Ways to improve for NDK 2009?

[The_Envious_Elric]

Before I begin I want to say that I TOTALLY appreciate everything the NDK staff and volunteers do in order to keep the convention running as smoothly as possible before, during and after the event. Overall, this NDK was very well organized and it showed. There were some instances, however where improvement can be made.
Additionally, if anyone else would like to share concerns regarding occurrences, please feel free to reply. Keep the posts nice, as this is not meant to be a criticizing thread; the purpose it to bring any flaws to the staff's attention.

1. AUTOGRAPHS
Let's face it: NDK was PACKED this year, and a contributing factor might have been due to the guests present. I didn't have a chance to view Saturday's lines because I was preparing for the costume contest, but I was told it wrapped around the front of the hotel. On Sunday I found myself at the end of the 12:00 PM autograph queue (which ended at the revolving doors), just as long as the people at the front of the 1:00 PM line.

After 45 minutes, the last dozen people in the 12:00 PM line were finally within a few meters of the autograph area. However, just then a staff member announced that they had to dissolve the line, and that we had to leave. I asked if we could be grandfathered into the 1:00 PM line on account that we'd been standing for just as long as the first people in the 1:00 PM line, but the staff refused. I then traveled to the end of the 1:00 PM queue, but another staff member said they weren't admitting any more people into that line. This was upsetting to many people who'd been waiting in the 12:00 PM group. It's not even an issue of "being fair" to people behind us, because we'd been waiting patiently along with everyone in the line, yet our 45 minutes in the queue amounted to nothing.

I believe have how it should've been handled was to allow the remaining 12:00 PM group become the front of the 1:00 PM group. It's the same philosophy of waiting in line at a store and an employee opens a new line and asks to help the next person in line, thus ensuring everyone is helped. What happened to us is equivalent to a customer standing in line at a store for 45 minutes and just before that person reaches the cash register, the worker closes the line and tells he or she they're out of luck without bothering to assist the customer.

Another way to cut down on the hallway congestion for those few hours would be to the guest signings occurring simultaneously, which would eliminate the need for two lines. I'm sure many people who received the 12:00 PM guests' autographs quickly got back in the 1:00 PM line for the second guest group's signatures.

Also, NDK could have more autograph sessions. I understand the guests have busy schedules and can't spend the entire convention signing their names, but perhaps if there were more frequent, shorter signing times (say, six half-hour sessions) the queues wouldn't be so hectic; plus, it'd let people's timetables be more flexible as opposed to rushing to packed hallways and not even be certain whether or not they'll get an autograph.


2. PANEL ROOM SIZE
I know people can't foresee how many people will attend a given panel, but many of the rooms were packed to standing-room only, elbow-to-elbow capacity (and these were rooms without guests, too!). I tried remaining for said panels, but the rooms were stuffy and hot, and I would leave.
I don't know of a solution for this, but I wanted to bring it up. And if there is a solution, perhaps it could be shared?

[Pestilence]

2. PANEL ROOM SIZE
I know people can't foresee how many people will attend a given panel, but many of the rooms were packed to standing-room only, elbow-to-elbow capacity (and these were rooms without guests, too!). I tried remaining for said panels, but the rooms were stuffy and hot, and I would leave.
I don't know of a solution for this, but I wanted to bring it up. And if there is a solution, perhaps it could be shared?

We're hoping the Forum Awards itself will be in a larger room next year.  We did not foresee even half of the turnout we received.  We appreciate you guys stopping by BTW.

[D]

As far as the autograph and main events (AMV, contest) lines, EBK on the cos.com forums had an excellent suggestion, which was to take the line outside, rather than through the lobby.  September is typically a rather temperate time for CO weather, so unless it ends up raining, I don't see why this would be a problem.  Obviously, if it ends up raining, the lines would be inside.

But I noticed that a ton of the congestion on Saturday and Sunday was a direct result of the lines, as inevitably, no matter how much people are yelled at, they are not going to form one sigle file line.  And in some ways, in a convention setting like this, it's a little unfair to insist on that, since people want to socialize in line, and that tends to make groups of people that are not single file.  Sure, we can't have this huge sprawling mass of humanity with no rhyme or reason, however, we can allow for the line to be 2-3 people wide, and it think if the line is outside, then there would be more room for it.  Also, there will be less breaks in the line, and therefore less opportunity for people to "innocently" cut in line.  I've had this happen to me too many times at NDK, but I let it go because I'm there to have fun, not get angry and whiny because someone cut in line.

That will also free up lobby space for pictures, as people posing, taking pictures, or even small gatherings won't be in the autograph line.  I was participating in a gathering that got yelled at because we were in middle of a line that we didn't even know was there.

