This year's convention is terrible... (Ideas to make it better in years to come?

[catboy-trades]

I agree about the posts on lack of maturity a few pages back.

You lost the game, good for you, just don't scream it at me.

I had to put a " THE GAME WILL NOT BE PLAYED IN THIS ROOM" Notice in my panels. 
Panel 2 kept it up.   I put it up mostly because I had a person in the front row screaming it while I was talking.

Oh and thanks to the Yojim that never showed up to help me.  Well I take that back... I got one at 2am on monday morning.  He came in sat down and was a big help.  THe one that showed up before hand was rude and then told me to **** off when he left not through the back but through the partition.

So out of four panels I got one bad Yojm and one Good... and both showed up for the last panel ( #4)

[soundninja12]

I'm not sure who's side I should take. One of the big issues I brought up was just the overall difficult-ness of moving about in it. My suggestions to make this easier:
- Pass out a map, and label everything, what floor they're on, and other things of that sort.  There were maps in the con book and in the schedule, and everything in the schedule was labelled. Whenever I needed one, since I lost mine, I just asked someone else that had a blue bag if I could see theirs. You could've probably also found another one lying somewhere, or up by the reg table.
- Another is to have them turn on the friggen escalators, it was super hard to maneuver without them actually on. They were turned off for safety reasons; people with huge dresses, weird shoes and such dragging on the floor could've easily been caught in escalators.
- signs EVERYWHERE. There were not enough signs, I could not find anything. Yeah, they would've been very helpful... Or more maps posted around on the walls.
- You should tell the Hilton to tell normal people that we're coming. I was flabbergasted when people were not warned pre-con.
- Staff should be positioned everywhere. If you can't find the karaoke room, they should be there to help.  There were plenty of staff/yoji/maids around to help, you just had to look for them. Remember that the staff is mostly volunteers (if not all) and they're pretty short-handed.
On the same point, the Hilton staff should be informed of what we will be calling everything. They were already everywhere, they just had no clue what I was talking about when I said I was looking for panel room 2.

Another point:
The rooms WERE tiny, but this year we're pre warned. Added to that, you should tell the con goers that the executive tower is another building. I had no idea. Don't the rooms have the dimensions on the hilton website? If not, you could've called ahead. And it's labelled in the maps that the executive tower was in another building. It says above the floormap of it, "Across 6th and Taylor from the Lobby", and it also shows those streets on the map.

As for the rooms, i stayed in the executive tower it was only $10 more a night. When you reserved your room you had the choice to choose which hotel to be in. I was on the 20th floor with an enormous room, a bath room half the size of the room, a large desk, a big 42" HDTV, and one hell of a view.

I was in the exec. tower too. I know that it was wonderful, it just sucked how far away we were. I was not warned (NOTE: I did not register my room, a friend did) that it was a whole new building though. I should've gotten that out of Tom's video tours, but, as stated, I'm not very observant.

[oslapedo]

The Hilton should definitely advertise KCon and warn "normal" guests. Maybe give out KCon pamphlets or whatever so they understand why there's a few thousand wig'd out sword wielding peeps mulling about.

If KCon banned the game/and/or/Marco Polo that would be so cool. Obnoxious people shouting throughout the con not only gives off a very bad impression of con goers in general but also annoys everyone but the people doing the shouting.

[@random]

- Pass out a map, and label everything, what floor they're on, and other things of that sort.
...
- signs EVERYWHERE. There were not enough signs, I could not find anything.

The maps were past out, it was on the second page of the small handout, and at the info booth
...
Signs, I fully agree, and mentioned it to the K-con operations staff while at the con.

~At the risk of being too snarky, accurate maps would have helped. I'm not sure if this is what soundninja12 is referring to, but the maps were really misleading in some cases (to the point of being flatly wrong), and didn't give enough info in other cases.

~Just an idea, and I'd even be happy to help do it - what about not only signs / arrows, but also "You Are Here" maps in strategic locations?

[Sayda]

Marco Polo was put together by a small group of people wanting to cause havoc on the last day to annoy the hotel staff. Someone approached me and told me I should get involved. I told them I didn't think it was a good idea, and that that wasn't the way to handle things. Returning rude behavior with rude behavior isn't the right thing to do.

[oslapedo]

Well, the hotel staff weren't the only ones annoyed, in any case.

And Sayda, I was in an elevator with you ;-D

[Sayda]

Yeah, it was really annoying to have to yell to be able to talk with friends for the five or so minutes it was going on.

Haha, I know, I remember seeing you. XD

Marco Polo was put together by a small group of people wanting to cause havoc on the last day to annoy the hotel staff. Someone approached me and told me I should get involved. I told them I didn't think it was a good idea, and that that wasn't the way to handle things. Returning rude behavior with rude behavior isn't the right thing to do.

Fighting fire with fire just makes a bigger fire.

Exactly, I ddin't think it was the right thing to do, it only gave us an even worse name then certain convention members had already given us.

[leonmasteries]

Marco Polo was put together by a small group of people wanting to cause havoc on the last day to annoy the hotel staff. Someone approached me and told me I should get involved. I told them I didn't think it was a good idea, and that that wasn't the way to handle things. Returning rude behavior with rude behavior isn't the right thing to do.

uhm... ya, that would have been bad to do, especially seeing as how we're supposed to return next year... I know they probably won't remember any of us in particular, but they will remember how people acted, and that's even worse, because then they will group all of us together.

[murder_of_raven]

~Just an idea, and I'd even be happy to help do it - what about not only signs / arrows, but also "You Are Here" maps in strategic locations?

