Or just do it at 7pm PST, I'm imagining that the majority of people work during the day and would be home by 7pm PST (=10pm EST). It would affect ppl with night jobs, but then again, they are probably in the minority... Also, why not early morning Saturday? Someone's always going to be affected, but maybe target a time where the least ppl are affected.
I just have to say; stuff like this turns people away from a company. Why have a company's back if they're not going to have your back?
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That's fair but starting at 3pm east coast sort of screws those of us who are at work. We planned and arranged for today and things went south I get that but please reconsider the start time for those who can't change work,schedules at the drop of a hat.
Any time that's convenient for people in one time zone (during lunch/after work) will be less convenient for people in other time zones. If it started at noon EST, it wouldn't be during lunch time for people in CST or PST. If it started after work for people in PST, it would be getting late in EST. If noon PST works for Paizo, I'll take it.
No just wait until 4 or 5 PM Pacific
Gives us time to get home from work.
Other wise it will be a wasted trip.
The problem is, that time then inconveniances anyone who a) already had Friday evening plans (like my self), b) has a later Friday shift at work, or c) any other number of possibilities.
The realistic truth of the situation is that there is no good time. Someone gets screwed no matter what. Hell, with the original time, I was smack dab in the middle of work and wouldn't have gotten to register until much later. Now, I'll get to register right when they go live. That's the same for others I'm sure, and the reverse is true for some people. That's honestly just the way it goes, and yes, I'd be saying that even if I was still getting "screwed" out of registering for stuff. That's just the reality of things.
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Of all of the people I imagine are preregistered for the con and were anticipating today's open event registration and who have seen that it has now been put off until tomorrow due to technical difficulties, less than a handful have vocalized any issue with this new time. I don't say this to make light of any individual's situation or discount any individual's concerns, but it appears to me that the majority of preregistrants have accepted this new time.
I just want Paizo to choose whatever time works best for them to ensure open event registration goes off without any additional hitches when it finally goes live and to communicate that time to us as timely and as clearly as possible.
And, barring any additional technical issues, it appears they have.
I just have to say; stuff like this turns people away from a company. Why have a company's back if they're not going to have your back?
Glitches in the system happen, man. Paizo is doing what they can. This isn't a matter of not "having people's backs", it's a matter of "stuff happens". You shouldn't let something that's ultimately as minor as this ruin a company for you. That's silly.
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@JoeyDaWiz ... that's a bit harsh man. Coding a custom solution for a specific task is not a minor deal. Glitches happen. Even if you test thoroughly, there will be a corner case that will inevitably cause some kind of issue somewhere.
Personally, I'd prefer Paizo take their time and make the needed changes. It's not like PaizoCon is tomorrow ...
<checks calendar>
Yep, definitely not tomorrow. ;)
Gary, Sara, Chris, and all the other code monkey brothers and sisters dealing with this, thanks for your efforts and let us know when something major happens on the lottery front.
You guys are probably right given that you may have been interacting with paizo for way longer than I have... but as a first interaction with the company, although it logically doesn't it make sense, it has spoiled the experience a bit... but hey, we'll see what happens, maybe things won't fill up as quickly as I expect, or maybe I'll just get random stuff that I'll like. In any case, it's not the end of the world. Thanks for letting me vent.
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You guys are probably right given that you may have been interacting with paizo for way longer than I have... but as a first interaction with the company, although it logically doesn't it make sense, it has spoiled the experience a bit... but hey, we'll see what happens, maybe things won't fill up as quickly as I expect, or maybe I'll just get random stuff that I'll like. In any case, it's not the end of the world. Thanks for letting me vent.
Your venting is definitely heard and we understand completely. I wish we could make sure that our scheduling worked for everyone and that we didn't have situations where we're constantly switching up dates/times, unfortunately this is the result this time. We're going to do our best to keep this from ever becoming a reoccurring issue.
RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16
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Chris and Paizo tech team, thanks for putting in the hard and frustrating hours to get things so they'll work, I know how tough it is when things don't work as planned.
