Hi there,

Yes, Virginia, there will be a 2007 Forge booth at GenCon.

It's been a while since I posted to announce the new design and plans for the booth. What with everyone leapin' around to band together in new booths, and with all this ashcanny discussion finally generating light instead of heat, I'd like to make sure that if you do want to present your game at the Forge booth and to participate there in our all-round fine time of demo games and general fun, that you don't get distracted by everything else.

I'm only going to get a little whiny about this one time ... see, the Forge booth costs a lot of money to get into place. If it doesn't get enough $100 buy-ins, and particularly if it doesn't get enough $200 buy-ins from people who've been there before (which now means last year only), then hey - it has to get smaller, or even to get discontinued. Although it's primarily my doing that many people are now scattered hither and yon to other booths and projects, it's also my place to say - hey! listen! if you are eligible, then we need you.

I figured I'd start the sign-ups quite soon, perhaps next Monday, and let them run until June 1, the usual deadline. For those who aren't familiar with the rules, it goes like this:

1. You don't buy a GenCon badge
2. You pay me the cost of one exhibitor badge (I always forget how much this is and they always change it, so I'll look it up) + $100, if it's your first time
2'. You pay me the cost of one exhibitor badge and $200 if it's your second time
2''. More than one person per company is OK as long as everyone is a primary creator and owner of the work (no lame-ass hangers-on, best friends, bewildered spouses, et cetera)
3. At the con, we all bust our asses like mad, although the minimum = start/end each day + 1/2 a day, and helping set up Wednesday too; the main jobs are running demos and being bloody-well nice to con-goers and probably clearing out our layabout Forge buddies who always want to come by, sling a hammock, and move in

The booth will include 1/4-1/3 bookstore, courtesy of IPR, and about 2/3-3/4 demo tables, all jumpin' madly.

Questions? Concerns? Ifs, ands, or buts?

Best, Ron
4.

Heya Ron,

Ron wrote:
2''. More than one person per company is OK as long as everyone is a primary creator and owner of the work (no lame-ass hangers-on, best friends, bewildered spouses, et cetera)

Hi Troy,

Could you rephrase that in some way? I really don't understand the question. I'm talking about people who can sign up with the booth because they have a game they published.

Best, Ron

Ron wrote:
Could you rephrase that in some way? I really don't understand the question. I'm talking about people who can sign up with the booth because they have a game they published.

Ah. You're right, the answer is "no." He's certainly welcome to spend any time he'd like at the booth, playin' and havin' fun.

Best, Ron

Thanks for posting this, Ron.  Bully Pulpit Games is ready to sign up whenever you are.  Last year at the Forge booth was a great experience for us, and we're ready to roll up our sleeves and jump in for 2007.

One question- I had talked with Brennan about working in the retail space this year.  In that case, should I register for my exhibitor badge through him or through you?

Hi Steve,

Unless Brennan tells me otherwise privately, then you should sign up through me.

I'm figuring Monday will be the day.

Best, Ron

If you want to help work the retail space, contact me directly please. btaylor [at] indiepressrevolution.com.

For info: I get into Indy airport at just before 5 pm on the Wednesday. So I'll head to the convention centre as soon as I can when I land (I'm assuming that Malcolm will have checked into the hotel room we're sharing earlier in the day - so getting to the hotel isn't a priority for me). I'll happily help with any set-up that still needs done then.

My question is: do we have a plan for start and end time of set-up on the Wednesday?

Ta!
Gregor

Set-up will begin Wednesday, but will be dependent on arrival times. Shelving will be coming by car, and stock will be shipped. The stock should arrive before the shelving, and I will be there Wednesday afternoon to start supervising set-up. Extra hands are welcome, but too many people can get crazy. I will send people off if they are not needed.

For reference, I'll be arriving Wednesday evening with the padded flooring.

Greg Porter
BTRC guy

Heya,

Quick question,  how will payouts work this year?  Last year I read there were some problems with daily cash-outs.  Just curious.  It won't affect me buying in one way or the other.

Peace,

-Troy

The problems with cashouts were specifically due to one of the highest-earning primary sponsors claiming his full payout in cash, leaving a lot of the smaller earners to wait for accounting and eventual processing of check and credit card payments.

That's not happening again. It got past my radar last year, but if it hadn't, and definitely in the future, the newcomers get cashed out first, then the $200 buy-ins, and if anyone has to wait, it's the primaries, and then if any one person has to wait (as has happened in the past), it will be me.