Sakuracon has these and they are incredibly useful. In fact, it's not even so much that they are useful but that they are comforting. Knowing that if you get lost you can just find one of those signs is awesome... although honestly the Hilton wasn't really large enough to need a map after you got used to it. Honestly, it felt a /lot/ smaller than the Doubletree.

[Himeno]

Weight limits in elevators are the amount that the backup systems can safely stop, not the amount the elevator can hold. Most of the time the posted limit will not fit in the elevator to start with.

Signage: The problem with signage (maps etc) is that if you put up a lot, then people tend to ignore them (if they look at signs in the first place, if I got 1 cent for every time someone asked me about something when the sign in front of them had the answer, I'd be a billionare). Venues also have rules about where you can put signage, and how you are allowed to attach them to different parts of the building. The convention may very well have put up all the signage the hotel let them.


I would have gone to closing/rant panel if I was able to. I couldn't. I had a flight to DFW at 3pm.

[Wuntvor]

Whew! 18 pages of posting, but I read it all!

After all of that I will state my opinions, observations, and suggestions.

It looks like the Hilton will be the place we have the con next year.  If I understand this correctly, it is because it is the only place in Portland that can hold up to 6000 people and have seperate rooms for the events.  I agree that the said rooms are small, in fact smaller than some of the other places we have been, but we can't go to those places because of the maximum amount of people allowed to be inside the building.  Double Tree we all loved you.  Can you add an addition?  Maybe add 10 more floors on top? (sigh)

I found the map misleading and confusing.  The orientation of the room layouts showed the Executive tower to be up and to the left across 2 streets.  We also had a map showing the location of food ATMs and parking.  Interestingly the Executive tower is up and to the right on this map.  Oh and not labeled, just given a number like everytjhing else.  The Hilton on the other hand is labeled Hilton.

I never could figure out why we were not allowed to walk from the lobby to the escalators without going up that short escalator down the stairs on the other side and around from the other side.  I never saw it explained in this thread either.  Why couldn't we exit to the parking garage where the escalators stopped?  Couldn't somone put a sign on the second floor Plaza level explaining that the stairs could be reached through the fitness area.  That whole stairs in the spa thing was just weird.  I also saw spa patrons mistaking the stairs for the entrance to the womens locker room.  I saw more than three women walking down those stairs wrapped in towels.  Of course if you wanted to get from the PL level to the 3rd floor the quickest way was through the spa.  OK, the quickest way was the elevator, yea right.

Am I the only one who felt sorry for Cynthia Martinez?  I attended both of her panels, and I don't think more than 30 people showed up for either of them.  Maybe not even 20.  COME ON PEOPLE,  WHY DO YOU WANT A VOICE ACTOR GUEST TO COME HERE IF YOU AREN'T GOING TO GO SEE HER!  I went out into the registration area outside panel 2 and there where probably 80 people just loitering there.  I said Cynthia is in there talking right now anyone want to go see her?  They said, who is that,  I said the voice of Lina Inverse from Slayers, Sora for Kaleido Star, Poemy from Puny Poni Poemy, Hermes from Kinos Journey.  You know one of the Guests for the con.  About 8 of them trampled me in the rush to enter the room.  Maybe it shouldn't have been called meet Cynthia or Q&A with Cynthia But meet the VA's or something similar instead.  For the few who did attend, she was a blast!  There are YouTube links to her panel at K-Con here:

I found the panhandlers very annoying.  I found the young people on the front steps of the con attempting to suck each others faces off to be just plain disgusting.

The best place I found to park is the smart park at 3rd and Taylor, NE corner.  I parked there Friday evening and left Monday afternoon, my bill was $18.50.  Less than a 1 day stay at the Hilton Executive tower lot.  I just pulled up to the 15 minute zone and unloaded the car, my wife and daughter watched the luggage while I parked the car.  I parked right next to the elevator on the 4th floor of the parkade.  Pretty convenient, and the walk back was only 3 blocks.  Only real problem is that the sidewalk between 4th and 3rd isn't lit at all.  Really dark area at night.

I like the earlier suggestion about putting events in the parks into the schedule.  There are parks both East and West of the hotel.  Only about a block or 2 away.  If you make their locations easy to find on a map, I think that special photo shoot events or outdoor glomping sessions, etc. could be scheduled at them.  Also if large groups of con goers are at these events, there is less likely going to be any trouble with the transient population.  Just make sure to schedule them during the daylight hours.

I didn't have any real problems with con staff or hotel staff, being rude.  I did find it annoying that the equipment that was necessary for a scheduled event wasn't in the room.  I find that un-excusable.  You can't tell me you didn't know the room would need it, or that you didn't have time to get it there.  Both excuses are really lame in my opinion.  I had a couple of panels that were really late because of equipment problems.

What was with the charity auction running over a half hour into the closing ceremonies?  Where they aware that the line went all the way around the block waiting to get into the closing ceremonies?  The only reason I was in the line waiting was because my future son-in law's best friend was going to ask my daughters best friend to marry him, which he did.  (Yea Grace and Brandon)  

Maybe the signs at the elevators should have stated hotel guests and non-hotel guests.  Yes some of the Kumoricon people where only attending the event and not paying to stay at the hotel, but a lot of us where!  An even better seperation would have been for people using the elevator to get to floors 4 and above, versus ballroom  - 3.  Can the hotel set one of the four elevators to only run between the first 3 floors?  May be worth looking into for future cons.

I think the Parking garage worked well for the dealers room, but I didn't understand why you couldn't get to it from inside the building.  Forcing everyone to walk halfway around the hotel to the parking enterance in the rain, SUCKED!  At least allow people to enter from the escalator level glass doors, or allow the elevator to go there, although that does make it easy for unauthorized people (non-con attendees) to get to the dealer room area.

