Fall Faire

[Matia]

<DIV>So when can we expect the announcement on the one for the Fall? (East of the Rockies if I remember the scheduling correctly)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Unless it's already been announced and I just can't find it......</DIV>

[Tovin]

<DIV>I didn't see it announced, but immediatly after the last panel on Saturday, I headed out for dinner and then out for The Beach, so I could have missed it somewhere.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>T</DIV>

[GoTT-Prince]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Matia wrote:<BR> <DIV>So when can we expect the announcement on the one for the Fall? (East of the Rockies if I remember the scheduling correctly)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Unless it's already been announced and I just can't find it......</DIV><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR>I heard someone in the know mention that they are no longer planning to have 2 FF's a year. </P> <P> </P> <P>Hopefully they do next years in either Orlando FL or in Myrtle Beach South Carolina like I suggested.</P> <p>Message Edited by GoTT-Princess on <span class=date_text>06-14-2005</span> <span class=time_text>05:58 AM</span>

[Vlawde]

<DIV>Awwwwww  :smileysad:</DIV>

[Matia]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> GoTT-Princess wrote:<BR> <BR> <BLOCKQUOTE>I heard someone in the know mention that they are no longer planning to have 2 FF's a year.</BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE>Oh..well... just....but.... [stomp/sulk/pout] :smileysad:<BR>

[jayharp]

<DIV>I dont think they will have to many more FF the attendence in my view was way way way down we had more people the last time in Vegas. I think SOE has lost alot of players to other games or people have just quit. I think if they want more people to come lower the price of FF and get better deals for rooms this will help the hard core players to come becasue we all know the alot of the hard core players dont have real jobs lol.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Even by them grouping together the other games into one big FF didnt bring in the people they thought it would. I was very disapointed on the turnout for my servers and overall. I hope it changes Ive been to 7 FF now and if I go to another and it s like the one we just had it will be for sure my last.</DIV>

[HeiligHangranate]

<P>In my opinion, the last two Fan Faires haven't been scheduled particularly well, certainly not for players with families.  Anyone with kids had a hard time coming to the one held over the Halloween weekend (yes, RL comes first), and holding one the second week of June, just when all the graduations are taking place and families are planning their summer vacations, isn't such a good idea.  Anyone planning a family vacation in the summer might be able to swing a Fan Faire trip in March or April, but probably not in June.  Furthermore, making the final announcement two months ahead of the Fan Faire is very late.  Many people have to schedule vacation months in advance, and there are no Frequent Flier seats left that close to the event.</P> <P>In other words, better upfront planning is needed, so they can get ahead of the curve next time.  I'm very concerned that they're going to skip the Fall Fan Faire and wait until next Spring to hold the next one, but if that's what's needed to get back on track, it should make for a much better Fan Faire.</P>

[Kela-the-Gypsy]

Well schools get out at different times in different parts of the country. I finished the first block of summer school before Fan Faire....took my final the day I flew out as a matter of fact! So I'm going to have to go ahead and say....not entirely true.I dont think Fan Faires are really the place for children anyways. Hire a sitter.

[HeiligHangranate]

<DIV>Very true, different schools have different schedules, but early June has a huge number of graduations and other activities that make it hard for families to take time for a Fan Faire.  My comment about the kids wasn't that they would be brought to the Fan Faire, but that families with kids have a choice to make.  To encourage those parents to come to a Fan Faire, it would be best to avoid those times when they'd be forced to chose between or the other.  Also, a lot of young families live paycheck-to-paycheck, so a Fan Faire in March or April is much easier on the budget than one in June, just as summer is starting.</DIV>

[Klonn_Darkbane]

<P>Early June is a bad time...</P> <P>Either Finals, Graduation, or school just ended (and we're leaving on vacation, kids!).</P> <P>Little League/Soccer wrapping up. Camp. </P> <P> </P> <P>It was just a bad time. I was able to go, but only because I juggled a lot, left my wife behind with the kids (and she was not happy about that) so i could go for the summit. I know many that were not so lucky.</P> <P>March/April (or even early May) would have been significantly better. October is very good, but earlier than Halloween.</P>

[Gon]

<DIV><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> HeiligHangranate wrote:<BR> <P>In my opinion, the last two Fan Faires haven't been scheduled particularly well, certainly not for players with families.  Anyone with kids had a hard time coming to the one held over the Halloween weekend (yes, RL comes first), and holding one the second week of June, just when all the graduations are taking place and families are planning their summer vacations, isn't such a good idea.  Anyone planning a family vacation in the summer might be able to swing a Fan Faire trip in March or April, but probably not in June.  Furthermore, making the final announcement two months ahead of the Fan Faire is very late.  Many people have to schedule vacation months in advance, and there are no Frequent Flier seats left that close to the event.</P> <P>In other words, better upfront planning is needed, so they can get ahead of the curve next time.  I'm very concerned that they're going to skip the Fall Fan Faire and wait until next Spring to hold the next one, but if that's what's needed to get back on track, it should make for a much better Fan Faire.</P><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR>/cheer</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I just posted the same thing in another thread.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I can gar-un-tee ya that if they thought out the timing a bit better, that attendance would have been higher.   The last 2 inparticular.  I hope they think next time, because it was readily apparent to me that someone -Without- kids scheduled those two...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> -Gonz</DIV>

[TemptingFait]

For the Vegas FF they did a poll, with the available dates, and June was the hands down winner--pretty hard to blame SOE when the members voted.