For future years though, I'd suggest that if you have to push it a day, make it a few days instead. It gives people with various time conflicts the opportunity to try to plan around whatever time is announced. Nothing will ever work for everyone, but the night before makes things harder than having a few days to try to carve out an hour on the calendar to have time to do something for many people.
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less than a handful have vocalized any issue with this new time. I don't say this to make light of any individual's situation or discount any individual's concerns, but it appears to me that the majority of preregistrants have accepted this new time.
That's not great reasoning. If they're anything like my wife and I, they may just realise that vocalising an issue results in no change, and having your opinion belittled by those who hold an opposing opinion.
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Why do some folks think they'll be screwed if they can't sign up for events within a few hours of the signups opening? I strongly suspect some serious perspective has been lost here. In the last couple of years, there were still slots open in many PFS games many days after signups opened. Everybody just relax! The con won't be ruined for you if you can't get to open event registration the first day it's open!
I've also played in non-full tables at the con itself. And, you can be sure there will be pick up games.
The extreme level of vitriol here is rather disheartening, but also completely unwarranted.
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That's fair but starting at 3pm east coast sort of screws those of us who are at work. We planned and arranged for today and things went south I get that but please reconsider the start time for those who can't change work,schedules at the drop of a hat.Any time that's convenient for people in one time zone (during lunch/after work) will be less convenient for people in other time zones. If it started at noon EST, it wouldn't be during lunch time for people in CST or PST. If it started after work for people in PST, it would be getting late in EST. If noon PST works for Paizo, I'll take it.
I guess you would since it benefits you
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You guys are probably right given that you may have been interacting with paizo for way longer than I have... but as a first interaction with the company, although it logically doesn't it make sense, it has spoiled the experience a bit... but hey, we'll see what happens, maybe things won't fill up as quickly as I expect, or maybe I'll just get random stuff that I'll like. In any case, it's not the end of the world. Thanks for letting me vent.Your venting is definitely heard and we understand completely. I wish we could make sure that our scheduling worked for everyone and that we didn't have situations where we're constantly switching up dates/times, unfortunately this is the result this time. We're going to do our best to keep this from ever becoming a reoccurring issue.
Still all of the apologies do not make up for the money that I have now wasted. With signup changing as it has to hours where I will not be able to get the events I want. This will cause me to have to sit out and therefore it will be a wasted trip.
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Why do some folks think they'll be screwed if they can't sign up for events within a few hours of the signups opening? I strongly suspect some serious perspective has been lost here. In the last couple of years, there were still slots open in many PFS games many days after signups opened. Everybody just relax! The con won't be ruined for you if you can't get to open event registration the first day it's open!
I've also played in non-full tables at the con itself. And, you can be sure there will be pick up games.
The extreme level of vitriol here is rather disheartening, but also completely unwarranted.
The problem is when you don't sign up early you lose out on the events you CAN PLAY and are left with the options of events you have already played.
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RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32
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The problem is when you don't sign up early you lose out on the events you CAN PLAY and are left with the options of events you have already played.Why do some folks think they'll be screwed if they can't sign up for events within a few hours of the signups opening? I strongly suspect some serious perspective has been lost here. In the last couple of years, there were still slots open in many PFS games many days after signups opened. Everybody just relax! The con won't be ruined for you if you can't get to open event registration the first day it's open!
I've also played in non-full tables at the con itself. And, you can be sure there will be pick up games.
The extreme level of vitriol here is rather disheartening, but also completely unwarranted.
Maybe a wait and see approach is warranted. The Con doesn't start for almost a month and open registration hasn't filled. Certainly, the sky may fall, some evens may fill. And, if that happens, AND you can't fix it in the intervening month, you might be hosed. BUT, it is certainly possible that events don't fill or do become open between now and Memorial Day.
Also, have you considered having a buddy with a different schedule log in for you to pick games? If the number of games I could legally play was really small, I would think about that option.