Well that is all for now, I may think of more later.

[Tygati]

I never could figure out why we were not allowed to walk from the lobby to the escalators without going up that short escalator down the stairs on the other side and around from the other side.  I never saw it explained in this thread either.  Why couldn't we exit to the parking garage where the escalators stopped? 

The way it was explained to me by the person at the top of the stairs was that, again for fire safety reasons, they had to limit the number of people who could be on the lower ballroom level at any given time.

[superjaz]

i do wish this had a better title as you can't lable a convention terrible before its all fiished

[@random]

Am I the only one who felt sorry for Cynthia Martinez?  I attended both of her panels, and I don't think more than 30 people showed up for either of them.  Maybe not even 20.  COME ON PEOPLE,  WHY DO YOU WANT A VOICE ACTOR GUEST TO COME HERE IF YOU AREN'T GOING TO GO SEE HER!  I went out into the registration area outside panel 2 and there where probably 80 people just loitering there.  I said Cynthia is in there talking right now anyone want to go see her?  They said, who is that,  I said the voice of Lina Inverse from Slayers, Sora for Kaleido Star, Poemy from Puny Poni Poemy, Hermes from Kinos Journey.  You know one of the Guests for the con.  About 8 of them trampled me in the rush to enter the room.  Maybe it shouldn't have been called meet Cynthia or Q&A with Cynthia But meet the VA's or something similar instead.  For the few who did attend, she was a blast!  There are YouTube links to her panel at K-Con here:

I do sympathize... and you definitely have a point about changing the title to get attention. But you're up against 1) the fact that a lot of people don't even bother with dubs anymore, 2) the "fun factor" (i.e. young attendees looking for events where they can scream, laugh, and act up), 3) the fact that new con attendees often don't know what to do or how to look for everything that's available. I could be wrong, but I think this is even more of a double whammy because the people who favor dubs tend to fall into groups 2 and 3.

On the subject of panels, the censorship panel was really good - people need to know how much danger the community is actually in from things like the Handley case (someone facing up to 15 years in prison for having a large manga collection that included a handful of lolicon titles, but no depictions of real children). Maybe next year more time could be allotted, or there could be more flexibility about why a half-hour is left between hourlong panels.

[GenkiIchigo]

Personally, I had a very good convention! The hotel staff that I ran into were extremely nice and very professional and the majority of the con staff that I dealt with were awesome. That being said, I did have trouble with some of the attendees. The only thing that brought the con down for me a little bit was all of the complaining and rumor spreading. I can't count the number of people I ran into that were upset and angry over rumors that they'd heard. In turn, they would make other people upset and angry by passing the rumors on. Seriously guys, if you don't know for certain that something is true, don't spread it around to other people. It just creates more confusion, hysteria and anger.

The elevators were a little bit scary as far as wait times, but they still were not as bad as some of the other conventions that I've been to. At least they were all working all weekend! n.n

Other than that, I see a lot of complaining about things that the staff should have seen or the staff should have stopped. Did you report them when you saw them happening? If not, how do you expect the staff to know what's going on? They're not mind readers and if they were, with that many attendees I'd feel really bad for them. D:

I'm not really worried that the con is going to be held in the Hilton again. I think that this year was a learning experience for everyone and that next year will be greatly improved!

Ugh, I'm stopping here for now because I'm still tired and I can't think of anything else at the moment.

[gladimus]

I have a request for every one. I think every subject has been covered by now.

SO CAN WE PLEASE STOP BASHING THE CON

instead try to think of ways to improve it for next year or by volunteering yo improve it

 THANK YOU

Can you please stop posting in all caps and telling people they are bashing the con? No one is saying that k-con is the worst thing ever, everyone here so far has been very polite about sharing their experiences, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Everyone is free to share their experiences and opinions, but you're really the only one who keeps being a bit too upset and angry about this. And people have been suggesting how to improve it for next year, so you really need to cut it out. Please. Maybe you liked it there, but some people didn't, and there's no reason for them not to be aloud to post about it.

Calm down, alright? No one is doing anything remotely wrong, nor is anyone 'bashing' or 'flaming' about the con.

[gladimus]

During the rant and rave it was asked why we cant use a convention center, the reason for that is a couple of things, a major one is, having a decent sized hotel nearby to hold all the con goers. would you want to walk 20 blocks in a giant costume? or take the max in it amongst non con-goers who want to touch it, or crowd you in.

Actually I want to point out one more thing. If this is what the K-Con staff gave as an answer, I'm really not sure where they got those facts. I was just at the convention center, and if 'right across the street from 3 hotels' is "20 blocks" then someone really can't add up distance. Right across the street from the convention center is a pretty decently sized Red Lion, across from that is a Motel 6 and a Convention Center Inn, and just ONE stop, ONE MEASLY MAX STOP AWAY from the convention center, is the Lloyd Center Double Tree. Is that REALLY so difficult for people to handle?
So let's get this straight... Somehow 'across the street' and '1 max stop away' translates to '20 blocks' and a terrible crowded max ride with weird people, despite being one stop in an area where most of the weird people aren't even around, and not only that, a possible situation that typically never happens is suddenly a large factoring issue to why it can't be in the convention center?
If you ask me, it sounds like they expect people to be so lazy that they can't cross the street or take 1 minute on the max.


That area is very nice, there's a Subway, Burgerville, Starbucks, Red Robin, Denny's, and 2 max stops away Lloyd Center which has a food court. Plus I probably missed a lot of food places, but it sounds like if we had K-con at the Convention center, we'd have it made. The only issue is that we need more people willing to go so we can reach 8,000.





