Event Attendance/ Registration

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Eddie, Mar 5, 2016.

  1. Eddie

    Eddie Level 0 Character

    I am enjoying the convention so far, but a lot of players who pre-registered for the events I am running haven't shown, and I was wondering what could be done to make event attendance and registration easier.

    In my event today, for example, 7 of 8 tickets were taken out, but 5 of the 7 were under the same name. Not only did that person not make it, but their absence took out 5 seats that may have been wanted by someone else. I ran 2 events yesterday, and the first had 4 of 8 registered by only 1 person showed up. The second event had 8 of 8 registered, with a couple of people taking 2 seats each, and only 4 attended.

    Running these events has still been fun even with 1 or 2 people, but there are a few things that could be done to help. First, you should ask players to post online that they can't attend, or that they took out more than 1 seat by accident. The GM's can log in to see how many players to expect. That will also give the GM's a heads-up to invite others. The lady who attended my 1st event on Thursday asked if she could also play the 2nd later that day, and I replied all 8 seats had been taken in pre-registration so I didn't know if there would be space but I invited her to check.

    There should be a bulletin board and a rallying area where players interested in finding a game can go, to check the bulletin board to see which games are still open, and to wait for GM's who want to fill their table to step away from their game to see if they can find someone. Your volunteers and staff member can also look for an open game for someone, or find players for a GM.

    The players should also receive a certificate, where possible, for their experience and triumphs in events. This could just be an idea shared between other GM's, to print out something the players can take away as a souvenir. Or the headquarters can print out something for anyone who'd like one. In some of your special events, you may want to issue a prize, of course, but just a note about a) did you make it to the end of the adventure, b) did you beat the adventure, and c) what was your tournament score if it was a tournament, would be fun to show friends at home and reminisce about later.

    I also noted you added player names to the information GM's have online. It would be better if the players could log into the forums, where every event could have a thread if the GM wants to set up things ahead of time with the players. I would like to have a thread for my events, not only to add background that we wouldn't have time for at the table, but to get people excited, discuss past play experiences, and attract new players.

    I look forward to the rest of the convention. Thanks.
     
  2. BIglehart

    BIglehart Level 0 Character

    Heavily seconded! I realize such a system would require both GM and player participation, but I think the communication benefit would quickly cause people to hop on the bandwagon. Another thought... for me, if the players were listed, it could turn a possible game into a must play.
     
  3. osarious

    osarious Chevalier

    There is some merit to the suggestions above. However, I believe only a small percentage of attendees frequent these forums.

    As far as the certificate/award idea. GMs are free to offer such things.
     
  4. BIglehart

    BIglehart Level 0 Character

    True, but if they were built to be useful, they'd be tested and used prior to the con by the forum community. Then, if the URL and benefits were posted at the con, I bet a lot of attendees would begin using it. If it gives you the ability to quickly check availability for a game or let a GM know you can't make it, I think it would have a lot of appeal.
     
  5. brendar

    brendar Staff Member Staff Member

    I like the idea of getting a mobile app for the Con that will provide these kinds of updates in real time. We were looking at that for this year but obviously a bridge too far. Redoubling our efforts with expanded IT resources for GC IX.
     
    Tink333 likes this.
  6. Poindexter

    Poindexter Chevalier

    I was getting terrible cell service throughout most of the Con so, assuming I was not the only one, such an app or forum would be unused by people experiencing this problem.
     
    Tink333 likes this.
  7. mordrin

    mordrin Spellbinder Staff Member

    Yeah, it was awful. I had to go outside to get any bars.
     
  8. JediSoth

    JediSoth Troubadour

    My service was OK in the play areas, but I was solidly in the "No Service" area of the resort when I was in my room.

    Fortunately, it's rare anyone ever needs to contact me.

    Rare? Sad? Hm. Two sides of the same coin, I suppose. :p
     
  9. gizmomathboy

    gizmomathboy Spellbinder

    I know that T-Mobile has wifi calling added into the phones you buy from them so I am typically using that almost everywhere I go (partly because their coverage is lacking as compared to others).

    I'm thinking of moving to Google Fi which has bought bandwidth on several networks plus built in wifi calling. However, you need to buy their phones.
     
  10. LastFighter

    LastFighter Level 0 Character

    The cell service was terrible at the hotel, especially near the dealer hall and board rooms. That would have go be fixed prior to any online system.
     
  11. LastFighter

    LastFighter Level 0 Character

    No shows - the event times were also pretty aggressively stacked back to back to back. I think people burned out. Having a built in lunch break and dinner break in the overall schedule would be smart.
     
  12. francisca

    francisca Troubadour

    Or, get access to the digital boards that were near registration.
     
  13. glamcrist

    glamcrist Footpad

    just a rally point for players/GMs seeking each other would have been great, The one guy who showed for my last session was a great sport, but I think we both would have had more fun if he hadn't been playing four PC's himself!
     
  14. JediSoth

    JediSoth Troubadour

    Maybe a rally point/pick-up game whiteboard near HQ? HQ was pretty centrally located (except with regards to the elevator, but them's the breaks with FLW-inspired prairie-style architecture).
     
  15. brendar

    brendar Staff Member Staff Member

    Being a new venue, traffic flow and congregation areas were something I had my eye on in particular. HQ/Registration was not exactly central but next year we'll be occupying some additional space that will shift the Con's center of gravity. I do want to see more of a known go-to congregation place / rally point develop. Part of this will be on staff to influence and part of it will just happen naturally over time.
     
  16. Jarlaxle

    Jarlaxle Troubadour

    Why? The hotel's wifi worked fine for me.
     
  17. Jarlaxle

    Jarlaxle Troubadour

    Good idea...and I fixed a mistake in your post. :D
     
  18. LastFighter

    LastFighter Level 0 Character

    Personally, I am reluctant to use public wifi networks. My VPN provider was super flaky at that time so I could not establish a VPN connection at all; which left me only using the cell service.
     
  19. mwisconsin

    mwisconsin Administrator Staff Member

    I was in the basement 24/7, using the Wifi and VPN and a Remote Desktop connection back to my home PC in Orlando, FL. Now, granted, I was on a laptop so I may have benefited from a wider bandwidth Wifi connection (IIRC, my laptop's wifi chip goes up to AC mode -- or "Plaid").
     

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