Regarding the coronavirus survey, policies need to have no exceptions or they are useless.
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Posted by mikeboozer

There will be zero toleration here for inappropriate posts. Or back and forth acerbic arguments that devolve the thread on whose right or wrong about what, we the government, or Russell Wilson for that matter should do. Take these discussions to the social media outlets of your choice. Not ours please.

Just like last year I fear we will need to lock this post as well if it devolves. For now in the interest of a sensible conversation on the matter we will keep it open.

Mike Boozer
Customer Service & Event Team Manager
Gen Con LLC

Posted by raidkillsbugsded

This makes me miss the days of voracious arguments about strollers in the dealer hall... 

Posted by squirecam kevinrg

kevinrg wrote:
I'm sure the survey's will play a big part in what they do.   If 90% of respondents say "I'm not coming til 2022" then chances are they won't bother.   If 90% say they would come mask free, vaccine free, then I'm sure they would take that into account.  Either way, probably looking at a decent percent on either side that will be upset about any decision and Gencon needs to accept that.
My guess is most are in that middle which is probably masks if still needed, vaccines recommended, but not required and reduced crowds.
Ultimately there is only so much they can do.   The only way I wouldn't come to Gencon this year is if I thought the weekend was going to be one big long will call line.   Then I'd probably pass.
IIRC the survey was about the events, masks,  temperature checks, vaccinations and outdoor planning.  They didnt mention will call or the exhibit hall. Obviously the more checks you do, the longer it takes. And the morning stroll into the exhibit hall, which I avoid anyway due the crowd, would have to be seriously looked at. 

But I dont think people should be upset by Gencon trying their best to get a handle on what attendees think. Whatever they choose, you need to accept it and then decide whether to go or not go.

Unfortunately this year Gencon goes before origins....though they did ask whether people would go if it got moved to later in the year. So I guess that's possible.

I just think Gencon needs applause for thinking about this NOW and getting policies in place long before the event. People will be mad if they only find out in July what the show policies actually are.

And yes you cant make everyone happy. But I think they are at least trying. People at least have a direct Avenue for feedback.

Posted by helenbb raidkillsbugsded

raidkillsbugsded wrote:
This makes me miss the days of voracious arguments about strollers in the dealer hall... 

Or how to allocate hotel room lottery spots... ;)

Posted by lore seeker raidkillsbugsded

raidkillsbugsded wrote:
This makes me miss the days of voracious arguments about strollers in the dealer hall... 

*sigh* The good old days, when in-person gatherings themselves were taken for granted.

Also: is there any way for someone who didn't roll their ticket over to 2021 to get one of these surveys? I'd love to get in on this.

Posted by squirecam austicke

austicke wrote:
kar8a wrote:Kids under 18 are not allowed to be vaccinated, and they will not be in any group allowed vaccination before August 2021.

No, Pfizer’s vaccine has been authorized for ages 16 and up.
 
Thanks for the info.

Also we should note that Indianapolis policy currently limits conventions to 25% capacity and mandatory masks or face shields while indoors. 

So whatever Gencon plans to do, or not do, is also going to consider the applicable IN laws aand orders, and whether they are rescinded or not

Posted by squirecam lore seeker

father bloodlust wrote:
raidkillsbugsded wrote:
This makes me miss the days of voracious arguments about strollers in the dealer hall... 

*sigh* The good old days, when in-person gatherings themselves were taken for granted.Also: is there any way for someone who didn't roll their ticket over to 2021 to get one of these surveys? I'd love to get in on this.
I thought they sent a link to everyone on their mailing list.

Posted by mikeboozer lore seeker

father bloodlust wrote:
raidkillsbugsded wrote:
This makes me miss the days of voracious arguments about strollers in the dealer hall... 

*sigh* The good old days, when in-person gatherings themselves were taken for granted.Also: is there any way for someone who didn't roll their ticket over to 2021 to get one of these surveys? I'd love to get in on this.

Yes, go to https://www.gencon.com/ 
At the bottom of the page sign up for the newsletter. We generally send surveys only to the people who have a signed up for our newsletter.