Maybe if a counter is put up on the pre-registration numbers, it might bring up the numbers faster.
Think about this- On the front page of the kumoricon website it says something like this:

Registered- 5,426/8,000
Help us reach 8,000 so we can have kumoricon at the Oregon Convention Center!!

You never know, it might attract some attention and get people more interested in pre-registering rather than at the door. And it would give us a chance to finally move to a bigger space! Maybe not next year, but the year after.

[Kimiski]

I don't think trying to ban "The Game" is such a good idea. Not a con-wide ban, maybe in small panels for the reasons of being talked over and what-not. Just write it on the boards again or something.

If you try to ban something like that then you'll get a crap load of pissed of attendees.
Signing, shouting, and what not while waiting in lines are what make line waiting fun, infact, it's the random stuff other atendees do that actually make the con for me. It will seem like your trying to make them stand in a neat little line like 5th graders, and quietly wait to get into an event.

Like during the dances when conga lines were being broken up and there was threats you would be kicked out if you did it... wow... angry angry people. Even I was annoyed at that one.

[Kaiware]

Maybe if a counter is put up on the pre-registration numbers, it might bring up the numbers faster.
Think about this- On the front page of the kumoricon website it says something like this:

Registered- 5,426/8,000
Help us reach 8,000 so we can have kumoricon at the Oregon Convention Center!!

I think that is a FABULOUS idea.  I agree that there are plenty of hotels close enough to the convention center to work just fine.  That convention center is beautiful and roomy inside and I think that once we reach the size needed it would be a great and comfortable fit.  So much room for photo shoots inside out of the rain, and good lighting for them too! <3

Either way, I am going to go warn staff of the restaurants by the hilton next year (unless K-staff is already planning to do that) before kumoricon.  I felt so bad for the subway people running out of bread and not having enough staff scheduled to cover our rushes.  

[Kumi-chan]

I have to say, I was not happy with my experiences at this year's con. To me, even Anime Evolution 2008 felt better-organized and better-run, even with the screwups with venue. This was my second Kumori Con, and if not for certain commitments I likely would not return for 2010.

The venue was either way too undersized or poorly utilized, which I'm not entirely sure. I had to deal with rude behavior, mostly from con staff, including getting screamed at for using an elevator we were perfectly authorized to use. The particular staffer changed his attitude entirely when we pointed our badges out, which I found even more disgusting honestly. All con attendees deserve to be treated with respect. It was inexcusible for him to treat us that way. I've worked customer service for ten years, and you do not speak to your customers like that regardless of the situation. Never mind the hotel staff, which the con has limited control over: their own people need to be impressed with the concept that they are serving their customers.

The hotel staff I spoke to were for the large part extremely helpful, but I was very careful to be polite towards them myself, since I knew most of them were dealing with an unfamiliar situation. The hotel security were rude, though. I do agree that a little more explanation why we weren't allowed to go certain ways would have gone a long way towards reducing some of the friction.

And not to contradict myself, but the attendees...the thing I was dreading most, from my experiences last year, were the vast numbers of immaturely-acting con attendees. The situation was worse this year. Whether this was due to the lack of park, or increased attendance, or a combination, I've never been to a con where it was this bad. I'm very quickly getting sick of dealing with those who are rude, loud, and aggressively obnoxious just for the hell of it. I don't care if you think you're being cute or funny, you're making the con less enjoyable for the rest of us who can act like civilized humans despite being subculture fans. And I'm tired of being grouped with you because I happen to be a part of that same culture.
You're making us look bad, and it makes it harder on the rest of us who aren't actively trying to alienate the general public. Personally, I'd appreciate a little less selfishness on your part.

I know they can't control everyone, but there has to be a way to reduce the purely asinine behavior without yojimbo or hotel security just screaming at everyone to get out of the way. Revoking a few badges might help, particularly for those who were flat out harassing others despite repeated requests to stop. Respect from staff would go a long way, but so would a little more firmness towards those who really should've had proper adult supervision on hand to keep them under control.

To anyone who was generally polite, considerate, and friendly...and I know you're in the majority, and that the others seem to take up more space because they leave a bigger impression...thank you so much. You made the con bearable.

I enjoyed the dealer's hall, since everyone down there seemed much better behaved and more organized, and that's why I spent the better part of two days down there. The situation in the lobby was horrible. There has to be an easily accessible space for people to hang out at conventions where they're not going to interfere or bother other hotel guests or the general public, and the two levels at the Hilton and some sidewalk space don't cut it spacewise. A park two blocks away is not a good option, particularly if the homeless/drunks situation was as bad as has been reported.

If next year is anything like this year, I'll be spending all three days in the dealer's hall. The dealers and artists were consistantly friendly and polite, and they deserve kudos for that despite being shoved into a somewhat depressing location. The feeling of community down there was much more what I expect from a con.

[murder_of_raven]

If you try to ban something like that then you'll get a crap load of pissed of attendees.
Signing, shouting, and what not while waiting in lines are what make line waiting fun, infact, it's the random stuff other atendees do that actually make the con for me. It will seem like your trying to make them stand in a neat little line like 5th graders, and quietly wait to get into an event.

Although I am one of the people who is very annoyed by this behavior, I have to also agree that now seems like a terrible time to implement potentially unpopular rules. Like it or not, the Kcon staff need to realize that a lot of people (including myself) are going to come next year weary of a repeat offense. In my opinion, we should focus on improving the safety and organization situations and leave implementing Sakuracon-style "politeness rules" for a later convention.

