Suggestions 09

[orochimarufangirl]

Hi, I wanted to give a suggestion for 09 Guest. Others can do the same. And I know it will probaly be moved or a new one will be posted but for the time being...

I would really love, to see Crispin Freeman, and maybe other Hellsing voice actors. Since there were so many Hellsing cosplayers in 08.

Which was really fun I might add. Any one have any other suggestions for a guest, or maybe something else?

[MistressLegato]

How about not making people who PRE-REGISTERED wait in massive lines to get lanyards?  I don't really understand the whole "check-in" business, since you registered with all of your information online.

All it does is punish those who pre-registered.  The line is always 3 times longer than the non-pre-reg line.

That's my biggest suggestion.  It just feels weird pre-registering to get over the hassle of massive lines, only to be trapped in them anyway.

[nikkiolie]

what time did you look at the line? The non-pre reg line was WAY longer than pre-reg. I walked up and down the lined waiting for my friends to get in and the normal reg went around to the back where the pre-reg just barely got to the side...

I guess that is one more reason to go on Friday to check in ^_^

Oh....a bigger hotel, thats my suggestion XD

[Rathany]

Oh....a bigger hotel, thats my suggestion XD

Done

[nikkiolie]

that is what I hear ^_^

I really want to go check it out....we may have to have another early con

[Hawkeye]

How about not making people who PRE-REGISTERED wait in massive lines to get lanyards?  I don't really understand the whole "check-in" business, since you registered with all of your information online.

All it does is punish those who pre-registered.  The line is always 3 times longer than the non-pre-reg line.

That's my biggest suggestion.  It just feels weird pre-registering to get over the hassle of massive lines, only to be trapped in them anyway.

The reasoning behind having you guys check in even when you pre-register is simple.  It's a matter of security.  Receiving the lanyard is our way of proving that you've paid for the badge itself.  If you (meaning the attendees as a whole) want to have the option of having your badges mailed to you, then this is how things will have to run, otherwise we have no way of proving you're the one who bought the badge.

[kylite]

Additionally the Lanyard/pre-reg check in line serves to allow us to do an on site head count for both convention growth statistics and fire code.

Also if you really do despise waiting in lines, then just show up the night before con, pre-reg get in nice and dearly and skip all the junk

[nikkiolie]

Yeah if they didn't do the check in then they wouldn't know if they have reached max capacity =/

Anyway I liked going on Friday...it was another chance to hang out and meet new people

[EveofAbyss]

Yay, guest suggestion thread!

I'd like to see:
- Svetlana Chmakova, the creator of DramaCon and Nightschool (I say this every year, but it would still be awesome to have her at Kumoricon).
- I second Crispin Freeman, He would be a fantastic and interesting guest.
- M. Alice LeGrow, the creator of Bizenghast (She has such a captivating imagination, for both story and imagery).
- Johnny Yong Bosch, the voice of (out of many roles) Kiba from Wolf's Rain, Kaneda from Akira, and Vash from Trigun.

Musically (and I fully realize many of these are a great stretch, but I can dream can't I?):
- Juka (ex-vocalist of Moi Dix Mois and Hizaki Grace Project)
- Versailles ~Philharmonic Quintet~
- Nightmare
- Riyu Kosaka (singer of "Danzai no Hana ~Guilty Sky~" the opening theme of Claymore, and others)
- A-Key Kyo
- The Slants
- Piano Squall

[xxxchihiroxxx]

I suggest a larger dealers room than the one we had this year x.x also possibley have more panels sunday instead of saturday when everything is busy.

[nikkiolie]

Ohh I got one....make it four days instead of three Or even five days O.O (I know this isn't likely but I would love to have a longer con)

[xxxchihiroxxx]

4 would be awsome xD but to long and we would all physicaly colapse!

[nikkiolie]

yeah but I could handle it ^_^

[xxxchihiroxxx]

hm maybe make it so that theres not like a huge party one of the nights so others get a nice chance to rest?

