Forum - View topicNEWS: Otakon Addresses Pre-registration Issues
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Cutiebunny
 Posts: 1747 |
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Congrats, Otakon, on showing the same sort of hindsight and preparedness as Anime Expo. Despite trying to not be like AX, you've managed to accomplish their same folly.
Seriously. Never understood why certain large conventions never have a back-up in place. If the computer systems fail, there should be a simple list with the names of pre-registered attendees that staff checks off as they pick up their badge. Yes, it's very slow. But it beats standing in line without moving for hours on end. |
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walw6pK4Alo
 Posts: 9322 |
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Is it at all possible to ever have these conventions where the badges are just mailed to you in advance, and you simply waltz on in? Maybe it depends on the sort convention and the staff running it? I just went to a medical expo, and while the crowds will definitely be smaller and the attendees not screaming mentally deranged children, it was as easy as walking on in past the door staff because I already had the badge with me. Maybe it does have to do with the number of attendees.
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iloveturkey
 Posts: 70 |
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No doubt a medical expo is far more professional than a pop culture convention where the average attendee is too young to even drink. Just a combination of size and subject matter I'd wager.
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walw6pK4Alo
Posts: 9322 |
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Maybe they just don't want to pay for postage? If that was the case, have the postage be part of the price.
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Dessa
 Posts: 4438 |
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I personally won't attend a convention where badges are mailed out. The convention staff need to have proof that the person being given the badge is the person who registered for that badge, and is the age they claimed to be. Plus, for minors, you need to make sure their guardian is there.
I'd be afraid for my safety at any con that mailed them out. |
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walw6pK4Alo
Posts: 9322 |
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Ah, so is it because of deranged children, something pretty much any professional convention need never worry about.
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Barbobot
 Posts: 460 |
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I don't know why they can't. I've been to both PAX East and NYCC twice and every time for those conventions the passes were mailed out in advance and I just walked right in. Compare that to the first time I went to Anime Boston and ended up waiting 5 hours in line just to pick up my pass. |
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Asrialys
 Posts: 1160 |
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Anime Expo last mailed out badges in 2006 I believe. However, I guess forgeries were a problem. I have no idea how PAX East or NYCC works, but if counterfeiting is a problem, then the solution should be unique badge holders. AX has had some years with color-coded badge holders, but it was just generic holders and lanyards this year. For the two years (2005-2006) I attended Anime Expo with mailed badges, we still had to wait in line to get the badge holder.
As long as there are easily-identifiable badge holders, I think mailing out badges and picking up badge holders could be faster. The barcode on the back of the badges can be scanned for check-in, the attendee shows ID, and then the attendee gets a swag bag with badge holder and they're on their way. Every attendee must of course have both badge and holder to get into anything, thus diminishing problems with counterfeits. The only problem for AX if they do this is the location of a new line in the current layout 
Well, Anime Expo did start getting badges manually while the registration company worked out the problem. Yes, it was very slow. |
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Dfens
Posts: 459 |
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They always claim that counterfeit badges are a problem so they refuse to mail them out or that people will claim lost or stolen in the mail.
The time spent in line people could work more hours at their job and still come out ahead. These cons really need to get their act together and budget to have professionals run the badges. Hell even the dreaded Japan Expo had their act together their first year. You print out your badge with a bar code at home after paying and get scanned in at the one entrance and scanned out when leaving at the only one exit so that you could re-enter later. No one waiting in line for hours if you pre-registered and no one sneaked in without paying. I still don't see why to this day you need to freaking pre-register even if you buy a badge the same day. Just walk up to the door pay get a generic badge and walk right in so what it doesn't have your stupid name on it. That's what I did for the last 2 small comic conventions I went to and only waited less than 5 minutes after getting in line. |
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ムギまる
Posts: 14 |
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See that highlighted phrase there? It completely destroys the latter half of your argument. 
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enurtsol
 Posts: 14761 |
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IIRC, NYCC uses RFID scanners at the doors. Different badges use different colors/designs; children have separate badge. There's RFID chip inside the badge - the attendee activates it once received in the mail. An unique RFID badge can only pass the scan once going in and once going out - so a copy won't work. NYCC is 2nd only in size to SDCC in US attendance. http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/Tickets/NYCC-ID/Activate-Your-NYCC-ID-Badge/ -- Only authentic NYCC-ID Badges are eligible for activation, so you’ll know your NYCC-ID Badge is the real deal. No RFID chip in an authentic NYCC-ID Badge = no admittance to NYCC 2014! http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/Tickets/NYCC-ID/NYCC-ID-FAQs/ -- When you enter the building, you MUST tap your NYCC-ID Badge. When you exit the building, you MUST tap it again. You MUST tap your NYCC-ID Badge every time you enter or exit the building or the whole space time continuum will get screwed up and nobody wants that to happen! |
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Asrialys
Posts: 1160 |
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Japan Expo USA was very small last year. It may be bigger this year, and may get bigger if this year turns out more successful. They had very little to deal with and fit everything in one small building. |
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razisgosu
Posts: 657 |
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It seems like line management was completely neglected this year. Even the Altima line was cut off because it was moving into a no entry zone. So get some staff out there and fix it!
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yamiangie
 Posts: 465 |
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I like to think that the tap out has to do with correlating data of who's coming and going for fire safety reasons. So they know exactly how many people are in the building at any given time. (also to auto post I'm at NYCC if you signed up via social media.) When I got mine the email said we'll even have people with hand held ones doing random spot checks. Even if otakon does have Thursday pick ups they shouldn't be expected to service everyone who preregistered early. |
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Cutiebunny
Posts: 1747 |
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Yeah, I don't think you can cite what works for a small con as being something a large con should do. Animazement still handles registration with pre-printed lists despite having 12K in attendance this year. Imagine trying to do that at AX with 85K.
In case of large cons, I'd like to see them spread their registration to a couple of their 'official' hotels. That way, you can register nearby, in a climate controlled environment, instead of heading to the convention center, waiting outside for hours on end. Also, if one of the badge pick-up sites crashes, attendees could get their badge at another location. I like the RFID badges as well and would love to see them implemented at Anime Expo, but the satellite site thing would work as well. Same with Otakon. These would make things much quicker. |
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