Mike
 

Posted by mikeboozer squirecam

squirecam wrote:
father bloodlust wrote:
raidkillsbugsded wrote:
This makes me miss the days of voracious arguments about strollers in the dealer hall... 

*sigh* The good old days, when in-person gatherings themselves were taken for granted.Also: is there any way for someone who didn't roll their ticket over to 2021 to get one of these surveys? I'd love to get in on this.
I thought they sent a link to everyone on their mailing list.

There is that, but it doesn't always update correctly. Use the above method to sign up to be sure....or of course you can "Nuke it from space", which is really the only real way to be sure!

Mike 

Posted by roganca mikeboozer

mikeboozer wrote:
There will be zero toleration here for inappropriate posts. Or back and forth acerbic arguments that devolve the thread on whose right or wrong about what, we the government, or Russell Wilson for that matter should do.

But at some point we just need to face facts. Russell Wilson is NOT happy in Seattle. He needs to be in a more dynamic offense.

Posted by jimdigris

Mikeboozer, I apologize for the tone of my post.  

Posted by grognard262

5,000 people in the will call line, 6 feet apart from each other = half way to the airport.

Posted by kar8a

All tickets and badges being pre-purchase only and mailed to homes and/or available electronically for printing/display easily solves the will call problem.

Disney World effectively got rid of their will call with their pre-purchase tickets and pre-reserve your park and date during Covid.  It would not surprise me that a CON which may have the foot traffic of a single Disney park per day could adopt the same plan.  No day of badge sales, and even no day of event ticket sales (generic entrance only for open spots).

Virtual queue is another Covid "new" item in theme parks.  Popular rides that might have the "line" problem are preserved for a single spot by a party.  The same could work for a dealer hall.  

 

Posted by squirecam kar8a

kar8a wrote:
All tickets and badges being pre-purchase only and mailed to homes and/or available electronically for printing/display easily solves the will call problem.
Disney World effectively got rid of their will call with their pre-purchase tickets and pre-reserve your park and date during Covid.  It would not surprise me that a CON which may have the foot traffic of a single Disney park per day could adopt the same plan.  No day of badge sales, and even no day of event ticket sales (generic entrance only for open spots).
Virtual queue is another Covid "new" item in theme parks.  Popular rides that might have the "line" problem are preserved for a single spot by a party.  The same could work for a dealer hall.  
 
I'm not one of them, but there are people who dont want their badge mailed to them for fear of losing it.

Me, I'll happily avoid the will call line.

As to the dealer hall, are you suggesting that people sign up at a specific time to enter? I'm not sure that would work. I usually dont know how long a game might go, so I go to the hall in between games. What happens if I missed the time?

Posted by pinheadjo

One thing I could see is possibly the elimination (for this year) of the auction store. This would allow for more distancing for the bidders...even then I see the need for a reduction in crowd size. 

Posted by kar8a

Dealer hall pre-queue could work by reserving a time at badge purchase time...or at event sign up time...or online the day before the next day's hall time...etc, etc...

Or if you hate pre sign ups, something could probably be worked out with que spots each day (with returns handed out til they are exhausted)...

I'm the type of person that says "okay, we want to do X, but we have Y problems...rather than saying, well, then, we can't do X, I like to say how can we be creative to make X or at least some major part of X possible"...

I'm a "yes, but" person, not a "no" person:)...of course, I still do have the "but", too:)...

I leave the Con experts (aka Gencon staff) to work out the exact hows, but there are hows that can work for all of the "line issues" of the Con...each has its own unique way to solve them, but they can be solved if Con goers can be flexible and adaptable:)...
 