[nikkiolie]

it doesn't really matter because I doubt it will happen....maybe in 10 years =/

[Rathany]

Ohh I got one....make it four days instead of three Or even five days O.O (I know this isn't likely but I would love to have a longer con)

So, wanna help us staff it for that long?  Keep in mind there is also all of set-up and tear-down to take care of.  This is a 5 day event for many of us   We are forunate thsi year that lots of people were able to work hard on Tuesday as well. 

[valliegirl]

Also, there's already contracts in place for the next two years on our venues for specific dates.  I don't know anything about them really or how impossible they are to edit, but I'm guessing we have to keep Kumoricon to be a 3 day event while those are in place.  Also, if you're registering for a "full weekend" pass, the price would probably jack up tremendously, because you'd be paying for like 2/3rd's more con.

[nikkiolie]

true....maybe something we can look forward to once the con gets larger...i wasn't suggesting it for this year or even next year....just something that might be a goal for the future?

[xxxchihiroxxx]

yeah a futor thing would be fun :3 part of me wants the con to be in the convention center but then again its nice to wake up and just take the elivator down to the con.

[valliegirl]

I would really love, to see Crispin Freeman, and maybe other Hellsing voice actors. Since there were so many Hellsing cosplayers in 08.

That would be awesome if we could get him.  He's done a lot of great work.

However, I was kinda freaked out at first because I got him mixed up with another actor, Crispin Glover, the guy from Willard.  He creeps me out.  I'd spend all con hiding from him.

[Rathany]

Also, there's already contracts in place for the next two years on our venues for specific dates.  I don't know anything about them really or how impossible they are to edit, but I'm guessing we have to keep Kumoricon to be a 3 day event while those are in place.  Also, if you're registering for a "full weekend" pass, the price would probably jack up tremendously, because you'd be paying for like 2/3rd's more con.

Friday night programming is possible without changing the contract, if we have enough staff both on Friday and also helping us get organized just before.  

[nikkiolie]

o.o Really....that would be great....maybe even something simple as a dinner >_>

I would love to have more than just check in and leave

[valliegirl]

Friday night programming is possible without changing the contract, if we have enough staff both on Friday and also helping us get organized just before. 

Hmm cool.  Yeah we'd need a lot more people (staff/volunteers) on site on Thursday and Friday to pull that off, but it would be neat...  Especially, if we did that as a treat specifically for people who pre-reg'd as more incentive to get there early instead of waiting til Saturday to arrive.

[xxxchihiroxxx]

I think thats a great idea! :3 it would be a nice treat for those of us who pre reg

[valliegirl]

Also, just to get on my soap box for a moment, the best way to make changes in the con, is to get involved.  It's one thing to say that you'd like shorter lines.  It's quite another to take that complaint and turn it into action.  Even if you don't want to be staff and dedicate your entire weekend to the con, you could volunteer an hour or so, lending a hand helping us to get people in the door faster, or keeping up the morale of the people out in the line in the hot hot sun making their wait a little less painful.

We're a volunteer run organization, and the more attendees we get, the more volunteers we need. 

/rant  ^_^

[makichan]

I hope that this is a fairly simple suggestion ^^;;
Anyway, I was wondering if we could get the next DJ(s) to take song requests at the con. I think that they used to do that, anyway. xD
It would be so so so neat <3

[kylite]

hint: if the con goes longer then 3 days, no fair complaining if Yojimbo seem cranky. 3 days without sleep is tough, 4 is... PAINFUL!

*wanders off babbling incoherently*

[nikkiolie]

hell I would be cranky if the con lasted 4 days....but I am going to try to get a hotel room so I would be able to get more sleep and so would whoever is staying with me ^_^

[xxxchihiroxxx]

I had a hotel room and I was still dead on monday xD I am skipping one of the raves this year I swear or I will colapse!

[DancingTofu]

One of my big goals for '09 is to get the staff reg numbers increasing faster (by percentage) than the attendee reg numbers.  If we can get that and maintain it, a 4-day con will be feasible one day when every staff member is able to take 14-20 hours out of each day to sleep, eat, and just have fun.  That's a long way away as it is, and it's getting further away.

