The Energon Pub

Geekee1 wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:Anyone going to practice up and give me a challenge for fighting games this year?

(PorQPine...I do believe we have a day of reckoning in April 08 )

I haven't played SF in years but I am willing to learn at the feet of the master. That and you know, you'll be in my car, so you might as well give me some tips.

Is anybody else interested in splitting a room yet?

On a serious note, anyone interested who is sufficiently cool and will not steal our wallets while we sleep, should contact either Geekee or myself about accomodations. Reservations have been arranged and every roomie is another opportunity to spend a few more dollars in the show room.

Counterpunch wrote:

Geekee1 wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:Anyone going to practice up and give me a challenge for fighting games this year?

(PorQPine...I do believe we have a day of reckoning in April 08 )

I haven't played SF in years but I am willing to learn at the feet of the master. That and you know, you'll be in my car, so you might as well give me some tips.

Is anybody else interested in splitting a room yet?

On a serious note, anyone interested who is sufficiently cool and will not steal our wallets while we sleep, should contact either Geekee or myself about accomodations. Reservations have been arranged and every roomie is another opportunity to spend a few more dollars in the show room.

Currently, I'm planning to room and travel with two other Madison transfans. If that should fall through, I'll give ya a call, I don't mind sleeping on the floor.

Why is it that Botcon always seems to be in the furthest northern states? When will it ever come to Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, or even Kansas (where I reside)? Probably never. Transformers hate Kansas and so do I.

Counterpunch wrote:On a serious note, anyone interested who is sufficiently cool and will not steal our wallets while we sleep, should contact either Geekee or myself about accomodations. Reservations have been arranged and every roomie is another opportunity to spend a few more dollars in the show room.

There will be a background check, please have two forms of ID ready.

I'm working on trying to get my girlfriend to go but I think she's afraid of doing nothing but Transformers stuff for 3 to 5 days. Sigh! She must think I'm nuts!

If she doesn't go, I might have a spare bed. I think I got one of the rooms with two queens (or kings?) just in case. Didn't affect the cost of the room either way, I don't think, so better safe than sorry. At least this way I can keep my options open until we have to register, and even then we could do an antendee package for her. We'll have to see how it all works out.

Are there any airports near Cincinnati? I'd like to try and get a one stop trip to and from New Orleans for three. It would also help if it's cheap.

Seibertron wrote:I'm working on trying to get my girlfriend to go but I think she's afraid of doing nothing but Transformers stuff for 3 to 5 days. Sigh! She must think I'm nuts!

If she's worried about that you could have her call Kristen. She'd explain how much fun she had last year.

Unfortunately she won't be able to go this year, because the baby will be out of her belly by then .

And according to this site you do contain nuts!

sorry if this was already asked before, but i guess its better to ask in here rather than start a new thread. could someone tell me all the exclusives for botcon 2008. early reservation exclusives, hotel reservation exclusives, attendee exclusives; whatever the exclusive, id like to know who they are. it would be great if you guys could include some pics and, if possible, the prices. thanks and i greatly appreciate it.

Scalpel wrote:Are there any airports near Cincinnati? I'd like to try and get a one stop trip to and from New Orleans for three. It would also help if it's cheap.

New Orleans?? Sure you don't wanna suck it up and take a car? Cause if you did, we could carpool it. I'm in southern Mississippi, about 90 minutes from New Orleans. It's only an eleven hour drive from me to Cincinnati, wouldnt be bad at all with a couple people to help drive and good conversation.

So I got to thinking about how I can change my status from solid "maybe" to "for sure" going. Since I'm also doing San Diego I have limited funds, being only 4hrs away though I want to go.
Primus package is just so freaking expensive. I could sacrifice my Con exclusives so I look at the '06 Protoform package from Lexingtion.

I now remember why I stood in line for 1.5hrs to pay $10 for single day admissions. Cost $20. Protoform package(no toys,no party, nothing but just pre-reg admittance) was member=$114 nonmember=$160. Just to walk in the door for 2 days and not stand in line.
Brian and company sure are a little too proud of their con to be charging that much money in advance. San Diego Comic Con is going to cost less than $75 for 4 days pre-reg.

Brian needs to seriously reevaluate his pricing to make it more available to more people.

If I go I'm just going to stand in line and pay the $10-15 single day admission price. His protoform pre-reg pricing needs a massive overhaul.

captain craig wrote:Brian needs to seriously reevaluate his pricing to make it more available to more people.

Nah.

Pay to Play.

TF Collector Rule #1.

Counterpunch wrote:

captain craig wrote:Brian needs to seriously reevaluate his pricing to make it more available to more people.

Nah.

Pay to Play.

TF Collector Rule #1.

Limiting the field isn't ultimately the smartest of business decisions. The business is to make money for Master Collector. Is it better to sell more weekend pre-reg packs for $50-70 or fewer at a Protoform price of $120-160, thus netting a lower bottom line.