[jayharp]

<P>Yes june was voted on but I think SOE did it wrong they did it on the board and not as part of the log on for the game which they would have gotten a better response. Think about it how many people come here and read things not many Ive played eq for 5 years and just found out about these boards less than 2 years ago. For the number of votes totaly counted they could have goteen 5 times if not more if it was part of the log on for eq. August would have been better since they couldnt do it in april like they had wanted for this last one but that I dont think was even an option for august. Plus the last three west coasts FF have been Vegas some of us think they should change it up some Cause even Vegas can get old after awhile.</P> <P>They dont have the player base they are going to have to cut it back to once a year I think give people time to recoupe and get excited about it Ive been to the last 7 out of 8 FF thise last one was disappointing for me as far as the turn out.</P> <P>I also think they need to have some sort of way to get other people from other servers to get to know different people that way they can people can make new friend which inturn will help drive numbers up by people wanting to get together with people they have met at other FF. The quest are a way to do that maybe they should do something else also since most people just group with people from theyr server unless they dont ahve enough people.</P> <P>Just a few things Ive noticed Maybe SOE need to open up some sort of forum for new ideas from players for FF they just need to let people know how and where to do it. All they need to do is have it as part of the log on and bingo they will drive several thousand new voices to the boards.</P>

[Matia]

<P>Perhaps, but many people complain when polls and other questions are added to their log-in procedure.</P> <P>True, the question would be put before a larger number of people, but in large part the folks who go to the Fan Faires already spend time on the various message boards for their game. So those who have an opinion would mostly already be voting in the method they used. Adding it to the log-in procedure would probably just garner a whole lot of 'No Opinion' votes.</P> <P> </P> <P>Of course, that's just my opinion. :smileywink:</P>

[jayharp]

<DIV> <DIV>I think thats wrong I dont think enough people come to these boards other wise we would see alot more opions. Heck Ive had guild members not go to the guild web site because they say they dont have the time. If thats true then they dont have time to come here. If people put no answer on a log on for the game they they dont any rite to complain. Iam saying they missed alot of peoples choice by not including everyone by using  a log on question is in my view the best way to get the answer to any question. SOE can put questions all over every guild and server board and still not get the respose of a log on question.</DIV></DIV>

[Klonn_Darkbane]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> jayharp75 wrote:<BR> <DIV> <DIV>I think thats wrong I dont think enough people come to these boards other wise we would see alot more opions. Heck Ive had guild members not go to the guild web site because they say they dont have the time. If thats true then they dont have time to come here. If people put no answer on a log on for the game they they dont any rite to complain. Iam saying they missed alot of peoples choice by not including everyone by using  a log on question is in my view the best way to get the answer to any question. SOE can put questions all over every guild and server board and still not get the respose of a log on question.</DIV></DIV><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P>And how many people log onto EQ, don't log on here, but still would go to a Fan Faire... I bet not many.</P> <P>A higher percentage of those that would go to a Fan Faire come to the boards than do not, unlike the "regular" EQ player.</P> <P>Another problem with such a poll... If you list specific dates, people will pick from those dates because those are their only choices.<BR></P>

[Telairee]

<blockquote><hr>Klonn_Darkbane wrote:</blockquote><p>And how many people log onto EQ, don't log on here, but still would go to a Fan Faire... I bet not many.</p><div></div><hr>I'm not sure about this being quite right. My husband and I went to our first fan faire before ever coming to this site. I do visit this site now, and I try to keep up with news and such but I very rarely frequent any of the official boards unless I have a specific reason. I am more likely to visit my own guild board or fan sites. That's why when I heard the dates finally announced I posted a write-up about it on our guild board to encourage people to sign up and several did just because of that. I don't think you necessarily have to come to this board to want to sign up for a fan faire.That being said, I agree with what was said in earlier posts about organization being a factor. Having the dates announced so close to when the fan faire was going to take place made it a lot harder (and more expensive!) to make travel arrangements, not to mention trying to get the vacation time off. As a result we got stuck with bad flights that got us here late on Thursday so we missed the reception and had to wait till the morning to register. Even a month earlier, better flights for lower prices were still available. I think the attendance would have been better with more of an advance notice so that people have a chance to make their plans and not have to spend a lot more money to go.

