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Asking about a weapon

Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2017 1:11 pm
by Fangreaper
I know weapons cannot be preapproved prior to the con but I was reading the weapons policy and noticed it says nothing about nerf guns. It says:

Projectile weapons (pellet guns, airsoft rifles, pistols, disc guns, paintball markers, water pistols, or other liquid "weapons," etc).

Does a nerf gun with no darts on it count under this or not? It seems like it's going after real guns and things that can do serious damage to people and the convention center. If nerf stuff falls under here let me know please and thank you.

Re: Asking about a weapon

Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2017 5:25 pm
by Selestyl
My general rule is always "when in doubt, don't." It frequently sucks as a rule, but I know I'm going to end up in a fouler mood if security takes away my prop and then nobody recognizes my character or it makes me feel less complete. I don't know if other people have had better experiences with it, but I have a vague memory in the back of my head that the "weapon" can't be operational at all (i.e. You'd have to remove the firing mechanism).

Hope that helps, and I hope that other people can chime in with better answers!

Re: Asking about a weapon

Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2017 5:35 pm
by waynoinsano
Unless you disable the firing mechanism complete I'd expect it to be confiscated. Be too easy for someone to enter with a nerf gun with no darts but have a friend bring the darts in separately with their cosplay.

Re: Asking about a weapon

Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2017 8:02 pm
by Nemra
you kinda already answered the question yourself. We can't comment on props until they're actually at con :\

Re: Asking about a weapon

Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2017 8:18 pm
by Fangreaper
I'm not asking to have a weapon prechecked though I am asking for clarification on the rule do nerf guns fit under projectile weapons or not?

Re: Asking about a weapon

Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2017 8:34 am
by Thrillho
I think your safest assumption would be "if it can fire a projectile, it counts". I can speak from experience that NERF guns fall under this category at other cons, and if you want to bring it into the con, my advice would be to dismantle/disable the firing mechanism.

Re: Asking about a weapon

Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2017 12:29 am
by Fetch
'Nerf guns' should be where it says 'pistols'.

Re: Asking about a weapon

Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 4:18 pm
by THX1139
Ever since some fruit cake, non terrorist, tried to bring a real firearm into the Pokémon Convention, security has been over kill on props. Last year they were confiscating plastic toy light sabers.

The standard at any convention / sports / Disney World security check point, for anything that looks or smells like a firearm is: Can it be made or adjusted to fire a projectile? I would suggest you glue something into the barrel. Maybe also put a small sheet metal screw into it.

At the con props firearms made from form, plastic and wood need to have a orange cap on the end of the barrel. This is the standard at firearm shows to show the firearm has been made safe.

At protest rallies you can not have your protest sign on a wooden stick. Security will confiscate the wood stick. You can keep the sign. At the last high school basketball game, security was confiscating wooden sign sticks.

Not trying to bum you out. This is the world we now live in.

Re: Asking about a weapon

Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 4:57 pm
by pulsedemon
tomthumb wrote: Fri Mar 10, 2017 4:18 pmnon terrorist
Highly debatable wording, as what could the possible justification be there apart from intending to terrorize and harm people? Your point about why all of this is a thing, though, was made totally clearly.

Re: Asking about a weapon

Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2017 11:50 pm
by Seriyu
Projectile weapons... (etc)

Re: Asking about a weapon

Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2017 3:08 pm
by THX1139
May I make a suggestion?

Many cosplayers have questions about their props, will it be allowed into the Convention. It would nice if there was a station were props could be inspected and approved outside the convention hall. It can be very emotional to wait in line for an hour to have your prop confiscated.

Prop pre-inspection could help speed up the security check point. In the past there has been places need the badge room a inspection station could be set up.

My other suggestion is a badge or ID card for cosplayer and people who go to the AB convention year after year.

They may be willing to pay extra for a more permanent badge or ID. The ID could be verified by SS number, email, phone number and charged card, or parents charged card. Security people seam to be more comfortable with people with a profile. I assume AB staff does not have to go thru security check point every time they go in and out. That's because they are known to security. Similar to people with a TSA pre-check number they skip the X-ray machine. This could also help speedup the security check point.

Now that Anime Boston is spreading to more buildings. Is security getting a little more complex? Maybe prop-precheck and verified ID would make it easier to go between buildings?

OK, I will put my time where my mouth is. Is there anytime I can do to help?

Re: Asking about a weapon

Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2017 4:31 pm
by pulsedemon
tomthumb wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2017 3:08 pm I assume AB staff does not have to go thru security check point every time they go in and out.
Ha! You'd think that.

