[games_access] GDC 2008: VERY Bad News

[d. michelle hinn]

Re: No hardware -- I think it's a bad idea not to bring ANY hardware. 
Even just a broken (ask me about airport security) Quad Controller 
gets more "what the HECK IS THAT????" comments and it starts 
meaningful discussions. So we can do what we did at E for All -- very 
scaled back (even more so) and just let people see what the 
controllers really look like.

Michelle

>It is a good idea to try and set up a few meetings -- I'm dubious 
>after what happened with the GarageGames meeting (ie, they 
>disappeared after a solution was developed by you and Eelke and they 
>didn't use it either...just total silence...). But perhaps we're 
>better known now -- my main fear is that we are back to GDC 04, 05, 
>06 where we got one/two proposals accepted (with 06 being the best 
>because the workshop got accepted -- it was shot down again after 
>two years of trying to get it back on schedule) and not much 
>attention from devs, etc... That doesn't mean we have to accept that 
>it will happen again -- that's my problem more than anyone else's, 
>my fears coming through.
>
>So we need to make a plan of who will contact which company to set 
>up those meetings -- that's going to be between the three of us. A 
>lot of these meetings happen casually over drinks at the exclusive 
>parties so those are the ones I can get a couple of us into (beyond 
>Level 99).
>
>As for fliers -- that may end up coming down to the three of us. 
>This might be something to put down on the funding plan for Ben, 
>since publicity/SIG growth is one thing that can be covered.
>
>Michelle
>
>>While this is isn't the ideal situation it's not a total loss for the
>>group and we have to work within our resources to do the best we can.
>>
>>If only three of us can come, then I suggest we don't bring any
>>hardware accessories. Instead, let's create flyer's and brochures
>>about the accessories. Maybe even produce videos of people using them.
>>
>>I also recommend that because we are a smaller group this year, we try
>>to have personal meetings with game developers to talk about how we
>>can help them.
>>
>>-Reid
>>
>>On Nov 27, 2007 12:25 PM, d. michelle hinn <hinn at uiuc.edu> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>  Ok...
>>>
>>>
>>>  So remember when I was writing for days straight for all the GDC 
>>>submissions
>>>  without a whole lot of help? All submissions have been accepted now so we
>>>  have some bad, bad music to face. I never did put up all the final
>>>  submissions on the WIKI -- I was too tired after the deadline and 
>>>it doesn't
>>>  matter as much now. I'll get them up for archive reasons.
>>>
>>>
>>>  Well...we've been hit by reality this year. I hate to bring this up again
>>>  but I feel that I have to -- A lot of public word got out about our big
>>>  post-GDC fight last year (it's archived on the net...). I'm not saying that
>>>  it was any one person or any one comment -- I can't even look at 
>>>the archive
>>>  without beating myself up about it because I felt like I had really, really
>>>  let everyone down. I got the proposals and the passes but I couldn't make
>>>  our showing work in the best way possible. I couldn't be everywhere
>>>  advertising our sessions. I was far from perfect, we were all far from
>>>  perfect, we had big dreams but not enough people doing the work. I'm not
>>>  saying everything goes back to that but we had a big year last year, had
>>>  more than enough passes for everyone...and that was then. It's hard for
>>>  me...well, it's very sad for me to realize that we had it so 
>>>great last year
>>>  and we didn't recognize it, we didn't have enough real help when push came
>>>  to shove (or suitcase pulling came to suitcase pulling back and forth every
>>>  day to the convention center). All the "should of" "would have" 
>>>"could have"
>>>  things are coming back to haunt me. I stopped flogging myself about this a
>>>  while ago and thought that I had come to peace with it but I realize now
>>>  that I still haven't stopped flogging myself about not being superhuman. I
>>>  know. I know. Stop it.
>>>
>>>
>>>  So...we only had one proposal accepted. All the acceptances are in now.
>>>  Reid's [cc] poster (downgraded from a 20 minute talk but I think this will
>>>  get more people) submission.
>>>  [https://www.cmpevents.com/GD08/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=6456]
>>>
>>>
>>>  The other two were IGDA solicited (ie, they did not go through the system)
>>>  -- accessibility arcade and the SIG meet and greet. That buys us two more
>>  > passes -- one is mine since I'm SIG chair and one was for Eelke 
>>for the meet
>>>  and greet because he helped on the proposals.
>>>
>>>
>>>  I'm going to try and talk to everyone I can think of to try and get a few
>>>  more passes because one of those is a roundtable and was solicited by IGDA
>>>  (that was NOT in the proposal process) and it's accessibility arcade. To
>>>  pull that off, we need more people. I hope that this gets us a few more
>>>  passes.
>>>
>>>
>>>  The booth is out of question unless we can get some SERIOUS money 
>>>FAST. I am
>>>  trying every angle I can think of but so far no luck. The booth SPACE costs
>>>  $5100 for 10x10 booth -- add on about $3000 more for the "required" minimum
>>>  of stuff we have to provide...no way. IF we get an expo booth it 
>>>will get us
>>>  more EXPO passes, which will restrict those with these passes to just being
>>>  able to get into the expo area (no talks, etc). That's the reality.
>>>
>>>
>>>  I'm sorry to have to tell you this and I'm sorry for the 
>>>anger/sadness in my
>>>  tone. We are not going to be able to bring everyone we want to. I 
>>>cannot say
>>>  when or if I'll hear if we can get more passes. I know some of you have
>>>  already made flight and hotel arrangements. If you are one of these people,
>>>  please check with your airlines, etc for the last date to cancel without
>>>  penalty.
>>>
>>>
>>>  So three passes...that's it. That's where we are at. I will let you know if
>>>  the pass situation changes but for now it doesn't look great. We now have
>>>  fifteen fewer passes so those of us in attendance are going to have to try
>>>  and talk our asses off at GDC.
>>>
>>>
>>>  Michelle
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>>>
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