[reppy]

I hope that this is a fairly simple suggestion ^^;;
Anyway, I was wondering if we could get the next DJ(s) to take song requests at the con. I think that they used to do that, anyway. xD
It would be so so so neat <3

I was really disappointed when they changed DJs half-way through the night on Saturday.  In the last 3 years I've attended the Saturday night dance (and pretty sure they've always had the same guy), I've never seen them change DJs.  I talked my brother into staying longer; he left to park in a closer spot and by the time he came back, the DJs had switched.  The music before was very danceable -- then the second DJ was mostly techno.  If you like techno (I do, but not to dance to), then I guess that's great.  However, I did talk with someone else (he's a poster here, actually) outside the room.  Me and my brother were mentioning how the music changed, and he joked that he can't dance to techno unless .. well, what are raves usually associated with? ^_^;

I mean no slight or insult against the second DJ.  There are plenty of people that like to dance to techno, but I have a hard time doing it for more than 10-15 minutes.  That said, didn't they have a techno dance on Sunday?  Why split the DJs on Saturday?  If ain't broke, don't fix it -- right?  Am I the only one that felt this way?  I talked to the first DJ as he was leaving (that was when I realized he was no longer DJ'ing) and I told him I'd make a little bit of a fuss about it. ^_^;

Any particular reason why this happened?  I'd like some opinions of other people -- maybe it was just me that was a little put off by the change in DJs.  (But I don't think I was the only one.)

[valliegirl]

I'm pretty sure the reason that occurred is because that's what people said they wanted last year.  They wanted dance music for the first part of the dance, and then the second half to be rave music. 

Maybe it would be better if we just stuck to one night we'll have a dance, the other night we'll have a rave, and we'll clearly list which is which.

[makichan]

That would be way cool to make one dance and the other rave. I agree with Reppy. After the first DJ switched out, my group and I were kind of hoping that he would have just stayed. I mean no offense to the second Dj. After all, he performed exactly how he was supposed to. What I'm getting at is that variety dances would be kind of neat and maybe also a lot easier than switching out halfway.

[laurifer]

4 would be awsome xD but to long and we would all physicaly colapse!

5 day cons exist...haha

[nikkiolie]

I know....but where? I want to go to a 5 day con.

[laurifer]

I don't remember where exactly but I think it's not here in America. Europe, maybe idk.

[oslapedo]

I think San Diego Comic Con is 5 days if you're there for pre-reg...

On of my only complaints was that the Masquerade was not much like a Masquerade. It was, like many have said, a rave + hot sweaty masks. It would be nice if there were slower songs for the Masquerade next year and whatnot.

Btw, I third Crispin Freeman coming. He is the only VA I fangirl over, and he's the only guest I would genuinely care about. It would be the most amazing thing ever if he could come to KCon

[DancingTofu]

As someone who doesn't really dance to anything EXCEPT techno (I'm a high-energy DDR-playing fiend), I'm not really seeing where the difference lies between "dance" and "techno" music.  Do you mean trance/eurobeat and upswing?  "dance" isn't a genre, it's a verb; occasionally a noun.

I do see the issue with switching DJ's in the middle of a set though.  I think DJ's need to play a variety and play to the audience, but if you switch DJ's you switch an important factor of interpretation.  People who disliked the first DJ may like the second DJ, but miss it, and people who enjoyed the first DJ may be dissatisfied by the music selection of the second.  It's simply a bad idea.

A more functional alternative would be to have 2 DJ's operating simultaneously.  We've got a big enough Main Events room to do that now, and it allows the DJ's to coordinate their music for minimal stylistic overlap, and thus increased attendee satisfaction.

[MistressLegato]

The problem with the DJ's lied in the fact that the techno DJ was actually supposed to play at the second dance, but for some reason got told he wasn't doing it anymore.

I know this because the techno Dj is my very close friend.

