Quoted from Bryan_Kelly:That's why someone else needs to set up and organize the freeplay area. Remove Mike from that area completely.
I have brought between 2-4 games to expo for several years. But stopped in 2014. I live about 35 miles from the venue, so that's not the issue. But moving games out of my basement, renting a truck or just loading a van with 2 games, is a lot of work. Once I get games to the hotel, its become a major pain to go through the loading dock. They last couple of times I did bring games, there was nobody from the hotel to open the doors, doors inside the hotel are locked sometimes along the path from the dock to the hall. I'm a collector - I'm in my mid 50's - I can't do this all on my own anymore.
Jon Pederson did a huge service bringing his EM, high quality, large # of pins in 2014. Its one of the reasons 2015 seemed empty by comparison - When Jon doesnt bring dozens of his EM's it made a big difference. I also noticed the absence all of Brian Bannon's cool Bally's from the 80's, in prestine shape.
You combine us 3 guys no longer bringing games , that's 50 fewer games right there. And if Pheobe and Larry stopped bringing games - you'd lose some of the coolest modded, and best playing games of the show.
1. Movers at the site, would be a great help.
2. Some ideas I've read here about incentives to bring games, run by a dedicated person for just beefing up the free play part of the show, would go a long way.
3. Maybe an hour bar gathering for all those who brought a game, it would be nice to meet other game-bringers, and have Mike/Rob throw a little $ towards a bar tab as a thank you. I'd be much more likely to consider bringing a game or two, the few $ back is nice - but I buy a packet anyway, and its hard to find MIke to get the $ kickback anyway. (edit: "hard to find" in the 2011-2012 era, when I last brought games - Mike paid out a lot to those who brought games this year.)
