Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Lightfox]

So, after this latest Eurofurence, I overall had a pretty good time! But there are a few points I'd like to raise about the con this year:

The positive stuff

• The app was really useful! It had all the information needed, and I really liked the fact I got information about what pieces I won from the Artshow.
• The fursuit lounge is still and example of how much EF cares about the well being for fursuiters! Good job!
• Both enter the arena and Paws on fire were awesome events!
• I didn't attend, but the boat event was a good idea, do keep coming up with new stuff to try like this one!
• The fragments of decoration from previous EF was nice touch!

The negative stuff:

• Registration: this year, I was both a fursuiter and a sponsor, and as a result, I had to do three different queues: normal registration, sponsor goodies and fursuit badge. Ironically, the sponsor line was the slowest of them all, as there was only two persons there with nothing prepared in advance.
• Paws on fire: this event is as awesome, if not more than Enter the arena, and this year, there were several issues with it:
  
  • The the music was WAY too loud. Around half the show, I had to put fingers in my ears, and I still got out with a headache, and had to take some paracetamol. I saw other people equally bothered as I was.
  • The video team cameraman on foot circling accross the stage around the dancers was mighty annoying and distracting while trying to watch the dancers. He was in the way of both the attendees trying to watch the performance, and those trying to film it. Please stop doing this.
  • The face-to-face principle is really cool, but it will also block the view of those directly behind one of the duelers. This wouldn't be an issue if there were screens showing each dancer during the performance.
  • This is subjective, but the DJ could have handled the event better: half the playlist could have been more appropriate to dancing, and the dancers seemed to agree (the first suggested music was almost always noped by both dancers). The transitions could have also been handled way better.
  • Why put it in a remote room that's 4 times smaller than the main stage?
• Queue management isn't always the best, and isn't well indicated or managed with lines. e.g., for the sponsor line of enter the arena, there was no indication it was the sponsor line, and no strip to manage it until 30 mins beforehand. Until that point, non-sponsors had been queuing for nothing, and the line was all over the place.
• After 25 years, EF still doesn't seem to be able to start its events on time (minimum 30 mins late for every event).
• Given how widely used the elevators are, it should be way easier to use the stairs. More often than not, the doors are locked, and we are forced to long waits, even on lower levels because of this.
• The dealer's den seems to become increasingly inappropriate: too hot, too moist and too small compared to the amount of artists available among a crowd of now 3000+ people.
• EF's social media should have really avoided re-igniting the debate related to poodling. It was uncalled for and caused more harm than good. Had it been done a bit earlier than it was, it could have potentially caused a lot of degradation of the con's atmosphere. If you must do this, next time do it after the con.

Possible improvements

• Opening ceremony: the first 10 minutes were pretty fun, with a short little scene with cheetah, then an awesome fursuit video. And that seemed to be the only part that was prepared and had rythm. Then, it was just watching the 10 or so people of the EF staff realizing in the moment there wasn't enough chairs for everyone, then each improvising a speech about their department. Everyone seemed to realize this was boring, as the first thing most started with was "I'll keep it brief". IMHO, this whole section should be re-thought to become both informative and entertaining at the same time.
• App
  
  • When checking a dealer's location in the dealer's den, the fragment of map is way too small and is therefore useless
  • When filtering a list, selecting an item, and then coming back, the filtering is lost, and you have to re-filter again.
  • I really loved the art show results part, but it would have been even better with the amount to pay as well, for air heads like I that have lost their bid sheets.

[Schorse]

• After 25 years, EF still doesn't seem to be able to start its events on time (minimum 30 mins late for every event).
• Given how widely used the elevators are, it should be way easier to use the stairs. More often than not, the doors are locked, and we are forced to long waits, even on lower levels because of this.
• The dealer's den seems to become increasingly inappropriate: too hot, too moist and too small compared to the amount of artists available among a crowd of now 3000+ people.

1. You just need something causing a delay at the first event, then everything else afterwards in that room will be delayed as well. Nothing you can do about it.

2. Stairs are not possible to use due to fire safety regulations.

3. So much THIS!

[Torajin]

Yeah, someone took the time to write his feedback, thank you. Now I just have to add my comments! 

I agree with most of your points.

• The queue for goodies, when I got there, it was the shopping that made it so slow. Whoever decided to mix a pickup queue and a shopping queue made this tiger cry
• Half an hour delay for the events wasn't that bad. We had worse. And they had a lot of bad luck this year. Many injured people
• The opening ceremony had far to many speeches. I know most of them are needed but please, really keep them short next year. Now, nothing prevent us from leaving the room

Extra:

• Please fellow attendees, pretty please, when you discuss in group, don't block the way, especially the stairs, it's already enough of a challenge to use them in fursuit.

The positive points:

• Enter the arena. Congratulation to the contestants and the staff, it was probably the best I've seen
• The delorean, yeah!
• I'm still laughing from the bouncy castle's design. It was awesome
• The doctor who cocktail was really good
• The too many things to list that were already great last year and still are

That's all... for now

[winterheart]

My biggest grief is how the new generation of attendees are so disrespectfull of people, they cut off your way, jump in front of you just to get 2 seconds faster, go in the elevator instead of letting fursuiters go first.
They don't seem to read the best practice rules for non suiters.

Blocking stairs is a NO GO btw, how many times to I have to tell people to get out of the way and let someone pass??
I have to grab the rail for my own safety, anyone preventing me to do this can and will endangermy or someone else's safety!

[Zen]

• Queue management isn't always the best, and isn't well indicated or managed with lines. e.g., for the sponsor line of enter the arena, there was no indication it was the sponsor line, and no strip to manage it until 30 mins beforehand. Until that point, non-sponsors had been queuing for nothing, and the line was all over the place.

Thank you for your feedback. I have already heard from various attendees that the queues were confusing. I will address this issue at the next opportunity.

My biggest grief is how the new generation of attendees are so disrespectfull of people, they cut off your way, jump in front of you just to get 2 seconds faster, go in the elevator instead of letting fursuiters go first.
They don't seem to read the best practice rules for non suiters.

Blocking stairs is a NO GO btw, how many times to I have to tell people to get out of the way and let someone pass??
I have to grab the rail for my own safety, anyone preventing me to do this can and will endangermy or someone else's safety!

Sorry for the inconvenience. Unfortunately, it has become noticeably worse that some people act very carelessly.
I myself helped the fursuiters several times to get them an elevator because none of the group of waiting people wanted to let them in. Also, I have often had to make visitors aware that they block the way.

I think these are problems that will eventually occur when a convention is getting bigger and bigger...

Thank you for your feedback.