[xxxchihiroxxx]

is htere anymore news on making friday a bit more than just register and leave? I know I'll be busy that day (gotta get to the hotel around 2 so I can start unloading stock, check into room, get on cosplay, and then get in line and keep unloadin stock into room and vendors hall) but it would still be fun to have something else besides just check in :3

[DancingTofu]

Setup.

It happens all day friday. (I was doing setup until 9am Saturday in the game room; there's never nothing to do)

[xxxchihiroxxx]

if I have time I'll help ya Tofu :3 after I unload all my art stock that is. >.>

[DancingTofu]

Whoo!  Girls!

[xxxchihiroxxx]

*whacks with spoon*

[Black~Rose]

I would like more English kareoke songs... I know its an anime convention but that doesnt mean it isnt funney to see characters singing a song in english that fits them..... and not just anime theams that are dubbed... I mean actual songs.. just a thought ^^;;

a lot of people cant sing j-pop so it would be a good way to make everyone feel included.

[DancingTofu]

Hella agreed.  I went into Karaoke once in 2006, saw that there were only Japanese songs, and left 3 minutes later.  That kind of thing gives anime conventions a terrible reputation.

[MistressLegato]

But there are also people. myself included, who don't want to listen to English songs that have pretty much ruined the originals.

It would be cool to have maybe two rooms?  One for English and one for Japanese?

[Black~Rose]

NOO!! Thats not what I ment! I mean english songs as in paramore, kelly clarkson. DHT.... those songs

Not english versions of anime theame songs

[DancingTofu]

Yeah, definitely not just translated songs.  That would be even less attractive to me.  Songs should be sung in there original language, but I don't like the idea of being forced into a Weeaboo mindset.  Being culturally exclusive just makes us look bad.

[BlackjackGabbiani]

What about anime songs that're originally in some language other than Japanese?

And why should songs only be in their original language? That's like saying books should be, and we know that's not true.

[DancingTofu]

What about anime songs that're originally in some language other than Japanese?

I don't have any disagreement with that.  I think there's already lots of that available, to my knowledge, but I want to see more eurobeat, rock, etc available. 

And why should songs only be in their original language? That's like saying books should be, and we know that's not true.

I'm opposed to translated books as well, but not as much as I'm opposed to translated lyrics and poetry.  That's not a topic to be discussed here though; it's really a personal argument.

[Black~Rose]

yeah its America and not all of us are talented enough to sing j-pop........ so it would be more fun to have english songs that arent related to anime  available... cuz we'll MAKE it anime related ourselves lol.

[MistressLegato]

It is a Japanese fest, not American Idol . . .

[Mister_manji]

kelly clarkson.

I feel like I've been eating crazy pills.

[BlackjackGabbiani]

It is a Japanese fest, not American Idol . . .

But karaoke when you go to Japan has stuff from all over, so wouldn't it be more "traditional" to reflect that? Or more authentic or something.

Heck, I know someone who, when he came back from there, told me how the karaoke bar he went to had the US Power Rangers theme.

[superjaz]

i remeber at sakura can when some guys wanting to sing the engrish verson of a naruto theam, but it wasn't translated for singing it was for meaning so the rythem no good and they were just bad,
tho since i went next i apearred better tho n compairsen

tho i can see the apeal to sing some you CAN sing, so maybe a seprate compation? like doing a skit or dance to the song that is some how make it realate to anime, but not in the same contestst

[ThiefKingsHier]

It is a Japanese fest, not American Idol . . .

That's the same   very similar argument I've being using against mother f-ing raves for the past few years.

It seems that it is only 'Japense' when the majority wants it to be.

[melchizedek]

It is a Japanese fest, not American Idol . . .

That's the same   very similar argument I've being using against mother f-ing raves for the past few years.

It seems that it is only 'Japense' when the majority wants it to be.

As it should be, we are a fan run fest, not elite / exclusive fest.  I don't see how invalidating people who want more selection for singing is a bad thing.  Who knows, maybe if people are passionate enough they'll sign up as staff and help out.

Also, it occurred to me that there are not any Japanese songs playing in the gaming room with rock band players.

