A response to Friday Registration Waits

agiganticpanda · Post by **agiganticpanda** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 12:26 pm

[quote=vicky]May lightning strike me down if I'm wrong, but it's my understanding that they had originally wanted to use the Sheraton, which became double booked and less than politely told AB at the very last minute, leaving them to do what they could. [/quote]

Well then be struck by lightning. The Sheraton was double booked and AB knew of the situation last year. Although it may have been just the rooms, I believe it was also the rest of the space as well.

CapnSamwise · Post by **CapnSamwise** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 1:19 pm

Oh man this thread has some NERD RAGE up in this.

Fetch · Post by **Fetch** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 2:24 pm

If you went to AB'07, it said right on the back of the conbook that AB'08 wasn't going to be in the Sheraton.

But it will be in '09, '10, and hopefully '11, '12, and so forth until such time as AB completely outgrows the Hynes.

Tifa-chan0890 · Post by **Tifa-chan0890** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 3:44 pm

5 hours in Pre reg line with heals was ridiculous!

But I do thank the con staff for doing their best.

I just learned my lesson to go down Thursday instead next year.

and now back to icing my poor feet >.<;;

JUNBAIT · Post by **JUNBAIT** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 5:03 pm

[quote=CapnSamwise][quote=Dejana Talis][quote=CapnSamwise]This isn't ignoring the problem, this is saying that your complaints are trivial when compared to the issue as a whole.[/quote]

Your initial post seemed to indicate that because AB has plenty of attendees, if some people don't return because of this that's A-OK. And that's not a healthy outlook for any organization to have, I certainly hope the AB staff doesn't agree with you.

For the record, I picked up my badge on Thursday. I just sympathize with those who missed out on a third of the con due to the endless line.[/quote]

That's pretty much exactly my point. If you're so horrified at the convention for allowing the lines to stretch on, well, then leave. Someone is ready and eager to take your place.

Is this a healthy outlook? Sure, why not? It takes more effort to please you than it does to regester another individual. Same goes to anyone else complaining.[/quote]

Capn, if you haven't noticed this thread is basically all about Friday's registration lines. There are bound to be people less than happy and are just voicing it since majority of attendees probably didn't want to voice it while enjoying what's left of the con. So let them voice their thoughts. If it bothers you so much that they complain I suggest you don't delve into certain threads (especially those about reg and lines).

Keithel · Post by **Keithel** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 5:53 pm

[quote=ChrisNH]One way to act--and I plan to--is populate these message boards with negative messages as soon as the 2009 web site is up. As many postings as I can, on as many different threads. All in an effort to remind & warn. If show management is going to take a tepid approach to next year's organization--hoping people 'just forget'--they'll be sadly mistaken. If pre-registration doesn't ALSO mean advanced mailing, then show organizers deserve getting it both barrels here. That'll dissuade plenty of people, and that's lost $$$ for the show.[/quote]

That's a great way to get us to just be depressed, quit the con, and move on with our life, leaving AB in the dust and to fall apart. Do you really want Anime Boston to cease to exist? Remember all of us staff have to read your responses and, if we wish to make the convention continue, have to brush all that negativity aside and move forward. More negativity just makes us feel even worse, and even more likely to jump ship.

Now, all of us are currently trying to take the most positive things out of this, realizing what really went wrong, figuring out fixes, and moving on. I know I'm one of them.

Eilonnwy · Post by **Eilonnwy** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 6:06 pm

[quote=Dejana Talis]I just hope they realize the self-serve terminals were a mistake and do NOT attempt to use them again, no matter how "fixed" they think the process is. I've seen statements around here that seem to indicate that may be what they're planning to do. This method was a mistake, plain and simple. A new tactic is needed for 09[/quote]

As I said in my formal statement, that was the biggest problem.

I can assure there will never be self service kiosks in 09 or ever again.

One thing I will make clear, no matter what you suggest: We will NOT MAIL OUT BADGES. This idea is simply just as bad as the kiosks. End of story.