Another option for the autograph lines is to put a cap on how many people will be allowed to get autographs.  However, while this would prevent the "I just waited in line for an hour and now you're telling me I can't even get the autograph? *weeps*", I forsee the line situation becoming even worse, as I can see people starting to line up even earlier than they already are, which just adds to the congestion. ^^;;

Beyond that, I can't really say anything that could be improved, except, perhaps, attempting to get a better understanding of the rules to the general attending public?  But...I've no suggestions on that.  I just know that the majority of my complaints were people-based, and mostly immaturity-based, and therefore, technically out of NDK's jurisdiction. ^^;  A stricter No Glomping policy would be nice. ^^;;;

[rini]

many of the problems stem from the fact that NDK has outgrown the hotel. on one hand, yay attendance! on the other hand, boo crowded hallways. unfortunately, NDK is locked into that hotel for awhile longer yet (since i'm not staff, i have no idea how much longer. at least next year).

one obvious solution that prolly no one wants is capping attendance.

to the exec board: is there a way to get a suite, or something, or a couple rooms up in the plaza, that you can set up as designated photo-shoot places? i know it would be a pain to limit photography to that, but i can't really think of any way else to minimize congestion. (plus, i kinda wonder about fire-code issues.)

the marriott just doesn't have very good, wide open gathering space for people. roger and i were at this hotel in dallas where anime fest is held. they have huge rotunda areas that are around main event areas and panel rooms. i mean, these were HUEG. it allowed people to gather freely, take pictures, even horse around, and never get in the way of flowing traffic. this picture shows what i'm talking about: http://www.gimmeanime.net/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=965. this area was right in front of main events. when it comes to finding a new hotel, that sort of set-up would be ideal.

[Sarge]

Well let me cover the bits I know.

The autograph line issue is being addressed.  FYI though, putting the line outside isn't an option, it is a violation of fire code.  In terms of how many sessions and how many guests and when, that isn't my department.

There also isn't an easy solution to panel room sizes.  As you all know and have stated, it's difficult to predict.  Certain panels I know are being addressed as to needs for space in the future.

...no matter how much people are yelled at, they are not going to form one sigle file line.  And in some ways, in a convention setting like this, it's a little unfair to insist on that, since people want to socialize in line, and that tends to make groups of people that are not single file.

You should have all heard me the entire convention telling people explicitly to NOT form single file lines.  You're right, single file is bad, and the ONLY place it should happen is at the very front of an autograph or registration line.  But we were telling people to bunch up 2 and 3 across the whole weekend.  Trust me, I went hoarse doing it.

Another option for the autograph lines is to put a cap on how many people will be allowed to get autographs.

This was also done, but it is impossible to foresee what the exact number is that will make it in the alotted time.  Like I said, it is being addressed.

Beyond that, I can't really say anything that could be improved, except, perhaps, attempting to get a better understanding of the rules to the general attending public?  But...I've no suggestions on that.  I just know that the majority of my complaints were people-based, and mostly immaturity-based, and therefore, technically out of NDK's jurisdiction. ^^;  A stricter No Glomping policy would be nice.

I'm not sure what more we can do.  I broadcast rules topics on here, answer any and all questions for clarification, yell them out to lines at the con.  It's published in the con booklet, posted on the website, as well as other sources.  All we can do is enforce it and keep blaring out the rules at every opportunity.  Sadly, there will always be a small percentage of ignorance to the rules no matter how much effort we put into it, which is why our department at the con exists.  If you ever see a violation of the rules, especially if it bothers you greatly, either address the attendee and ask them to stop or get one of the Staff.  We will assist you any way we can.  There already is a strict no Glomping policy.  We ask that you ask first.  There are numerous other threads about this issue as well.

many of the problems stem from the fact that NDK has outgrown the hotel. on one hand, yay attendance! on the other hand, boo crowded hallways. unfortunately, NDK is locked into that hotel for awhile longer yet (since i'm not staff, i have no idea how much longer. at least next year).

one obvious solution that prolly no one wants is capping attendance.

to the exec board: is there a way to get a suite, or something, or a couple rooms up in the plaza, that you can set up as designated photo-shoot places? i know it would be a pain to limit photography to that, but i can't really think of any way else to minimize congestion. (plus, i kinda wonder about fire-code issues.)

At least a few more years, actually.  But I will say that we did not reach the maximum limit of the hotel itself for conventions.  They do have a number for that, and we are not there yet.  I haven't seen a year without crowded hallways no matter what.  And most people are pretty good about not stopping in the middle of traffic for a photo, although it will always happen to a certain extent.

We were within fire code this year.

[kagemusha23]

Most hotels arent built around anime conventions so to find such a hotel would be difficult I would think.
I think all went well, I have addressed my main concern with the 2008 NDK at another thread, but I think it went pretty well. Just a few minor issues that have been brought up already and we should be set ya?

[Sarge]

Most hotels arent built around anime conventions so to find such a hotel would be difficult I would think.
I think all went well, I have addressed my main concern with the 2008 NDK at another thread, but I think it went pretty well. Just a few minor issues that have been brought up already and we should be set ya?

Pretty much.  One of the neat (and sometimes frustrating, of course) things is that there is always something new.  Some problem we never had before, or that we didn't think would turn into a problem.  We have certainly evolved and if somebody went to NDK 2 vs. this past year's NDK, it would look very very different.

[kagemusha23]

^^ Very much so and its always a pleasure to go to NDK every year!

[GotenOnNimbus]

Okey dokey, suppose I should start my list, since this happened to be the worst time I've had at an NDK out of 4 years.  It's really the only reason I registered, to list problems this year had.

