Feedback and Thanks!

[Tillen]

Greetings!
TLDR; Awesome! Keep the pre-purchase merch, maintain the schedule, refine the event pre-registration; Bring back the challenge T-Shirts, better food, larger relaxation and game login area.
Let’s get it:
Thank you for a wonderful event and taking the time to query our feedback on the event.

What was the intent?
To provide the FFXIV community with a safe forum through which they can socialize, have fun, and take part in Eorzean-themed events while the FFXIV team expresses gratitude to the community for being a fan and customer. The forum will provide merchandising opportunities for fans, a method of obtaining sustenance, and deliver the future plans and past achievements of FFXIV via stage events.

What actually transpired?
A fan festival that was safe, accessible for those with physical disabilities, provided an adequate amount content to fill 1.5 days of the weekend, and where senior members of the FFXIV team demonstrated an appreciation for their fan base. Although, the entire event lacked the engrossing experience that was achieved in London 2014 and did not provide adequate in-house sustenance for the attendees.
What went well?

o Pre-Planning: The merchandise pre-purchase, PvP sign-up, and Mr. Nobou Uematsu signing session emails were an outstanding idea. Recommend sustain and refine. The only recommendation would be to send any special time-limited event emails out prior to the timed event, such as the Mr. Nobou Uematsu signing. Send out the emails on X-DAY that states the sign-up session will take place from Y time to Z time. Some of the emails appeared late for some individuals and they were not afforded the opportunity to sign up.
Merchandising: The pre-purchase made this a breeze. The store area was much larger than in London 2014 and overall the process seemed faster and smoother. Recommend sustain however, can be improved by increasing the number of tellers during the initial Saturday morning push. We know that immediately following the opening keynote speech on Saturday there will be a mad rush to the store.

o Venue: Safe, centrally located, acoustically perfect, and not congested. There was plenty of room to move around, regardless of the queue forming somewhere, plenty of bathrooms, and located adjacent to an external food hall that provided many options to eat at….on Saturday. The size of the venue was great. It seemed overall accessible to those fans that may have a physical disability and require special equipment to move around.

o Schedule: The schedule had a good pace to it, approximately 1.5 hours between each event that afforded attendees the opportunity to use the bathroom, eat, or do some events. I never felt rushed to get to the any event and was able to mill around and socialize with new and old friends at a comfortable tempo. Additionally, having a 2-day ticket is a must. Recommend sustain.
Stage Events: Excellent. This ties into the schedule. The quality of the events and duration of each event was adequate (save for the Primals’ concert). It provided enough entertainment without getting bored or waiting for it to end. Each event was unique and provided something for everyone.

What did not go so well?
o Catering / Sustenance: Lack luster. I understand that this was probably contracted. Such that Frankfurt Messe provides in-house catering or the options to obtain [Package A, B, or C] from [Vendors X, Y, or Z]. I also understand the proximity of local establishments. However, most of us are staying within the event all day, which means we are enjoying breakfast, lunch, and supper at this event. I felt as though London 2014 had better choices for sustenance, which is surprising because Germany does festival food sooooo well. Recommend improve. The catering company selected should provide options that are a bit heartier at least for the evening time: vegetables, noodles, meat. You know what we like! Pizza, Cup Noodles, and Chicken
o Floor Events: Needed some “oompf”. No I beat Proto-Ultima T-shirt!?? Both London 2014 and GamesCom 2016 awarded T-Shirts for their events (at least the battle trial). I was surprised when the Fan Fest didn’t even offer it as purchasable. I felt as though the Mog-Home should have been expanded. If I remember correctly, at the London 2014 there was a Nintendo-DS or similar handheld booth where people could play something. I was able to clear all events on the first day and still take part in the PvP tournament, which left little to do on Sunday (save for the PvP finals). I think one way to improve is to expand the Mog-Home relaxation area. Providing a large place for fans to relax, generally converse regarding the game, and more terminals to login would have been better. You’ve got us hooked on the event, keep us there. Sure we could go back to our hotel rooms and play but why not keep us there in a LAN area?
o Atmosphere: Difficult to gauge. I felt as though the constant pressuring to purchase merchandise was a bit over the top, although this might be a cultural aspect. I was buying articles anyway, so I didn’t need to be reminded to buy them. When we stepped off the train in London, there were staff members and signs guiding us to the event and the Tobacco Dock was decorated in such a way that I also felt as though I was stepping into Eorzea. The sheer size of the Messe made it difficult to provide the level of atmosphere achieved at London. Recommend improve. Selecting a venue for the event is probably the most difficult task for the staff however, I believe that an engrossing atmosphere should be a major selection criteria for the next event.

Assessment
Overall, I believe the event was quite enjoyable and a wonderful experience. If given the opportunity, I would purchase a ticket and attend again. If there is to be another fan fest (let’s pray), some methods of improvement would be expanding the “Mog Home” relaxation area, event rewards, and improving the atmosphere of the event. Although, the latter is contingent upon the venue selection, which requires factors like accessibility, safety, relation to adjacent amenities. As mentioned by Reithomeige, I also found it wonderful that Naoki Yoshida-san and the other senior members were always walking around, signing autographs, and thanking fans. Kudos to the staff, FFXIV community, and FFXIV team, for providing a safe and enjoyable event. See you in Paris 2019!