Quick point to make, actually.
How are you going to know if someone is underage, if all of the badges are the same?
If you're going to be checking everyone to see if they are a minor, isn't that the same as checking ID's to get into a 17+ panel at a normal con?
Must we have our guardian with us at every moment, even if we're walking to our room, or chilling in the lobby?
K thx :>
Minors will have a different badge or have a stamp/sticker on the badge so that the staff will know. We didn't make it different prices because once again this con is catering to 17+. So different prices were not needed since majority of the con people are going to be adult.
No minors means no need for a cheaper ticket price.
Like i've said before you only need a guardian to get into panels or events.
Artist alley and the dealers hall is open to the public and all ages, (from what has been said so far at meetings, because these people paid to sell their work and we want them too) Also the Lobby and going to your room is not part of the con's programing space, its public and hotel space and anyone even normal con goers must respect that when leaving the Con areas and be aware that what happens in the programming areas stays in the programming areas. So you won't need a guardian to be stuck to you in these spaces.
We've just made the rule that a guardian needs to be with you, so that if you go into the panel rooms, workshop, main events, video room, etc. They would ok with what you might see or hear since there will be more mature programming going on.
I'm sorry to say but this con isn't a kid con this year, and so rules must be placed in order to keep con goers safe and the convention running. I know allot are saying to keep it and all ages or 18+ only. But this is just a test if it goes over well or not it will decide the future of the convention. Most likely though it might just go to to being a 18+ con, because there is no way that M.E.Wcon can compete with the other all ages cons in the northwest.
Also the decision to make it 17+ has been made since last year it wasn't a last minute addition. We have posted all over the website and forums as soon as the decision was made. So allot of the complaints could have really been helpful if they were brought to our attention sooner rather than 2 weeks before the con. I'm not trying to be a hard a** but we kept because everyone has been supportive of the decision.
Also we do have a M.E.Wcon forum which all these questions can answered, and discussed. Even faster than here since only a few M.E.Wcon staff are on here. While you have everyone on the M.E.Wcon forum.
http://www.mewcon.com/forum/