Then again, I think adding a note that if you are "loud and disrespectful" during a panel you will be expelled from it would only be fair considering the panel rooms are already too small for everyone who wants to attend them.

[gladimus]

Maybe if a counter is put up on the pre-registration numbers, it might bring up the numbers faster.
Think about this- On the front page of the kumoricon website it says something like this:

Registered- 5,426/8,000
Help us reach 8,000 so we can have kumoricon at the Oregon Convention Center!!

I think that is a FABULOUS idea.  I agree that there are plenty of hotels close enough to the convention center to work just fine.  That convention center is beautiful and roomy inside and I think that once we reach the size needed it would be a great and comfortable fit.  So much room for photo shoots inside out of the rain, and good lighting for them too! <3

Either way, I am going to go warn staff of the restaurants by the hilton next year (unless K-staff is already planning to do that) before kumoricon.  I felt so bad for the subway people running out of bread and not having enough staff scheduled to cover our rushes.  

I really do look forward to the day Kumoricon gets to be in a big place like that. I'm sure with better initiative to make it happen, it will! It's up to everyone to work together for a better Kumoricon <3

[gladimus]

I know I'm posting a lot but I find it kind of sad that some people say the only way to help is to stay for the Rant and Rave or Join the K-con Staff...
And that's not fair or right. I think everyone involved in K-con, attending, volunteering, selling, whatever, has every right to share their opinons and should be regarded and thought about as legitimate suggestions. Not everyone coudl attend the rant and rave, like me. I was feeling sick and my costume was making me overheat so I had to go home early on monday. And I can't join the staff, as much as I'd like to help, I can't handle stress well like some people and I had other plans for things I want to do at the con because I love workshops, panels, and events and I love to perform in skits. (sadly this year I wasn't able to because our group wound up losing a lot of people.. Next year will hopefully go better)
So not everyone has the option to join or desire to join the staff, and not everyone could make it to rant and rave, but that doesn't mean they don't want to help.
Sorry for the little rant, but I really wanted to make that point to those who keep saying to join, go to the rant, or shut up.

[Slash5150]

I know I'm posting a lot but I find it kind of sad that some people say the only way to help is to stay for the Rant and Rave or Join the K-con Staff...
And that's not fair or right. I think everyone involved in K-con, attending, volunteering, selling, whatever, has every right to share their opinons and should be regarded and thought about as legitimate suggestions. Not everyone coudl attend the rant and rave, like me. I was feeling sick and my costume was making me overheat so I had to go home early on monday. And I can't join the staff, as much as I'd like to help, I can't handle stress well like some people and I had other plans for things I want to do at the con because I love workshops, panels, and events and I love to perform in skits. (sadly this year I wasn't able to because our group wound up losing a lot of people.. Next year will hopefully go better)
So not everyone has the option to join or desire to join the staff, and not everyone could make it to rant and rave, but that doesn't mean they don't want to help.
Sorry for the little rant, but I really wanted to make that point to those who keep saying to join, go to the rant, or shut up.

If I am thinking properly, its not that the board is against people sharing their ideas and stuff like that, but its that everyone wants all of these changes, but the staff that is on hand makes it hard for them to actually come to fruition.

Now you say you can't be staff, I'm curious why you can't be, unless its the thing about stress, and really, depending on where you're working, there isn't so much stress as there is just being tired.  I worked nearly 60 hours during the 2 and a half days of con, and I really didn't get stressed, but I did get a bit tired, then staff pres saved me several times ^_^

[MiriaRose]

I know I'm posting a lot but I find it kind of sad that some people say the only way to help is to stay for the Rant and Rave or Join the K-con Staff...
And that's not fair or right. I think everyone involved in K-con, attending, volunteering, selling, whatever, has every right to share their opinons and should be regarded and thought about as legitimate suggestions. Not everyone coudl attend the rant and rave, like me. I was feeling sick and my costume was making me overheat so I had to go home early on monday. And I can't join the staff, as much as I'd like to help, I can't handle stress well like some people and I had other plans for things I want to do at the con because I love workshops, panels, and events and I love to perform in skits. (sadly this year I wasn't able to because our group wound up losing a lot of people.. Next year will hopefully go better)
So not everyone has the option to join or desire to join the staff, and not everyone could make it to rant and rave, but that doesn't mean they don't want to help.
Sorry for the little rant, but I really wanted to make that point to those who keep saying to join, go to the rant, or shut up.

If I am thinking properly, its not that the board is against people sharing their ideas and stuff like that, but its that everyone wants all of these changes, but the staff that is on hand makes it hard for them to actually come to fruition.

Now you say you can't be staff, I'm curious why you can't be, unless its the thing about stress, and really, depending on where you're working, there isn't so much stress as there is just being tired.  I worked nearly 60 hours during the 2 and a half days of con, and I really didn't get stressed, but I did get a bit tired, then staff pres saved me several times ^_^

Not all of us are old enough to join staff, though.

[XFD]

Even if you randomly joined as staff, the inevitable challenge is dealing with a group's particular set of politics. If you plan on engaging something like that (be it for a con or the workplace) you're going to have to fight an uphill battle to do your job and play politics with your superiors. If your politics as-is are compatible, you're fine.

[Jamiche]

You only have to be 16 to be staff.

And if you aren't old enough for staff, or can only spare a couple of hours any given day, there is always volunteering.  Even if you are only able to sit at Info Booth and help answer questions, or watch a viewing room for a couple of hours... every little bit of time you can spare helps us.