Funny thing about renting a place is that you don't get to set all the rules. When your landlord tells you that you have to (or have to not) do something, there's not that much recourse unless the thing in question is illegal.

Re: Asking about a weapon

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2017 2:08 pm
by Fetch
pulsedemon wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2017 4:31 pm
tomthumb wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2017 3:08 pm I assume AB staff does not have to go thru security check point every time they go in and out.
Ha! You'd think that.

Funny thing about renting a place is that you don't get to set all the rules. When your landlord tells you that you have to (or have to not) do something, there's not that much recourse unless the thing in question is illegal.
I saw K-san, A-chan, and B-kun at various times stuck waiting in the line to get into the Hynes because people in the lines apparently could not read the word STAFF that they were each wearing quite predominately across their fronts. Perhaps they should have the word STAFF on their backs as well? Of course, that still won't help deal with the affliction that affects many Americans: too lazy to read signage. (Or the FAQs, for that matter)

Re: Asking about a weapon

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2017 3:11 pm
by THX1139
Fetch wrote: Mon Mar 20, 2017 2:08 pm I saw K-san, A-chan, and B-kun at various times stuck waiting in the line
Last year AB staff were going in and out the secret door easily. Sounds like too many people know about that door. They are beefing up security for that door.

I call it the secret door because it was not well known or used. It was on the map AB posted.

Re: Asking about a weapon

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2017 3:48 pm
by pulsedemon
There aren't any 'secret' doors. In the past, we didn't have to get checked. This year, we have to. Last year, we sent some people through the line at various times to get real 'wait times' to get through the line.

The Hall C entrance from the Sheraton will have a bunch more stations to increase capacity through there. I guess if 'beefing up' just means 'more people working', then yes - the beef is chief.

Re: Asking about a weapon

Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2017 2:32 pm
by KQBeans
I'm presuming "banjo" is not on that contraband list? (I didn't see much concerning hand-made musical instruments). I suppose I can expect just the general prop check or registration...I hope.

Re: Asking about a weapon

Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2017 2:39 pm
by pulsedemon
I'd expect that much!

Re: Asking about a weapon

Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2017 3:35 pm
by THX1139
hakukagi wrote: Tue Mar 21, 2017 2:32 pm I'm presuming "banjo" is not on that contraband list?
In 2015 there was this group. They played really good. Hayes security doesn't like it if you play too long in one place and draw a crowd that blocks people traffic. Out of the way photo shoots draw a crowd and that's OK. I have also seen other Instruments. I don't have the mind of the security staff. Maybe if you can play the instrument the security staff will be more comfortable with it.

Unfortunately, what has been allowed in the past is no guarantee what will be allowed this year.


ImageAnime Boston 2015 by Tom Aho, on Flickr

Re: Asking about a weapon

Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2017 4:20 pm
by KQBeans
tomthumb wrote: Tue Mar 21, 2017 3:35 pm
hakukagi wrote: Tue Mar 21, 2017 2:32 pm I'm presuming "banjo" is not on that contraband list?
In 2015 there was this group. They played really good. Hayes security doesn't like it if you play too long in one place and draw a crowd that blocks people traffic. Out of the way photo shoots draw a crowd and that's OK. I have also seen other Instruments. I don't have the mind of the security staff. Maybe if you can play the instrument the security staff will be more comfortable with it.

Unfortunately, what has been allowed in the past is no guarantee what will be allowed this year.


ImageAnime Boston 2015 by Tom Aho, on Flickr
Oh wow, they look awesome! I wish I could have heard them play!

I myself won't be playing much...haha, actually the banjo itself is mostly non-functional, just a cookie-cutter type homemade banjo. ^^;
Its strings are outta wack and untuned, but not bad for a first attempt, at least to me.

Thanks for the heads-up! Whatever security says is what will happen, so I'll just hope for the best.

Re: Asking about a weapon

Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2017 9:09 pm
by spacebloomers
tomthumb wrote: Sat Mar 18, 2017 3:08 pm
Many cosplayers have questions about their props, will it be allowed into the Convention. It would nice if there was a station were props could be inspected and approved outside the convention hall. It can be very emotional to wait in line for an hour to have your prop confiscated.
Tell me about it. This year (#8, i believe) is the first i'm bringing prop weapons, as its kinda necessary for my character, haha. They're literally solid hunks of black rubber in the shape of a gun/knife (with neon orange tip, of course, and the knife even says "training knife" on it) and i've been in on/off panic atack mode since i bought my pre reg pass a few weeks ago. Hearing the horror stories of props being smashed and/or thrown away en masse certainly doesn't make me feel better.

Although having a severe anxiety disorder certainly doesn't help my situation any to begin with, haha.