Celebration III

Okay, as long as I'm at it here's another challenge: the book giveaway.

For those of you who didn't go, there were 10,000 foreign SW books to be given away FREE to fans attending C2. They were all gone in the first 60 minutes of the first day of the convention.

I personally talked to one dweeb who had two SUITCASES of these books and bragging how he was going to eBay them after C2 was over. After belting him in the face with one his books (I wish), I asked him how he thought that was fair to other conventioneers. His reply? "Tough breaks, dude."

Would it have killed the people in charge of the convention to hold a limit on those books of just one per person until at least Sunday? Hmph.

 

I have several of the newer star wars books (the series where the jedi kids activate centerpoint station at correllia) in german. I picked them up at a garage sale in Germany the last time that i vacationed there. Its pretty cool..but hard to read Not to get off the subject but is anyone planning on picking up Galaxies when it is released?? I am but i am not sure when the release date yet....

later folks

 

I didn't even bother trying to go to that book giveaway. I knew it'd be futile. It would've been really cool to get a few free books.

"I happen to think that C3 is going to be great."

Don't get me wrong, I think it's going to be awesome too. I just hope they learn from some of the mistakes of C:II. I like your ideas a lot because I'd like to get a little more out of my fan club membership than getting in an hour early and having the privilege of being allowed into a big empty room. To expand a bit on your thoughts, I think that the fan club members should be allowed one guest that can take advantage of their extras too. It didn't really pose a problem for me, but what about the husbands and wives who would both need memberships so that one of them wouldn't have to wait outside while the other was able to get in early. It'd be pretty stupid for both of them to have a membership..who wants two copies of the insider, two form letters from Lucas, etc. They're doing that for the SW weekends fan club breakfast I read--allowing the fan club member and one guest.

 

i have a friend in england who wants to come over. i thik it will be fun if he does.

 

I think it would be great to get as many fans from as many countries together as possible..especially if they all bring a bit of their collection to trade with other fans. Its really the only way (besides paying a bunch of money on the net of course) to get foriegn star wars stuff without going to that country. Plus with trading you get to interact with people and that is really what the con is all about right?? OTherwise they wouldnt hold them. I love to meet other people who are as in to Star wars as i am. That is why i joined this message board

Until next time
--out--

 

Well, I'm coming to Celeb III, regardless.

The lines were.... long, but I don't really know how they could have been any shorter. Perhaps they sold too many tickets? But then how do you cut off ticket sales for something like a Celebration?

More space is definitely needed. That can be dealt with, I should think.

And cheaper eating/drinking franchises... or allow attendees to bring in their own beverages. (Well, I did...shhhhh! Don't tell!)

Just a side note... how many think that the "stars" will turn up for Celeb III like they did last May? May, 2002 was the 25th anniversary.

 

I LIKE the idea of bringing a buddy, Iwakura! It could really help the fan club to recruit new people. And if not, you're right: who wants to get two of the same thing at the same house?

Obi Anne: Perhaps the fan club works with the international clubs to extend the same benefits when ordering C3 tickets. I wouldn't want to see anyone discriminated against at C3 either. We met some great fans from Germany and it was wonderful fun attending the con with them.

Tionne: You're right. There is no way to get the lines any shorter. BUT there is definitely a way to make the line-waiting more palatable. We shouldn't have to wait in line without knowing if we will even get in to the shows we'll be waiting for! Like I said before: it's not the waiting in line, it's the not knowing part that needs to be abolished.

 

>As of now, Wizards of the Coast, the previous owners of the Fan Club, still retain the rights to selling merchandise and fan conventions.<

Wizards is still the official e-commerce licensee, but there is no long-term license for official fan conventions. Celebration I and II were both essentially one-shot licenses; the first was with Fantastic Media, and the second was with Wizards.

While Paizo has participated in informal discussions, as far as I know, no licensee has yet been signed for Celebration III.

One thing to note - Wizards got rid of their convention department at about the same time they got rid of their magazine department. Most of their ongoing convention licenses were sold to Gen Con, LLC, who also picked up some of Wizards' convention staff.

-Vic Wertz
Scruffy-looking Nerfherder
The Official Star Wars Fan Club
http://starwars.paizo.com/

 

Eh? I'm sorry, Indigovic, can you translate that for me...? I'm a little slow when it comes to conference speak. Are the Wizards still in control? And how does Paizo fit into this?

 

LOL!

Bottom line: Nobody's been signed up to do the convention yet, though we're talking about it.

And Wizards doesn't do conventions anymore.

-Vic.
.

