Dear Paizo convention planners:
This is something I heard about at last year's Gen Con, since I wasn't able to attend. I had talked up Paizo's adventures to a friend of mine. Since he was attending Gen Con, he decided to drop by their booth to check out some of the APs I had mentioned that impressed me.
This was during, of course, the big unveiling of the Advanced Player's Guide. Instead of a regular booth which would have allowed him to browse, there was a huge line of people waiting for the APG. No one was allowed past the sentries to look at the other products.
Unsurprisingly, he felt rather disgusted and walked away.
Now, I completely understand that buzz for the APG was HUGE, and Paizo probably made a killing by selling the book at Paizo. But I remember a few years ago leisurely strolling through the Paizo booth, checking out the various modules and Game Mastery goodies that I rarely saw in stores.
I'm hoping to make it to Gen Con this year, and I'm planning to stop by the Paizo booth. I'm sure I'd be disappointed if I'm not allowed to peruse the booth, and can only stand in line for the Ultimate Combat.
Granted, this might just be a symptom of Paizo's success, and it's possible my friend's experience wasn't typical, but I think there might be a balance you can strike between the dedicated fans there to pick up the big event book, and others curious about what else Paizo has to offer.
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This was during, of course, the big unveiling of the Advanced Player's Guide. Instead of a regular booth which would have allowed him to browse, there was a huge line of people waiting for the APG. No one was allowed past the sentries to look at the other products.
There was a Line, Same as the year before for the RPG main book release, but I do not remember anyone from stopping people from browsing Paizo’s other products. He may have just felt intimidated by the line which was physically in the way, but I was able to walk through the line with no issue in 09 and 10.
Though if anyone wanted to buy anything they would have to wait in that line or come back later when the line was shorter.
Like I said, I wasn't there. You're probably right; he may have just picked a bad time. But since new potential customers could be showing up at all times, I thought I'd relay this story to make Paizo aware of a possible problem.
Sometimes GenCon security will step in when there are long lines and insist on people moving around. I remember when the first OotS books came out and the line was huge from a very small booth in an rea of the room that easn't very well equipped to have a long line; GenCon security went nuts and kept trying to move the line around. Sometimes that can cause wacky situations to arise.
SJ
As others have already said, yes, there were long lines at their location (wasn’t really a booth). But I never had any issues browsing any of their product, including beyond the APG.
What I really liked about Paizo’s area, is there were always developers to answer questions. Erik and Lisa were hard to catch, but I pretty much saw everyone else often enough, including Jason. :)
Lines are crazy first thing in the morning, particularly on opening day. I would definitely suggest coming around later in the afternoon.
Lines are crazy first thing in the morning, particularly on opening day. I would definitely suggest coming around later in the afternoon.
That is certainly my experience. The Paizo floor space is open, quite welcoming, and overflowing with staffers chatting it up and signing books.
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It's been my experience that Friday is the quietest day in the exhibit hall. Thursday is mobbed by people trying to score the new hotness, Saturday has locals in for just the weekend, and Sunday is crowded with people looking for last minute bargains or just the last chance to see that much gaming in one place.
Contributor
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Lines are crazy first thing in the morning, particularly on opening day. I would definitely suggest coming around later in the afternoon.
I have long felt that the way to begin any day at Gen Con is with a 10:00 seminar or reading, then a leisurely stroll through the exhibit hall after the hubbub has subsided.
Lines are crazy first thing in the morning, particularly on opening day. I would definitely suggest coming around later in the afternoon.I have long felt that the way to begin any day at Gen Con is with a 10:00 seminar or reading, then a leisurely stroll through the exhibit hall after the hubbub has subsided.
Slacker. I've been up for three hours by that time. :P
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Contributor
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Slacker. I've been up for three hours by that time. :PLines are crazy first thing in the morning, particularly on opening day. I would definitely suggest coming around later in the afternoon.I have long felt that the way to begin any day at Gen Con is with a 10:00 seminar or reading, then a leisurely stroll through the exhibit hall after the hubbub has subsided.
I'm not saying I haven't been up. I'm just saying that everyone should come to my 10:00 am readings. :)
Director of Narrative
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Wait! There's an AM at GenCon? Oh, yeah, sure...from the top side of the coin when it's still dark, but AM....and daylight?! Gross.
Edit: Nevermind. My memory banks recall going from horizontal, to coffee line, to Paizo booth for buttons every day, and I suppose that was AM-time.
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This may be a bit off Topic, but I'm curious if Paizo will be giving out any free swag, like the buttons they handed out last year.
I would wager they would have the buttons again. Think it's a successful form of advertisement.
They had a Paziocon button even this year. Not sure they did that last year or not. (If so I need to get it. )
2010 they even had it for sale again after the con so yea I would suspect they would.
Probably some new iconics.
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Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
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Yes. We'll have a different button every day, and the current plan is to also have lots of fun free stuff in the organized play room.
We've also got a limited edition Radovan miniature for folks who spend $50 or more in the booth.
Lines for the first couple hours of the first day are, frankly, insane. If you're worried about that, just swing by about two hours after the con opening (and any time after that) and you can browse at your leisure.
