Open Complaint to Peter Adkison

[JoeGKushner]

I do have confidence in Peter's ability to improve for next year. He did show up in public (at the ENnies) and apologize sincerely for the troubles. He's a businessman, and wants to make money; and he's a gamer, and wants to see fellow gamers happy.

Not once did he show up and say something to the people in line. Nice to apologize to people already in the building but save some for those outside.

For the first time in a larger space, a new city, and probably new workers, I think the COn went extremely well - except for the glaring problem that everyone had to either partake in or walk past - the terrible wait for those who didn't pre-register.

See to me, I have to think completely opposite. First time in a new city that is supposed to handle a higher volumn completely fails.

Moral of the story for Con-goers: at least pre-register for your badge. Moral of the story for GenCon LLC: Make sure your computers, staff, and plan of execution are all working the way they should.

I'm afraid that for at least the three friends I came with, the moral of the story is don't go. They're mad now so they may be mistaken but when you're throwing up on the highway because you've got sun scorched while waiting for a convention, I suspect that they won't be going again.

 

[Sholari]

Recommendation. He might want to get someone with a supply chain management degree and a specialty in logistics. There are all sorts of ways to optimize lines using queuing theory and such.

 

[seankreynolds]

{I suspect a number of GenCon staff won't be back next year.}

Understand that the GenCon staff is a small group of people working out of Seattle. Most of the "GenCon staff" you saw working at the convention center are Indy locals who either are full-time employees of the center or hired by GC to help run the show. I can see some Indy "staff" not working the show next year due to incompetence, but I don't think this is going to cause a reduction or huge change in the Seattle staff (I'm pretty sure they were running around trying to do what they could to fix things, they're actually nice people and work hard).

 

[JoeGKushner]

{I suspect a number of GenCon staff won't be back next year.}

Understand that the GenCon staff is a small group of people working out of Seattle. Most of the "GenCon staff" you saw working at the convention center are Indy locals who either are full-time employees of the center or hired by GC to help run the show. I can see some Indy "staff" not working the show next year due to incompetence, but I don't think this is going to cause a reduction or huge change in the Seattle staff (I'm pretty sure they were running around trying to do what they could to fix things, they're actually nice people and work hard).

This may be 100% true but that's like telling a gunshot victim that he was accidentally shot. Nice to know that there was no malice but the damage is done.

I can understand that it's a small core staff. However, and this is something I'll keep harping on until I'm corrected, WE, the fans, we told that because Milwaukee is so small, crowded, etc.. that it was going to a bigger and BETTER place.

Peter's lack of stress testing on staff, systems and equipment has not one thing to do with me.

I work with computers. I stress test systems. I often fail to find that exact combination of events that will drive a system to failure but I TEST it for the EXPECTED results or the results that I'm claiming to shot for.

I won't say, "Yeah, this system should handle 20000" and then test it for 5000. I'd test it for 40000. There are dozens of things that could've been done better on site and all I saw was a customer service agent telling us "Don't give me any crap." That's a direct quote.

 

[Azure Trance]

I don't get it.

Part 2:
Joes D20 GenCon Review
(!= Azure Trances Review of Joes D20 GenCon Review):
* out of *****

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Part 2:
Joes D20 GenCon Review
(!= Azure Trances Review of Joes D20 GenCon Review):
* out of *****

Basically, you were synopsizing Joe's review of GenCon, not saying his review sucked, playing off his status as a reviewer.

 

[Cergorach]

Recommendation. He might want to get someone with a supply chain management degree and a specialty in logistics. There are all sorts of ways to optimize lines using queuing theory and such.

Erm... Not to diss people who have such a degree, but i think that's hardly needed. In the past i have worked for a large wholesale store, 50+ cash registers devided over two parts of the store. I didn't need a degree to 'manage' that, and i don't think you need a degree to manage admission to GenCon. You just need someone who can think on his feed, is not afraid to take chances, and is good with customers and workers.

In my experience, those 'management' types sometimes want to apply theory a little to fast.

btw. The "I'm taking no crap!" statement on a table and shouted from the top of his lungs does sound a bit funny ;-)

 

[Azure Trance]

Basically, you were synopsizing Joe's review of GenCon, not saying his review sucked, playing off his status as a reviewer.

Yessire. I love the three reviewers we have here (Si, Psi, Joe). They'll be the first ones I read and often they'll be the first ones to review the newest products available.

 

[Ancient Gamer]

Wow! ...and to think that my wife and I were going to try and save enough money to attend sometime over the next 2-3 years, ...if GenCon is still around.

Actually, we most likely will, but we will pre-register as foreseen here, bring folding stools and lots of water, hopefully the washroom issue will have been resolved by then

As much of a bad experience it sounds like, I believe it a bit pre-mature for anyone to declare that they will never attend another GenCon. I've been to many Cons and have staffed in a few, if anything (hopefully) Peter Adkison has learned from this and will make the "right" decisions for the next and future GenCons. Give the man some credit afterall, as I'm lead to believe, he was key to seeing the GenCons continue. I was concerned over the idea of not having them in Milwaukee, maybe this is a good reason to return GenCon to Milwaukee. There is a treasure of experience for dealing with Gamers and the GenCon experience there.

From the pic's and other comments on the net, GenCon Indy2003 was an overall good time (if you pre-registered). One bad apple dosen't always ruin the barrel . I'm looking forward to attending in style in a couple of years and make it a "positive, first time, experience" and hope that the legends of GenCons gone past, resurface for our visit. Thanks everyone who has placed a thread/comment in answer to Joe G Kushneron, thank you Joe, it'll help in our preparation.

Cheers

 

[2d6]

Recommendation. He might want to get someone with a supply chain management degree and a specialty in logistics. There are all sorts of ways to optimize lines using queuing theory and such.

I dunno, Most people in fast food management could tell you, get the badges to the people and get them inside, on hand written badges if need be. They could always hire a couple of temps or pay a little OT to fix it later and use the opprotunity to build goodwill. It shouldn't take a fancy degree to get people who want to be in a building into a building at a reasonable pace.

Joe's comments can now be read 11000+ people who can see for themselves the incompetence exhibited that day, that's not good PR. I sure am glad that I didn't go, because it would have only been for one day and that mess would have ruined it for me.