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Still all of the apologies do not make up for the money that I have now wasted. With signup changing as it has to hours where I will not be able to get the events I want. This will cause me to have to sit out and therefore it will be a wasted trip.You guys are probably right given that you may have been interacting with paizo for way longer than I have... but as a first interaction with the company, although it logically doesn't it make sense, it has spoiled the experience a bit... but hey, we'll see what happens, maybe things won't fill up as quickly as I expect, or maybe I'll just get random stuff that I'll like. In any case, it's not the end of the world. Thanks for letting me vent.Your venting is definitely heard and we understand completely. I wish we could make sure that our scheduling worked for everyone and that we didn't have situations where we're constantly switching up dates/times, unfortunately this is the result this time. We're going to do our best to keep this from ever becoming a reoccurring issue.
Wow, chill out a bit Tharizdhun. Having been to four previous Paizocons, I can tell you that even if you don't get everything you want now, you are going to find a bunch of great stuff (and I seriously doubt if the PFS tables are going to fill up within the week or two). The important thing is to keep a positive attitude.
One of the best PaizonCons I went to I got into no lottery events and ended up playing a few tables of PFS, hit a good number of seminars, and met a TON of really cool folks. Of course, I showed up with an open mind, figuring I would try out something different for a convention as well.
The issues with the lottery are, in the grand scheme of things, a truly minor inconvenience. Let's be honest about that. It is not life and death. It has not deprived you of your home or the ability to even afford to go the convention. It has not robbed you of your health leaving you physically unable to attend. All it has done is delayed you making selections of what you want to play while you are at the convention.
Will you miss out on some of what you want? Possibly. But very few folks who attend a convention actually get into everything they want to get into. As I said before, the key to having a great con experience, regardless of what con you are going to, is to go into it with a positive mindset and an open mind. It makes a world of difference.
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Sorry if what I said came across as saying that it does not have the potential to be frustrating, that was not my intent and I understand that it certainly can be. Especially if one does not have the means to be able to log in at 3pm ET (or even a few hours after) to check on the results and pick up additional events.
However, there does seem to be an idea that all the open PFS or other events will all fill up within minutes of open registration going live. From previous experience, I feel pretty certain that this will not be the case. Most seminars have historically been able to hold 30 or more attendees (some significantly more than that). And since PFS is running a limited number of scenarios compared to some of the previous years (which I actually think is a good thing), picking up a scenario you want to play from the listing should be much easier as they are being run in multiple slots.
All I am saying is that while it may be frustrating, it is not a serious issue in the grand scheme. It is, in all honesty, a first world problem (not talking about fey here, though maybe it was fey that glitched the system). As such, since it does not affect my physical, fiscal, or spiritual health, I don't feel it is worth having it affect my emotional health by getting bent out of shape about it.
Of course, as with anything else on the internet, YMMV. ;)
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Having whined a bit yesterday about being 'hosed', I now have to agree with rknop and zylphryx - this will be my third PaizoCon in as many years, and there are often hiccups with this process. But I have always gotten a lottery event or three and never had a problem getting into PFS games I could play, whether through advance sign-up or last minute juggling.
I've also had good luck with trading lottery events, enough so that I've had spare tickets and left them on the giveaway ticket board for others to enjoy.
Having said all that, I think I may have been focusing on this process too much yesterday, as the times shifted and I juggled my schedule to be available for the next open sign-up time. My evidence for this? Last night I dreamt that my son and I got our lottery results. We got into two events: one of the Out of Retirement games, which seemed like it would be fun, and a seminar on how to make Golarion-themed cakes. Sadly, we were the only ones in the seminar, we had never listed it in our preferences, and we were unable to trade tickets with anyone. To wit, we were trapped.
So if anyone wants some cake while we're at PaizoCon, come find me!
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PaizoCon Founder, Wayfinder Editor-in-Chief
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First....everything that zylphryx said. I have been to EVERY PaizoCon, and as it has grown, I've seen the lottery change considerably. When there were only 200-300 attendees, everyone stood a very good chance to get at least Two or three of their selections. Now? The con has reached 600-700 attendees, so you may get one of your high ranked picks. Heck, I started the darned thing, and even I'm lucky to get one event that I ranked at a 3 or 4, but my schedule has filled out nicely every single year, many times in unexpected but fun ways. So, if you have any doubts as to the randomness and fairness of the event.....
So, once they run this lottery successfully, your choices are really going to be limited to a very few seats left in non-PFS events. The PFS tables are, by design, set up to take a lot of people....that's the point of organized gaming, right? Heck, if Paizo can run successful PFS rooms at GENCON, why do you even doubt that they can at their own convention??