1. Autograph line.

This was mentioned above, and my girlfriend and I were in a similar situation.  Basically, on Sunday, three to four people were trying to manage the line for the 12:00 session.  This presented a problem, as we were the end of the line.  One person came up to us and said "You guys are the end of the line, please don't let anyone else behind you, you're the last ones to see the VAs."  Cool, fine.  Another person came up and told us that they already cut off the line in front of us.  Then a third person came along and told us to stay put, since we were the last two and the line was short.  Then the three met and argued about what was happening with the line.  This went on for a good five minutes.  Then we came upon the last 15 minutes of the session, and someone dressed as Alex L. Armstrong told us and two people in front of us "We are cutting it off here because of time constraints."  He cut off the last four people (Let me reiterate, we were the LAST people in line) and refused to let us in.  After debating with him for another five minutes, and refusing to ask the VAs if they have time to come back through and sign things, I was very angry.  We stood in front of the booth until the line finished, and lo and behold, they stuck around for 20 minutes signing things after their official time was over.  Why was there such poor line management and why did someone have to ruin 4 people's day?  Sure, I got the signatures I wanted, but come on.

My suggestion:  Better planning.  I was certainly there for the guests, as many were.  Research cons of a similar size with similar profile guests to help get a better idea.  Have a later night signing, even if it's for half an hour.  Vic managed to do so, and that relieved a lot of people on Sunday.

2. General Line Management

I'm pretty sure I didn't need to be yelled at directly (along with the 20 other people around me that were following the rules) when I was quietly standing in line to pay against the wall playing my PSP.  May I suggest velvet ropes or something else to rope off lines instead of screaming volunteers?

My suggestion: rope off locations instead of constantly needing to give verbal pushes against the wall.

3. Zip ties on props

I still have yet to figure this one out.  Why?  Aside from making the prop now look tacky, it surely doesn't stop people from play fighting or flinging them around in some fashion.  It was easily the goofiest and inane rule I've ever seen come from any con.

My suggestion: have the weapons policy printed on the back of the badge so people have no excuse for not knowing it, or have people sign waivers, filing them accordingly.

4. Prices

It was very painful to be paying a 3 day weekend price for two days.  Why was this decided?  Larger conventions than NDK charge less and have a lot more content.  Is this an issue of poor money management, or just disregard for people that can't make it for all three days?  On that same note, I also wonder why there's a huge price hike in such short periods of time.  A year out, and a price hike after two months?  Unfortunately, I'm not rich, but it seems cheaper to go to larger cons than to NDK outside the state, comparatively this year.

My suggestion: Lower the price, simply put.  And spread out the rate hikes.  I would have liked to preregister 6 months before NDK, but when time came to register, I wasn't even sure if it was worth it to prereg, especially if I was only going to go for two days. 

5. Space

Did anyone think that the guests this year would bring a higher volume of fans than usual?  I'm curious since it didn't seem to be so.  Stuff like the Rock Band tournament took up space that it didn't need to be in, too.

My suggestion: Better room choice for the guests, and making better use of the bigger areas.


As it stands right now, it's a little hard to say that I'll be back next year, mainly because of the problems and weird rules compounded on top of each other.  The lack of a lot of the more fun panels (i.e. the group that did Battle Karaoke and the others), the general rudeness of the staff to people who were following the rules, the cramped space of the video game room, the way some of the tournaments were being run (Specifically Brawl), the apparent lack of planning for the guests, and the feel that the con was just trying to squeeze more money out of congoers made this year a pretty bad experience.

[Greg Hines]

Okey dokey, suppose I should start my list, since this happened to be the worst time I've had at an NDK out of 4 years.  It's really the only reason I registered, to list problems this year had.

I'm sorry to hear that. I hope that the problems you had can be addressed for next year... I'll address a couple of the points that I can speak to generally, but your complaints will be heard by the people who need to hear them, I can assure you.

2. General Line Management

I'm pretty sure I didn't need to be yelled at directly (along with the 20 other people around me that were following the rules) when I was quietly standing in line to pay against the wall playing my PSP.  May I suggest velvet ropes or something else to rope off lines instead of screaming volunteers?

My suggestion: rope off locations instead of constantly needing to give verbal pushes against the wall.

Line management is one area we know we need to improve, and the problem of staff yelling at attendees in line will be (and, to an extent, already has been) addressed.

3. Zip ties on props

I still have yet to figure this one out.  Why?  Aside from making the prop now look tacky, it surely doesn't stop people from play fighting or flinging them around in some fashion.  It was easily the goofiest and inane rule I've ever seen come from any con.

My suggestion: have the weapons policy printed on the back of the badge so people have no excuse for not knowing it, or have people sign waivers, filing them accordingly.

The zip ties exist for two reasons: First, to prove that your weapon has been checked by NDK staff and deemed appropriate (i.e. no metal blades, no real guns, etc.). And second, they're essentially a physical form of the waivers you mentioned. It proves that the wielder of the weapon knows the rules for having the weapon and has agreed to abide by said rules.

That it modifies the look of the weapon (slightly) gives our staff a visual indication that the weapon has been checked and that the person holding it has been briefed on the prop rules.

If our staff sees someone abusing their prop weapon privileges, they'll take action against the person (and if you see someone abusing their privileges and you don't like it, please notify a staff member). The consequences facing the person may vary depending on whether the person has had their weapon peace-bonded.

4. Prices

It was very painful to be paying a 3 day weekend price for two days.  Why was this decided?  Larger conventions than NDK charge less and have a lot more content.  Is this an issue of poor money management, or just disregard for people that can't make it for all three days?  On that same note, I also wonder why there's a huge price hike in such short periods of time.  A year out, and a price hike after two months?  Unfortunately, I'm not rich, but it seems cheaper to go to larger cons than to NDK outside the state, comparatively this year.

