Any suggestions for FACTS?

[cartoonjessie]

But stoney, just a suggestion, but maybe it is an idea to just record a small tape (or mp3 now, we're no longer in the 80s) with the rules on it in 3 languages. And before it starts, you play this tape/mp3 for the people in the Q&A room. That way nobody has to translate, and you can say on the tape that they can not take pictures at a certain moment, that the Q&A will be completely in English, etc.

[softguitar]

There were a lot of people waiting for their photos after their photoshoot with the actors (especially Tom Felton). It would have been better if the photos were displayed or pinned on a board and everyone could point out theirs. And why weren't there numbers written on the photos? That would have been so much easier because everyone had a ticket with a number... Nobody is going to take or steal a picture of a stranger standing next to a celebrity.

[grievous444]

Oct 24, 2011 15:33:45 GMT 1 softguitar said:

There were a lot of people waiting for their photos after their photoshoot with the actors (especially Tom Felton). It would have been better if the photos were displayed or pinned on a board and everyone could point out theirs. And why weren't there numbers written on the photos? That would have been so much easier because everyone had a ticket with a number... Nobody is going to take or steal a picture of a stranger standing next to a celebrity.

It would have even been better if those people just came back 1/2 hours later to get their pic and not just stand there immediately after the shoot until they got it. There were quite some people who blocked the exit of the photoshoot during Tom Felton's photoshoot. It takes some time to get all those photo's printed.

And the numbers is mainly to see how many people did the photoshoot, I think. Jessie can clear that up.

[Stoney3K]

Oct 24, 2011 14:53:23 GMT 1 cartoonjessie said:

It is very frustrating. I do not mind translating anything, but it would be so much easier if people would just write the language they speak on their forehead at FACTS. XD

There may be a good solution for that, at least for the Early Bird ticket holders:

Ticket holders get a badge where they can stick the languages on they are able to speak. For example, if you speak Dutch, German and English, you just stick those flags on your badge.

If you're wearing something like a Stargate outfit, it's easy enough: Just slap the flag of the preferred language of choice on your shoulder. If you're wearing a Union Jack, people will default to English since they assume you're from the UK. Worked for me on countless conventions already.

[cartoonjessie]

That's a good tip, but I'm afraid it will not work like that for all. There's plenty of Stargate cosplayers that speak French only, but wear the American flag on their shoulder because they are cosplaying that character...

I'm afraid it is an issue we will not be able to solve. ;-) The best way to save our voices (atleast at the photoboot) is to print out more posters with info on it in three languages, if people can read it, they will not ask so many questions. ;-) And then I can save my voice. Because now I have no voice left, haha. I think that during the FACTS weekend, I speak about the same amount as I do during the rest of the year combined.

[cartoonjessie]

Oct 24, 2011 15:33:45 GMT 1 softguitar said:

There were a lot of people waiting for their photos after their photoshoot with the actors (especially Tom Felton). It would have been better if the photos were displayed or pinned on a board and everyone could point out theirs. And why weren't there numbers written on the photos? That would have been so much easier because everyone had a ticket with a number... Nobody is going to take or steal a picture of a stranger standing next to a celebrity.

I had totally read over this remark. I has the answer!

The suggestion you make about the board/display is really a good one! It is something which we should look into (if there is a budget for it!) because it would make it a whole lot easier to distribute the pictures.

As for the numbers - yes, we gave numbers, but these numbers were not linked to the pictures themselves. This was for the team to have a "backup count" of the amount of pictures taken. (I stood at the entrance taking the coloured tickets you got for every photo shoot), and at the end they gave out a new ticket. (but kept the other half at that ticket) - that was for double-checking in case there would be mix-ups or bad calculations (which - I am proud to say - there weren't.)

Then at the same time you had this number - but it was not about the number - it was just about the proof that you needed ONE photo, or TWO photos, or THREE, or.... etc. Just so nobody would try to get two pictures for the price of one. If you had a ticket, you got your picture, if you didn't have one anymore, you couldn't fool us into printing out another picture for you.

That was the reasoning behind it.

But, I just want to say: good suggestion about pinning the pictures to a wall or something similar - definately a good idea which would make life much easier for those distributing the pictures.

