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Post by sayashinigami on Oct 17, 2009 19:52:55 GMT 1
Yeah, so we just got home from facts and it was awesome, BUT we have one small complaint...
WHY in gods name where there more men in the women's dressing room than women? It was REALLY uncomfortable for a lot of us to change with all the guys just.. being there/looking/TAKING PICTURES! (seriously, I saw one guy taking pictures of a friend while she was standing there in her underwear.. c'mon people!)
Seriously, this is really an uncomfortable problem for a lot of us girls, so we're hoping this can be fixed tomorrow? Please?
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latexstrawberry
Nurdz
I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts ~[F4:754608089]
Posts: 780
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Post by latexstrawberry on Oct 17, 2009 20:58:06 GMT 1
Yup said the same thing, we had to put our flag in front of idromy because some guys were looking... >:
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Post by helliwood on Oct 17, 2009 21:02:50 GMT 1
Yup said the same thing, we had to put our flag in front of idromy because some guys were looking... >: This is realy sick.  |
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kaydra
FACTS Sensei
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Post by kaydra on Oct 17, 2009 21:28:07 GMT 1
I'd suggest to have the cosplay area in a different room next time, there was so many people there to see the show that they were standing against the table of the shop on the side there, nobody could pass there anymore and the music was way too loud
also a "theater" setting would be cool, a stage area in the middle and then a "tribune" (don't know the english word) where people could sit, this would allow everybody to see the show and everybody to take pictures, now you're still just bunched up and everybody had to hold their camera in the air to try and take a picture
I just wonder if it wasn't possible to move all the special things into the same room, and try to get all the shops in one room and the remainder in the next, but not spread them out evenly and squish all other activities against the wall.
Just one room with all shops, another room with a few shops and an area for games, and an area for actors and artists and an eatingarea
You also couldn't see any of the actors the way the queue was formed and it just felt a bit awkward that they were boxed up like that, having no view at all when people were standing in line = /
on the other hand it was good to have more options to eat and the prices were good (apart for the drinks but ah well ^_^)
loved that you could give your coat or bag at the entrance for safekeeping!
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Post by Stoney3K on Oct 19, 2009 0:49:56 GMT 1
I'd suggest to have the cosplay area in a different room next time, there was so many people there to see the show that they were standing against the table of the shop on the side there, nobody could pass there anymore and the music was way too loud... I was painfully, earplugs-in, point-blank aware of that, thank you, but the audience numbers were probably underestimated. I was asked to arrange a PA system for 200 people in the cosplay hall, but ultimately the room was gridlocked and we had over 400-500 people watching. I seriously had to redline my set all the way to make the people in the back hear what actually happened. I'm also a very big opponent to making lots of noise on cosplay competitions, and I usually walk around the room and listen. But the whole room was so packed on Saturday that I couldn't even move around (I had trouble getting around to fix/adjust things) so my PA system wasn't really up to the task. If I had the means and would have known in advance, the loudspeakers would be distributed more near the back and a lot higher up in the air, which helps cut down a LOT on noise and bridge the distance to the other side of the hall. I kept the volume down on Sunday but it was possible then, because we actually had less people (200-250'ish) in the room. The fact that all of the cosplayers handed us MP3 files which weren't quite the same loudness level didn't really help... (I'll write up a small cheat sheet for beginning cosplayers wanting to mix up a music track in the future  ) That would be an awesome idea, but an expensive and labour-heavy job. Imagine turning an empty hangar into a theatre, it certainly is possible but that's going to take a lot of effort. That would be the ultimate fancy-pants solution, to have one hall serve as the 'theatre' and feature the dressing room for cosplayers, the green room for Q&A's and possibly the actor's tables for the signings. People who want to go to the convention because of the programming can do just that and drop down on a chair in there. On the other hand, if you want to shop around or gloat at the enormous set pieces in the Fan Village, go to the other areas. We didn't have a clear separation this year. The only way to really solve that is to have timed signing sessions based on ticket number. But that's a pretty labor-intensive job. Finally we had some decent nerd-sized sandwiches, good hot food,waffles and even ice cream. The Expo really did a tremendous job at the catering, although they could really drop down those coffee prices!  