"Historicon Registration, business as usual." Topic

One working computer….

At least they have the one working computer!

Well, I guess it could be worse, e.g. not working.

I have read horror stories before though……

Wow, no line this year for pre-reg….walked right up…in and out in under 60 seconds. Can't say that about the registration line though….

Yeah, if your schedule allows you to commit in advance, pre-reg is the way to go. (Not a bad idea to keep a copy of your pre-reg receipt, just in case.)

I LOVE to read these things. Nothing has changed, makes me happy happy to not be going. :)

How hard does it have to be to take money, stamp my hand and let me through the door?

How hard can it be to write rules for moving?

Remember, these are war gamers…..

I was 10th in line and waited for almost a hour…but hey, I'm here. Took 301 down, 2 1/2 trip from Baltimore…not bad…

Where are the other computers?

I seem to remember in one of the past budgets that there is a bunch of equipment stored somewhere and then brought to site to setup. I think it is a cargo container or POD. Where are the other computers? Are they not setup yet or there is only one computer as part of the standard equipment now?

Stepman you left without me.
Why 301? I have used 95 each year and takes like 2 hours.

Grimm

Grimmnar,

Early tomorrow I will begin my 4th run down to Fredburg. I live in BMore, so I know to avoid 95 as much as possible, but there are no speed options from the DC area south except 95. Each time the route has been plagued by rolling backups. You will go miles at the posted, but several times each trip there have been stretches that bog down to 0-10 mph start-stop for 1-2 miles. MapQuest says my trip should be 100 minutes. Last year it took 165.

I have been going to the Williamsburg cons since last summer and I too discovered 301. It will probably take me 170 minutes to get to Fredburg that way, and there is a toll bridge, but its much more relaxing. And at my age the availability of lots of pitstops along the way is a not inconsequential plus.

Pre Reg line took around 10 mins, not too bad compared to other events. Looks like they had network issues for the non pre reg'd they had numerous computers.

VonTed,

Glad you are happy. Keep in mind that it was "us members" who wanted to have all the fancy statistics on who, how many, and what kind of attendees there are, so we get a complex computer system to keep track. That is prone to network issues, connection issues (that may be beyond control of the organizers, etc.)

301 is a bit nicer drive, 95 can be unpredictable and I hate 495…

Pre-reg'd, walked through, took less than 5 minutes.

Try to remember….. For every fanboy defending these ridiculous registration issues ( and location changes) there are many more people fed up with the nonsense and won't bother to visit anymore

Have fun running the show in to the ground :)

Will be arriving later today. We will see how it goes.

HMGS has fan boys????

Fanboys is a polite way of saying it…

VonTed,
We're happy your not here, makes US HAPPY too:)

Nice personal attack ceterman

Xin

You would think they would hire FanGirls!

Fancy statistics? We're lucky if they post gross attendance..

Also, I'd note the continuing inability to get computer running and Internet connections working is not because of complex software.

Is there some form of satisfaction that derives from mindlessly defending and accepting things just to argue or to be an ***kisser to the establishment? Just curious, because I can't figure it out otherwise.

I ask, because I can't believe anybody really thinks whatever piece of crap package HMGS bought fits the description of "complex software."

I ask, because I can't believe anybody really thinks whatever piece of crap package HMGS bought fits the description of "complex software."

Funny story – I volunteered at Fall In last year. It was slow so I asked if I could learn the registration program. They told me it was way too complicated for me to learn. In the mean time they continued to goof around with some pretty young lady.

I walked away with a smirk. I guess they didn't know I'm a SQL DBA.

I am sadly not surprised to see the same persons as before decrying the show and its move to Fredericksburg despite time and again being shown why the move was made and for clearly reasonable causes. Also ignoring the facts that most or all "historical" miniature gaming conventions have seen a decline in attendance for some time now. It really comes down to sour grapes and hubris.

Well if you know so much and can do it better, then demonstrate such instead of being a stick in the mud covered in fire ants. Oh and don't do it by attempting to sabotage Historicon by running a convention on the same weekend and trying to pull vendors away by way of spite. It just shows you are an ill and mean spirited person. Of course I know I am wasting my time pontificating on this. Haters gonna hate as the saying goes.

Spend your time and money building up Cold Wars or Fall In. Or as stated, start your own convention if you think you can do better. More likely you will become for a brief while your own little dictator and you will soon learn that putting on a convention the scale of Historicon is not an easy task. It also takes years to build up to something the size of Historicon so I hope you are in it for the long haul. I doubt many of you lobbing stones at the convention have it in you. It is far easier to complain and make judgments than to take action.

You will also have to be an exceptional manager, i.e., having good people skills as well as organizational acumen, and the ability to motivate people, oh, and put up with continue nick picky crap from people who think they know how it should be done. Have fun with that.

I appreciate the hard work that the folks at HMGS East and other HMGS organization and non HMGS organizations put into setting up and running a convention. I personally know I would not want to take the time and energy required to make such a venture successful. I do my part by paying my dues, and when I can attend a convention going as a game master and running games for the attendees. I am not at Historicon this year as I have not been for the last year as I am currently finishing graduate school and job hunting. Once I graduate ( in a couple of weeks) and land a job I will be back.