[Klonn_Darkbane]

<DIV>The SOE sites simply did not exist until relatively recently.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Moreso, I said "not many", not "None".</DIV>

[jayharp]

<DIV><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Klonn_Darkbane wrote:<BR><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P>And how many people log onto EQ, don't log on here, but still would go to a Fan Faire... I bet not many.</P> <P>A higher percentage of those that would go to a Fan Faire come to the boards than do not, unlike the "regular" EQ player.</P> <P>Another problem with such a poll... If you list specific dates, people will pick from those dates because those are their only choices.<BR></P> <BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Well I think about 10 times as many people log onto eq than have come to these boards. So saying that people that dont log on here dont go to a ff so 200 people post here yes maybe more have read but 2000 at other ff those number dont add up. I dont think a higher percentage come to these board that go to FF.</DIV> <DIV>Also if you realize they did a pole on the boards here for this last FF and they got a heck of alot fewer  vote than they would have doneif it had been a log on pole.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>On my server board we had about 90% of the people that posted there wanted a different date than they did and guess what the people on my server that voted for a diffferent date = about 75% of the votes for a different date than was picked. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>They will get a better responce if they made it a poll they have made all these other things on polls like making an ingame way to buy stuff with real money. Since they might not make as much on a FF maybe thats why they dont make it a poll lol. Think about it all this has to do with money the less they spent the more they make so not doing FF they make more money why do you think they have raised the price from $80 now to a top of $175 it can be because moer people are coming more means more money. They have raise the prices because they arent getting the people to come like they used to. Lower the prices get a better responce rather than a small bunch like they have. To be quite honest the deals they get at hotels are crap because you can go a few blocks away and get way better deals you would think if you had a large number of people coming to an event the prices would be better. If I had stayed at the Hilton at this last Vegas FF it would have cost me some where around $650 now guess what I did I stayed some where eles It cost me $350 I know I could have gotten cheaper but I would have been to far away. Where I did stay was just right and over $300 saving thats a show or two while Iam there. Yes they did get a good hilton rate but to those few that want to go but cant afford its not good enough. Ohh and by the way lets merges 36 servers to 18 ohh and raise your monthly fees :smileywink: .</DIV>

[Gon]

<DIV>Well, I never saw anything posted as far as asking when we would like it scheduled.  And I do peruse the boards, I must have just missed it.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>But, thinking along those lines, I would say to post a poll on Where instead of when.. now that would be interesting.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I would think the midwest would be the best because its in the middle of the country.   Cheaper to fly 1/2 way across the country rather than all the way across the country...  but there is flip sides to everything, I guess...  I just want to attend one <img src="/smilies/9d71f0541cff0a302a0309c5079e8dee.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> -Gonz</DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[Klonn_Darkbane]

<DIV>Cheapest flights would be, in no partucular order, based on Airline Hubs:</DIV> <UL> <LI>Pittsburgh (USAir)</LI> <LI>Chicago (United)</LI> <LI>Detroit, Minneapolis (Continental & Northwest)</LI> <LI>St. Louis (TWA)</LI> <LI>Dallas (American)</LI> <LI>Atlanta (Delta)</LI> <LI>Boston, Philadelphia (bunches use these as secondary hubs, including Delta, USAir and United)</LI> <LI>Orlando (not a hub, just lots of cheap flights, including discount airlines)</LI> <LI>Kansas City (I forget which airline - TWA?)</LI></UL> <DIV>That's based on flights, not hotels or convention facilities. Almost any other city would require 2 stops to get to, one flight to a hub, second flight to the target city (Vegas was like that for me, through Denver).</DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[jayharp]

<P>I agree they need more choices they only had 2 I think for this last one but only certain dates which might have been the few that voted factor on where to vote on. I like the chicago one I thought the air fair was almost the same as I payed for the Vegas one and I live in Tacoma Washington.</P> <P>I tried to find the poll they did for the last FF but they must have taken it off the old board. All I do know is they didnt have it up for very long.They need to also give something like a good 3 months before they have another FF. Iam hoping not till next year for another FF because the holidays are coming and not a good time Id think to hjave one maybe febuary march or april would be better.</P>

[Kela-the-Gypsy]

"Ignorance of the law is no excuse"I think..slightly tweaked...this statement should apply to any whiners around here =P

[jayharp]

I have gone to 7 FF so far and this last one was weak in my view. They need to get the vote out to many more people. I say drag theyr A$$ to these boards then lol.

[BojiDu]

<P>I have also been to 7 FanFaires, and this past Las Vegas one is the first I've missed since I started to go.  Not that I dislike Las Vegas, but its NOT the place to hold this type of convention in my opinion.  Everyone heads off and does their own little thing, or everything is just too spread out.  The fun Fan Faires have been San Francisco and Chicago, with New Orleans coming in a close second.  Why?  Because we were all "stuck" basically in the same hotel with really no other major distractions and therefore we partied and had a ton of fun.  Sure, there were some distractions, but it wasn't like walking past two casinos to get to Fan Faire.  </P> <P>And the thing that has always bother me, and I've mentioned this at tons of meetings and Fan Faire critiques....why can't some of the forums be geared to learning some of the finer aspects of the game(s).  I don't tradeskill as a whole, but I would like to learn more about it from the creators than simply perusing a bunch of web sites.  And the list could go on and on.  </P> <P>I certainly hope SOE considers that in the next Fan Faire, and THEY SHOULD be releasing dates and location NOW so those of use in the real world can make vacation plans at work/school, airline reservations, etc.  And for pete sake, they need to dump the current Las Vegas info on the web site and put something new there, even if it doesn't have much information.</P> <P>Boji</P>