth?  If so, I can do that. 

Gordon

Hi y'all,
    I planned to attend SoCal this year but have found a distinct lack of indie game events scheduled (no offence to Panty Explotion, just not my kind of game).  If y'all have a booth and demos running I'll definitely stop by and spend some time (and perchance, money).  So, what I really want to know, are y'all going to have a booth or not?  Thanks!

Short answer: Yes, we are having a booth.

I can't speak for Clinton, Luke, et al., but: I'd love to do schedule games, but I'm only out there for two days and I know the booth is a little short-staffed to begin with. So, I'm planning on concentrating on in-booth demos. However, since there won't be the congestion found at GC Indy, I expect these could be slightly longer and more in-depth. We'll see.

I just checked the schedule. We have games, seminars and other events scheduled. Look for FORGE SoCal in the event listing.

-L

I found the SoCal Forge games in the events catalog.  But the only Full Light, Full Steam game w/ any open slots left (pirates) is the only w/ a senario I'm not interested in playing.  Damn.  Should of bought my badge sooner.

That's a shame. But often times when I'm at a convention keeping an open mind and playing in a game I'm not certain I'm interested is a great entry point to meeting new people and finding out about other games I am interested in.

At the very least, stop by the booth. We will be running demos.
-L

Okay, everything is filling up?  I feel less weirded.

If anybody can explain to me why one FLFS game has no takers and the other three are full, though, I'd appreciate it, cause I'm stumped.

The reason I don't want to play in the FLFS pirate game is that the description makes it seem more combat oriented than the other games offered.  Plus, I'm sick of pirates.  I hated the new Depp pirate movie, even though that nothing to do with space pirates.  I may crash one of your other FLFS games hoping you have a no show.

NEWB QUESTION TIME!

I am responsible for getting my own exhibitor badge(s).  Um.  How?

just hang on to your newbie horses.

-L

Man, as long as I'm not supposed to be doing something, sure. :)

I'm sorry to say I have to drop out of SoCal. I was very much looking forward to going but with recent medical problems I just can't afford the travel and hotel costs. I'll be spending my time for the rest of the year promoting Panty Explosion in more local venues and working on my next game.

Hope everyone has fun,

Jake Richmond

Well poo.

Am I the only newb in the booth, then?

Hey guys,

This discussion is starting to turn into chat. I think it's time for it to move to private email or some other method through the central organizer.

Best, Ron

Hey guys,
I'll be at GenCon SoCal.  Its just a short drive up from San Diego (well.... without traffic..hehe).

I'll drop by your booth to say hello.  Come see me too iyw.  I'm in #820 on the right side of the hall (as you walk in).

c ya!

Mark O'Bannon :)
Shadowstar Games, Inc.
www.shadowstargames.com
619 756-7705