Convention potential

[gorboth]

Hi all,

I'm potentially going to try an experiment with a small portion (around $100) of the money we've raised to see what sort of yield we might see as a result. The Emerald City Comic Con is taking place in Seattle in March, and I'm going to try to buy some space on one of the tables for Genesis promotional materials. The type of people attracted to these conventions tend to have our type of sensibilities about what is cool and what is fun, so I am hopeful that this could produce some results.

We'll see! I wanted to inform the community, since this money has been raised collectively by our combined efforts, and thus I feel it is important to be very up front about its use.

G.

[Hektor]

I concur, your excellency!

How are we doing with methods of tracking results?

I remember us working on an ingame voluntary survey that rewards participation as part of the tutorial.

[Laurel]

I concur, your excellency!

Very well, underling. Please rest your neck upon this chopping block for a brief moment.

[gorboth]

I concur, your excellency!

How are we doing with methods of tracking results?

I remember us working on an ingame voluntary survey that rewards participation as part of the tutorial.

Yes, I did code it. It remains something that hasn't been implemented. It needs just a small amount of polish and it could be ready. I still do not have a good feel for where exactly to put it in the first-steps-into-the-game process, or exactly what incentive would be best to offer.

G.

[Draugor]

Do it! DO IT NOW!!!!!!

[gorboth]

I heard back from the director of "The Gamers 3" and "Journey Quest" about my idea to purchase space at his studio's table at the upcoming Emerald City Comic Con.

I admire your dedication to this classic game. The thing is, even if renting or subletting table space were something we do (it's not, mainly because repping all the ZOE shows with all their merch leaves us no space), it wouldn't be a very effective way to get the word out. We've squatted tables near the entrance before (always a gamble), but our booths are usually tucked away in a side room without much flow by traffic, and we only get visited by folks who were planning to seek us out.

What I think you'd be much better served doing, and what I'd recommend, would be to use your budget to get bookmarks or postcards of your game into the con bags given to attendees. That way, everyone who registered would have one as part of the price of getting in. From personal experience, I can tell you that I've checked out sites and games from bag insert once I'm home from a con just because it was part of the entry swag. It may be too late for ECCC, but PAX would be perfect.

Ah well ... good ideas nonetheless, and something to shoot for in the future. I seem to remember someone from Genesis mentioning to me in the past that they had connections with some conventions in their region ... I can't remember who, though ... Nellnight, maybe??

G.

[Zhar]

Hmm, this gave me an idea of organising a Genesis tournament when another convention hits my city (we host 2-3 big country-wide conventions each year with thousands of people coming in). Who finishes the tutorial the fastest, or maybe finishing it and then another round of answering questions regarding the tutorial (so they pay more attention). It's guaranteed 3-4 hours of playing time and maybe somone would get hooked.

[gorboth]

That is a *fantastic* idea, Zhar. The question is ... would someone who comes to such a convention be willing to use 3-4 hours of their convention time to sit down and play our tutorial? Wouldn't they rather use that time to explore the convention? Unless, of course, you were offering, like, a big cash reward or something for the winner?

G.

[Amberlee]

Excellent ad likable ideas both.
This is something I had hoped you would think in the line of with the original promotion idea.
And ill be there if I can when the tournament is!

[Zhar]

That is a *fantastic* idea, Zhar. The question is ... would someone who comes to such a convention be willing to use 3-4 hours of their convention time to sit down and play our tutorial? Wouldn't they rather use that time to explore the convention? Unless, of course, you were offering, like, a big cash reward or something for the winner?

G.

If it would run as one of the side events at night I think there should be a group available. Usually this conventions last for 3 days and there isn't much going on at night, if you didn't get a spot at one of the RPG/LARP thingies practically the only options for you are watching old movies, sleeping or drinking. I bet there should be at least a handful of people willing to spend their time exploring an oldschool multiplayer RPG experience.

I'll ask around and see if this could work (I know some of the people who usually organize this conventions). Most likely such a thing would even get a prize for the winner in form of a book or a board game perhaps. Sometimes they want some new and extra stuff at their conventions to fill the rooms and what not and are offering to sponsor some small prizes.

I also love their posters, especially that I'm friends with everyone who features there