Rant and Rave 2018

[JaegerDarkness]

Here we go.

Rant
With my ADA sticker, getting an autograph wasn’t TOO bad. What bugs me is the autograph pass distribution, because if you get there at the beginning of the “distribution” session, you’re just standing around in a line, for 30+ minutes, before (hopefully) getting an autograph pass.

Rave
I loved seeing all of the “My Hero Academia” Guests of Honor.

[Kimiski]

I have a staff related rant


Whoever was in charge or ordering the catering for Dead Dog did not order enough. I feel like less was ordered this year because last year there was so much extra, but this year I didn't even get to eat.

I was one of the very last people in line, there were maybe 2 after me and I know there were still some staffers who had yet to get in line, hanging out in the Double Tree Lobby or still at OCC. When I got up to the food (by the way I'm vegetarian) all the potatoes were gone. All the vegetarian beans were gone. It looked like only two tin trays had even been ordered of each. Even for those who aren't vegetarian, there was only a bit of each meat left. The only thing left for me I could have eaten was a handful of nacho chips with sour cream and some lettuce with ranch, which is not a real meal. I was looking forward to actual warm filling food, not junk I had been eating all con long just to keep going with a side of dressing smothered leaves with no actual nutrition value.

It was really disappointing, especially when you stay late and work hard tearing down, hungry and then after all the wait have to turn around and leave to hunt down food downtown at 10:30-11pm.

[BlackjackGabbiani]

-The smokers outside the doorway were atrocious and disgusting. Even if they stayed the requisite distance away from the door (which not all of them did), you had to go through what was basically a wall of smoke to reach the entryway. You were REQUIRED to do so or else you couldn't get in the building. Please have a designated smoking area next year in a low-traffic area.

-There needs to be communcation as to what, exactly, the photography rules are. I was frequently being stopped by staffers to tell me that I was required to ask people before taking their picture despite the con rules specifying that it's the person being photographed who has the responsibility to say that they don't want to, and photographers just have to use common sense about the situation the subject is in (ie, no half out of costume, nothing in sensitive spaces like washrooms, etc). I was following the rules and it seems that so many people are unaware of those rules.

-The food situation is absolutely ridiculous. I get that the OCC doesn't want outside food in there, but I also know for a fact that food carts often go to the OCC. Heck they even covered that exact situation on the Food Network once, showing that yeah the food trucks get a fine for parking at the convention center, but at big events they make enough money to go anyway. Surely we're a big enough event that we can get some to come by, right?

-On a related note, can we alert the nearby restaurants of the dates for next year so they have better staffing? I get that there's only so much we can do, but I feel like an hour wait for food at Denny's due to them being understaffed is a bit ridiculous.

-More varied merch booths were turned down for this year but insurance and cable companies got booths? Seriously? At least the yogurt drink booth is ever so slightly on topic since it's a Japanese drink and they gave samples, and the video store booth was showing some of their collection.

-Don't let shoots get into the schedule if they're "location to be determined". There's no way we can meet up if we don't know where to begin. Please only include shoots that have an agreed upon location. Not everyone has Facebook and not everything will be posted there anyway.

-Apparently there was an enormous issue with the schedule sorting the tabletop games into the wrong categories and that seems like a weird mistake to make.

-Transphobia among the OCC staff is inexcusable. We need to find those people who tried to dictate who goes to what washrooms and file reports.

-Of course, the obligatory autograph ticket complaints. But also with the ADA badge even though I could go to the front of the line, we were still standing there for half an hour! Part of my disabilities is that I can't stand in place for very long! And even people without disabilities have trouble with that.

[derek anthony]

my rants are, 1.  the charity auction and the way it was ran this year, basically i put in for a figure i really wanted , and i got there around 3:45 pm ,  because that is when they ended the bidding last year, and my name was still last on the list ( putting me as a winner), and then somebody called to pick up the papers, but for some reason they left the papers down, and around 3:57, this person comes in and starts bidding on the figure, even though there was  call to pick up the papers earler, and also steals the pen which there was only one on the paper, so we had to get another pen and at 3:59, i wrote my bid in , and by the time the auction was called at 4 , my name and bid was fully on the paper, and they refused it and a volunteer staff member accused us of cheating, so because of the 3:45 confusion , myself and a lot of people lost things they wanted.
2. is it me or is the vendor hall shrinking, and the artists growing, personally i think they should add hall d and they could fill hall d full of artists and hall c full of vendors , so they can have more variety of artists and vendors,
3. also what was with the food vendors being closed on sunday,

[JaegerDarkness]

-The smokers outside the doorway were atrocious and disgusting. Even if they stayed the requisite distance away from the door (which not all of them did), you had to go through what was basically a wall of smoke to reach the entryway. You were REQUIRED to do so or else you couldn't get in the building. Please have a designated smoking area next year in a low-traffic area.

-There needs to be communcation as to what, exactly, the photography rules are. I was frequently being stopped by staffers to tell me that I was required to ask people before taking their picture despite the con rules specifying that it's the person being photographed who has the responsibility to say that they don't want to, and photographers just have to use common sense about the situation the subject is in (ie, no half out of costume, nothing in sensitive spaces like washrooms, etc). I was following the rules and it seems that so many people are unaware of those rules.