Such a thing is really, really hard to fix. The only thing you can do is enforce the guys to stay out by putting a security guard at the ladies' dressing room, but besides that, what could you expect? Guys who really have nothing better to do than invade the girls' dressing room and take photographs of teenagers in underwear have issues, and should be given a spare brain. A possible solution, though, is to make small cabins where the girls can change instead of a sports-centre style big locker room (think swimming pool changing cabins). This has the added advantage of not having to separate the actual storage area for costumes itself, so groups can assemble and get together without any trouble. If a girl decides to wander around in her underwear in that case, that's her problem. (Banning cameras in the locker room wouldn't hurt, though.) |
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Post by cartoonjessie on Oct 19, 2009 9:57:10 GMT 1
Yeah, so we just got home from facts and it was awesome, BUT we have one small complaint... WHY in gods name where there more men in the women's dressing room than women? It was REALLY uncomfortable for a lot of us to change with all the guys just.. being there/looking/TAKING PICTURES! (seriously, I saw one guy taking pictures of a friend while she was standing there in her underwear.. c'mon people!) Seriously, this is really an uncomfortable problem for a lot of us girls, so we're hoping this can be fixed tomorrow? Please? I wasn't aware of this until I read it. Two things I would advice for next year: - if it happens again, get a yellow T-shirt FACTS crew member to stand guard. There were 2 present in hall 5 at all times. (Always 2 different ones, changing shifts every hour.) - and then the second advice: girls, group together and chase them out! why not yell at those jerks if they have no right to be there? If it would have been me there, I would have pushed them right out. I'd say a slap in the face for the guys would have been in order. |
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Post by majinmarron on Oct 19, 2009 13:30:22 GMT 1
it was really really annoying like some people stated about the men inside the dressing room.
there was even a guy who was standing a bit away from the door and that was looking/( almost drooling... ) the whole time into the dressing room while the door was open.
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Post by cartoonjessie on Oct 19, 2009 15:32:16 GMT 1
You should have gone to a crew member. Facts does have security, really good security, I've seen them work! They could have had that guy out in 10 seconds if necessary! Please remember that in case it is the same scenario next year. But if there are enough volunteers, maybe they could even assign two volunteers to the changing rooms - to keep an eye on perverts, creeps and thieves. (Though there is never a guarantee ofcourse, it should help a bit.)
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Post by kerstmanneke82 on Oct 19, 2009 15:42:58 GMT 1
I found it to be much better in the ICC. As I have stated to a crewmember, the segmentation of the various things at facts might not have led to people just coming for what they want and then buzz off, like it was last year and the one before that, but you didn't have the awkward problem "majinmarron" is pointing out.
The way it was then, it was much better. The people who went for cosplay could see cosplay and there was - ample - place for it, not like it was now and earlier editions, that they put the stage in between the shops. The people that went for the famous people, got to see the famous people, the people that went to watch cosplay, got to see cosplay, those that went for the fanvillages and exhibitions got to see those as well, and those who wanted to shop, got to shop.
Because what you have now, if it is mixed like it was now, was people being disheartened at the amount of people coming for this or other attractions. People that wanted to go shopping, couldn't, because of the crowd for Cosplay, and vice versa. It was also much more cosy in the ICC.
I've assisted in the organization (well, I got the balloon, last year, maybe you remember it still) and I must say it went by much more fluently than it did this time. While this is by no means a demand to return to the ICC (although I wouldn't hate it) I am opposed to the mixing of the various things that were to do in FACTS.
Just my two cents, people...
