The Energon Pub

News Credits: 12 · by **GuyIncognito** » Wed Apr 07, 2010 5:47 pm

I'm going to my first BotCon this year, and I have few questions about the convention-exclusive figures:

1. How and where do you get them? Like, is there a special booth at the convention, or what?

2. Do you have to pre-order them?

3. How much do they cost? (approx.) Like are they double the normal MSRP of the figure, or what?

4. Do they usually have enough for everyone who wants them, or do you need to be at the front of a line or something?

News Credits: 402 · by **Mkall** » Wed Apr 07, 2010 6:00 pm

GuyIncognito wrote:I'm going to my first BotCon this year, and I have few questions about the convention-exclusive figures:

1. How and where do you get them? Like, is there a special booth at the convention, or what?

2. Do you have to pre-order them?

3. How much do they cost? (approx.) Like are they double the normal MSRP of the figure, or what?

4. Do they usually have enough for everyone who wants them, or do you need to be at the front of a line or something?

1) In the past, they're usually in the same room as registration. Typically you go from registration (one line) to the exclusives (another line)

2) No, they typically have enough for 1 of each set per person

3) I think it was 80 for the one set and 100? for the other, although last year there were three sets, so that can change.

4) Yes, they have the limit of one of each set per person. Those wanting multiples will have to test their luck early Saturday.

by **videriant** » Wed Apr 07, 2010 8:20 pm

1) It may or may not be inside the check point but it's usually near the front entrance. Registration pickup is in a different place though.

2) After pick-up you can get into line anytime Thursday-Friday with you tag and buy a certain number.

3) http://mysite.verizon.net/NicodemusLegend/datasheet.htm

4) The try and have gotten better at making sure that anyone who wants one before Saturday can get it. They decide how many you can buy by how many they made and how many attend. Last year, you were allowed to buy 1 sweeps set (1000), 2 skyquake/banzaitron (1400), and 3 razorclaw/elita-one (2000.

News Credits: 402 · by **Mkall** » Wed Apr 07, 2010 11:24 pm

videriant wrote:3) http://mysite.verizon.net/NicodemusLegend/datasheet.htm

I had no idea that site existed. Thanks!

News Credits: 8 · by **LiKwid** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 1:01 am

Mkall wrote:
videriant wrote:3) http://mysite.verizon.net/NicodemusLegend/datasheet.htm

I had no idea that site existed. Thanks!

I concur..That link FTW!!!!

by **ang3l3s** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 6:55 am

Thank for the info, good thread!!!

News Credits: 12 · by **GuyIncognito** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 7:05 am

Do you have to be a registered attendee to buy souvenir figures, or can people who walk in off the street and pay the $10 General Admission buy them too?

News Credits: 129 · by **Counterpunch** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 7:26 am

GuyIncognito wrote:Do you have to be a registered attendee to buy souvenir figures, or can people who walk in off the street and pay the $10 General Admission buy them too?

You'll never get your hands on them like that, though the option is there.

Every registrant gets theirs Thrusday night. Friday is closed to the public, no gen admin. Friday is also for late registrants to get their stuff.

Saturday morning around 8am, people who have registered and got their souvenir figures get a second chance to buy extras.

10am Gen Admin opens. The line is around the building (literally). If there are any left (usually there aren't), then you get in line (after getting into the convention) behind all the other people trying to do what you're doing.

General Admission attendees are treated like crap...and they are getting what they pay for to be honest. Compared to the other people paying $150-300 to get in, they get to wait.

That's how it goes...

2009 was kind of an exception, they over-produced a lot, and there were a good number of Razorclaw/Elita-1 packs left. I doubt that will happen again though. FP, despite being unable to do a proper pre-convention registration, seems to learn about production numbers eventually.

by **videriant** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 10:47 am

Counterpunch wrote:That's how it goes...

2009 was kind of an exception, they over-produced a lot, and there were a good number of Razorclaw/Elita-1 packs left. I doubt that will happen again though. FP, despite being unable to do a proper pre-convention registration, seems to learn about production numbers eventually.