Yes. We'll have a different button every day, and the current plan is to also have lots of fun free stuff in the organized play room.
We've also got a limited edition Radovan miniature for folks who spend $50 or more in the booth.
Not going to GenCon, because that would cut into my Paizo budget and involve travel, but I hope some of this stuff survives to make it to the site for sale so I can buy it. A Radovan miniature sounds cool. Got to say I like him way better than the half-elf guy he works for and I'm looking forward to their second novel.
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Not going to GenCon, because that would cut into my Paizo budget and involve travel, but I hope some of this stuff survives to make it to the site for sale so I can buy it. A Radovan miniature sounds cool. Got to say I like him way better than the half-elf guy he works for and I'm looking forward to their second novel.Yes. We'll have a different button every day, and the current plan is to also have lots of fun free stuff in the organized play room.
We've also got a limited edition Radovan miniature for folks who spend $50 or more in the booth.
I like them both, but I'll admit that I'm more of a Varian fan myself. :)
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If I recall correctly, this was in direct response to the year of the Core Rulebook release. Gen Con officials were none too happy with the state of the wrapping circular line which crowded all the isles around the Paizo booth for a couple hours. Fantasy Flight Games got the same talking to due to their excessively long line. In response, Gen Con stated in 2010 that Paizo and FFG needed to find a way to deal with their excessively long lines on opening day. Paizo's method of dealing with it (and it worked fantastically) was to block off their booth and let in only a certain number of people at a time. Sean stood over to the side with the line entertaining the crowd until it was their turn to enter.
This is moot after noon or so since the bulk of the people wanting first-go at the goodies have moved on and the barriers come down. After that, and for the rest of the con, Paizo's booth is very open, and if you so desire you'll find a whole slew of Paizonians there to chat with (Sean and Lisa make themselves very available). It's easy to blame Paizo on this one, but from my understanding, this edict came down from the Gen Con organizers.
RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32
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10 AM on Thursday is always the Must Have Now Now Now time at any booth selling a popular new product. Sometimes it's completely necessary if you want to get some limited thing that won't otherwise exist until October, sometimes you wait 2 hours in line Thursday only to see a big stack of the same thing Sunday morning with no line.
By Thursday afternoon the craziness has generally died down.
I am so glad that I'm a teacher!(Trade Day ftw!)
Paizo's booth is very open, and if you so desire you'll find a whole slew of Paizonians there to chat with (Sean and Lisa make themselves very available). It's easy to blame Paizo on this one, but from my understanding, this edict came down from the Gen Con organizers.
I guess it was just timing for me with Lisa, then. And I was at Paizo’s location several times over the weekend. I saw her one day and even I almost missed her as she was about to leave. Although was able to grab her autograph before she left. :)
But I saw most of the rest of the staff pretty often and they were very friendly and willing to listen to my ramblings.
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Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
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Not going to GenCon, because that would cut into my Paizo budget and involve travel, but I hope some of this stuff survives to make it to the site for sale so I can buy it. A Radovan miniature sounds cool. Got to say I like him way better than the half-elf guy he works for and I'm looking forward to their second novel.Yes. We'll have a different button every day, and the current plan is to also have lots of fun free stuff in the organized play room.
We've also got a limited edition Radovan miniature for folks who spend $50 or more in the booth.
I'm pretty certain we'll be selling anything left over from the show, and in the case of the miniature I'm sure we'll have some for a long while. We're still selling last year's Varian Jeggare mini, after all, and I expect this one to be no different.
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I have always been impressed with the booth at Gencon. It's always nice to have one of the owners of the company (Lisa Stevens) work the counter, too.
Yes, it's been a busy place in the past at times. When you essentially sell-out your Gencon release product three years in a row, that can happen on Thursdays of the con.
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CEO
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I have always been impressed with the booth at Gencon. It's always nice to have one of the owners of the company (Lisa Stevens) work the counter, too.
Yes, it's been a busy place in the past at times. When you essentially sell-out your Gencon release product three years in a row, that can happen on Thursdays of the con.
I don't work the counter as much as I used to because there are too many things requiring my attention at the convention. However, the other Paizo owner, Vic Wertz, spends almost the entire convention at the counter checking people out!
-Lisa
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You two should really talk to the boss about cutting you some slack...
Bruce never cuts anybody some slack.
However, the other Paizo owner, Vic Wertz, spends almost the entire convention at the counter checking people out!
And you have no issue with that?
You are, indeed, a saint :)
I had no problems browsing (or spending a lot of money) at the Paizo booth. Despite the crowd of eager gamers, the Paizo staff were welcoming, friendly, and answered any questions I had.
Any question?!?!?!?! Next year ask them for the complete release schedule of Paizo products through 2015. ;)
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I had no problems browsing (or spending a lot of money) at the Paizo booth. Despite the crowd of eager gamers, the Paizo staff were welcoming, friendly, and answered any questions I had.Any question?!?!?!?! Next year ask them for the complete release schedule of Paizo products through 2015. ;)
You'd probably get an honest answer. Namely that there's what's on the website, what they've announced at Gencon and after that they're uncertain...