Kallman,

Many of those you challenge to "do something" are people who have attended for decades, run literally dozens of games each over that time, and put effort, time, and money into putting on some quality games.

I appreciate that your understanding of "doing something" doesn't take anything like that into consideration.

It's all well and good to brand those who discuss problems on here as malcontents, but the fact is, it is very disrespectful of HMGS to make no effort to organize their registration process any better year after rear. It displays a casual contempt for those who come year in year out and make the event possible. And the "volunteers" who get free rooms (what does that work out to as an hourly wage?) should have some respect for the attendees and some pride in how they do what they do. It's a disgrace the way that line works every convention, and even more so that no one there gives a crap.

If you get that job you're talking about and treat the company's clients the way HMGS treats attendees, you'll soon enjoy the sumptuous luxury of living on a park bench.

Xintao,
Thanks, I consider VonTed's comment a personal attack on many. I would also like to say that every year since 1991, I have drug my fan-boy ass to H-con, most of the time with 3 to 5 other fan-boy asses, all from down South, where we ALL had a blast. Never once did we say "If they don't move it next year, we will never come again". Like many of you here state. Am I glad it's only 3.5 hours away from me now instead of 7? Hell yes! Would I go if it was in Lancaster? Hell yes. Also for 10 straight years, I worked my ass off to bring a killer game & put it on for YOU. Was I rewarded? Well, I did get 4 Battle Ribbons from HMGS & I won the Osprey Award once, so I would have to say, yes I was. I have had some players cause such a stink that they tried their best to ruin it for everyone, so maybe ya'll did play in my games. I wonder how many games you and VonTed have put on? Any? Smart money would be on nada. It seems folks like VT would rather sit back & bitch about something they don't give a damn about anyway.
Peter

Xintao,
Thanks, I consider VonTed's comment a personal attack on many. I would also like to say that every year since 1991, I have drug my fan-boy ass to H-con, most of the time with 3 to 5 other fan-boy asses, all from down South, where we ALL had a blast. Never once did we say "If they don't move it next year, we will never come again". Like many of you here state. Am I glad it's only 3.5 hours away from me now instead of 7? Hell yes! Would I go if it was in Lancaster? Hell yes. Also for 10 straight years, I worked my ass off to bring a killer game & put it on for YOU. Was I rewarded? Well, I did get 4 Battle Ribbons from HMGS & I won the Osprey Award once, so I would have to say, yes I was. I have had some players cause such a stink that they tried their best to ruin it for everyone, so maybe ya'll did play in my games. I wonder how many games you and VonTed have put on? Any? Smart money would be on nada. It seems folks like VT would rather sit back & bitch about something they don't give a damn about anyway.
Peter

Peter, this is all nice, but in the end, you did it for you. You wanted to attend Historicon so you did. Personally, once it moved to FCC, I no longer wanted to attend.

Oh, and for the record, I've helped put on a few games and assisted with running the WAB\ WECW tournaments until HCon moved to FCC.

kallman:

The con is now closer to me mileage-wise (78 miles vs 98), but the difference in drive is hour forty-five to Lancaster vs three hours to FCC. On top of that I find the facility at FCC to be overpoweringly noisy. The day rate now is ridiculous, even for members (what is the benefit of membership again?). In short, that's three strikes. On top of that, all my friends stopped going when it moved. Strike four? Just saying, we all have our own reasons.

Oh, and I have been running games at HMGS cons since the late 80s, some pick up, some in the program. Worked all kinds of jobs at all the cons, and for different BODs.

King30,
That's not my point. I went when it was far away & when it became closer. I didn't bitch then or now. I didn't get online or the phone or telegraph or heliograph & tell people how much it sucks when it was further away from me & try to spread my disappointment to the far flung reaches of the Earth. If you don't wanna attend, fine, be that way. Go to the other 2 cons up North & be happy. Ain't that enough? That's my point. And for VonTed, the way he "LOVED" it when, "in his opinion" things are screwing up is a direct attack on those who are there to enjoy the con, close or not. Funny he has not fired back at me, probably because he's on another "Hate Historicon" thread, and he's never put on a game in his life. As for "doing it for me" sorry, bub, you're wrong. I did it for the Hobby. You say you've "helped out" on some games. I commend you. But try doing 'everything". It's a 8-10 hour non-stop ordeal, every time. It's f'ing hard, hard work. And sometimes it's worth it. Apparently it's only worth your time (and a little effort) if it's real close to home. And ya know what, that made it even harder for us who unfortunately, live below the Mason-Dixon line.
Just saying, get a grip.

+1 Ceterman

I went when it was far away & when it became closer. I didn't bitch then or now. I didn't get online or the phone or telegraph or heliograph & tell people how much it sucks when it was further away from me & try to spread my disappointment to the far flung reaches of the Earth. If you don't wanna attend, fine, be that way.

If someone wants to tell their friends that H'Con sucks, isn't that their business? He has as much right to say H'Con sucks as you have to say H'Con is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I may not agree with you Ceterman, but you have the right to say it.