I will continue to listen to suggestions, but I would just like to remind you, there is little you could suggest that we have not already considered for 2009.

Dejana Talis · Post by **Dejana Talis** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 7:57 pm

[quote=Eilonnwy]I can assure there will never be self service kiosks in 09 or ever again.

One thing I will make clear, no matter what you suggest: We will NOT MAIL OUT BADGES. This idea is simply just as bad as the kiosks. End of story. [/quote]

I'm glad to hear both of these things. I'd hate to see the line disaster this year followed up by a mailed-badges disaster next year.

Thanks for all your hard work.

Fetch · Post by **Fetch** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 9:25 pm

Here is a good idea for next year's at-the-door reg:

Have a staffer walk down the line with copies of the reg form OR have a table just inside the reg room with a stack of the reg form, so people can grab them and fill them out so they can just hand it and their money over to the reg staff.

I've seen it done at a few cons. And the only problem with it: not everyone carries a pen on them all the time.

ramengumi · Post by **ramengumi** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:59 pm

So cons are like economies in that positive thinking leads to growth while negativity results in recession?

CapnSamwise · Post by **CapnSamwise** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 11:20 pm

[quote=Fetch]Here is a good idea for next year's at-the-door reg:

Have a staffer walk down the line with copies of the reg form OR have a table just inside the reg room with a stack of the reg form, so people can grab them and fill them out so they can just hand it and their money over to the reg staff.

I've seen it done at a few cons. And the only problem with it: not everyone carries a pen on them all the time.[/quote]

Dude, have you seen how bad the handwriting is for most anime fans?

nekedo · Post by **nekedo** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 1:30 am

[quote=CapnSamwise][quote=Fetch]Here is a good idea for next year's at-the-door reg:

Have a staffer walk down the line with copies of the reg form OR have a table just inside the reg room with a stack of the reg form, so people can grab them and fill them out so they can just hand it and their money over to the reg staff.

I've seen it done at a few cons. And the only problem with it: not everyone carries a pen on them all the time.[/quote]

Dude, have you seen how bad the handwriting is for most anime fans?[/quote]
Woah, generalizations, much? Plus, the people will be right there, so if the staff can't read something, all they have to do is ask :3

marikotoeii · Post by **marikotoeii** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 10:37 am

i think the best way to solvce the issue is just more comps and more people to be behind them. how many people here would volunteer to help out?

i think were getting a little too far into deconstructive criticism. i feel for you all, and i think that the importnat thing to remember is that this was a fluke year. AB08 is NOT the norm. and i am sure, as i already have 325 bucks invested in next years con, that there will be improvements made to fix this.

ineveitably there is no perfect system, but y knoiw next year they have the sheraton back and the artist alley will be in a diff place and im hoping they might extend theior autpograph line policy to all maine events, ie you cannot line up for an event more than 30 mins before it starts, because i just feel like so many people wasted their cons in line. i canm also say the lines were daunting becuase it made it hard for those of us who diudnt want to wast 2 - 3 hours of the con waiting for the event.

i have good hopes for next year and if there is a long reg line im going to see what myself and other artists can do to raise morale.

guys you have to go all the way to otakon to get something this big in our area.. and i think AB is a lot more manageable than otakon for the sheer fact that u dobnt need all that legal mumbo jumbo just to set up in the artist alley.

i would just encourage people to remember that this wasnt a normal year. this was a messed up situation. But the programming for the con was still good.. i mena we had the pillows herE.

atleast the con is willing to admit ther was a major malfunction on there part. a lot of places wont even do that.

im full on to support helping out ideas wiht line control throughtout the con.

Keithel · Post by **Keithel** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 12:48 pm

Thanks for your positive feedback Mariktoeii.

We'll do our hardest to make things better for next year.

And with that, I'll close this topic. If you have any more feedback on this, feel free to post it to Jackie's official pinned post at the top.

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