Best, Ron

Since I'm getting to GenCon by carpool from Maryland, my arrival time may be somewhat variable.  I'll also have to check my records; I honestly can't remember if I claimed a badge already back when the need to get a hotel reservation happening trumped my patience in waiting for details on how that was supposed to work out.  (But honestly if that means I suck down an extra GenCon badge cost, I can handle that; so don't fret on that front.)

So my questions are:

- Am I a bad booth citizen by not insisting that everyone in the carpool max out on the number of days they take off from work in order to make sure I get to the convention as early on Wednesday as possible?

- I had talked with you about whether or not Evil Hat counted as a first-year or second-year presence, since we didn't buy into the booth last year but did enjoy some sales of Don't Rest Your Head thanks to IPR's presence.  So which should I budget for, +$100 or +$200? (I'm happy for your answer to be "+$200" if it means the Forge booth is more solvent; but this will be my first year spending full time at the booth, since last year I was merely a hangers-on)

Evil Hat will be looking to get badges for: Leonard Balsera; Rob Donoghue; Fred Hicks. (All three are credited as the core authors of Spirit of the Century, as our indication of eligibility.)  I believe you and I hashed this bit out already in PM a few months back. :)  I'll make sure to say as much once the sign-up thread manifests.

Hi guys,

Remember, there's no sign-up thread, it's emailing me, as indicated above. That's email, not private message here at the Forge.

WHICH STARTS NOW. Let's see it begin!

Important information: badges are $65. So if you're new, it's $100 base cost plus $65 per person, which I strongly urge be kept down to one. Contact me first to make sure, then use Paypal for the bucks.

Fred, Evil Hat's got a $200 base, and all three folks are welcome, you're remembering that right.

Best, Ron

Thanks, Ron.  I've dropped you an email (assuming the email address associated with the little envelope icon is the way to go).

Any comments on my first "Am I a bad booth citizen" question?

Whoops, forgot that part, mainly because I'm not sure I can answer it. I don't think I have any claim over what you should or shouldn't tell your friends, and even less to have any opinions about how they manage their jobs. I can only say, make your decisions about arriving to the best personal standards you hold for yourself, according to your own priorities. But then I start sounding like someone's dad and should stop about then.

Best, Ron

Cool.  I guess I was mainly asking, "If I end up showing up too late to help with some of the set-up, am I going to really bum out some people who I don't want to bum out?"  But it's not worth eating up valuable thread real estate spinning on my personal insecurities. :)

iago wrote:
Cool.  I guess I was mainly asking, "If I end up showing up too late to help with some of the set-up, am I going to really bum out some people who I don't want to bum out?"  But it's not worth eating up valuable thread real estate spinning on my personal insecurities. :)

Hiya,

Forgot a couple things: the Paypal address isn't secret, it's just the same as my usual email. Also, the deadline for sign-up is June 1, so this is now decision time for everyone.

Best, Ron

Ron - We're one week into it.  How are things looking?  I'm curious and hoping for a status update, if possible...

Thanks!
Fred

Hello,

We have lots of $200 buy-ins, although more are always welcome.

We need more $100 buy-ins, which is, after all, the purpose of the booth.

At the moment, I suspect that some people are trapped between (a) not quite getting the point of Paul's Ashcan project and (b) wondering whether they are done enough to be acceptable at the Forge booth. And there's one more thing which I'll get to in a minute.

So I want to lay out a few things about the Forge booth.

1. There is no vetting. If you sign up with an independently-published role-playing game, and if you haven't shown yourself to be personally objectionable in some way in the past (and probably even if you have), then you're in. If you aren't sure whether you really have an ashcan or whatever, then contact me by email and I'll probably reassure you. You do not have to pass any sort of interview or test in order to participate.

2. All priorities point toward the $100, first-time people. Your games are the reason I do this. The IPR store is there, but that staff is similarly committed to the same vision and the first-time games typically get privileged shelf position or counter-top advertising. I routinely play and demo first-time games through the entire Thursday and Friday exhibitor hours.

3. (this is for everyone) It's important to me that the booth always includes people who aren't right here in the thick of things at the Forge all the time. So far, I've been really happy with the fact that the booth has never been a clique, in terms of entry or knowledge or availability. Please look around - on the internet, or otherwise - for people who publish independent games and who might like to have some break-in time at GenCon through the booth. I suggest not hard-selling recruiting, but do check in with people and direct them here if they're interested.

Best, Ron