Hey there,
I want to thank all people involved with preparing and running the convention for a job well done. All in all I had a great time and a much needed break from daily life. I met old friends and made some new ones and again I enjoyed how approachable everyone was, attendees, staff and guests of honor alike.
I try to not repeat to much of what was said already, just want to emphasize some points and offer personal impressions/observations.
Eurofurence App on Android:Many thanks to Trax for a wonderful app. There was a lot of useful information in there, aside from the events themselves I am thinking especially about the maps and the guide for parking pace and restaurants/bars (along with opening hours in several cases ).
I hope something similar will be available for the next Eurofurence. There is some room for improvements, though:
- It would be very nice if events could have listed their expected duration or ending time as well. Helps with coordinating a group of friends that spread out over several events and want to meet up afterwards.
- I tried to keep an eye on the convention messages feature and was pleased to get some useful intel from it, but I still think that you could need a few more helping paws to feed the system with messages, as - for example - there was no info at all during that big PPS delay. I suspect the people feeding this system where otherwise busy and simply forgot in the heat of the moment.
- There have been a lot of notes put up on the hotel walls for impromptu events and semi-private parties and photo-shots. Maybe some of these could find their way into the app in the future. Either as Convention Messages marked in a different color (to indicate that they are not from EF-staff, but rather from other attendees) or by adding another section to the menu.
- If there is a way to make this technically possible, it would be great if the events in the database can be updated with the new timestamps when an official message announces a delay. It is easy to forget about or miss a delay message when you are looking at the 'events right now' section.
Fursuit Gameshow:I enjoyed this event much and tried to root for the teams I favored. I don't mind the chaos that usually goes with the show, it is part of the experience and usually for the most part rather amusing. But I have to agree with what someone else already mentioned:
The system for keeping the points this years was very unpleasant for the audience. It can very well be, that you have a rather refined system, but it was never explained properly and changes to the points and positions on the scoreboard where not emphasized. Also I think many would rather have a tie-breaker game than a score that is hard to follow. Just food for thought.
From my point of view colored indicators or - even better - animated scoreboards would have gone a long way here. The little extra-time for showing the allocation of points among the teams shouldn't hurt the flow, as setting up the stage for the games usually took more time than the animated trailers.
Another observation: I don't know if it was an issue with the lighting or if the colored markers on the teams where simply too small, but it was not easy to identify the teams. Even the host had trouble telling blue from white. Maybe it can be improved with more vibrant colored armlets, larger/more colored identifiers or the use of symbols, rather than colors?
Impossible Fursuit Charades
A real gem, it was so much fun to watch and I loved how much teamwork our furs on stage showed. I failed miserably when it was my turn to guess, but then again it sometimes is impossible - though two or three people did the impossible and earned themselves some cookies. I hope this show will return next year and I will keep poking my friends to attend in order to draw a larger audience.
Lounge areas and restaurants:
I enjoyed having plenty of seats available this year to settle down to chill for a while or chat with friends. But I missed more secluded places. Almost everything was out in the open, with noise and movement going on from all sides. I wonder if there are possibilities to rearrange some of the lounge chairs and/or restaurant furniture in order to create more cozy zones.
On a positive note, I really enjoyed having that lounge stage in front of the Fursuit-Lounge. The elevated position and the setup of tables and seats there was much better than anywhere else in the hotel. Also a very good spot to just wind down and watch EF-Prime for a bit.
Security:They did a great job on this year's convention. I liked that at all times there were some of them visible at the various big events and all over the lobby/atrium. Their outfit makes them easy to spot, too. Also thanks for providing "American Beer" during the long time we had to queue for the PPS.
That's it for now. Thanks to all the helping paws behind the scenes. You have all been part of something great - something that will keep me going for quite a while. And I'll be back for another EF to recharge.