I've paid to play as well but if he wants to sel me a single day pass for $10-15 for 2 days for a net profit of $20-30 or sell me a pre-reg pass for around $50(which most would see as reasonable) its up to him to limit his bottom line. I've no problem sacrificing up to a total of 3 hours to stand in line to save money I'd rather spend in the dealer room.

To put such a ludicrous premium on his Protoform packs is not the best move.
Collectors pay-to-play all the time but DragonCon,GenCon and San Diego Comic Con attendees are just as eager to collect and participate as TransFans, yet they(and other cons) want more to play which equals more money in the end for not only the Con but the Dealers. Dealers who make more money come back more readily.

So if slow growth is Master Collectors goal then their business model is perfect.

That is my issue, financial problems! I'd absolutely LOVE to go to BotCon, but the prices for decent admission and whatnot is outrageous! I understand the concept as to why, because some people will pay whatever without a second thought...which leaves out those who are fans, yet are on a tight budget. As the days go by, the chances of me getting to go get slimmer and slimmer....a fact that kinda bothers me...but being poor limits ones' fun considerably!

Doh! Why is it alwasy held across the country? When will there be Phoenix, AZ Botcon? It is only like the 6th-most populated city in the country, or something!!! Ohio, in April? Damn!

captain craig wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:

captain craig wrote:Brian needs to seriously reevaluate his pricing to make it more available to more people.

Nah.

Pay to Play.

TF Collector Rule #1.

Limiting the field isn't ultimately the smartest of business decisions. The business is to make money for Master Collector. Is it better to sell more weekend pre-reg packs for $50-70 or fewer at a Protoform price of $120-160, thus netting a lower bottom line.

I've paid to play as well but if he wants to sel me a single day pass for $10-15 for 2 days for a net profit of $20-30 or sell me a pre-reg pass for around $50(which most would see as reasonable) its up to him to limit his bottom line. I've no problem sacrificing up to a total of 3 hours to stand in line to save money I'd rather spend in the dealer room.

To put such a ludicrous premium on his Protoform packs is not the best move.
Collectors pay-to-play all the time but DragonCon,GenCon and San Diego Comic Con attendees are just as eager to collect and participate as TransFans, yet they(and other cons) want more to play which equals more money in the end for not only the Con but the Dealers. Dealers who make more money come back more readily.

So if slow growth is Master Collectors goal then their business model is perfect.

You don't have access to Master Collector's books. You don't know what their business model is.

They on the other hand, have put forth 3 of the best BotCon events ever, with some of the best exclusives ever. Maybe if the Con was failing, then your take on things would be valid. It isn't failing though. Any commentary positive or negative from that standpoint is just armchair quarterbacking.

If you've never been to a BotCon, you won't understand how crowded the sales floor gets and how quicking anything worth buying is snatched up. Let the General Admission and Protoform package people pay up, afterall, I paid in full and I'd rather them not go about snatching up deals from me.

(Sounds evil right? Nah, what's evil was just walking into the show room, right past the 2 hour waiting line with Getter Dragon and the gang. High Five!)

Counterpunch wrote:

captain craig wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:

captain craig wrote:Brian needs to seriously reevaluate his pricing to make it more available to more people.

Nah.

Pay to Play.

TF Collector Rule #1.

Limiting the field isn't ultimately the smartest of business decisions. The business is to make money for Master Collector. Is it better to sell more weekend pre-reg packs for $50-70 or fewer at a Protoform price of $120-160, thus netting a lower bottom line.

I've paid to play as well but if he wants to sel me a single day pass for $10-15 for 2 days for a net profit of $20-30 or sell me a pre-reg pass for around $50(which most would see as reasonable) its up to him to limit his bottom line. I've no problem sacrificing up to a total of 3 hours to stand in line to save money I'd rather spend in the dealer room.

To put such a ludicrous premium on his Protoform packs is not the best move.
Collectors pay-to-play all the time but DragonCon,GenCon and San Diego Comic Con attendees are just as eager to collect and participate as TransFans, yet they(and other cons) want more to play which equals more money in the end for not only the Con but the Dealers. Dealers who make more money come back more readily.

So if slow growth is Master Collectors goal then their business model is perfect.

You don't have access to Master Collector's books. You don't know what their business model is.

They on the other hand, have put forth 3 of the best BotCon events ever, with some of the best exclusives ever. Maybe if the Con was failing, then your take on things would be valid. It isn't failing though. Any commentary positive or negative from that standpoint is just armchair quarterbacking.

If you've never been to a BotCon, you won't understand how crowded the sales floor gets and how quicking anything worth buying is snatched up. Let the General Admission and Protoform package people pay up, afterall, I paid in full and I'd rather them not go about snatching up deals from me.

(Sounds evil right? Nah, what's evil was just walking into the show room, right past the 2 hour waiting line with Getter Dragon and the gang. High Five!)

I'm not calling Master Collector or their Botcons a failure, financially or otherwise just to correct the assumption you seemed to jump to.

3 of the best EVER. Well to answer your question I've been to every Botcon since 1999 except their first one cause I went to Pasadena for the last Hartman Botcon(there were two that year and I'd rather meet Peter Cullen). So despite Glen Hallit and 3H's ruining of BotCon financially they put on some great shows. So when I hear you say the 3 they've done are consectively THE BEST, I hear hyperbole in that statement.