 

Gotcha. Thanks..... I'll keep an ear tuned!

 

Thanks, Vic. I misunderstood from your posts at starwars.com. Glad to see you prowl around here as well!

 

I must say that while at C2, I have never felt more at home than I did with those who felt proud to display their own degrees of
Star Wars "geekdom", for lack of a better term. af for the whole buddy system, I had my parents out there with me, and thanks to them, I was able to get a lot of stuff done that I would never have been able to had I been alone. We communicated through alkie talkies and I had one parent stand in line for the Jorg Sacul Figure and another wait in line for autographs while I was able to wait in line for the free books or do whatever I cared to get done. Thankfully they were accomodating enough to be willing to do these things for me, which is why I have some of the greatest parents around. They know how much into SW I am, and I'm greatful for what they did for me. I was able to get my Sacul figure AND see the C2 concert AND make the most of such a great event that I will never forget. But I DEFINITELY agree that working with a friend or something helps to get things done that you want to. As long as both people are will to make som sacrifices for the good of the team.

John

 

That's great that your parents were such good sports about the convention!

But don't you think that you should have been able to take care of all of those things without their help? What I mean is that there should have been some organization in place so that you could have spent more time with your friends/parents/whatever rather than splitting up and waiting in line.

Most folks don't have such understanding companions!

 

I must say that while at C2, I have never felt more at home than I did with those who felt proud to display their own degrees of Star Wars "geekdom", for lack of a better term.

Hey Skinnee, what's up bro! That's how I felt at the 1st SWC. Not that it was a geekfest, but that I'd come home to the land of SW fans, ha. It was great to do it again at CII.

 

You know I was one of the lucky ones to have gotten a few books from C2.......I understand everyones frustration regarding not limiting a few things.
The one thing that was truly unfair was the fact that people were buying up a ton of the Jorge Sacul figures and tossing them on ebay for a mint. Not to mention the dealers at the con with big signs stating they would pay someone top dollar for Jorge Sacul figures.
Anyhow, thats my rant, I would still go to C3 easily. Lines and all. I had a blast and would do it again

 

Before I rant again, please understand that I thought that C1 and C2 were extraordinarily fun. That doesn't mean that there isn't room for improvement!

I think what it comes down to is a real surprise on the part of the organizers. I honestly think that they did not believe that C2 was going to be THAT successful. What I can't understand is why at the very least the planners didn't take C1 at Denver into account. There were tens of thousands of fans there, too. There would have been more had the worst rain that Denver had seen in 100 years not hit! And if this was taken into account, then that's even more ludicrous.

The book thing was just a nuisance. It was promoted heavily in the Insider...who didn't think that without restrictions that the books wouldn't have been picked clean?!? Ah, well...

I'm a little more lenient with the GL figures. If people are willing to wait in line for hours on end to pay for action figures, fine. But make sure your supply is firm and make sure that at the end of the day you give something to the people in line that didn't make it so that they get first dibs the next day. If convention passes need to be punched to ensure no one goes over their two-figure limit, then so be it. Maybe a Sharpie mark on your hand?

There are better ways to make things move smooth at C3. I think that we'll see them.

 

I agree, there has to be a better system to limit things if they no that there is a short supply on hand.

All in all I had a GREAT time and would go again. I just hope that the organizers are more prepared for this last con knowing its the last one and the biggest one of all I am assuming
unless they keep on going...woohoo! *doubtful*

anyhow thats my .02 cents

 

The first day of celebration III will be a day long remembered.


thebadge

 

I have a question for those who attened Celebration II. Would the staff allow you to put up and/or pass out papers for recruiting people for a Star Wars gaming clan/squad?

 

You could always try to set up a booth in the fan club area. We had flyers from FanForce groups as far away as Australia.

 

I personally talked to one dweeb who had two SUITCASES of these books and bragging how he was going to eBay them after C2 was over. After belting him in the face with one his books (I wish), I asked him how he thought that was fair to other conventioneers. His reply? "Tough breaks, dude."

I don't know how well some did with those books on Ebay..Maybe it wasn't as impressive as expected..
I'm always seeing them on sale(nick & dent sales/used book sales).

 

Well, at least I can take small comfort in that. It was just such a sick show of unbridled greed...*sigh* I'll have to check out those used book sales...!

 

Finally some real "news"... The Indy convention center calendar has finally been updated for May:

http://www.iccrd.com/conv/calendar/convcal.asp

May 5-6 2005 is being taken up 500 Festival Mini Marathon Registration... Wonder if that will have any effect on C3..