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Post by harlock on Oct 19, 2009 16:40:18 GMT 1
Hi there, Here is my feedback. But first thing first : I have been attending FACTS for several years now, should be my 4th or 5th edition. Also please note that I will be hard in my review, doesn't mean I mean any harm to anybody (unless stated otherwise). It's just that I speak my mind, and I don't really care about politicaly correct stuff. Now that you know that, we might go ahead FACTS 2009 - PROS : - much more space. At least we could move around even for people in costumes. Obviously the ICC was getting far too small, to the point were it was dangerous in my opinion (understand : last 2 editions). - easy to find, plenty of parking space (well, if you might call it a parking). - a lot of cast members, in case you needed them it was easy to tell them appart and find some help Overall the convention as it stands was "better" because you could actually move, that's a big improvment over the previous ones. And its an important one with that. Sadly that's pretty much all I could find "better"...  FACTS 2009 - CONS : - ICC was much nicer, especially it's surroundings (the park was great). Flanders look like a big piece of hangar, not very nice in my opinion. - restrooms : seriously... having to pay for those is a first of it's kind, I have been attending convention for a long time (6 years now, including some in the USA) and never before was I asked to pay to go to the restrooms... - Security team : OMG, I am gonna be harsh with those guys... Allright I don't know if it's cultural or something, but do security ppl really need to bark at GUESTS (yes guests.. and I should say customers... people paid to get in there) ? Beeing in a hurry to get people move along and don't jam the whole place is something I understand. Now I also think those guys are doing this for a living and are expected to act as a trained professional. Those guys were cowboys, they need to calm down on coffee and remember what their job is : make sure we do fine and have a nice time. I don't drive 4 hours to attend a convention where I get barked at by those guys. - heat : WTH ?? - Changing rooms : it's my understanding that changing rooms where close to "full capacity" at ICC, so why making EVEN SMALLER ONES now that the convention moves to a bigger place ? - "separated" changing rooms : I understand the need for some people to have some privacy, although one could argue that given how "short" some costumes are, you wonder what there is left to hide... but that's a different debate. Anyway, if FACTS was short on "walls", couldn't they push those rooms in a corner, so atleast two walls where already "up" ? As for men in ladies room : I've no idea about that part, but there was a whole bunch of ladies in mens room too (not that I complain, but well). Most likely because there was almost no tables available on their side, and no chair almost (same in mens rooms for that matter). Seriously, you guys do know how many costumes you get each year no ? Why those changing rooms ? People had to change outside those rooms, since there was no space left anyway. Lastly : we had "common" changing rooms for years and it has never caused any kind of trouble so far (not that I heard of). What's with the kiddish "OMG they saw my underwear" this year ? - Internatiolization : it's, yet again, my understanding that there is some history in belgium between communities (you know what I am talking about). Yet, It's also my belief that this stuff shouldn't have anything to do with science fiction or cosplay. Hence my question : what's with the signs not being available in french ? Last time I checked belgium is a french speaking country ! At least, since it's an international convention : why alsmot no english ? Appart from the stupid "weapon rules" and the sign saying "allright if your stuff is stolen we aren't responsible", pretty much nothing was translated in english (and nothing in french). Actors prices where in full Dutch (which doesn't really make sense for most people) only. No french, no english. I understand printing some thing in 3 languages is a pain in the ass... at least the actors A4 papers where few enough to allow someone to google translate them in under than 5 minutes. - Actors : I don't think parking them next to the restrooms is the best way to go. There was close to no infrastructure to handle the amount of people looking for signature so it was chaos for the most part when I checked (and got away as fast as I could). Appart from teal'c and hercule, it seems the other actors haven't really been busy too... the hataïn needed to pick on racetrack to have some fun and kill the time (made me laught seeing him scaring her though)... - weapon rules : LOL, do I need to say more ? I know it's "legal issues" that you have to deal with, still moronic rules are even worse when not enforced. and clearly they weren't enforced. Top of that : some dealers where selling weapons, but I guess when cash is on the lines rules are more flexible... - programm : allright guys : there was NOTHING to do. Signing sessions, Q&A, cosplay, halo and Street fight contest, that's it we are done !! It's a CONVENTION people ! Not a supermarket. It's very sad to see FACTS becoming japan expo 2 (which should be renamed manga expo, or Naruto expo BTW)... it was the only SF/comic con in that part of europe, and it starts looking like a huge supermarket. There was allways a lot of dealers at FACTS - which is great - but I also remember there was more cool content before (ie : magic show last year...). You guys might want to keep in mind that we can buy all that stuff over the internet, I don't need to drive 8 hours during the weekend and pay for gas, food, hotel, restrooms (LAWLZ) to get some gentle giant busts at a good price. I am expecting some cool and new content, I am expecting to find friends, and I am expecting to have fun... Obviously I didn't really enjoy FACTS 2009, while I understand the need to seek a bigger convention center, flanders expo is far from matching the ICC (despite dealers obviously enjoying a lot the new place). Fan village was non existent because stuck in a part of the hall. I didn't felt really welcome because of those mornic security dudes that kept acting like jerks barking orders and because nothing was written in a language I could understand. For the first time I will highly consider NOT COMING to facts next year. Based on 2009 experience I wouldn't come if it wasn't for some friends we meet up with there. According to the early feedbacks I got on facebook and forums, it seems people share a great deal of my rant too... Which obviously might make me not bother driving all my way from paris next year I hope you guys put some great deal of work next year to greatly improve the experience. I understand changing the convention center was a huge source of troubles to you, but that doesn't make me feel any better for a weekend that should have been much more enjoyable. I hope you guys can understand my point of view, I know I am "hard" on some things, but rest assured I only speak my mind and value constructiv critism. |
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latexstrawberry
Nurdz
I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts ~[F4:754608089]
Posts: 780
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Post by latexstrawberry on Oct 19, 2009 17:07:45 GMT 1
I went to a convention in Brussels, nothing was in dutch/english, and i can't speak french well, not that it disturbed me alot. I think facts did most of it in dutch because it's in flandres, and they do it like that all over belgium (you don't have dutch in the wallones...)
