I had a great time time at MapleStory Fest. However, I encountered a few issues that could lead to problems if left ignored in the future. Since I have attended and worked many expos, I'll post some positives and negatives at the convention today that I encountered.
Attendance
While for the first year I can excuse the limit on distance from the venue, you should open it up to all USA Maplers in the future.
The price, as enticing as free is, it allows for extra people to show up who have no intention of really playing maple. try to keep it low enough to keep the barrier of reentry for old fans who quit to still want to com back though.
Have ticket confirmation be a month in advance. Some attendants had scheduling issues.
Rewards and Activities
The fact that the nicer rewards required chance to acquire, and had limited numbers left a few attendees a little disgruntled.
No activity had a digital reward. For a convention about a MMO video game, there was a surprising lack of rewards linking our activities in the convention to it.
Long lines. With such a small convention with so much free time, another booth for checking in or offering an in game reward could have split the lines up better.
Tell sponsors that should tech fail, you will use a back up not provided by them. A booth failed, and the solution was simple and cheap.
Conference
No shame in calling it that, we're old enough to understand.
Have a better schedule. When something is about to end, but it only took half the amount of it's allotted time, you lose part of the audience.
Live Q&A with audience. Doesn't need to be grand and question don't need to be answered, just acknowledged.
Merchandise
Have an online shop for in the event that a popular item sells out, it lets some who missed out, either though being late or just not going, a chance to get something they'll value.
Artwork. have an official venue to purchase some prints or an official access point to the artists.
Have more than just the 'heroes of maple'. GMS players values are more spread out.
Bookkeeping
Stamps were a good idea but never used.
Instead link stamp rewards to completing a merit based activity and a preview showing together. Gives it more of a scavenger hunt feel.
Have the post book actually verify who you are, so it can be collected in the end for the raffle and if a reward wasn't given at the time, be sent digitally or physically via mail at a later date.
Now none of what I say needs to be adopted for the next MapleStory Fest to be a success, it's just a recommendation on any low point that I noticed. In fact, some people may never have actually noticed or even occurred any of these.
While the overall tone of what I say is possibly negative, I want to stress that today was a 9/10 convention that I would gladly attend again.
I'll fix any typos later, too tired after the fun today.
Comments
we have the money to spend on these thingsI think it'll pander to us more than the "younger" that play this game. It's unfortunate that people who are unable to attend this events will never get the chance to obtain these items simply because they're not available anywhere else.