pro:
Globally a very enjoyable convention,
I would like to thanks very kindly the several hundred of people who can make everything happen so that the rest of the attendees can enjoy their time for almost one whole week,
This is certainly no small achievement and Im really grateful for this.
Beside some small laden times and a few very specifics cases, everything went nicely, be it events, organization or services, and this is great.
The conop or secop staff I talked to were all nice and efficient as much as possible, thank you very much.
Very fast registration,
I noticed you had a lot of people doing it at the same time.
The pocket travel guide,
I dont know if many people noticed that, but I found that to be a very nice, informative and useful leaflet.
Generally good information,
I certainly appreciated the notifications through the phone app.
The Camp Fire,
I love that place, big thank you again to the staff taking care of the fire.
The Pawpets Show,
amazing Ortha of course, wonderful and lively not-dragon beast
Special kuddo for the person (Im bad with name sorry) who was carrying her on his back during the show and even after!
Also impressive special effect, between the "slow time" during telepathic events and the airplane dog(less)fight. You did surprise me with these scene where you used the front of the performance scene for side to side pass-by, either for the planes or for Ortha, nice use of blacklight lighting!
The show was very very much enjoyable (though not for the sheep
).
Be careful though, I understand the feeling of trying more and more impressive tricks and stunts for your show, but it's also part of cause of the meltdown at EF20, though I guess you dont really need me to recall you that.
As Cheetah said it himself, the show had its handful of small technical problems, but these kind of things dont bother me, as they are likely to happen during a live show, especially of such extent. So many people dont understand a large scale pawpet show is more complicated to do that a more common play with real actors, ah well.
Big applause for all the people who make this happens, between the pawpetters, voices, stage crew, stage artistes, sound and light technician, video artists, music artists, im sure im forgetting some other, sorry about that, great teamwork, simply.
con:
Artshow tails segregation rule:
This is totally unacceptable. I agree I may not have been exceedingly polite about it, but this completely rubbed me the wrong way.
I understand and agree with the idea of preventing damages to fragile sculptures, but I disagree with the way it is implemented.
This is a furry community where tails are common and asking people to remove their tails before entering is both quite undignified and highly bothersome.
Of course banning tails is the easiest way to prevent potentials damage and thats most probably why that solution was chosen,
but I think there are other ways to offer the same protection level without highly inconveniencing visitors, while still staying as simple as possible, meaning easy to implement and not cause the artshow staff an over increase of work.
That said, I would like to thanks Cairyn for telling me on Saturday at the art pickup that it was recognized the tail ban may not have been the most acceptable solution and that it may be improved next year, I appreciated you told me so and I will certainly appreciate any alternatives.
On my side I will try to provide (and test beforehand) some ideas, as I certainly doesnt want to be just the guy who just spit and rant but does nothing, the artshow is after all the biggest highlight of the con for me.
Again I am very thankful for all the work done to setup the art show and make the whole bidding and auction possible year after year.
Airflow in the staircase to Club Stage ECC Room 1:
That staircase with the glass walls became very quickly very hot and unpleasant for all the people waiting before all the events in that room.
For me first on Friday for the Paws on Fire then Saturday for the charity concert.
I appreciate secop listened to me on Saturday (though I had to insist a little bit) about the possibility of opening the transoms windows near the ceiling and opening the outside door at the bottom. After a kind staff found how to open the windows and the door, the temperature became very quickly much more viable.
I also noticed the pieces of clothes near the doors, I guess thats where it flooded during the heavy rain so I can understand the door and windows may not be left open at all time.
General identity/badge check at the artist lounge:
What, why?
My guess is you may have been seeking for some unregistered people which may have "infiltrated" the convention and squatting the lounge, but quite some of my artists friends have been stressed by that event, maybe there is a less stressful way to do that without seeing some impressive and intimidating security staffs doing a general id check?
some general comments:
Dealers den is getting too crowded and the sellers close to the windows are simply dying all day.
I know the rooms allocation is a headache, but the dealers den area has not increased at all in 4 years,
even with the addition of the rotonda/artist alley, which helped a little bit, but even that is reaching its limit.
The events grid is becoming increasingly stuffed.
Of course this is to cover all the different interests of the attendees, but as a result the possibilities of overlap and domino effect are increasing.
Since I dont see any interest group agreeing about getting "their" event suppressed, I only see having the day "last longer" as in pushing back the dances 30min~1h later, but guess this may have already been considered/discussed ?
final note:
thank you all for all the work, between the convention itself and all my friends, I didnt see time pass and that usually a sign of much enjoyment.