My suggestion: Lower the price, simply put.  And spread out the rate hikes.  I would have liked to preregister 6 months before NDK, but when time came to register, I wasn't even sure if it was worth it to prereg, especially if I was only going to go for two days.

As to charging for a weekend pass for attending two days of the convention, that's standard practice at conventions. The only time you'll see two-day passes for a convention is for a four-day (or longer) convention. We do have per-day passes that you can purchase, but if you're attending for multiple days, the discount for a weekend pass is large enough that you save money buying one compared to two per-day passes. I never saw it as a downside that you get a discount by purchasing a weekend pass compared to two one-day passes... but it's most definitely not a lack of respect for those who can't make it the whole weekend.

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "A year out, and a price hike after two months?" -- we raised our prices by $5 per weekend pass for NDK 2008 (bringing the cost of a weekend pass at the door to $50) and that will remain in effect. It's the first time the con has raised its prices in a number years (since I've been attending, at any rate). And we won't be raising them again for some time, from what I understand. The current pricing structure puts us in line with other conventions our size. A few may be a bit more expensive; a few may be a bit less expensive; and several are the same price. But for a convention this size, NDK isn't comparatively expensive.

But with the slight increase in the cost of a pass comes an increased budget with which we can improve the quality of the convention as a whole. We can bring in more guests, upgrade and buy new equipment to give you a better experience around the convention, and generally offer more to do at the convention. We're a non-profit convention, so the increased budget will end up invested into the convention, not lining anyone's pocketbook.

As it stands right now, it's a little hard to say that I'll be back next year, mainly because of the problems and weird rules compounded on top of each other.

I'm really very sorry to hear you didn't enjoy your time at NDK. As one of the people who spends a not-insignificant amount of time, effort, and even money trying to make the con an enjoyable experience, it does pain me every time I hear that someone didn't have a great time at the con. And as I mentioned, a number of people in decision-making positions will be reading your post, so I hope you'll give us a chance to make some improvements and make the con-going experience better for you.

[GotenOnNimbus]

I'm sorry to hear that. I hope that the problems you had can be addressed for next year... I'll address a couple of the points that I can speak to generally, but your complaints will be heard by the people who need to hear them, I can assure you.

Thanks for addressing my complaints.  But, of course, I do have some responses.

Line management is one area we know we need to improve, and the problem of staff yelling at attendees in line will be (and, to an extent, already has been) addressed.

Good to hear.

The zip ties exist for two reasons: First, to prove that your weapon has been checked by NDK staff and deemed appropriate (i.e. no metal blades, no real guns, etc.). And second, they're essentially a physical form of the waivers you mentioned. It proves that the wielder of the weapon knows the rules for having the weapon and has agreed to abide by said rules.

I saw people wandering around with live steel outside the dealer's room, not just "going to their car."  A friend of mine that I ran into had a metal sword on her, in fact, just sheathed.  This was brand new as far as I know.  Was there something that happened to spur the zip tie idea?

That it modifies the look of the weapon (slightly) gives our staff a visual indication that the weapon has been checked and that the person holding it has been briefed on the prop rules.

If our staff sees someone abusing their prop weapon privileges, they'll take action against the person (and if you see someone abusing their privileges and you don't like it, please notify a staff member). The consequences facing the person may vary depending on whether the person has had their weapon peace-bonded.

To me, it kinda sounds like it was a little lax, then.  I did see a few that didn't have the zip ties on them.  Granted, they weren't whipping it out and smacking people, but still...I'm curious as to how it was actually preventing people from doing anything.  Several people I chatted with didn't quite get the zip tie either, saying something similar.  Again, were there many incidents in years past with play fighting?

As to charging for a weekend pass for attending two days of the convention, that's standard practice at conventions. The only time you'll see two-day passes for a convention is for a four-day (or longer) convention. We do have per-day passes that you can purchase, but if you're attending for multiple days, the discount for a weekend pass is large enough that you save money buying one compared to two per-day passes. I never saw it as a downside that you get a discount by purchasing a weekend pass compared to two one-day passes... but it's most definitely not a lack of respect for those who can't make it the whole weekend.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't NDK used to do different rates for different days, but it still ended up being more if you bought them separately?  I've always considered Friday and Sunday days where not as much goes on.  Friday, a few good panels go on (by preference, of course) Saturday contained the main events and most to do, and Sunday was more of the cleanup, garage sale feeling day, with not much going on aside from a few worthwhile panels and autograph cleanup.  Sunday was always the least crowded because of that.

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "A year out, and a price hike after two months?" -- we raised our prices by $5 per weekend pass for NDK 2008 (bringing the cost of a weekend pass at the door to $50) and that will remain in effect. It's the first time the con has raised its prices in a number years (since I've been attending, at any rate). And we won't be raising them again for some time, from what I understand. The current pricing structure puts us in line with other conventions our size. A few may be a bit more expensive; a few may be a bit less expensive; and several are the same price. But for a convention this size, NDK isn't comparatively expensive.

From what I understand, the current preregistration price is in effect until October 31st, right?  Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems early for the first increase in price.  That's what I was more referring to.  AKon I believe is still 30 for prereg for all three days (Just started not long ago)  7 months out, while NDK's increasing the price 10 months out.   Dunno, in recent years I've wanted to see what was coming up before deciding to go to NDK, and by the time any of the programming is out, the price's 40-45 bucks for preregistration.  At that rate, might as well just pay at the door.  This has changed a bit since there's an online form, but still.