[melchizedek]

is htere anymore news on making friday a bit more than just register and leave? I know I'll be busy that day (gotta get to the hotel around 2 so I can start unloading stock, check into room, get on cosplay, and then get in line and keep unloadin stock into room and vendors hall) but it would still be fun to have something else besides just check in :3

You could join staff and help set up, that is what most everyone is doing on friday.  I think the biggest barrier to getting rooms running on the friday is things not being all set up.  But I'd like to have the rooms open longer and more stuff to do.

[melchizedek]

I suggest a larger dealers room than the one we had this year x.x also possibley have more panels sunday instead of saturday when everything is busy.

Oh I second this, the 07 dealers room I thought had better selection and venue then the 08 one. 

[xxxchihiroxxx]

Mel: I may help you set up staff or no, we plan to get to the hotel around 2 if some how we unpack our AA stuff in less then an hour and check in I will herd my group to help you guys set up >.> we want to get in line for pre reg round 3 or so, depends when the line opens up and they start giving out badages so we can get it all taken care of...

and yeah dealers room expansion would be wonderful <3

[Black~Rose]

but Japanese song loveing people can still sing those songs and be great...

its a Japanese fest yeah but that doesn't mean we aren't still in America... I like what someone said about not being elitist.... we go to have fun and I just think haveing some American songs would be more fun... I never said you should get rid of the j-pop I just said to add to the selection.. so no need to get all in a huff

and I agree about the dealers room lol that place is crowded

[TomtheFanboy]

If we can't become a 4 day (or 72 hour maybe...heh) convention then maybe Friday night could be a sort of "Preview Night" for the preregisterred people that are usually there anyway. Like maybe have one viewing room of anime and one panel room with some crazy stuff going on.

Like a panel with a programming staff going over all of the cool stuff that's going on. Like a sort of Q&A for people who just got their swag bags and have questions about the weird events in the book. The more people know this stuff the better, it means less people pestering the yojimbo and info booth!

I have suggestions about the space but those are being communicated in the staff forums and honestly, most of the stuff I WISH we could do there really isn't room for! 

[xxxchihiroxxx]

Tom I beg of you to push for two things ;_;

1. For a bigger vendors hall this year (This is very important to me cause I'm going to be in the AA) this year it was so crowded and stuffy, there wasnt much room so not as many stands but almost justa s many people! i could hardly walk sometimes.

2. To get some stuff going on on friday. I think the preview night is a good idea. maybe open up the game room if its ready?

[Jamiche]

You can go to any karaoke place and get the English songs... but here, at the convention, you can get anime & game themes and j-pop, and that's what you see in the contest.  We are not being elitist, we are are simply providing the content that fits with what we do.

That being said.. just because we don't have it in our library, doesn't mean you can't sing it.  Bring a CD, share your ipod.. we have the tech to allow you bring your own music.  We don't say no English, we're just not providing it.

2. To get some stuff going on on friday. I think the preview night is a good idea. maybe open up the game room if its ready?

There was a plan to have viewing Friday nite, if we got everything set up in time for it.  Obviously, that was not the case .  I'm hoping we have better odds of it happening next year.

We really do want you guys to have something to do Friday nite

[xxxchihiroxxx]

I have a group of four girls... we would be willing to help set up, we are coming around 2 but I could see if we could come earlyer

[oslapedo]

Me and my group of at least four others can help set up on Friday. We live 3 hours away, but we'll probably be leaving in the morning so we'll have a lot of spare time

[xxxchihiroxxx]

yay! <3 oslapedo we shall be a super duper team! I think I'll work it out so we will get there at 2 or earlyer, help set up and then once its time to get in line I'll have kenzie and guzzy hold our spot and me and kate will unload the truck and help set things up.... and switch off holding the place untill the lines open

[ThiefKingsHier]

but Japanese song loveing people can still sing those songs and be great...

its a Japanese fest yeah but that doesn't mean we aren't still in America... I like what someone said about not being elitist....

Yea, and they should practice what they preach..

 I don't know about here, but on the SC forum ravers get  REALLY nasty about suggesting Japenese music at dances.