I've always wondered if the club did it on purpose. They produced an uneven amount with 2000 Razorclaw/Elita-One, 1400 Banzai/Skyquake, and 1000 Sweeps 3-packs. I'm guessing that they over-produced the Razorclaw/Elita-One so that they could sell it to the 2007 set buyers since that's what it went with and maybe even to spread out some costs. Unless they're hiding some more the club store only has 12 left in stock last time I checked so they may view it as a success and continue producing a fair amount which'll keep the scalper prices low. Or maybe not since they did have to put it on sale.

by **videriant** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 12:29 pm

Something I posted last year with updates.

WEDNESDAY: If you are in the 1) wednesday tour, 2) thursday tour, 3) wednesday class and/or 4) thursday class you can pick up your stuff on Wednesday night. The pickup include the box set, loose set if you bought it, free attendee toy and BADGE. This year, I think the official dates are Thursday-Sunday so not sure how this year works out.

THURSDAY: On Thursday night, the rest of the people can pick up their stuff. After you pick your badge on Thursday night you can then get into the lines for the TFCC store, which is where you will be able to buy the attendee sets. Last year the sets were Rodimus/Megatron and Sideswipe/Blurr. You are allowed one set per person (not per Primus Pack) and they will punch holes in your badge when you've bought them. The line will be long and slow (cash line is faster) so if you were able to pick up your badge on Wednesday then you'll probably be in front of the line. For 2009, the sets and numbered allowed to buy was 3 Razorclaw/Elita-One, 2 Banzai-tron/Skyquake, 1 Sweeps 3-Pack. They did not punch holes but checked a name binder they had.

FRIDAY: Anyday Friday, you can also pick up your badge and then buy the extra toys. The toys are only available to pre-registration people on Thursday and Friday. They'll most likely still be available Friday if you don't want to stand in line Thursday. The only time they haven't been available was due to short supply from production issues or shipping issues. The reason the line is so long on Thursday is that we fans don't have the patience to wait to get our hands on these toys.

SATURDAY: After the club store closes Friday, they will count how many sets they have left. These will be available to anyone registered to buy on Saturday morning. Last year we were able to buy 2 extra Rodimus/Megatron and 2 extra Sideswipe/Blurr per person. Because these extra sets were being sold in the dealers room, people doing walk-ins on Saturday were not able to register until they opened to the public at 9. By this time the line for the extras was long (it started at 5) and their chance of getting the figures were slim. For 2009, you had to choose between standing in line for the toys or standing in line for Weird Al or Peter Cullen's autography. You were allowed to buy the toys in the same amount 3 RC/E1, 2 BZ/SQ, 1 sweeps. I was able to buy the toys and then managed to be last in line for Weird Al. The Peter Cullen line was so long they moved the people to the afternoon session. If you're not pre-registered your chances of getting a popular autography is slim. You also have to pay for it.

SUNDAY: Some dealers wil be more willing to deal on the last day but some dealers are very rigid. Don't waste your time if you get this vibe from them (unless you enjoy hard haggling of course).

Other notes from last year:
1) Dealers and people volunteering at 6PM on Thursday were allowed to purchase their extra sets before the store officially opened. I believed the dealers were still limited to 1 or 2 extra sets though.

2) On Saturday when the extra sets were open to the public, dealers were not given preferential treatment and had to stand in line to buy extras. In 09, they were allowed to give their badges to others who stood in line to buy for them.

3) There will be a long line to get into the dealer's room when it first opens, but after five minutes it disappears. The only reason to be in the line this early is if you're looking for rare items or japanese items that'll be limited. Of course, if you're rushing to people's booths it'll be harder to ask em for discount. =D

4) The best time for deals is early and late. Early on, the dealers have not had a chance to compare notes yet. Late, they dealers are just trying to move stuff.

5) Some dealers have more of the items then they have on display. If you see one item on the the table it could either be the last one or they have 20 more underneath the table. Just be aware.

6) Don't feed the scalpers.

News Credits: 12 · by **GuyIncognito** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 1:07 pm

Am I screwed if I don't get there until Friday?