But with the slight increase in the cost of a pass comes an increased budget with which we can improve the quality of the convention as a whole. We can bring in more guests, upgrade and buy new equipment to give you a better experience around the convention, and generally offer more to do at the convention. We're a non-profit convention, so the increased budget will end up invested into the convention, not lining anyone's pocketbook.

I do understand.  Maybe I just felt short-changed this year with several of my favorite panels gone, and an increase in price. 

I'm really very sorry to hear you didn't enjoy your time at NDK. As one of the people who spends a not-insignificant amount of time, effort, and even money trying to make the con an enjoyable experience, it does pain me every time I hear that someone didn't have a great time at the con. And as I mentioned, a number of people in decision-making positions will be reading your post, so I hope you'll give us a chance to make some improvements and make the con-going experience better for you.

Who knows, my mindset may change later on.  It may be my expectations were changed a bit from finally going to an out of state convention.  Or it may have been me slowly losing interest in NDK.  It's many factors, really.  If there's a guest that I'm interested in, I'd probably show up for a day just for them, because what really made the con was how great the guests were to everyone, doing extra little cool stuff, i.e. Chris's panel, Vic's bonus signing, and Monica and Kara hanging around after her autograph panel ended. 

I guess when it comes down to it, it wasn't the big stuff that was a letdown or anything.  The concerts, the VA panels, and the things we did were all fun.  It really was the little stuff that mattered.  If there's any improvements at all next year, the one thing I wished that would have happened was that I walked away from the con saying, "You know what,  that one staff member was really cool for what they did." 

This isn't saying the staffers all did a terrible job or any of that.  It's just...no one paid attention to the little things, went above the master scheduling, or really added to the experience of the con in a really big positive way.  Just to name a few random things, like letting a few people tack on to the end of a line that's supposed to be closed, or giving sticks of pocky away because they could, or just simple greetings/costume compliments.  Last year, I remember, the two that were guarding the dealer's room, were talking up a storm and putting on a little act of asking for free pocky and ramune.  So I bought them some for primarily not being BADGE PLEASE robots. 

I dunno, I don't think that's something that could be taught or told to do.  It just happens.

Sorry for the end rant.  It's just the first year that I've been really disappointed with the convention.  I don't know if anyone else was aside from a couple people I know, or what, it just didn't turn out as well compared to the other 3 NDK I've been to.  Again, thanks for responding.

[Greg Hines]

Thanks for addressing my complaints.  But, of course, I do have some responses.

Naturally. Hard to have a conversation if I'm the only one speaking.

I saw people wandering around with live steel outside the dealer's room, not just "going to their car."  A friend of mine that I ran into had a metal sword on her, in fact, just sheathed.  This was brand new as far as I know.  Was there something that happened to spur the zip tie idea?

I'm not sure about the genesis of the zip tie idea, but it's been that way since I've been going to cons (my first being StarCon/StarFest in the late '90s).

As for those brandishing live steel in the hallways, they were not only violating con rules, but state law as well. If you or anyone else sees someone with an actual weapon, please report it to the staff. We don't take this rule lightly and we'll deal with it immediately. Unfortunately, it's often difficult for staff members to see which weapons are real and which aren't. Sometimes a real weapon may not catch a staffer's eye and the person gets away with carrying a real weapon around the hotel. But it's certainly something we do our best to avoid.

To me, it kinda sounds like it was a little lax, then.  I did see a few that didn't have the zip ties on them.  Granted, they weren't whipping it out and smacking people, but still...I'm curious as to how it was actually preventing people from doing anything.  Several people I chatted with didn't quite get the zip tie either, saying something similar.  Again, were there many incidents in years past with play fighting?

Again, I can't really speak to the history of it all (I'm a relative newcomer to this and other cons) but everyone with a weapon-like prop is supposed to take their prop to Ops to get it peace-bonded. Not everyone does this voluntarily (some may not know about the rules, while others just may not care) but everyone is supposed to do it. And again, our staff doesn't always catch every instance where a weapon-like prop isn't peace-bonded. Even though the zip ties do add a visual component to peace-bonding, they're not always obvious at a glance. But again, if you were to see someone with a prop that should be peace-bonded but isn't, you could certainly mention to them that they should take a trip to Ops. I don't think most people see it as too large an inconvenience.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't NDK used to do different rates for different days, but it still ended up being more if you bought them separately?  I've always considered Friday and Sunday days where not as much goes on.  Friday, a few good panels go on (by preference, of course) Saturday contained the main events and most to do, and Sunday was more of the cleanup, garage sale feeling day, with not much going on aside from a few worthwhile panels and autograph cleanup.  Sunday was always the least crowded because of that.

Ah, once more something I can't really speak to. I've actually only paid for one ticket at NDK--my first year--because I've been volunteering or on staff the entire time I've been going to the convention. So unfortunately I can't answer your question here. And I'm not going to stick my foot in my mouth by trying to answer the "why"s of registration prices, so I'll have to leave this unaddressed. (Perhaps someone with more knowledge of this could speak to it?)

