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robertderidder

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Gaffer

Gaffer (5/23)

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  1. So who are diamond pass guests? Anyone that has a Diamond Pass option? Considering how much there are of those now, I'm not sure what the advantage of the Gold Pass is, since most guests that you'd think you need a Gold Pass for, now have the Diamond Pass option.
  2. Love your Stargate sg1 team pic! Thanks. I got both teams complete now.
  3. Another thing that keeps me away from the higher priced guests is that the higher the price, the more unlikely they are to personalize your picture, which is what makes the experience special to me. In fact, seeing how things are moving with people run through like cattle on some lines, I will pass next year altogether, as basically we are paying ever higher prices for less experience. Even if the guests are bigger names.
  4. Jason, As you've made no mention of this. What will be the deal with the number of Diamond Passes and Gold Passes sold in the coming events? A lot of attendees, me included, get the feeling that there are too many of those around. In the past if you had a VQ ticket of say 500, you'd still have a pretty good chance to get an autograph in the afternoon. This year with a number over 100 (and in RDA's line even under 100) getting an autograph was actually difficult. And you mentioned earlier that this year only 40% of the Gold Passes were sold that you had available. So if more Gold Passes are sold next year, you might as well throw out the VQ system altogether. In fact even a Gold Pass wouldn't guarantee an autograph anymore...
  5. I think that would only be feasible if the autograph is sold with it. Otherwise a lot of people would just grab up those VQ tickets beforehand and not even show up or get the autograph. They did a test with selling autographs for Jeri Lyn Ryan. That system seemed to work.
  6. Don't think the comparison between LFCC and the cinema really works. When you go the cinema you buy one ticket to do one thing at one time in a purpose built building with full time employees. LFCC had multiple attractions a various times in a large multipurpose venue with a fantastic group of volunteers who do an amazing job but are only volunteers and can't possibly have information on every aspect of the show. My point isn't really that Showmasters could run that efficiently, but that people generally are accustomed to that kind of service. If I book an airline ticket online, I get detailed information in my mailbox about exactly what I'm supposed to do, where to go etc. Showmasters seems to be firmly stuck in the 20th century. I mean, it wasn't even possible to properly add the service costs in the online ticketing system. At the event there is no single central place where information about missing guests, photoshoot batches, etc. is given. Autograph guests were spread out over three areas, so you constantly have to move between those places to check what VQ numbers they're on, which guests are actually signing and which are on a lunch break. I know this is how it works, but I do appreciate that many people don't, because it's not just a step back from the service we're accustomed to in other circumstances, it's literally throwing us back into a past century. So what I mean to say is I don't expect that Showmasters can offer that kind of service, as they have shown over the years that they can't. But to judge people for not coming prepared isn't exactly fair, as an inexperienced con-goer wouldn't expect this kind of chaos. As for the volunteers. I appreciate that they volunteer their time and I'm not blaming a single one of them. But the simple fact is that if I ask a volunteer where the guest is they are sitting with, and they don't have an answer, at that moment that person is totally useless. It's great that SM are recruiting ever more volunteers for these events, but if they can't answer the questions asked, what good are they? And this is down to the organisation, not the volunteers.
  7. I think not. Why should people with wristbands get in earlier than the scan on the day people, so they can get the lower VQs? That's in no way fair. It just makes the flow easier and is certainly what's done at other events. Those with wristbands have nothing to scan so you'd need fewer staff looking after that entrance and focus the concentration of the staff on scanning the day tickets. But do those other events have a VQ system in place? It's not about flow only, but at these SM events your place in line is actually important for your chances on getting autographs with bigger guests.
  8. I think not. Why should people with wristbands get in earlier than the scan on the day people, so they can get the lower VQs? That's in no way fair.
  9. You make two good points but let me answer with a question. Have you ever gone on holiday to somewhere you have never been to before, turn up at the airport & expect to have every little detail arranged for you? I certainly wouldn't. I'd research the beep beep out of it to make sure I know what to expect. In fact a lot of the fun for me comes from the planning (I'm a little weird like that). I don't know what you mean by every little detail, but I work for a tour operator selling holidays to Turkey and basically yeah, most details are covered. From getting people from the airport, to their hotels, to checking in at the hotels. Hotels are All Inclusive, so that kinda sorts most things. In fact people get very upset if things aren't sorted. I think most people on this forum will agree with you about the preparation, as being on this forum actually means you're interested about preparation. BUT not everyone visits this forum and I can see how when you've never been to an event like this, you might expect things to be different. If I buy a ticket to see a movie and in the theatre ask as random employee where to go, they will have the answer or know who does. As experienced con-goers we know that things are more complicated, but this understanding comes from experience. The first time I went to a con I certainly didn't know how things worked and I also hadn't planned everything in detail beforehand, because I didn't know of the problems that would come up.
  10. Even though I do also plan my day, how many of the people agreeing with point 2 can honestly say they did this from the very first time they visited an event like this? I think it's something you learn by experience and you can't expect everyone to have that experience. Remember also that a lot (probably the majority) of attendees don't regularly visit this forum, so they don't know about the issues and problems beforehand.
  11. This actually is common knowledge, but see this under point 1. Basically what happens when you leave doors or windows open, warm air from outside keeps coming in, as the pressure of warm air is higher. Also one of the main reasons air conditioning works is by lowering the humidity, which gives the impression of a lower temperature. This also is best achieved by not letting any humid air in from outside.
  12. The problem with the airconditioning was that too many doors were opened, such as the front doors. Airconditioning only works properly if the doors and windows are closed. As the second and third floor were properly closed up, the airconditioning there worked as it should.
  13. I always carry a signature book with me. It's not as light as a plastic cover, but it keeps the pictures separated and the chances of smudges are virtually none existant. I learned the hard way with pictures stuck to each other because some inks take a long time to dry. Also the different plastic pockets can be dangerous with ink that isn't fully dried.
  14. Absolutely gutted. My list is getting shorter by the day.
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