And It was not "seeing me in underwear".
Idromy had to go NAKED, and many more had too. We had to put our flag in front of her, because some men weren't gonna leave...
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Myka
FACTS Sensei
Posts: 214
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Post by Myka on Oct 19, 2009 17:11:00 GMT 1
Oh i also have a small negative to add, which hasn't been said, and might be good to know:
The general broadcasting system isn't the best one around. I understood almost nothing of what was said on friday/saterday/sunday. It could be that it was just the speaker in the first hall (since i was in that one all the time something got broadcasted) But me and my friends only understood a word or 2 from the content.
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Post by Stoney3K on Oct 19, 2009 17:38:09 GMT 1
- restrooms : seriously... having to pay for those is a first of it's kind, I have been attending convention for a long time (6 years now, including some in the USA) and never before was I asked to pay to go to the restrooms... Having to pay for restrooms is no problem, but the restrooms at the Expo were definitely below standard when it comes to hygiene and appearance. Beyond the FACTS-gods powers to fix that, though. The place wasn't heated, but imagine a few thousand people in the Expo hall, with the sun on the roof and no air conditioning, you get the idea. I can really understand the girls wanting to change without any perverts looking over the door or pointing lenses at them, so the argument for separate changing rooms is a valid one. However, if you need to go naked, how about NOT doing that in the change room but just change in the toilets? Having showers or at least a few sinks with mirrors in the change rooms wouldn't hurt, though. Doing your hair or putting in contact lenses without a mirror is going to be terribly difficult. Don't try to make a point for French, please. People are coming from all over the world to FACTS so the only valid default language for internationalizing the con is ENGLISH. The fact that these message boards are in English means that everyone can understand each other. The fact that the French (and parts of Belgium that are speaking the language) are stubborn and try to force French upon every event they throw, doesn't mean a large event like FACTS should follow up on that. If you want to talk casually amongst each other in French, be my guest. But communication to FACTS and from FACTS (and the guest) should be in English, since that has the most chance of reaching everyone. We had people coming from the UK and Germany this year who were totally clueless about announcements and the cosplay presentation, since they were done only in Dutch and French. As visitor numbers (also from abroad) increase, change over to English. |
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Post by elzeemlap on Oct 19, 2009 18:24:32 GMT 1
Idromy had to go NAKED, and many more had too. We had to put our flag in front of her, because some men weren't gonna leave... I wasn't there so I'm not the wright person to judge but altough there wasn't much space in the men's dressing room... If a girl want to change and ask (she shouldn't have to ask that in the first place) you to leave, leaving is the least you can do.  |
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Post by harlock on Oct 19, 2009 18:39:33 GMT 1
Don't try to make a point for French, please. Did I sound like I was doing such a thing ? I said I thought that it was odd for a french / dutch country not to have signs in french at such a convention. But that might bring us to a side topic that is not related to FACTS. I don't really want to know who started it and who is the most idiotic between french speaking and dutch speaking people who want to force the others around. Still, I did mention that ENGLISH was the least that could be used, and obviously it wasn't quite that widely used as it should have. Kinda strange for an "international" convention. I do know for attending for a few years that french, english, dutch and german are very common around. And it's obvious that several other languages are used as well. Also I thought there was some kinda heat in there, cause it was so warm compared to the changing hall... As far as I can tell, I think "fan village" should have it's own hall, even if it's half empty (keep what's left has changing rooms  ). Would have made more sense and helped people see the actual content that was provided by fans. |
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Post by harlock on Oct 19, 2009 18:41:41 GMT 1
Idromy had to go NAKED, and many more had too. We had to put our flag in front of her, because some men weren't gonna leave... I wasn't there so I'm not the wright person to judge but altough there wasn't much space in the men's dressing room... If a girl want to change and ask (she shouldn't have to ask that in the first place) you to leave, leaving is the least you can do. Sounds good enough to me. If all else fails, kick them in the nuts PS : I didn't see such problems as far as I am concerned. "Our" girls didn't have any of those problems. But obviously they are used to "mixed" changing rooms, and they deal with it accordingly. |
