V-man! Kickass idea and kudos for going balls to the wall to make it happen.

I'd totally be up for attending, but I don't wear face diapers nor get experimental injections so I don't know if flying will be an option in 2022.

In the meantime, I've got questions:

1) 100 attendees + X staff? AKA, how are you rewarding GMs, volunteers, etc?

2) What's your ideas on how they games will be scheduled? 4 hour blocks? 6 hour blocks? If you have 100 total (or 100 players + 20 GMs with free badges), then you are looking at about 20 games per slot (4-8 players per table + GM, avg 6 chubby humans per table).

3) "The hotel is nice and conveniently located.  We have a large room, a medium-sized room that can be divided in half, and a smaller room for all of our gaming needs." Okay, but how many tables in each room and what's being done about sound issues? AKA, does the hotel have multiple room dividers available and other sound dampening mobile walls?

4) What's your plan for all the "con bureaucracy bullshit" that's normal for cons? AKA, getting badges, checking badges, lost & found, GM no shows, GM looking for players, etc. Kudos for making it 18+ because that cuts out LOTS of bullshit.

5) Why 100 max? I don't think its a bad number because better to have a big success with 100 than a flop with 300, but interested to know your thoughts.
 
6) What is your marketing plan?

BTW, I've done small cons in the past and my suggestion is "No Refunds" because 100 monkeys x $100 = $10k = thin margins for even a small event. [Kids, that's not profit, small cons are a money pit] Instead of refunds, offer $100 worth of PDFs. In fact, you *MAY* want to run this via a non-profit and give tickets in exchange for $100 "donations".

Quote from: Spinachcat on August 02, 2021, 11:26:20 PM
V-man! Kickass idea and kudos for going balls to the wall to make it happen.

I'd totally be up for attending, but I don't wear face diapers nor get experimental injections so I don't know if flying will be an option in 2022.

In the meantime, I've got questions:

1) 100 attendees + X staff? AKA, how are you rewarding GMs, volunteers, etc?

2) What's your ideas on how they games will be scheduled? 4 hour blocks? 6 hour blocks? If you have 100 total (or 100 players + 20 GMs with free badges), then you are looking at about 20 games per slot (4-8 players per table + GM, avg 6 chubby humans per table).

3) "The hotel is nice and conveniently located.  We have a large room, a medium-sized room that can be divided in half, and a smaller room for all of our gaming needs." Okay, but how many tables in each room and what's being done about sound issues? AKA, does the hotel have multiple room dividers available and other sound dampening mobile walls?

4) What's your plan for all the "con bureaucracy bullshit" that's normal for cons? AKA, getting badges, checking badges, lost & found, GM no shows, GM looking for players, etc. Kudos for making it 18+ because that cuts out LOTS of bullshit.

5) Why 100 max? I don't think its a bad number because better to have a big success with 100 than a flop with 300, but interested to know your thoughts.
 
6) What is your marketing plan?

BTW, I've done small cons in the past and my suggestion is "No Refunds" because 100 monkeys x $100 = $10k = thin margins for even a small event. [Kids, that's not profit, small cons are a money pit] Instead of refunds, offer $100 worth of PDFs. In fact, you *MAY* want to run this via a non-profit and give tickets in exchange for $100 "donations".

Thanks!

I'm hoping masks won't be needed and everyone can fly without hassle.

The 100 attendees doesn't include extra folks like special guests, staff, etc.  I'm aiming for a total of 111, since that number is increasingly significant to me.

I'll probably ask for game submissions in January, and will let the GMs decide (for the most part) how long they want sessions to be and how many players they can accommodate. 

As many tables as we need, the hotel said.  With max attendees, we should have more than enough space.  Cutting down excess noise is a big priority for me, so that will be taken care of.  For instance, room dividers, etc.

I'll figure out most of the "con bureaucracy bullshit" ahead of the time.  It being a smaller con will help with that stuff.  I didn't want to overload myself with my first gaming convention, so that's why it's going to be small.  Even if I make mistakes, they'll be manageable. 

Marketing plan?  If you build it, they will come?

Giving refunds as PDF instead of money is a thought.  Through Tabletop Events, I believe I'm allowing cancellations/refunds through January.  Hopefully, space will be filled by those who really want to be there.

Good luck, mr. Satanis! There are never too much of these small cons, I hope all goes well.

Thanks, Morblot!

Color me intrigued.  This is how most conventions started, a gathering of likeminded fans.

The last few years have really been bleak for indie conventions.  Everything was getting so hyper-corporatized and the indie Cons were dropping like flies.  Then COVID happened.

The silver lining is that there's a golden opportunity for the indie cons to rebuild.  Good on you Venger for stepping up to the plate. After 2 years in Lockdown I think I'll be due a vacation.

This looks like fun

old-school, in-your-buddy's basement RPG party

and without woke "industry insiders" and paid cosplay thots!

I'm there

Quote from: Merrill on August 06, 2021, 09:32:05 AM
This looks like fun

old-school, in-your-buddy's basement RPG party

and without woke "industry insiders" and paid cosplay thots!

I'm there

Wait... I could hire cosplay thots?!? 