[krikke]

As participant in the cosplay contest (the zell in ff8) i have one serious suggestion regarding it:
get judges that know their stuff. seriously! I've heard far and wide that the ff8-act was the best on saturday by far and from some people (as i went 2 days) the best of the weekend. sadly, we didn't even get top 3 in any category? sorry, but that's a bit hard to understand.

other then that: i'd suggest an english announcer and a dutch announcer for the contest. and that's it.
we're still in Flanders, so base language = Dutch, while English should be more then sufficient for anybody else. It'd only be a true minority that still wouldn't understand it then.

then for facts in general: needs a 4th hall....definitly. as people have said before: at times it was so crowded that i couldn't get out of the hall for a while...


except for the above mentioned things: BEST FACTS EVER up till now for me.

[kaydra]

Choose your words more carefully and they'll come over a lot less...how to phrase it... well like u're in their faces christoph ^_^

what he means is not that he's pissed he didn't win...
we're just wondering how, out of all group acts, it was decided by the judges what act was the best.

I read on the website:
1. Costume criteria: quality of the costume (1/3 points).
2. Resemblance of the character to the reference picture (not applicable in case of original creations) (1/3 points)
3. On-stage presentation: quality of the presentation or act, including speech and singing (1/3 points).

However you cannot judge all categories on these same 3 points, well you can but they shouldn't be worth the same amount.

for best costume, points 1 and 2 (in that order) should be worth more than 3
for best act points 3 and 2 (in that order) should be worth more than 1

Using this system someone who has an awesome costume but doesn't do a good act can actually still win best act, just as someone who does an awesome act but has a less good costume can win best costume...

So, no stress, just out of curiosity, I'd like some clarification as to how points are given.

-----

about the announcers, I'd be happy with just an english one. Having 2 makes announcing just longer then it needs to be and it's quite silly that the french one just translates the jokes of the first. Bald Hamlet is an awesome announcer by himself Besides, dutch or french ppl might not understand everything but they'll at least hear the name of the act and that is the most important thing for ppl to hear.

[Stoney3K]

As for the cosplay, I am in favor of having separate awards for 'Best Recreation' (best costume when compared to a reference photo), 'Best Dramatic Performance' (award for a tremendous act on stage) and 'Best Original Creation'.

Of course, it's possible to win multiple awards with the same entry if you do it right, but it's also possible to have a hilarious act and an improvised costume, and still get the 'Best Dramatic Performance' award. For example, your Final Fantasy entry would win the 'Best Dramatic Performance' prize in the category of Groups, whereas the Toy Story entry would win the 'Best Recreation'.

I support the idea of having an English-speaking MC only. However, I even notice some mistakes in the FACTS publication when it comes to English: I don't think anyone in the crew was wearing a set of 'Info boots'.

One major thing I suggest we fix is having a different way of conveying real-time information (like programme changes or delays) to the audience. The PA system in the Expo kept interrupting the Q&A's and the cosplay, and it was still incomprehensible. I would personally go for video screens.

[cartoonjessie]

I want info boots too. Were they for sale at FACTS?

And please, please. Spell cosplay right. How many years have we been remarking that?

I am also pro-English for presentation in all things where presentation is required.

[kaydra]

Oct 25, 2011 13:03:54 GMT 1 Stoney3K said:

As for the cosplay, I am in favor of having separate awards for 'Best Recreation' (best costume when compared to a reference photo), 'Best Dramatic Performance' (award for a tremendous act on stage) and 'Best Original Creation'.

they had seperate awards, there was "best costume" and "best act", seperated for solo and for groups.
Only thing is that i'm wondering if both use exactly the same grade-system (ie the one on the website) as that is just not right...

[krikke]

yeah kaydra was right about my wording by the way. i was furious because of the injustice, not because we didn't win. the audience loved it and in the end, that's what made my day and that's why we did it.

but the grade-system is seriously flawed, imo...

[kaydra]

I would still very much like to hear something from a FACTS official about this ^_^

[vittelius]

For next edition of FACTS, is it possible to have a checkroom ?

I know that many, many people would appreciate this...

First, for the free cosplayers because they have to carry their backpack all the day. But also for other visitors whom wish to lodge in a safe place their coats (it's sometimes hot in there !) or their packages.

Quite simple, You need a closed room, one or two people and a ticket-system. You could ask two or three euro for that particular service.

What do you think, is it possible for next year ?

[cartoonjessie]

I thought there was a "vestiaire" at the entrance of FACTS? Or am I mistaken?

[vittelius]

Nov 7, 2011 8:45:28 GMT 1 cartoonjessie said:

I thought there was a "vestiaire" at the entrance of FACTS? Or am I mistaken?

