2014 Feedback

[Bumble_B]

who would I email in regards to suggestions/concerns about Reapercon? I'd rather not discuss aspects in a public forum. 

[ladystorm]

Email ed at reapermini dot com

[Hymn]

who would I email in regards to suggestions/concerns about Reapercon? I'd rather not discuss aspects in a public forum. 

 

I hope this thread isn't inappropriate. If it is, mods, please feel free to close it.

[Pixel]

My first ReaperCon and I couldn't have imagined a better experience! I liked the hotel venue. I loved meeting everyone from the boards. I had great classes and a ridiculous amount of face time with the artists. Even as big as it has gotten, it felt like an intimate event. The swag was ridiculous. The ReaperPeeps were amazing - I was already a fangirl for ReaperBryan and he was amazing in person even with how busy he was. Actually everyone was like that. Cons get crazy but somehow here no one lost sight of the PEOPLE. Time was made for people. I even got a little painting done but having met people I enjoyed so much I found I wanted to spend as much time with them as possible. The medal competition format was great and I can't believe I got to know who my judges were and ask for critiques and explanations afterwards (where else does that happen?!). The banquets were both great (better than average hotel food) and at one point I realized I was having dinner with 2 of my 3 favorite sculptors (and that I had entered pieces sculpted by both of them). Holy cow great deals shopping the bins at the Reaper factory! The tour was great too.

 

 

The ribbon thing was so fun! I had a class during the auction but I handed my bucks to a fellow forumite and he got me the mousepad I wanted.

 

I would have liked names on the badges. Game organization was spotty. But with the change in venue and jump in size....

 

I had so much fun. If I had any brain cells left, I'd want ReaperCon to go a week.

[kacey3]

While I have seen some good suggestions for the auction. Remember that the auction closes the show, there isn't time after the auction to do a raffle. We might be able to do a raffle before the auction and announce the winners before it starts but it won't happen afterwards. That means you will have to make a decision on where you want to spend your ReaperBucks.

I actually really like the idea of a raffle going on for the duration of the con, and you have to choose whether you are going to enter the raffle, or save up for the auction. I think that would actually lower the bid level of some of the auction items, while simultaneously giving the people who firmly believe that they don't have enough Reaper Buck to compete, something to hope for. I would say that the raffle closes right before the auction starts and the winners are announced at the end of the auction.

[Hymn]

I had so much fun. If I had any brain cells left, I'd want ReaperCon to go a week.

 

Great review! Agreed about all the great people. I take it we'll see you next year?

[Pixel]

 

 

I had so much fun. If I had any brain cells left, I'd want ReaperCon to go a week.

Great review! Agreed about all the great people. I take it we'll see you next year?

I will have to find a way!

[Girot]

1)  Missed the Meat N Great due to driving so no feedback there.

 

2)  Hotel was AWESOME.  We should definitely do that again!

 

3)  Metal Exchange at hotel was amazingly helpful!  Boneyard was still available btw.  It was actually really nice being able to scavenge in relative silence.

 

4)  The hotel provided many more tables than anticipated and we ended up running games where we could find space (which was plenty).  Personally I took the initiative and provided a sign of my own when I set up.  That being said not everybody has the capacity to do so.  We could easily support each other in this regard next year.

 

5)   Last time I checked the auction was intended to be more about entertainment rather than opportunism.  The auction could definitely use a battery of lower-value items to bid on to spread the fun a little more evenly.  It doesn't have be be "participation medal" ridiculous but finding a means of balancing the odds against big groups and "chip farmers" (overheard that one during the auction, lmao) would make the experience more enjoyable for the masses.

Edited April 29, 2014 by Girot

[millionsofRobots]

Hey Hymn,

 

Thanks for playing in my games - you're welcome any time. Just bring more delicious brains next time.

 

This was my first ReaperCon, and I had a great time. 

 

Regarding the auction, I have no complaints, and it was really fun. My friend and I pooled our Reaperbucks, and I thought we were sitting pretty with 2690. We shared a few "uh oh..." looks when things went for more than we expected, but we thought no big deal. Once the paint set rocketed up past our limit, I ended up taking our Reaperbucks over and donating to the table with the young girls (I'm not sure who they were), and after the auction when I saw how happy they were I realized that the onion-slicing ninjas had snuck in to the room. Neither of us had a problem with donating to them. Do I wish we came away with something? Sure, but in the end, we had fun just watching it, and Reaper's generosity is pretty amazing. 

 

I also would have liked to see some table markers, as one of our games was scheduled for table 17, but we weren't sure where to go.

 

I have to second that emotion about the artists. EVERY ONE of them that I talked to was extremely nice and approachable. It was awesome getting to walk up and talk to artists that I follow online. No elitism or knowledge-hoarding.

[Girot]

 

I have to second that emotion about the artists. EVERY ONE of them that I talked to was extremely nice and approachable. It was awesome getting to walk up and talk to artists that I follow online. No elitism or knowledge-hoarding.

 

Agreed!!  That is probably one of my favorite parts!  I totally geeked out on Kev White and Talin and they were so cool about it!