I know a lot of you are first time PaizoCon goers, so your expectations are running pretty high right now, and any hiccups may seem to be potentially disastrous to you. Let me assure you....they are not. The lottery is going to produce your schedule, and then the two week period of swapping and trading is in effect. There will be lots of PFS and seminars and such, so while it is frustrating, please don't default to the extreme response that everything is ruined before the results are even out.
Just consider that part of what makes PaizoCon great is indeed the games, but an equal part is the conversations, the seminars, and the unanticipated fun that you will literally stumble across while you are there.
As I have posted above in the thread MANY TIMES.....patience. And have faith in Paizo to make things right.
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I'm feeling thankful for everyone who has patience and the Paizo staff that's putting in a lot of energy to get everyone scheduled.
Maybe it's because this cup of coffee is particularly delicious this morning, or that I'm super excited for PaizoCon and know that there will be plenty of events available, even if you wait till the con.
<sip sip>
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That said it is still kind of frustrating. Adjusting work schedules and all only to have things go phooey.
It's absolutely frustrating, and completely understandable to be upset. That doesn't excuse the very negative comments people have been making and the hyperbole about the worth or lack there of concerning PaizoCon.
To be blunt, if you find going to a convention worthless just because you MIGHT miss some limited events, I would say you are missing the point of convention going.
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I for one am looking forward to meeting zylphryx and checking out the emp museum, catching some pick up games and attending some of the seminars.on the other hand I managed to get a friend to cover an hour of my shift so I really really hope this lottery goes off at 3 without a hitch. If for no other reason I really would like to see if I got into any of the games I registered for. I know I will still have fun if I didn't but it would be nice know.
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Chris and Sara - Any chance we could get an update on the timing? I know you left yourself a nice margin to be sure you could get things lined up for a noon start to open registration - did it turn out to be enough of a margin?
Like others, I'm doing a bit of juggling to be free when Open Reg starts, it would be helpful to know if noon PST still seems likely.
Sorry you've had to struggle through all the technical glitches and some unpleasantness here on the boards. My boy and I very excited for PaizoCon and confident it will be a blast - again!
I'm considering going to Paizocon next year, after all this gets all sorted out I'm curious what will be done to avoid this mess next year. It seems to me that manually doing the registrations would save time and customer irritation.
No, the registration and lottery results are still linked together by the open registration date.
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I'm considering going to Paizocon next year, after all this gets all sorted out I'm curious what will be done to avoid this mess next year. It seems to me that manually doing the registrations would save time and customer irritation.
I know it's kind of difficult to understand what goes on behind the scenes but I assure you doing registration manually like this would be an enormous burden on the staff, and it would still be error prone.
So I could not disagree with you more, there is nothing to gain by doing it manually.
Bugs happen. They are difficult to predict and sometimes difficult to fix. Hopefully the defects they found this year will be fixed by the time next year rolls around.
We seem to be headed in a positive direction for a 12pm PST launch.
If you ever get bored working for a great company that makes an awesome, fun product for a bunch of enthusiastic fans, you should consider a position doing slightly ambiguous press briefings for politicos. ;)
I understand why you want to be a bit guarded in your words at this point - thank you very much for the update and all your hard work!
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Somehow I'm calmer than the people who have lottery slots and found out only after lottery closed that I would be able to attend to see if anything was open to sign up for.
Even when this mess is fixed it's a fun groups and wonderful staff we have seen at many events. Just because it's not a first choice it will still be fun.
To our coders, good luck and lots of coffee!
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I'm considering going to Paizocon next year, after all this gets all sorted out I'm curious what will be done to avoid this mess next year. It seems to me that manually doing the registrations would save time and customer irritation.
I still think getting 20-50 of us as testers to run through the system with a smaller but real schedule would be a good option to catch issues. It would be a hard thing to simulate well in house. Each tester could see and know the intricacies of the schedule they selected.
I'm signing up for myself and my buddy (he's at work) and I'm still seeing this on his account:
Open event signup will begin 07:00 pm
Should I be worried?