I missed the checkroom ? For backpacks too, or just for coats ?

d**n ! I was probably too excited saturday at the opening, and I missed it... ;D

[cartoonjessie]

Yeah you can leave bags there too, I've heard.

[boddah]

Hi,

I was thinking about having an auction near the end of the weekend. I've visited other conventions (music), that had such auctions, where vendors could offer unsold goods. I would also include other sellers as well, as a lot of people have a couple of items that they wish to sell, but not enough to be a vendor at the event.

Auctions are great fun and exciting because there's always a chance to discover unusual treasures, and everyone has an equal chance to bid

At FACTS, there are always people interested in buying exclusive and rare stuff, so it seems the perfect place, I think

[kakalili]

Sounds like a fun, exciting, idea.

[Myka]

Then i think a "bring & buy" would be slightly easier to set up.

[dogsoldiersthingy]

Silly suggestion perhaps, but how about numbering the tables?

It's not the first year at F.A.C.T.S. that I find something interesting in one of the shops and think "hmm, I'm coming back for this if I haven't ran out of money/don't find it anywhere cheaper". And when I do decide to buy it, I sometimes spend an hour trying to find that shop again. There are simply a lot of shops, many of which look very much alike because of the things they sell. Numbering the tables could solve that problem. It's a small thing, perhaps silly to some, but it would save me loads of time.

[grievous444]

Sept 24, 2012 17:23:51 GMT 1 @dogsoldiersthingy said:

Silly suggestion perhaps, but how about numbering the tables?

It's not the first year at F.A.C.T.S. that I find something interesting in one of the shops and think "hmm, I'm coming back for this if I haven't ran out of money/don't find it anywhere cheaper". And when I do decide to buy it, I sometimes spend an hour trying to find that shop again. There are simply a lot of shops, many of which look very much alike because of the things they sell. Numbering the tables could solve that problem. It's a small thing, perhaps silly to some, but it would save me loads of time.

And me to. Got the same problem. And it would indeed help. I think it's a great suggestion.

[kakalili]

Sept 24, 2012 17:41:02 GMT 1 grievous444 said:

Sept 24, 2012 17:23:51 GMT 1 @dogsoldiersthingy said:

Silly suggestion perhaps, but how about numbering the tables?

It's not the first year at F.A.C.T.S. that I find something interesting in one of the shops and think "hmm, I'm coming back for this if I haven't ran out of money/don't find it anywhere cheaper". And when I do decide to buy it, I sometimes spend an hour trying to find that shop again. There are simply a lot of shops, many of which look very much alike because of the things they sell. Numbering the tables could solve that problem. It's a small thing, perhaps silly to some, but it would save me loads of time.

And me to. Got the same problem. And it would indeed help. I think it's a great suggestion.

It is indeed a fact that when you fill your head with 'facts' you get disorientated at the end of the day...
I am sure that when we are not lookin' the shops change places just to play tricks on us.

[matva]

OK, I went to FACTS yesterday, for the 5th or 6th time already. It was very fun, as always. Bought a lot of cool merch which you can't find anywhere else but:

It was waaaaay too crowded. I think this can be solved with following small changes:

- Use the big room for the merchandise, and ONLY for the merchandise. Widen the paths between the stalls so you have bigger corridors that can hold a bigger flow of people.
- Use a seperate room for everything game-related, like the 9Lives, Ubisoft stand, that big Teekay421, Star Trek stand etc.
- Use another seperate room for all "other" activities, including the cosplay stage (!!), those drums, the iadio demonstration etc. etc. (Seriously, stop cramming that cosplay stage in the corner, in the same room as many of the other activities. The first 5 rows can actually see something, the rest: though luck.)

This will probably solve some major issues I think. Per example: If you are in the merch room, and you wish to navigate to the cosplay competition, you HAVE to go through the game room. When Ubisoft is giving out Assassin's Creed merch at that time, it's impossible to get through.

Also, maybe, but this one might be a bit "harsh": Limit the amount of available tickets. Big festivals and concerts do that too. Maybe FACTS is already doing this without us knowing, but sometimes it really feels overcrowded.


What I do like is that you have a separate cafeteria now, so +1 for that!

[kakalili]

You have a point there.
Also put one of the staff at the entrance. If the doors open the flow to the inside, the warm side, is to d**n slow. I tagged a guy in a pink sweater without a ticket and he got in like 10 min before me
If someone is at the door to direct the people with a ticket directly to the scanners the time in the cold would be much shorter. I saw a romen gladiator with a cape and a helmet, i was wearing a jacket.
Do it for those guy's.