[JeffT]

The other personal RnR that I have is the whole thing with photo staff.  I mean cmon you guys, I was told that there were three people on photo staff, 4 if you include Jawni.  If someone comes up to you saying they want to join you and help out doing photos, don’t go and tell them “you’re full”.  Yeah there are 3 spots, but no one is being paid for this.  Its free work and free publicity, I severely doubt you are bound by some policy of 3 people max, also being told that you picked people without any like portfolio type proof made me a bit salty too.   If it was a misunderstanding on that part, then my apologies.

Actually, it is official board policy (a motion passed and voted on by the board) to limit staff positions, except a few specific ones which are in the "as many as we can get" category, to a specific number. People were approved for the position early based on the lack of demand for the position in previous years. I had already decided before speaking with you to recommend to the next director to make this an application-based position, and not to fill it until close to the con so we can have the most fair application process. But until then, I cannot take the position from people for whom it had been approved, as that would not be fair to those people.

Again I made clear to you that you were free to take photos in general attendance areas. Every year, we have many attendees who offer free use of their photos to the convention, who get (and ask for) no reward for this. Honestly, that fact has made me question whether to keep a position dedicated to Photography Staff at all (though that decision would be made by next year's director). Your request was for special access to the VIP dinner, where, as it turns out, we decided not to have any photos taken either by photography staff, press, or anyone else.

[pyronine]

You only have to be 16 to be staff.

And if you aren't old enough for staff, or can only spare a couple of hours any given day, there is always volunteering.  Even if you are only able to sit at Info Booth and help answer questions, or watch a viewing room for a couple of hours... every little bit of time you can spare helps us.

I agree, every little bit helps, i helped out for 2 1/2 days and got tremendous thank yous from many people including the director and assistant director of operations. I volunteered to make it a better con, the more that help out the easier it will be on everyone.

[kylite]

we warned subway, we warned them all! repeatedly! they just never listen... until its too late.

starbucks listened *laughs*

[Meganekko]

hahahaha!

I remember subway people freaking out back when we were in Vancouver, there was a terrified man making Vincent Valentine a sammich.

[Slash5150]

The other personal RnR that I have is the whole thing with photo staff.  I mean cmon you guys, I was told that there were three people on photo staff, 4 if you include Jawni.  If someone comes up to you saying they want to join you and help out doing photos, don’t go and tell them “you’re full”.  Yeah there are 3 spots, but no one is being paid for this.  Its free work and free publicity, I severely doubt you are bound by some policy of 3 people max, also being told that you picked people without any like portfolio type proof made me a bit salty too.   If it was a misunderstanding on that part, then my apologies.

Actually, it is official board policy (a motion passed and voted on by the board) to limit staff positions, except a few specific ones which are in the "as many as we can get" category, to a specific number. People were approved for the position early based on the lack of demand for the position in previous years. I had already decided before speaking with you to recommend to the next director to make this an application-based position, and not to fill it until close to the con so we can have the most fair application process. But until then, I cannot take the position from people for whom it had been approved, as that would not be fair to those people.

Again I made clear to you that you were free to take photos in general attendance areas. Every year, we have many attendees who offer free use of their photos to the convention, who get (and ask for) no reward for this. Honestly, that fact has made me question whether to keep a position dedicated to Photography Staff at all (though that decision would be made by next year's director). Your request was for special access to the VIP dinner, where, as it turns out, we decided not to have any photos taken either by photography staff, press, or anyone else.

I totally don't remember posting that RnR here, I thought I did it in the staff thread (unless you pulled it there from here to prevent mass "OMG I WANNA BE STAFF-ness)  But I totally understand the VIP part, but I SWEAR up and down, left and right that the pocket guide changed between when before con started, and when con started, I'll have to check again.

I understand limiting staff positions, but there is a way to limit it without completely shutting the door so to speak.  I mean if 500 people came to you saying they want to be on photostaff, then yeah, limiting needs to be done or some kind of screening process. 

[onizuka43]

This was my fourth K-Con and I was very sad to say it was my least favorite of them all. I had though early on in the year to try and offer to help and become a staff member, but other commitments stopped my from doing that this year.

The Friday registration I felt didn't work at all. I had pre-registered last year and yet I still had to stand in a line for hours, it was nice that i didn't miss anything because of it but this is totally missing the point of pre-registering in my opinion.

As for the actual con I was very disappointed with many things. When I had first got there and entered the lobby in my costume just to be told I had to take off my mask sucked. I had worked very hard to get my costume together for this and then to be told that my entrance was for not because I had a mask really took a lot of the fun out of this event from the very beginning.

Then there was the trying to find where an event was going to take place. I had to get to three different places just to learn where the cat-ear making event was going to be, and everyone I asked told me a different place. The lines were also poorly done, a group of us waited next to the esculator for the voice-over panel where we were told when we asked thirty minutes before the event where to line-up. Yet when we got there an all different line was waiting right there. We got in, but this should have never happened in the first place.

Also many people seemed, hotel and con staff, to not even give my girlfriend and I the time of day. We would ask them a question and they would just brush us off. I know they had been working many hours and everything but they know what they sign-up for.

I did know the hotel was going to be a pain many months ago, but that's because I go to PSU up the street and have seen the Hilton frequently. It even then seemed like a bad place to hold event such as this, though complaining about the venue is much like complaining about the rain here. Also the parking was going to be a bit of a pain, though there are ways around that.

The biggest redeeming thing I had for this event was the panels were overall excellent. Both the Webcomics101 and the Photoshop Layering panels were well done, fun, and very interactive. Kirk Thornton Q+A and his Voice-over panel were both fantastic. Anime Jeopardy was very entertaining as well. Though we both usually entered the events ticked at the way we were treated before the events, the panels usually seemed to make it worth it.