From what I understand, the current preregistration price is in effect until October 31st, right?  Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems early for the first increase in price.  That's what I was more referring to.  AKon I believe is still 30 for prereg for all three days (Just started not long ago)  7 months out, while NDK's increasing the price 10 months out.   Dunno, in recent years I've wanted to see what was coming up before deciding to go to NDK, and by the time any of the programming is out, the price's 40-45 bucks for preregistration.  At that rate, might as well just pay at the door.  This has changed a bit since there's an online form, but still.

Ah, I understand what you mean now. (In hindsight, it was pretty obvious.) And again, without going into the "why"s of registration pricing (as it's not my area of expertise) I can tell you that when planning large events, the more time you're able to have to plan for a certain number of people, the less expensive it's going to be. And as the event draws nearer, it gets more expensive to accommodate new people. I'm not sure how much of an effect this is, though, so don't quote me on that as the reason the prices are staggered the way they are.

I do understand.  Maybe I just felt short-changed this year with several of my favorite panels gone, and an increase in price.

Well, the increase in price was only $5, so I hope that wasn't too much of a factor. Especially when compared to the rest of the weekend's cost for most people (hotel room, food, dealers room merchandise, etc.) it's really not that much. But my perspective on this is certainly skewed because, as I mentioned, I haven't paid to attend NDK in years (well, not for a weekend pass, anyway... I contribute elsewise).

As for the panels, if you have a panel you liked that you'd like to see again, or if you have any ideas for new panels you'd like to see in the future, you can post them in our Programming section of the forum. Like many other things at NDK, the panels that you see are influenced (at least to a degree) by feedback from the community. The best way for us to know where we need to improve is for people to tell us.

Who knows, my mindset may change later on.  It may be my expectations were changed a bit from finally going to an out of state convention.  Or it may have been me slowly losing interest in NDK.  It's many factors, really.  If there's a guest that I'm interested in, I'd probably show up for a day just for them, because what really made the con was how great the guests were to everyone, doing extra little cool stuff, i.e. Chris's panel, Vic's bonus signing, and Monica and Kara hanging around after her autograph panel ended.

Well, I'm glad the con wasn't a total loss for you. We just need to work on improving the things you didn't enjoy about the convention...

I guess when it comes down to it, it wasn't the big stuff that was a letdown or anything.  The concerts, the VA panels, and the things we did were all fun.  It really was the little stuff that mattered.  If there's any improvements at all next year, the one thing I wished that would have happened was that I walked away from the con saying, "You know what,  that one staff member was really cool for what they did."

Well, it sounds like that may be the area where we have the most room for improvement. If you have any more specifics about the parts you didn't like or thought could be done better, I for one would be happy to hear them.

I dunno, I don't think that's something that could be taught or told to do.  It just happens.

Yeah, not everyone can be as naturally awesome as me.

(Note, the above statement does not reflect anyone's opinions, including my own.)

Sorry for the end rant.  It's just the first year that I've been really disappointed with the convention.  I don't know if anyone else was aside from a couple people I know, or what, it just didn't turn out as well compared to the other 3 NDK I've been to.  Again, thanks for responding.

There were parts of the con you didn't enjoy and you wanted to voice your opinions. That's fair. And like I said, it's the best way for us to know how to improve, so any kind of feedback is valuable to us. So if you or anyone you know had other problems with NDK, by all means let us know.

And again, I hope that by next year we'll have improved enough to win you back.

[Bamani]

I just wanted to make a quick comment about the lack of Battle Karaoke this year.  The people who usually put that and the Anime Dating Game on come in from out of state, and with the high gas prices and/or airline prices this summer/fall they just couldn't afford to make it out.  Hopefully next year prices will be more reasonable and they can make the trip once again.

[69SageNaruto]

Has NDK ever thought about going to 4 days long?  I think that i could help with few things run smoother.  Such as more time to get judging done for contest, registration would be more spread out i think, and more time to do panels so wouldnt have to choose between panels.

[GotenOnNimbus]

I'm not sure about the genesis of the zip tie idea, but it's been that way since I've been going to cons (my first being StarCon/StarFest in the late '90s).

As for those brandishing live steel in the hallways, they were not only violating con rules, but state law as well. If you or anyone else sees someone with an actual weapon, please report it to the staff. We don't take this rule lightly and we'll deal with it immediately. Unfortunately, it's often difficult for staff members to see which weapons are real and which aren't. Sometimes a real weapon may not catch a staffer's eye and the person gets away with carrying a real weapon around the hotel. But it's certainly something we do our best to avoid.

Gotcha.  I wouldn't necessarily narc on my friend, suggest that it's put away, maybe.

Again, I can't really speak to the history of it all (I'm a relative newcomer to this and other cons) but everyone with a weapon-like prop is supposed to take their prop to Ops to get it peace-bonded. Not everyone does this voluntarily (some may not know about the rules, while others just may not care) but everyone is supposed to do it. And again, our staff doesn't always catch every instance where a weapon-like prop isn't peace-bonded. Even though the zip ties do add a visual component to peace-bonding, they're not always obvious at a glance. But again, if you were to see someone with a prop that should be peace-bonded but isn't, you could certainly mention to them that they should take a trip to Ops. I don't think most people see it as too large an inconvenience.

Might I suggest putting the prop area directly next to registration, or right before?  I'm not sure where it was before (maybe I just missed it and it was right near registration), but having it all in the same area, or even before they get their badge would drive the point home.