Posted by geezer chaos62417

chaos62417 wrote:
While I disagree wholeheartedly with the OP and what he thinks needs to be implemented I do agree that there should be no exceptions. This is why Gen Con should not even happen unless the policies in place are minimal.
IE the only policies that should really be in place are mandatory masks (and that is if the CDC still requires them) and sanitization stations available everywhere. That is it, these are the only two adjustments that should be made.
Temperature checks/screens? Vaccination proof upon entry? are you guys serious? do you have any idea how long it would take to get into the convention center?
Social distancing? this is impossible, we cant even social distance properly in a grocery store or restaurant. if social distancing is required then that means limited entry or capacity restrictions are in place, this is an absolute no go. No chance people are signing off paying for hotels stays, air fair and badges to only be allowed a few hours of convention time for the weekend.
Mandatory vaccinations? you as Americans should be against this. you have your free will get the vaccine if you so please. Many many other people have legitimate reasons to not get the vaccine. Do not let people cross yet another line of your civil liberty. if you are vaccinated you don't need to worry about the person not vaccinated. 
Vaccination stickers? These should absolutely not be allowed, reason being? this creates an opportunity for animosity or a powder keg situation. You cannot allow people to create a have and have not situation where people with a sticker get serviced a different way or worse yet are being shown negative aggression.
Each and every rule that you want to add or enforce will require more staff, staff that Gen Con doesn't necessarily have. Without proper staffing you then introduce opportunity for people to be "enforcement police" again this leads to a possible powder keg situation. We need to think about less is more in this situation. 
Lastly and the me the largest reason less should be more is we cannot control or dictate non Gen Con businesses. You can make all of the restrictions that you would like for Gen Con attendees but none of these rules would apply to anywhere else. Hotels, no, food trucks, no, every other restaurant, no, the mall, no. So unless the changes are minimal, again I would say only masks and sanitizer, Gen Con should consider delaying everything else makes the situation pretty dire.
It is depressing to me that there are people that are not willing to take basic measures to create a safe Gen Con.  No on is infringing on your freedom to not be vaccinated.  You have the freedom to not be vaccinated.  That is your choice.  If Gen Con decides you must be vaccinated to attend, then you have made the choice to not attend.  It is that simple.  Choices have consequences.  All of this does not have to be handled at the door.  You could be asked to show evidence of vaccination to purchase a badge.

Posted by geezer squirecam

squirecam wrote:
kar8a wrote:
All tickets and badges being pre-purchase only and mailed to homes and/or available electronically for printing/display easily solves the will call problem.
Disney World effectively got rid of their will call with their pre-purchase tickets and pre-reserve your park and date during Covid.  It would not surprise me that a CON which may have the foot traffic of a single Disney park per day could adopt the same plan.  No day of badge sales, and even no day of event ticket sales (generic entrance only for open spots).
Virtual queue is another Covid "new" item in theme parks.  Popular rides that might have the "line" problem are preserved for a single spot by a party.  The same could work for a dealer hall.  
I'm not one of them, but there are people who dont want their badge mailed to them for fear of losing it.Me, I'll happily avoid the will call line.
As to the dealer hall, are you suggesting that people sign up at a specific time to enter? I'm not sure that would work. I usually dont know how long a game might go, so I go to the hall in between games. What happens if I missed the time?
I have attended the last 6 physical Gen Cons and have happily had my badge mailed to me with no problems.  I much prefer it to standing in line at Will Call.

Posted by colbrook

Some form of virtual badge or will call is going to be necessary as A) They've never before mailed badges and tickets abroad, and B) Even if they do start, some countries still don't have reliable postal links to the US for to lack of flights

Posted by elvinlord

I think at this point its pretty safe to say that masks will be mandatory, there will reduced max capacity and probably elimination of all large groups (no opening ceremony, no cardhalla, no will call.

The likelihood that we will be able to rely on vaccine alone to have a safe con is highly unlikely.  My state which has been fairly aggressive in getting people vaccinated is looking at July before even starting vaccinating the general population.  The bright side is that most of the high risk and front line people will likely be vaccinated, maybe that will be enough.

Honestly at this point just a mandatory mask requirement would make gencon a no go.  I just cant foresee spending 8-12 hours a day of my vacation wearing a mask.  Who knows maybe they will be able to pull off some magic and we will just end up with a low attendance old timey con, downtown hotels for everyone.         

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