[klarg1]

I commented on the auction earlier, but I'd like to take a moment to chime in on some other points:

 

1. Venue:

I thought the hotel venue worked really well. This was my third ReaperCon, and I wasn't sure what to expect out of the transition. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it worked out. The extra space in the open paint area was a huge benefit, and the convenience factor was hard to deny. My only complaint is that traveling up to the Boneyard seemed like a big investment of time out of a short convention. I wound up skipping it and taking the store credit, just so I could stick around the con. Sadly, I do not see a practical solution for this problem. (In past years, I would browse the online catalog and casually mosey on by the bins whenever it was convenient to do so - it was an amazingly decadent privilege, really.)

 

1a: I was very pleasantly surprised by the hotel food. I regret not ordering another lunch for Thursday to simplify my schedule. Having it available on-site was pretty convenient, although I do miss Sonic Mike. Breakfast was good, and I thought people were more relaxed and leisurely about it without the scramble for parking at the factory. Next year, however, I am bringing my own maple syrup. "Sugar free syrup substitute" cannot stand.

 

1b: A thousand thank you's for making electricity available in the painting area.

 

2. Game Space:

ReaperCon is pretty chronically disorganized with respect to games. This year didn't seem particularly better or worse to me. I understand that participants would like some better direction, and it would be better to provide it. On the other hand, I think the chaos is a symptom of the fact that the con isn't focused on gaming. I go to lots of regimented gaming conventions, and I have fun, but I spend much less time meeting people, learning and socializing at those events, I just run from event to event. ReaperCon's different focus and relaxed atmosphere makes it very different and special.

 

3. Class Rooms:

The class rooms weren't great, but they didn't bother me too much. A little more lighting would have helped a lot. Depending on the room, I found myself having trouble focusing on tiny little details in some classes. I thought the classes themselves were as good as ever, and I'm really happy that I got to meet a few new artist-instructors.

 

4. Painting Contest:

I love the Reaper Open painting contest, and I am already thinking about what to enter next year. Having the artists available on-site to help us prepare our entries before-hand and then offer critiques and feedback afterwards is simply amazing. The room was dark, but not disastrously so. Maybe the judges should be given portable lights to take with them when judging? I dunno.

 

5. People:

My first ReaperCon and I couldn't have imagined a better experience! I liked the hotel venue. I loved meeting everyone from the boards. I had great classes and a ridiculous amount of face time with the artists. Even as big as it has gotten, it felt like an intimate event. The swag was ridiculous. The ReaperPeeps were amazing - I was already a fangirl for ReaperBryan and he was amazing in person even with how busy he was. Actually everyone was like that. Cons get crazy but somehow here no one lost sight of the PEOPLE. Time was made for people. I even got a little painting done but having met people I enjoyed so much I found I wanted to spend as much time with them as possible.

 

Well said. ReaperCon was about the people, and I met dozens of you this year (Pixel included). Thanks for making my weekend great.

 

Edited for grammar

Edited April 29, 2014 by klarg1

[Heisler]

I will post a full review in the near future, but I think the only thing that really peeved me were drink prices throughout the con.  $3 bottled soda was ridiculous!!!  If there is any chance of bringing in a snack/food vendor of your own, please do so.

 

Unfortunately, a $3 soda is not uncommon in hotels across the US (believe me I know), the hotels know that you are a captive audience. The hotel will not allow an outside vendor in to handle snacks and or food. Again the captive audience plays a big part of this but also its to protect their own food license. If an outside vendor comes in and you get food poisoning the hotel could well be liable. They aren't going to take that risk.

[ctsteel]

I'm overseas so my feedback is from that perspective - it would be nice to be able to feel like I could take part in some small way beyond just the forum threads after the con is over - it was a little quiet/sparse on info here until after it was all done.  What would be great is if there was scope for some official photography being taken and uploaded during the Con perhaps with some commentary or whatnot.  I checked the Reaper/ReaperCon Facebook pages through the weekend but there was no updated material after the pre-show shot of the swag bags being assembled.

 

The second suggestion is a perhaps slightly wilder request - set up a web cam or two in the main hall or wherever you feel is appropriate with respect to privacy and Reaper recording rules etc, which forum users or whoever could register for access to and receive login details - this would just allow for us to get a sense of the 'vibe' of the Con, see some of the random people walking through or playing games, some of the cosplay etc.  That could also be useful for Con attendees who ducked out for some reason or are late arriving or early leavers, or who are in one room but want to see what's going on in another room (looking for a friend perhaps).  A bit left of field but I wanted to at least put it out there.

[Hymn]

 

What would be great is if there was scope for some official photography being taken and uploaded during the Con perhaps with some commentary or whatnot.  I checked the Reaper/ReaperCon Facebook pages through the weekend but there was no updated material after the pre-show shot of the swag bags being assembled.

 

The second suggestion is a perhaps slightly wilder request - set up a web cam or two in the main hall or wherever you feel is appropriate with respect to privacy and Reaper recording rules etc, 

 

Interesting ideas. I'm sure that a new volunteer could easily handle the social media piece. Video might be a tad harder, but still interesting. It would be even cooler to take this to the next level and have a few different people wear a mobile cam each day for a more up close experience.

 

Australia is definitely far away...have you ever been to a Con?

[ctsteel]

No I've never attended a Con of the game/comic/RPG/mini kinds - there are some here of varying sizes and styles (gaming, comics, anime etc) but I've never thought to look up when they are for the more model/RPG-oriented options and then actually attend one.  The rubbed-off excitement of this past weekend has me pondering it though.  I was even wildly speculating on what it would take to convince my wife that Texas could be an interesting overseas holiday location.....perhaps I should start with a local one and ease myself into it