The point being though that they overcharge. I've no doubt they make a profit but as a poster a few posts up says PRICE is the issue for him, me(this year cause of my dual 'Con trip) and others. They could make more.

There are always going to be people who can't afford to go because of varying circumstances. Funpub sets a price that works for them. It's not a personal vendetta to screw people over because they don't have a higher paying job.

If I wasn't able to go this year, oh well, my bad for not planning ahead.

^^^^^
Its not about someones job and level of income. Planning ahead sure. If your income dictates you need more lead time thats different.

I've been planning ahead since the end of last BotCon to go back to San Diego Comic Con. I had figured that BotCon would go west and with one trip (SDCC) already west I wouldn't be able to fly both times no matter how much time I might have. Which as it turns out with BotCon being in April isn't much time. However, its driveable and therefore I'd go.

My discussion has been about how much more reasonable it is to get more attendeees there by lowering their Protoform package which is nothing more than Pre-Reg'ing. Not toys, no party, no special anything. I'm pointing out how out of balance they are with other cons. Others have said this about their pricing as well.

There is nothing wrong with commenting on that and despite your distance of income the pricing is an issue. Apparently for those who don't even do other cons like myself.

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but Botcon does not pull in nearly as many people as the other cons that you are listing, especially SDCC. There is a much larger fanbase that goes to those cons because they crossover to a larger group of people. At places like SDCC you get everyone from comic collectors, to Star Wars and Star Trek fans, and many more. So you automatically have a much larger pool of fans to come to the convention. Therefore you don't need to charge as much per person, as you are already guaranteed a larger fanbase.

Botcon is all about Transformers and it doesn't attract those crossover people. It's TF or nothing there.

^^^^^
No you make a valid point that the audience for these other Cons is larger, now, but they weren't always. Its silly to think that BotCon needs to have 10K plus in attendance before the price comes down. And really do you think the price would come down. Things only go up, not down. Unless Wal-Mart takes over the con pricing.

Keeping it just within our fandom though pricing is still a limiting factor more than location. I've no doubt they would pull more TF fans from the die hard to the fringe fan who are within distance but one of two things puts them off
- High price to Pre-Reg via the Protoform
- Standing in line to buy a single day

You eliminate both reasons, assuming nothing else is stopping you from coming, by having a more resonable Pre-Reg package.

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! Only a 2 hour drive!!!

Pyrostrata wrote:That is my issue, financial problems! I'd absolutely LOVE to go to BotCon, but the prices for decent admission and whatnot is outrageous! I understand the concept as to why, because some people will pay whatever without a second thought...which leaves out those who are fans, yet are on a tight budget. As the days go by, the chances of me getting to go get slimmer and slimmer....a fact that kinda bothers me...but being poor limits ones' fun considerably!

I'm rooting for you. It'll be tight, but you can make it. I've already set aside the money my parents gave me for Christmas, and I'll be pinching every penny between now and then to come up with the rest. Just remember,
Dare. Dare to keep all your dreams alive, it's time to take a stand.

My mantra last year was "I dont care if I have to hitchhike, I'm going to BotCon." Incidently, I did have to sleep in the car on the way home, due to being about $20 short of affording a hotel. But dammit, I made it, and it was worth it.

Savage wrote:

Pyrostrata wrote:That is my issue, financial problems! I'd absolutely LOVE to go to BotCon, but the prices for decent admission and whatnot is outrageous! I understand the concept as to why, because some people will pay whatever without a second thought...which leaves out those who are fans, yet are on a tight budget. As the days go by, the chances of me getting to go get slimmer and slimmer....a fact that kinda bothers me...but being poor limits ones' fun considerably!

I'm rooting for you. It'll be tight, but you can make it. I've already set aside the money my parents gave me for Christmas, and I'll be pinching every penny between now and then to come up with the rest. Just remember,
Dare. Dare to keep all your dreams alive, it's time to take a stand.

My mantra last year was "I dont care if I have to hitchhike, I'm going to BotCon." Incidently, I did have to sleep in the car on the way home, due to being about $20 short of affording a hotel. But dammit, I made it, and it was worth it.

Maybe not this year, since I had too many mishaps this year...but I am working my pennies for next year...I am still, however, working on getting a fund together to get to go this year.....I have my fingers crossed! I SO wanna go!

Thanks for the vote of confidence, though

I highly doubt I'll make it, as much as I want to. I mean, afterall... I do have to move into an apartment in January. Rent, electric, water... Not too bad. Until you realize I'm moving in and just starting policies, so there's down payments and other "beginning charges" of the sort. I'll be doing good if I don't end up in Credit card debt by Febuary. But I'm still holding onto hope...

I'm holding onto hope, but....

I still have room for two more to share a room at Botcon. I am trying to have 4 people to help defray costs. This is for ladies only - nonsmoking room. That means less than fifty bucks a night if you don't mind a roll away to sleep on. Send me a PM and I will send details.