Ah, once more something I can't really speak to. I've actually only paid for one ticket at NDK--my first year--because I've been volunteering or on staff the entire time I've been going to the convention. So unfortunately I can't answer your question here. And I'm not going to stick my foot in my mouth by trying to answer the "why"s of registration prices, so I'll have to leave this unaddressed. (Perhaps someone with more knowledge of this could speak to it?)

Ah, I understand what you mean now. (In hindsight, it was pretty obvious.) And again, without going into the "why"s of registration pricing (as it's not my area of expertise) I can tell you that when planning large events, the more time you're able to have to plan for a certain number of people, the less expensive it's going to be. And as the event draws nearer, it gets more expensive to accommodate new people. I'm not sure how much of an effect this is, though, so don't quote me on that as the reason the prices are staggered the way they are.

I see.  Guess I'll just have to wait until next year to decide on whether to go or not.  Sure, it'll be more expensive, but I'd hope it'd be worth it.

Well, the increase in price was only $5, so I hope that wasn't too much of a factor. Especially when compared to the rest of the weekend's cost for most people (hotel room, food, dealers room merchandise, etc.) it's really not that much. But my perspective on this is certainly skewed because, as I mentioned, I haven't paid to attend NDK in years (well, not for a weekend pass, anyway... I contribute elsewise).

I understand. 

As for the panels, if you have a panel you liked that you'd like to see again, or if you have any ideas for new panels you'd like to see in the future, you can post them in our Programming section of the forum. Like many other things at NDK, the panels that you see are influenced (at least to a degree) by feedback from the community. The best way for us to know where we need to improve is for people to tell us.

I'll be sure to do that.

Well, I'm glad the con wasn't a total loss for you. We just need to work on improving the things you didn't enjoy about the convention...

Dif'rent strokes for dif'rent folks.  Others had a blast.

Well, it sounds like that may be the area where we have the most room for improvement. If you have any more specifics about the parts you didn't like or thought could be done better, I for one would be happy to hear them.

Nothing as of right now.  May have more after Anime Wasabi passes, have more after more experiences.

There were parts of the con you didn't enjoy and you wanted to voice your opinions. That's fair. And like I said, it's the best way for us to know how to improve, so any kind of feedback is valuable to us. So if you or anyone you know had other problems with NDK, by all means let us know.

And again, I hope that by next year we'll have improved enough to win you back.

We'll see what happens.  There's cons ahead that I'm wanting to go to before deciding if I wanna go back to NDK.  Maybe I'll come back with some good suggestions, make NDK better.  Heck, maybe even try to volunteer. 

[BakuDan]

Might I suggest putting the prop area directly next to registration, or right before?  I'm not sure where it was before (maybe I just missed it and it was right near registration), but having it all in the same area, or even before they get their badge would drive the point home.

This is a good idea, I like this. I'll bring it up to the appropriate people.

Thanks! ^_^

[Greg Hines]

Gotcha.  I wouldn't necessarily narc on my friend, suggest that it's put away, maybe.

Well, yes, definitely. If you know the person, the best course of action would be to hint that they put it away before someone else mentions it and the person you know gets in trouble.

Might I suggest putting the prop area directly next to registration, or right before?  I'm not sure where it was before (maybe I just missed it and it was right near registration), but having it all in the same area, or even before they get their badge would drive the point home.

Well, BakuDan seems to like your idea and considering he's one of the con's directors, maybe we'll see some changes made next year.

I see.  Guess I'll just have to wait until next year to decide on whether to go or not.  Sure, it'll be more expensive, but I'd hope it'd be worth it.

Well, that's up to you, of course. I'd be sorry to see anyone not return to NDK, but that's obviously a decision that you have to weigh for yourself. No one can make that decision for you.

I understand.

I've been handed some information that says that before this year, NDK ticket prices hadn't changed since 2001. And unless the dollar sees some massive inflation soon, it's probably going to be a while yet before there's another price increase.

Additionally, it seems that the day-passes have always been equivalently priced regardless of whether it's for Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.

(And while we're on the subject of information being passed to me behind the scenes, the zip ties have been around for at least the last eight years, which is practically forever in con-time. And to clarify, it just represents a verbal agreement between our staff and the attendee that the attendee understands the responsibilities that are attached to carrying around such items. And it prevents anyone from saying "I didn't know" when they have to face the consequences of abusing their privileges.)

I'll be sure to do that.

Glad to hear it. As I mentioned, we're always open to suggestions. And, as Haruka had mentioned, the people that ran Battle Karaoke and the Anime Dating Game were unable to make it to the convention this year. With any luck, we might see them back next year, or have someone else volunteer to take up running the panels...

We'll see what happens.  There's cons ahead that I'm wanting to go to before deciding if I wanna go back to NDK.  Maybe I'll come back with some good suggestions, make NDK better.  Heck, maybe even try to volunteer.

Well, I hope your ultimate decision is to come back to NDK, but if not, we'll understand. And I want to personally thank you for your time and effort in detailing the problems you had at the con. I think we'll see some positive things happen as a direct result of your comments. (And, for what it's worth, I know that the convention's executive director has also read your posts, so your words certainly haven't fallen on deaf ears.)

Oh, and volunteering at a con certainly changes the way you experience a con (for most people, this is usually a change for the better). Plus it brings you into a community of great people who are dedicated to making the con a better place for everyone. It can be hard work but it can also be very rewarding.