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Post by sayashinigami on Oct 19, 2009 18:49:47 GMT 1
However, if you need to go naked, how about NOT doing that in the change room but just change in the toilets? We used to change in the toilets on previous editions (even though we were often yelled at that "the toilets aren't changing rooms") but now.. well, the toilets were pretty far from the changing rooms, and we're just greedy people who don't like to pay for the toilets? (for me personally, I didn't want my notes to be exchanged into coins, because putting coins in your bra is SO much uncomfortable than notes xD) Doing your hair or putting in contact lenses without a mirror is going to be terribly difficult. True that, I had a mirror with me the size of an A5 paper and everyone kept begging for it so they could put their lenses in |
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Post by helliwood on Oct 19, 2009 18:54:23 GMT 1
"the toilets aren't changing rooms"
Well, they were right. If people have to go, they must go. My girlfriend stood in a long row and had to go quickly.
A lesson for FACTS: try to make the changing rooms more private.
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Post by Mr. Facts on Oct 19, 2009 19:56:56 GMT 1
Last time I checked belgium is a french speaking country ! Regardless of the language that should be spoken at FACTS, Belgium is roughly : 60 % flemish-speaking 40 % french-speaking and 74.000 german-speaking Besides that, thank you for sharing your thoughts. |
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Post by harlock on Oct 19, 2009 20:44:01 GMT 1
I meant : it speaks french and other languages. Didn't thought it was necessary to mention flemish since it was obviously the most used language around. Should I rephrase "belgium speak french aswell" to make you more confortable ? |
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Post by sayashinigami on Oct 19, 2009 20:54:40 GMT 1
I found it funny that there were signs in French (and a bit of English) in the changing rooms, but failed to see any Flemish.. ah well, I really don't care xD
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Post by belgiumnight on Oct 19, 2009 21:14:21 GMT 1
wel for me FACTS was realy great only at the shop it was too crouwded
you couldn't realy look without walking up to other people
and the heat wa sometimes very warm
i'm thinking to do cosplay next year but still don't now as what
also i think there most be some place that people can stay at to be there for two days becose i'm from limburg and i want to go next year the two full days and the party but i just can't whit the train and bus
alsomy friends told me that previous facts in the icc where beter then this year they where realy disappointed
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Post by randomnickftw on Oct 19, 2009 22:02:25 GMT 1
Guys who really have nothing better to do than invade the girls' dressing room and take photographs of teenagers in underwear have issues, and should be given a spare brain. it should only be considered as normal for the male cosplayers not to invade the girls dressing room even if there is a lack of space in the male dressingroom. and coming in there taking pictures.... simply give 'em a smack in the face and yell for them to get out,this will put them right in their place. the place where i train has small changing rooms and does not offer enough space for all the guys,if any of them would dare to set foot in the womens room the guy would probably be beaten half to dead and afterwards being kicked out by the trainer. |
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Post by quinn77 on Oct 19, 2009 22:13:57 GMT 1
Hey i'm one of the friends belgiumnight mention. one of the problems i had was, that most of the stuff shown was sci-fi, though i don't mind it, but i come for the anime, which i felt was a bit lacking in quantity, only a few shops that had anime to my opinion. this was much better last year. i still enjoyed it too, noticed that a lot of the cosplayers are quite friendly , so all thanks for a nice day i do share belgiumnights problem with transportation unfortunately  |
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Tyra
FACTS Padawan
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Post by Tyra on Oct 20, 2009 0:04:24 GMT 1
To all the people talking about the heat, I agree with you, I almost melted during the cosplay competition. However I helped build the gamesroom and on friday I was freezing. And no matter how hard they try the people from FACTS can't control bodyheat.
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~ Selphie Tilmitt ~ F.A.C.T.S. 2011
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). Would have made more sense and helped people see the actual content that was provided by fans.