-The food situation is absolutely ridiculous. I get that the OCC doesn't want outside food in there, but I also know for a fact that food carts often go to the OCC. Heck they even covered that exact situation on the Food Network once, showing that yeah the food trucks get a fine for parking at the convention center, but at big events they make enough money to go anyway. Surely we're a big enough event that we can get some to come by, right?

-On a related note, can we alert the nearby restaurants of the dates for next year so they have better staffing? I get that there's only so much we can do, but I feel like an hour wait for food at Denny's due to them being understaffed is a bit ridiculous.

-More varied merch booths were turned down for this year but insurance and cable companies got booths? Seriously? At least the yogurt drink booth is ever so slightly on topic since it's a Japanese drink and they gave samples, and the video store booth was showing some of their collection.

-Don't let shoots get into the schedule if they're "location to be determined". There's no way we can meet up if we don't know where to begin. Please only include shoots that have an agreed upon location. Not everyone has Facebook and not everything will be posted there anyway.

-Apparently there was an enormous issue with the schedule sorting the tabletop games into the wrong categories and that seems like a weird mistake to make.

-Transphobia among the OCC staff is inexcusable. We need to find those people who tried to dictate who goes to what washrooms and file reports.

-Of course, the obligatory autograph ticket complaints. But also with the ADA badge even though I could go to the front of the line, we were still standing there for half an hour! Part of my disabilities is that I can't stand in place for very long! And even people without disabilities have trouble with that.

- *cough* *hack* *gag* My lifespan just got shorter. Seriously, if you wanna smoke, please go FAR AWAY from the convention center.
- I agree. If the food vendors in and around Pioneer Courthouse Square, came to the OCC, they’d make big money.   
- I didn’t have this problem, but I feel bad for everyone who did.
- Like a Good Neighbor, State Farm is There ... sticking out like a sore thumb.
- I don’t know why the Saturday evening BNHA meetup was allowed on the schedule. To find the location, you had to go on Facebook. And, to get on Facebook, you had to leave the convention center. Making matters even worse, the organizers of the meetup went to the Kumori Gala.
- I didn’t visit gaming this year.
- Having a discriminatory leader of the free world is bad enough, but when people working for the OCC, follow his example, they should be fired.
- See my first post.

[BloodyBuTtTerFly]

Rant-
1. The smoking outside the main door everyone used. As I know I couldn't walk down to the other door (I had two broken toes at con ow), plus the other door was on the other side of the convention center. I doubt staff could have done much. Other then having someone stand outside all day long making people move, but I have a feeling that wouldn't have worked with the off and of showers. As someone who is very sensitive to smoke (I get sick), and likes to go outside to take a break from the crowds inside con it made this year harder then it already was. I know the quite room was an option, but sadly I never made it. As normally by the time I was even near it. I was just done and needed a full people break back at my hotel room. I just want to say shame on anyone who was smoking outside that door.
2. The heat inside the convention center. Again another problem I don't think staff had any control over. I don't know if the AC or any fans were just off due to the construction not wanting dust moving around or broke/unplugged/ect again because of the construction. But I know it wasn't just me or my group. I ran into a number of people who agreed it was just so hot inside. And again thanks to the smokers going outside to cool off was not on option.
3. Can we please move the autographs somewhere other then the merch hall? Its normally full of people and can at times be hard to move around as some people just aren't aware of others around them. And my biggest issue this year was moving around those going to get things signed.

4. The new con dates. I have heard all the reasons why it has moved. I understand and get it. Just SUPER SAD about the new dates as everyone I know but 2 work in retail and its black out holiday time in Nov. We all bought our tickets early at con, hoping maybe as it was before the holiday it would be ok. But so far its not looking good. So we all may miss next year, still trying but less hopeful then before. Really hoping in the following years it can move back to Oct and out of the holiday season. Plus having a Halloween con SO COOL!

Rave-1. I LOVE the kitty pins. I love that little ghost kitty so much. Finally got myself the plush this year. Very happy with it. I hope the cute pins keep coming =)
2. Though I never made it to the quite room I really did/do like the idea. I know if I didn't have two broken toes at con I would have for sure been able to use it. I think its important to have at conventions for a number of reasons and I hope it something that stays.
3. I was really worried how people would move around with all the construction. But once I got there I found it very easy to figure out where everything was and had no problem getting anywhere. 
Thank you Kumoricon staff for another fun year. Due to the date changed not sure if my group will make it but hoping things may go back to Oct for 2020 =)

[Washougal_Otaku]

-The smokers outside the doorway were atrocious and disgusting. Even if they stayed the requisite distance away from the door (which not all of them did), you had to go through what was basically a wall of smoke to reach the entryway. You were REQUIRED to do so or else you couldn't get in the building. Please have a designated smoking area next year in a low-traffic area.

-There needs to be communcation as to what, exactly, the photography rules are. I was frequently being stopped by staffers to tell me that I was required to ask people before taking their picture despite the con rules specifying that it's the person being photographed who has the responsibility to say that they don't want to, and photographers just have to use common sense about the situation the subject is in (ie, no half out of costume, nothing in sensitive spaces like washrooms, etc). I was following the rules and it seems that so many people are unaware of those rules.

[/l][/l]

These were the two points I wanted to bring up, too.

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-Transphobia among the OCC staff is inexcusable. We need to find those people who tried to dictate who goes to what washrooms and file reports.

[/l]


I heard of this, as well, but was under the impression it was one of our own.  While I'm glad to hear that it wasn't, it would still be better if it didn't happen at all.
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