I was really trying to get a friend to go this year and she fell out, and I'm very glad that she didn't go. If my first year had gone like this one I wouldn't have gone that second year. I don't have much to say to make it better and I'm sorry, but I feel that it is important for people, whoever they maybe, to hear what the average con goer had to go through this year. I'm not a hater and just want to start something, these are the events that two people had to go through this year, it was frustrating because I know this could have been much better and I hope it is next year. Though I know that stuff won't happen if we remain silent and that's why I posted this.

I hope that my schedule will allow me the time to help out this upcoming year so that I can do something productive for this event that has given my such fun and memorable times. I hope to be around much more as well.

[MichaelEvans]

Do you know if the Pizza Schmizza and/or Carl's Jr did anything?

I know for a fact that the staff on Friday didn't have a clue at Schmizza... at least the one I informed.

[AllyKat]

I cannot honestly remember who posted it and I am NOT trying to drag up the OCC in
this thread again but I feel like a record needs to be set straight. People who have NOT
done research are assuming things about the OCC that are just not true.

If all the OCC was is a giant exhibitors hall, then it'd be called the EXPO CENTRE.

Here is a link to the layouts of the OCC:

http://www.travelportland.com/meeting_planners/facilities/convention_ctr_up_plan.html

and to quote the site:

• Portland Ballroom: 35,000 square feet/divisible into eight sections with a 16,000-square-foot lobby
• Oregon Ballroom: 25,000 square feet/divisible into four sections that are perfect for large breakouts
• 255,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space with drive-in access from three street-level entries
• 50 meeting rooms with 18-foot ceilings and individualized lighting sets
• Lobbies and public spaces adorned with $2 million in artwork
• Two VIP Suites overlooking their respective exhibit halls
• U.S. Green Building Council LEED-EB Silver certified
• High-speed Internet and Wi-Fi connections throughout
• Concessions that serve both the exhibit halls and lobbies
• Two Starbucks on-site
• Award-winning customer service
• Competitive prices

So, just as a PoC, the OCC is not just one big room, but actually double the rooms and double the space of the
hilton executive tower/downtown hilton.

(and prolly also twice the price.... )

~Allykat

[Rathany]

(and prolly also twice the price.... )

~Allykat

Far more than twice since we don't get the 'room block subsidies' as has been explained in other threads. 

[AllyKat]

@ Rathany:

Good point. I wish we could find out just how Sak gets such good deals on their rooms from competing hotels...

In a perfect world I'd imagine the conversation to go like this;

"Hello (insert hotel name here) manager! My name is (insert conrep name here) and I am calling to inform you
and discuss with you our organizations up-coming event for the 2010 convention year. We are a large fan-based
convention in need of rooms to accomodate our projected 10,000+ attendants. We are looking to all the hotel's
in the area to find out what kind of rate promotions we can offer to our guests to encourage them to stay at
your location, which is conveniently placed near the convention space. How competitive a rate can you provide us
with in order to get you sold out for that weekend?"

Hotel's love not having to worry about vacant rooms, and recognize competition. If we can get them to compete with
eachothers rates maybe we can get similar rates. Just because we aren't using there meeting space may not always
play against our favor.

~Allykat

[Rathany]

@ Rathany:

Good point. I wish we could find out just how Sak gets such good deals on their rooms from competing hotels...

In a perfect world I'd imagine the conversation to go like this;

"Hello (insert hotel name here) manager! My name is (insert conrep name here) and I am calling to inform you
and discuss with you our organizations up-coming event for the 2010 convention year. We are a large fan-based
convention in need of rooms to accomodate our projected 10,000+ attendants. We are looking to all the hotel's
in the area to find out what kind of rate promotions we can offer to our guests to encourage them to stay at
your location, which is conveniently placed near the convention space. How competitive a rate can you provide us
with in order to get you sold out for that weekend?"

Hotel's love not having to worry about vacant rooms, and recognize competition. If we can get them to compete with
eachothers rates maybe we can get similar rates. Just because we aren't using there meeting space may not always
play against our favor.

~Allykat

Well, this is why last year we invited Sak's hotel liaison to our exec meetings and why that same guy is our assistant hotel liaison this year.  It's not so much the room rates that I was talking about, but how filling rooms pays for events space at the convention center. 

At this point I am half tempted to schedule a special Kcon meeting called "Dawn explains hotels, room blocks and park access"

[CMD Productions]

To clarify we get discounts on the meeting spaces when we book room blocks at the hotel. I can say to a manager I'll book 400 room nights with our guests if you give me 90% off what you would charge to rent the ballroom. Thus con goers stay in rooms at a cheaper rate and we get cheap space to have events in. At the convention center we would have to pay the full price for the convention space. Thus what we would pay $1,000 for a meeting room at a hotel with a bunch of room nights becomes $10,000. This is the root difficulty of the convention space. It costs much much much more because we get not a discount on event space because our con goers are not booking room at the convention center itself. They don't make that money back in roomnights so charge full price for meeting space.  

[AllyKat]

LOL YEAH!

"Dawn Explains it All!"

But honestly... That makes sense, cooperating with the hotel and it's own meeting rooms to get them for
cheaper by basically garunteeing a sell-out weekend. I could deffinetely see that being the easiest way...
UGH! PORTLAND! why do you have to not have EXACTLY what we want!?

So, the next question is... has the original team from U of O confronted that university about hosting the
event there ever? If so, what kind of situation would that be? I've been to events hosted by U of O, mostly
speech tournaments and leadership conferences but I imagine that the quirky duck-town might be interested
in us as another money maker... and U of O dorms are pretty nice...

just a thought?

~Allykat

[Xixecal]

There should have been more signs. WAY more signs. And the hotel layout map should have been part of the schedule book.