And for VonTed, the way he "LOVED" it when, "in his opinion" things are screwing up is a direct attack on those who are there to enjoy the con, close or not

Why is a direct attack on those that enjoy the con? Go enjoy the con. Does what VonTed say have THAT much influence over someone's ability to enjoy the convention?

As for "doing it for me" sorry, bub, you're wrong. I did it for the Hobby

Looking at your post, that's tough to believe. You wanna run games, beautiful. More power to you. But the post keeps saying look at what I've done. We've all done things to make H'Con a success.

You say you've "helped out" on some games. I commend you. But try doing 'everything". It's a 8-10 hour non-stop ordeal, every time. It's f'ing hard, hard work. And sometimes it's worth it.

Try running a tournament. That is a multi person job to do it correctly. We would start at 7:30am, get set up, get organized, etc. and try to finish by 6pm. Fridays were a bit easier but not by much. I don't trivialize what you do, why do it to me without knowing all the facts?

Apparently it's only worth your time (and a little effort) if it's real close to home

If I have to double my drive time to attend H'Con, it's not worth it to me. Again, that's my opinion. I've replaced H'Con with The Weekend and NJ Con. I have limited amount of vacation time so I choose which cons I attend. I don't think we have the right to tell each other which cons to support.

There seems to be some big misconception that we all need to support H'Con. Baloney. This concept originally came from the "next levelers" and it seems to be coming back to bite them.

But either way – go enjoy yourself. You want H'Con to be a success at FCC, then get more of the local gaming community to go.

Just saying, get a grip

Physician, heal thyself.

Pre-reg'd, walked through, took less than 5 minutes.

Same here, went very fast.

I don't think the problems are usually with pre-reg.

King;
Last post.
A. I never, ever said "H'Con is the greatest thing since sliced bread".
Don't put words in my mouth.

B. "Does what VonTed say have THAT much influence over someone's ability to enjoy the convention?"
No, none at all. He started this $h!t.

C. "Try running a tournament"
Again, I commend you.

D. "If I have to double my drive time to attend H'Con, it's not worth it to me. Again, that's my opinion. I've replaced H'Con with The Weekend and NJ Con. I have limited amount of vacation time so I choose which cons I attend. I don't think we have the right to tell each other which cons to support"
I stated, other than the last 3 (or is this the 4th at FCC?) my drive has always been doubled if I (or anyone South of me) wanted to attend ANY of the big 3 Cons. And isn't going online to bad-mouth & bitch about a Con, that you're not even at, kinda like telling each other which cons to support?

E. "Physician, heal thyself"
I'm fine, Thank you.

F. Now, I'm off to play some games!!!!

Well said, Kim and Peter!

Historicon continues to be a blast for those of us here.

Ceterman,

VT didn't attack you, yet you attacked him.

I didn't attack you, I just called you out on your rude behavior. You accused me of ruining your game years ago, when you don't know me. You accused me of doing nothing for the hobby when you know nothing about me.

Are you tired of being wrong yet? I have been coming to HMGS cons since the Penn Harris. I don't think I've missed more than 5 or 6 cons in all that time. I've run more games than I can count, either solo or with my friends. We've run Fantasy/ SciFi/ Ancients/ Seven Years War/ War of Spanish Succession/ Napoleonic and ACW. Multiple games at each of the 3 cons.

In fact we are running 3 games for this Historicon.

So don't tell me I did nada for the hobby. You have no idea what you are talking about.

Xin

Was at the pre-reg line about 15 minutes after they opened, was through in about five minutes. Much faster than last year.

I arrived well before the vendor hall opened on Friday and had my badge and tshirts from pre-reg in a few minutes. I then waited with my buddy in the reg line for something like 20 more minutes.

Pre-reg to on site registration is apples to watermelons. The problem has always been with the on site registration.

"…I wonder how many games you and VonTed have put on? Any? Smart money would be on nada. It seems folks like VT would rather sit back & bitch about something they don't give a damn about anyway.
Peter"

A very foolish assumption which demonstrates your ignorance. Xintao was awarded a PELA at Historicon this weekend which he has far too much class to mention.

TRU

Not trying to complai here, but I always pre-register and ensure myself of three games taht I really want to play. I breezed right through the pre-reg desk, no line no wait Thursday at about 10:30-11:00. The only glitch was taht I had only two of my three games that I registered for on the name tag. Fortunately I was able to locate the help desk and they assured me taht I was in (and I did get to play).q
The drive down through DC was a drag, Philly was jamming up to at about 6:00am.
The drive home waqs a breeze and I made it an hour and a half faster than the trip down.
I had a great time though.

I normally pre-register for conventions but did not know I was attending until a couple of weeks out. I did a mental calculation that arriving around lunch would be a breeze through registration and it was. I think maybe 10 minutes max. I ususally attned only Fall In and Cold Wars but this year I came down to Historicon and I like the facility. The food at the center left me wanting, I only ate once there, but did hit Wegmens. Travel to and from was typical 95 traffic for that stretch of road. For what its worth I hope Historicon stays in Fredericksburg.

Why don't they allow preregistration for 1 day tickets?

Aside from waiting in line to pick-up my pre-registered badge, no problems…