Improvements they could make for Fan Fest 2015

[Katsaria]

Thank you all for this thread!
We're definitely looking for ways to improve the show experience for all those attending and are anxious to get more feedback like this!

Let Koji fox sing every song at the concert.

[Illya]

I feel like they really needed to have more "instances" of each challenge, as the lines for everything were horribly long the entire weekend. The way the lines were managed was extremely poor as well.

I realize this was supposed to be a benefit of the VIP upgrade, but I also feel like there should have been an opportunity for a limited number of regular attendees to get their stuff signed by the team.

I know there are a lot of problems with allowing it, but you guys had Logitech as a sponsor so you guys could have had a few Logitech G13s for players who wanted to use it. I play with one of those and I was fighting with the keyboard when I tried to do the challenges. Also yeah, the keybinds thing should be addressed in future events, there was simply not enough time to set up your keybinds and also there really needs a "Revert All Settings to Defaults" button so people can't troll their fellow attendees by messing up the settings on purpose.

[Cutie_McSnuggles]

As many have stated, the lines were really bad. My FC and I started calling the event linefest 2014. LOL

Make sure you stock more of what will likely be popular items for the shop.

I think the raffle could have been better, as a PS4 player I'm glad I didn't win anything because there was nothing I could have used, it made me feel left out.

[Nel_Celestine]

Lines, venue size, letting cosplayers sit down before/after getting on stage for the contest were all covered. VIP line for merch missing keynote mentioned (Still annoyed about that)

One suggestion I would make on top of that is hold three Tiers of Cosplay Contest.
Beginner
Advanced
Professional

Reduce the total prizes sure, but give more people the spotlight and encouragement too. It was my first time in a contest and I got lots of help to plan for another one. Kind of sad I didn't make it on stage but next time!


Also, post in advance what the judging criteria for each tier will be so we know what to expect. Do we need to pose? Is it based purely on looks? It is based on what % was self made? etc etc. Clarity and plenty of notice.

[Phafi]

East Coast.

[Nel_Celestine]

East Coast.

How about Canada? Montreal or Maybe Toronto? ;D

[Sramdi]

Suggestions/Feedback

Pre-printed badges that are mailed to attendees (a la PAX).

Badges should have been different colors based on datacenter, or something that would give a visual indicator from afar that someone is on your server (at some point I was tempted to just write "Hyperion" on my arm).

Do not require stamps to collect patches; just include them in the swag bags. (I didn't really care about winning at Frontlines, but did want the completion patch.)

Credit card machine failure nulled any benefit from being a VIP attendee - I was early in line on Sat for merchandise, but eventually saw non-VIP cash users bumped ahead. If I'd known cash was required, I would have gotten cash. SE could have pulled in a few Paypal card readers and alleviated some of the hassle for credit card users (even if they had to eat the fees).

Merchandise list/prices should have been released earlier, via e-mail or website (in case attendees wanted to bring cash).

[Ryuko]

Also, having someone monitor it so someone just doesn't write HYPERION and take up most of the JP space would be another nice thing. I appreciate that they waiting until late day1/day 2 to do it but still.

Yeah, as someone from Hyperion... that was a jerky thing to do. Yet, once it was there, I just shrugged and said... "Well, there's no more room to sign on the primal section... might as well sign inside one of the Hyperion letters."

[Sramdi]

Suggestions/Feedback

An event twitter/Facebook/website would have been helpful for releasing up-to-the-minute information on events.

Having the merchandise available to order online would have been nice. Saw way too many people in huge lines waiting to buy merch. I would have purchased my merch online and not even bothered with the line if that was an option.

Bartenders at the reception didn't advertise the $3 beers until later during the evening - the only sign I remember seeing at first was for the $10 glasses of wine/imports. I kept hearing people say they avoided the bar due to the prices early in the evening.

More screens throughout the floor (especially visible from the lines) - I was stuck in lines during many of the keynotes and didn't have a clear view of the main or back big-screens (this happened during the opening keynote while I was in the merch line).

[Sramdi]

Suggestions/Feedback

Trivia card decks (at the reception) should have been swag - or made available to order. I would have really liked to have a full deck of these.

Reception tables should have had datacenter names. Spent far too long looking for friends/FC mates.

Artillery event wasn't really interesting (it felt like silly carnival game).

Free-play computers would've been great (like at PAX) but with only ffxiv installed

A "charging wall" at the event would've been useful

Lines were generally a CF, it seemed like a lot of times there was nobody in charge.

A numbering system for lines would have worked well. Give numbers, have a "now serving" sign and if someone isn't there when their number is displayed, they lose out (and have to get a new number).