Also, what if I don't want the box set, just a couple of the other souvenir figs?

News Credits: 129 · by **Counterpunch** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 1:22 pm

GuyIncognito wrote:Am I screwed if I don't get there until Friday?

Also, what if I don't want the box set, just a couple of the other souvenir figs?

How are you registering?

News Credits: 8 · by **LiKwid** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 3:04 pm

Is it really this chaotic? The convention is still supposed to fun right? Seems like some of these lines form up kinda early, Should I just plan on not sleeping the whole time?

News Credits: 97 · by **Savage** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 4:20 pm

LiKwid wrote:Is it really this chaotic? The convention is still supposed to fun right? Seems like some of these lines form up kinda early, Should I just plan on not sleeping the whole time?

Yes, it is really that chaotic.

Yes, it will still be the most fun you have ever had.

Sleep? At BotCon? lol.

by **videriant** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 4:35 pm

As long as you get there by Friday you should be fine. The club tries it best to still have all the attendee-only items still available by then. Last year I arrived at 4 PM friday and was still able to get all the items.

If you sign up for the Protoform package you should still be able to buy the attendee-only set but that's a sucker's bet. Last year the Protoform cost $135 while the Primus cost $295. If you couldn't unload a boxset plus Primus freebie for $160 then something has gone terribly wrong. I think Primus packs are the only one that get a chance at the free-trip drawing on Sunday and last year you couldn't attend the Paramount party unless you were Primus.

--------------------------------------------
Lines are only an issue on Thursday night, Saturday morning, and Peter Cullen autographs. Thursday night's line can be avoided if you wait until Friday. The club tries its best to make sure you can still buy the exclusives on Friday but there's no guarantee. The Saturday morning lines are for extras so you can't complain about those. The autograph lines are what they are.

News Credits: 273 · by **Delicon** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 5:25 pm

Honestly, the best thing to do is to plan on being there Thursday and not making any plans for an hour or two (or really at all after) the registration pickup time. It should be noted that ther are actually several registration times depending on when your you paid for your package. The earlier you paid, the earlier you can pick up your stuff and then enter the club store line for the add-ons. There is generally a line outside the convention center that forms an hour or two before the earliest package pickup time. As long as you are in the first group of pickups, try getting there a while ahead of time. If you are in a later group, you can still get there a bit ahead of your scheduled pickup time and get in line. The BotCon staff will be making constant announcements regarding who is allowed to be in what line (sometimes in a sort of obnoxious way)

I've been to 3 BotCons and every year the wait times overall were a bit different. In 2007 I had to change my flight and came in on Thursday night, but too late for registration. I probably only waited 5 minutes or so to register that time because most had done so the night before. The club store line was still pretty long, at least an hour, maybe an hour and a half even. That is significant considering if you bought the figures on Thursday you can't generally buy them again until Saturday morning.

In 2008, I forget the exact wait times. Both were longer but my situation was different. I want to say probably a combined 2 1/2-3 hours until all was said and done.

2009 was a total joke. It took forever just to even get in the building and both registration and the club lines were brutal, especially the latter. I spent a total of I believe 4 hours in the lines last year.

It should also be noted that in past years they had 2 different lines for the club store, one for cash and one for cards. The cash line is almost always quicker.

News Credits: 8 · by **LiKwid** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 9:23 pm

When and hopefully soon when the brochure is made available will more info be given as far as how things will go or can we expect more of the same?

So be sure to bring cash..check

News Credits: 273 · by **Delicon** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 9:51 pm

Info-wise, the BotCon brochures read about the same every year.

http://www.botcon.com/BotCon09/pasadena.pdf

That should give you a general idea of some things they will tell you about.

News Credits: 8 · by **LiKwid** » Sat Apr 10, 2010 12:06 am

Delicon wrote:Info-wise, the BotCon brochures read about the same every year.

http://www.botcon.com/BotCon09/pasadena.pdf

That should give you a general idea of some things they will tell you about.

Ah this is what i was looking for ..I remember last year drooling over the brocheure! Seems pretty cut and dry..