Quote from: VengerSatanis on August 06, 2021, 09:47:41 AM

Quote from: Merrill on August 06, 2021, 09:32:05 AM
This looks like fun

old-school, in-your-buddy's basement RPG party

and without woke "industry insiders" and paid cosplay thots!

I'm there

Wait... I could hire cosplay thots?!?

true lol

Quote from: VengerSatanis on July 30, 2021, 07:51:28 PM
I was tempted to put this in the "news and adverts" section, but I expect (perhaps wrongly) a fair amount of discussion on this thread. 

I know the direction I want to go - exclusively old school, OSR, and traditional RPGs with some workshops thrown in for good measure - but am still flexible and open to suggestions.  I do have some convention organizing experience and tons of RPG and RPG con experience, so not exactly a noob.

Anyway, here's the link.  I used the Tabletop Events platform as the "con website"... https://tabletop.events/conventions/venger-con-2022

This should be fairly polarizing since I'm going in the opposite direction of most gaming conventions these days.  If you can make it to Wisconsin next July, I'd love to have you!

Thanks,

VS

I'm certainly interested, and willing to drive if mask mandates are still in effect. It all depends on if your idiot governor institutes vaccine passports.

Quote from: VengerSatanis on August 06, 2021, 09:47:41 AM
Wait... I could hire cosplay thots?!?

Yeah, but I bet you could get some for free if you promise them Exposure! 

Quote from: VengerSatanis on August 01, 2021, 08:08:02 AM

Quote from: Omega on August 01, 2021, 04:39:35 AM
Wryly appropriate that its being held in Wisconsin, the Bermuda Triangle of states.  heh-heh.

And the birthplace (birthstate?) of D&D, the original roleplaying game!

  D&D was born in Wisconsin ... but roleplaying was born here in Minnesota.

Glad to see this con, best of luck Venger! I'm not sure I can make it out next July, so I would definitely buy a streaming/support badge if you can make that happen.

Quote from: VengerSatanis on August 03, 2021, 10:44:27 AMI'll probably ask for game submissions in January, and will let the GMs decide (for the most part) how long they want sessions to be and how many players they can accommodate.

GMs are dorks. Almost as dorky as players. Unfortunately, I've seen the cons where "everyone sets their own hours" become chaotic because stuff is starting/ending all over the place so people wind up sad with dead time waiting for the next event.

There's pros/cons to the 4 hour base slot vs. 6 hour base slot, and then the concerns of a small con with 2 tracks vs. starting early and late slots, etc. There's a weird alchemy to scheduling cons. Especially for stuff like meal times. Does the hotel have a good/cheap restaurant? Are there good/cheap dining options within 1 minute walking distance? Because that plays havoc with scheduling too.

Also, is the hotel giving you set hours OR 24 hour access?

If the hotel is set hours, aka the ballrooms are 8am to midnight, then you will want to have forums/discussion areas for people to set up post-con hotel room games.

In fact, some GMs might even prefer to operate out of their hotel room.

Quote from: VengerSatanis on August 03, 2021, 10:44:27 AMMarketing plan?  If you build it, they will come?

That's it Venger. Save vs. Death!!

Quote from: Spinachcat on August 08, 2021, 07:27:57 PM

Quote from: VengerSatanis on August 03, 2021, 10:44:27 AMI'll probably ask for game submissions in January, and will let the GMs decide (for the most part) how long they want sessions to be and how many players they can accommodate.

GMs are dorks. Almost as dorky as players. Unfortunately, I've seen the cons where "everyone sets their own hours" become chaotic because stuff is starting/ending all over the place so people wind up sad with dead time waiting for the next event.

There's pros/cons to the 4 hour base slot vs. 6 hour base slot, and then the concerns of a small con with 2 tracks vs. starting early and late slots, etc. There's a weird alchemy to scheduling cons. Especially for stuff like meal times. Does the hotel have a good/cheap restaurant? Are there good/cheap dining options within 1 minute walking distance? Because that plays havoc with scheduling too.

Also, is the hotel giving you set hours OR 24 hour access?

If the hotel is set hours, aka the ballrooms are 8am to midnight, then you will want to have forums/discussion areas for people to set up post-con hotel room games.

In fact, some GMs might even prefer to operate out of their hotel room.

Quote from: VengerSatanis on August 03, 2021, 10:44:27 AMMarketing plan?  If you build it, they will come?

That's it Venger. Save vs. Death!!

Yeah, the scheduling game blocks makes sense.  Maybe I'll limit it to 2, 4, and 6 hour slots.  It's not 24 hours, but I wouldn't want it to be.  Too much unrestrained chaos will only work against me.

Food options are good.  There's an affordable restaurant with bar right down the hall + a few places within a 5 minute walk and a dozen more places only a 5 minute drive away.

Quote from: Armchair Gamer on August 06, 2021, 06:26:54 PM

Quote from: VengerSatanis on August 01, 2021, 08:08:02 AM

Quote from: Omega on August 01, 2021, 04:39:35 AM
Wryly appropriate that its being held in Wisconsin, the Bermuda Triangle of states.  heh-heh.

And the birthplace (birthstate?) of D&D, the original roleplaying game!

  D&D was born in Wisconsin ... but roleplaying was born here in Minnesota.

I'm not a D&D historian... can I get a fact-check on aisle 3, please?