Some of the layouts and things were just plain ridiculous. Lines going outside the building and back in after twenty feet? Having to walk around the building to go down to the parking level? And in a city known for its RAIN? There should have never been any need to go outside to get to the events that weren't in a different building. (And having events in a different building seems like a horrible idea to me, but oh well...)

The most confusing part was the hotel/con staff arbitrarily blocking off the lower level at random times. "BALLROOM'S CLOSED" "But I just want to get to the gami--" "BALLROOM'S CLOSED GO AWAY"

[Himeno]

At this point I am half tempted to schedule a special Kcon meeting called "Dawn explains hotels, room blocks and park access"

If I didn't live 8,000 miles away from Portland, I would very much like to go to something like that.

[Slash5150]

Has anyone thought of perhaps some kind of online stream?  I'm just throwing this out there because I'm going to be straight up honest...the "con meetings" are terrible.  The fact that a 20 minute youtube video can be uploaded and basically explains the ENTIRE meeting really does not make me want to spend the money and gas to go to such meetings that are outside of my city. 

But online streaming can be a viable option with things like ustream and what not

[Meganekko]

At this point I am half tempted to schedule a special Kcon meeting called "Dawn explains hotels, room blocks and park access"

I'd like to see that! ... although I already get the jist of that topic, still would be nice.

The video would also be nice, and reusable.

[Rathany]

Has anyone thought of perhaps some kind of online stream?  I'm just throwing this out there because I'm going to be straight up honest...the "con meetings" are terrible.  The fact that a 20 minute youtube video can be uploaded and basically explains the ENTIRE meeting really does not make me want to spend the money and gas to go to such meetings that are outside of my city. 

But online streaming can be a viable option with things like ustream and what not

We tried Skype last year.  We often had techinical problems with it and only ONE person ever tried to Skype into our meetings.  Detailed minutes are posted by our handsome Secretary. 

[Meganekko]

Skype is a waste of time, but if it was just a video of an explination or two and hosted on youtube, it could easily be linked for all the people who keep whining about there actually being hotels near OCC and that they could walk. Since they are missing the point of the room block=money for con.

[gladimus]

I know I'm posting a lot but I find it kind of sad that some people say the only way to help is to stay for the Rant and Rave or Join the K-con Staff...
And that's not fair or right. I think everyone involved in K-con, attending, volunteering, selling, whatever, has every right to share their opinons and should be regarded and thought about as legitimate suggestions. Not everyone coudl attend the rant and rave, like me. I was feeling sick and my costume was making me overheat so I had to go home early on monday. And I can't join the staff, as much as I'd like to help, I can't handle stress well like some people and I had other plans for things I want to do at the con because I love workshops, panels, and events and I love to perform in skits. (sadly this year I wasn't able to because our group wound up losing a lot of people.. Next year will hopefully go better)
So not everyone has the option to join or desire to join the staff, and not everyone could make it to rant and rave, but that doesn't mean they don't want to help.
Sorry for the little rant, but I really wanted to make that point to those who keep saying to join, go to the rant, or shut up.

If I am thinking properly, its not that the board is against people sharing their ideas and stuff like that, but its that everyone wants all of these changes, but the staff that is on hand makes it hard for them to actually come to fruition.

Now you say you can't be staff, I'm curious why you can't be, unless its the thing about stress, and really, depending on where you're working, there isn't so much stress as there is just being tired.  I worked nearly 60 hours during the 2 and a half days of con, and I really didn't get stressed, but I did get a bit tired, then staff pres saved me several times ^_^

I can't handle being relied on by a lot of people, I get panic attacks and asthma when I feel pressured and I start going into coughing fits. I had a panic attack nearly from just the crowding on the first day, for crying out loud >__>;
I also have bad memory and I can't pay attention to one thing for very long, so I'd be spacing out a lot. That's because I have a bad case of ADHD.
I can't even keep a group of 3 people together and under control, so I don't know how I could possibly handle anything more XD

[Slash5150]

Has anyone thought of perhaps some kind of online stream?  I'm just throwing this out there because I'm going to be straight up honest...the "con meetings" are terrible.  The fact that a 20 minute youtube video can be uploaded and basically explains the ENTIRE meeting really does not make me want to spend the money and gas to go to such meetings that are outside of my city. 

But online streaming can be a viable option with things like ustream and what not

We tried Skype last year.  We often had techinical problems with it and only ONE person ever tried to Skype into our meetings.  Detailed minutes are posted by our handsome Secretary. 

Not Skype.  Ustream.  Just so that people can actually see it and watch it. 

[Himeno]

Since they are missing the point of the room block=money for con.

At least North America has hotel based venues that are able to host medium-large scale conventions.
The biggest hotel in Australia can't even host an event for 2000 people.

[Rathany]

Has anyone thought of perhaps some kind of online stream?  I'm just throwing this out there because I'm going to be straight up honest...the "con meetings" are terrible.  The fact that a 20 minute youtube video can be uploaded and basically explains the ENTIRE meeting really does not make me want to spend the money and gas to go to such meetings that are outside of my city. 

But online streaming can be a viable option with things like ustream and what not

We tried Skype last year.  We often had techinical problems with it and only ONE person ever tried to Skype into our meetings.  Detailed minutes are posted by our handsome Secretary. 

Not Skype.  Ustream.  Just so that people can actually see it and watch it. 

Ok - What equipment, subscription costs and tech expertise would be needed for this?  It would have to be run by people who commit to coming to every single meeting early and having it set up on time.  

We tried to find people to be General Meeting Tech Staff last year and never found a single willing person.  What tech there is is done by the execs.