Gaming News: "DashCon"
Posted: Tuesday July 15th, 2014
by
So what happens when a group of Tumblr-ians get together and use IndieGoGo to fund an Tumblr-based convention? Colossally poor planning. Angry, unpaid guests. Cancelled panels. Venue threats of closure. Begging for donations. Disappointed attendees. But HEY... there was a bouncy castle and a ball pit. [more info]
The stories coming out of DashCon are horrid. But, I've seen it all before. Well, not all... I'd be lying if I said I'd ever heard of a failing convention offering con goers who had paid for access to premium panels "extra time in the ball pit" when said premium panels were cancelled. Now, if this ball pit was like, 8 feet deep and 20+ feet to a side, that might be worth something. But, when the ball pit is so small a 6 foot tall person couldn't stretch out in it without their feet hanging over the edge? Who would want extra time in that?
Now, I don't claim to be a convention planner. Far from it. I know my limits. But, I know there's ALWAYS more involved with putting on a successful CON than one might think. I also know, from experience with a previous "new" Con, that there will ALWAYS be last minute venue costs that you weren't made aware of when you signed the contract. This will most likely center around required facility staffing and it will seem exorbitant when you get hit with it. But the fact is, any planner worth their salt would have done the research in advance, vetted the process, and would KNOW this was all coming. DashCon planners did no such thing. They failed miserably.
Here's my question though, what possesses someone to make them think that an non-sanctioned Tumblr convention would work? imigur is, in essence, everything: cats, doges, memes, bananas, Cumberbitches, Hiddlestoners, Star Trek, Firefly, Anime, on and on. How do you focus the convention in any way? There can't be panels about every sub-group. You'd need it to be more about posting pictures, funny comments, how to go viral. DashCon had none of that. Hell it barely even had vendors or attendees, let alone relevant programming.
I think it's highly unlikely but, did any of you actually go to DashCon?
In other news GU is starting it's own open format, complete lack of planning convention. We're calling it...
Anyone interested in buying advance tickets?
[ discuss ]
The stories coming out of DashCon are horrid. But, I've seen it all before. Well, not all... I'd be lying if I said I'd ever heard of a failing convention offering con goers who had paid for access to premium panels "extra time in the ball pit" when said premium panels were cancelled. Now, if this ball pit was like, 8 feet deep and 20+ feet to a side, that might be worth something. But, when the ball pit is so small a 6 foot tall person couldn't stretch out in it without their feet hanging over the edge? Who would want extra time in that?
Now, I don't claim to be a convention planner. Far from it. I know my limits. But, I know there's ALWAYS more involved with putting on a successful CON than one might think. I also know, from experience with a previous "new" Con, that there will ALWAYS be last minute venue costs that you weren't made aware of when you signed the contract. This will most likely center around required facility staffing and it will seem exorbitant when you get hit with it. But the fact is, any planner worth their salt would have done the research in advance, vetted the process, and would KNOW this was all coming. DashCon planners did no such thing. They failed miserably.
Here's my question though, what possesses someone to make them think that an non-sanctioned Tumblr convention would work? imigur is, in essence, everything: cats, doges, memes, bananas, Cumberbitches, Hiddlestoners, Star Trek, Firefly, Anime, on and on. How do you focus the convention in any way? There can't be panels about every sub-group. You'd need it to be more about posting pictures, funny comments, how to go viral. DashCon had none of that. Hell it barely even had vendors or attendees, let alone relevant programming.
I think it's highly unlikely but, did any of you actually go to DashCon?
In other news GU is starting it's own open format, complete lack of planning convention. We're calling it...
Anyone interested in buying advance tickets?
[ discuss ]
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