 I would really like some Japanese music, along with Techno. Maybe even one Japense dance and one rave.  But that is elitist, wanting ALL techno ALL the time..is apparently not.

 Anywya, I second this. Mixing things up between Japanese and English music sounds like a great idea.

[TomtheFanboy]

1. For a bigger vendors hall this year (This is very important to me cause I'm going to be in the AA) this year it was so crowded and stuffy, there wasnt much room so not as many stands but almost just as many people! i could hardly walk sometimes.

I don't think there's much we can do about that. The exhibitor's hall is always going to be crowded, but the booths should be the normal size next year. I have no idea what the Vendors/AA plan is right now, nor will I until I know who is in charge of the hall (we can make a good guess at who the Relations Director will be though, since there's just one candidate) 
No matter the layout I think that the transition to the new hotel and the growth we've been experiencing is going to keep us feeling just as crowded.

As for doing some stuff on Friday nights....

There was a plan to have viewing Friday nite, if we got everything set up in time for it.  Obviously, that was not the case .  I'm hoping we have better odds of it happening next year.

We really do want you guys to have something to do Friday nite

As I suspected, Viewing should be available as long as the whole staff is working towards it (as in, they know they should work towards it). Gaming is tricky though because of their set up time and security checks. It is sort of an All or Nothing room as far as allowing attendees access. We'll see what the gaming staff have planned for 09. If some people have their way gaming might open at midnight Friday night and never close! 

Don't get too excited though, that's just an idea.

[MistressLegato]

It would be nice to have the AA setup run more smoothly this year, hopefully with a new coordinator so everyone can get their paperwork dealt with early one and nobody ends up getting shafted with tiny tables.  Refunds are nice but squeezing 4 binders of 2 artist's work on one table is very, very frustrating and cramped.

[Rathany]

(we can make a good guess at who the Relations Director will be though, since there's just one candidate) 

Really?  *checks*  Oh, I didn't even realize that was the case now ...

[DancingTofu]

Jaki, I'll help with setup outside of gaming next year if people are going to seriously dedicate themselves to opening up some programming on Friday night.  There were a lot of holes in my planning this year that made setting up gaming run a lot slower, and got me to the hotel a few hours later than I'd hoped.  There were also some confusions with inventory that slowed us down.


I don't think we can open Gaming on Friday night, but I've talked to Ground Kontrol casually and they said they would be interested in bringing in machines and being at Kumoricon in '09 and '10.  If we set them up just outside the game room, we could have a setup that nobody could steal (arcade cabs weigh 100-400lbs) and that would also open up space in the game room.  It could also open up an area for 24-hour gaming that wouldn't need to be heavily supervised. (just having 1 or 2 staff and/or GK reps there at any given time to make sure nobody's coming in with a handcart and wheeling off the machines to their truck at 5am.

I'll discuss this with the Programming and Relations directors after elections; I think it could work really well if we make that happen.

[melchizedek]

Mel: I may help you set up staff or no, we plan to get to the hotel around 2 if some how we unpack our AA stuff in less then an hour and check in I will herd my group to help you guys set up >.> we want to get in line for pre reg round 3 or so, depends when the line opens up and they start giving out badages so we can get it all taken care of...

and yeah dealers room expansion would be wonderful <3

Well, if you are staff then your ticket will be less then not-staff
But I'll appreciate the setup help.  I'm all about getting things up and running quicker.

[VampireFangs103]

A random suggestion that I doubt is possible, but nice to dream about. Wouldn't it be cool if we could get one of those stuffed animal crane machines and fill it with plushies? That'd be so fun. *_*

[DancingTofu]

As with an arcade DDR machine, the biggest hump there would be getting it here.  I'm sure Coin-Op on McLoughlin and Ochoco has them and probably aren't too expensive, but moving one of those to and from con would take 4-8 people and as much shipping space as all of Gaming's equipment combined.  I'm not saying it's out of the question, just that we've got to determine whether it would be a matter of having three or four people interested or if 30 or 40 or 100 people would use it if we got it there.