[GotenOnNimbus]

Well, BakuDan seems to like your idea and considering he's one of the con's directors, maybe we'll see some changes made next year.

Cool.  I'll probably be cosplaying for the first time next year, so I was curious about how props actually worked and where you had to go.  Since I didn't see a specific place for prop checking, I assumed it was off in a room somewhere which I thought was a little odd.

Well, that's up to you, of course. I'd be sorry to see anyone not return to NDK, but that's obviously a decision that you have to weigh for yourself. No one can make that decision for you.

Well, considering that I got feedback from my complaints almost immediately definitely puts a point or two towards going back.

I've been handed some information that says that before this year, NDK ticket prices hadn't changed since 2001. And unless the dollar sees some massive inflation soon, it's probably going to be a while yet before there's another price increase.

Additionally, it seems that the day-passes have always been equivalently priced regardless of whether it's for Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.

(And while we're on the subject of information being passed to me behind the scenes, the zip ties have been around for at least the last eight years, which is practically forever in con-time. And to clarify, it just represents a verbal agreement between our staff and the attendee that the attendee understands the responsibilities that are attached to carrying around such items. And it prevents anyone from saying "I didn't know" when they have to face the consequences of abusing their privileges.)

Good to know.  Guess I was mistaken with the prices.  Maybe I was thinking of something else, like Ben Con or something completely unrelated. >_>'

Glad to hear it. As I mentioned, we're always open to suggestions. And, as Haruka had mentioned, the people that ran Battle Karaoke and the Anime Dating Game were unable to make it to the convention this year. With any luck, we might see them back next year, or have someone else volunteer to take up running the panels...

That's too bad.  Oh well, better luck next year.  What state are they from, anyway?

Well, I hope your ultimate decision is to come back to NDK, but if not, we'll understand. And I want to personally thank you for your time and effort in detailing the problems you had at the con. I think we'll see some positive things happen as a direct result of your comments. (And, for what it's worth, I know that the convention's executive director has also read your posts, so your words certainly haven't fallen on deaf ears.)

I was a bit surprised that my comments were answered so quickly.  I'm glad someone responded, it's cleared up most of the doom n' gloom feeling I was having toward the convention. 

Oh, and volunteering at a con certainly changes the way you experience a con (for most people, this is usually a change for the better). Plus it brings you into a community of great people who are dedicated to making the con a better place for everyone. It can be hard work but it can also be very rewarding.

So I've heard.  I'll be volunteering in March for one, I'm sure I'll understand more after that.

[Greg Hines]

Cool.  I'll probably be cosplaying for the first time next year, so I was curious about how props actually worked and where you had to go.  Since I didn't see a specific place for prop checking, I assumed it was off in a room somewhere which I thought was a little odd.

Up to this point it's been done at Ops, which is literally in a hole in the wall between con registration and hotel registration. Depending on how much of a rush you're in, it's not usually too hard to miss. But your suggestion was definitely a good one. I'm curious to see what BakuDan and the other directors (and probably the Ops folks) come up with.

Well, considering that I got feedback from my complaints almost immediately definitely puts a point or two towards going back.

That's all I've got to say about that part...

Good to know.  Guess I was mistaken with the prices.  Maybe I was thinking of something else, like Ben Con or something completely unrelated. >_>'

Could be. The few conventions I've gone to have always charged the same price regardless of which day the day-pass is for. I'm sure some cons out there may vary the price depending on the day, but I don't know which ones they are.

That's too bad.  Oh well, better luck next year.  What state are they from, anyway?

From what I can piece together from a quick online stalking Googling, I think they're from Idaho, so definitely not a short trip. I don't even want to imagine the cost of gas for a road trip like that...

I was a bit surprised that my comments were answered so quickly.  I'm glad someone responded, it's cleared up most of the doom n' gloom feeling I was having toward the convention.

While I'm sorry that I couldn't respond to all points (because my involvement in the con only extends so far), I'm glad I was able to respond to most of them and that it's helping to alleviate some of the feelings you had toward the con. We really do strive to make it the best experience we can, and that includes having discussions (like this one) with attendees before and after the con and addressing any complaints that people may have.

So I've heard.  I'll be volunteering in March for one, I'm sure I'll understand more after that.

Well, if you are interested in volunteering for NDK after your March experience, the easiest way is to indicate your willingness to volunteer on your pre-registration form. But if you don't want to make the decision when you pre-register (I'm being optimistic here and assuming you'll be back ), check back on the web site and it'll describe the steps to take to volunteer. We'll have a new site up for next year's con and we have someone new handling volunteering now, so the process may change a bit, but you should be able to find the info you need when you need it. (And if not, come ask in the forum. We'll be happy to answer any questions you have about volunteering.)

[Joel Berger]

From what I can piece together from a quick online stalking Googling, I think they're from Idaho, so definitely not a short trip. I don't even want to imagine the cost of gas for a road trip like that...

Since I somewhat know the COO guys (they got the honor of trying to ruin my marriage barely a week in, to give you an idea), I'll confirm that bit; they're from southeastern Idaho, about equidistant from Denver and Seattle, so they tend to go to cons both places.  I do imagine they've had to pick and choose quite a bit this year, though, gas prices and the economy being what they are.  And I'm crossing my fingers that they will be back next year, lest my wife never claim her rightful place on stage at Battle Karaoke.