Have some security cameras on at night if the areas will be unattended. They are very inexpensive nowadays. It would be nice to catch the thieves instead of simply closing the hall.

I don't have any suggestions for the tournament area because I don't participate in any of it. I'm just there to meet people and have fun in a less intense setting. The seminars are good although some are better than others. The overall format of the show is good.

There should be better organization of the free play area ahead of time though. Maybe have reservations. I brought machines last year and they sat out in the hallway most of the show. This year I didn't being any because of how bad last year was and I live only 8 miles away from the Westin. Establish some rules and stick to them.

It would be nice to use a secondary overflow game room for all non-functioning machines and "projects" that are for sale. Maybe a flea market or swap-meet type setup for games only?

Nothing deters me more from bringing games than to have the ones I brought sitting out in the hallway behind the free play area out of sight and unprotected while there are several machines that are either out of commission or were non-functional "projects" that have no business being in the free play area in the first place. If they are not going to be repaired move them out if there are others waiting to get in. This year wasn't an issue but it was the year before. I think it would be nicer to have too many than not enough.

Otherwise I like the Expo but it has become a one day thing for me anymore. After one day I've seen all there is to see there. I usually meet friends at the show and invite them to my pinball "mancave" afterwards for open bar and ice-cold beer on tap and that about wraps it up.

Definitely a good idea. One of the best I've seen in this thread. It would be great to have a secure room to move all the machines that need repair and also the junker projects some guys bring to try and sell by hogging-up space in the free play area. If they go down they can be wheeled out of the free play area into the repair area with better lighting to work on or just leave it there until you load it back up to take home. They could put for sale signs with a phone number on the "project" games too and people would be able to look them over better in the lighted area.

Most of us would rather attempt to repair our own machines rather than pay Rob $100 or so to replace one connector pin or some other easy fix. Most people who bring games would rather not pay big bucks to have them repaired at the show if they can help it. I always see guys trying to work on machines in the free play area. One guy looked like he was really struggling with an Eight Ball Deluxe in the dark and I don't know if he ever did get the beater working.

It's kind of hard to wheel a cart in and try to fix a machine in the dark with a huge crowd of wall-to-wall people mulling around.

Every machine should have a contact phone number registered with it. If one goes down an out of order sign could be placed on it and the owner contacted. He then would have like an hour or so to try and fix it if it is an easy one or take it to the lighted repair area if it is going to require anything major (or is down and out for the rest of the show). Have professional pinball carts available at all times for easy transport to and from the repair area.

They could even have some basic tools in the repair area for people to use like multi-meters and maybe some other items like a few worklights as well as some volunteers there to offer some help for free if the owner would like some. Not everything has to be a for-profit venture at the show.

The volunteers could be to help people who brought machines to play and don't want to pay Rob to fix if it goes down. The term "volunteer" means they don't get paid. They wouldn't have to even be there the entire time or not at all. Most people wouldn't probably even need the help but may not have brought every single tool and part just in case. For instance if someone needed to re-pin a connector or solder something simple they could do it themselves in the repair room. Some of us who live right by the Westin would be happy to help-out a fellow pinball fan if they needed to use a tool or needed an inexpensive part. I've had people come offering help to me in the past. Everyone isn't there just to make money.

Others who are bringing games to the show just to get repaired could still go to Rob or whoever is doing it that particular year.

The room could also have a section for "project" pins to be displayed and sold rather than placing inoperable machines in the free play area.

You asked for ideas to make the show better for the participants - not just for those who are there to make money.

Basically it would be nice to have a secure lighted area that is out of the dark free play area to work on your own machine if you need to. Others could come in and offer help if you need any. If you can't fix it or it needs more money than you want to spend you could just park it there until it is time to take it back home rather than having half the machines unplugged and out of order in the free play area or pushed out into the unsecured hallway behind the free play room where they can be stolen.

My two games sat out in the back hallway in 2014 because there wasn't any room for them. That's why I didn't bring any this year and I live only 8 miles from the Westin. I was afraid to walk away from them because the back loading dock door was open and unattended most of the time.

I eventually was able to put one machine in the overflow room (which would make a good room to have the repair area in) and loaded the other one up on my pinball cart and rolled it right out the back door and into my cargo van. I wasn't about to let it sit back there unattended.

No one asked if I was stealing it or anything. There were other machines there too and I could have loaded any of them I wanted up and probably not have been questioned as I drove right off with them.

As long as there aren't any pyrotechnics you're probably going to be OK.

lol

You can drill through those brass pinball locks like butter in about 30 seconds with a cordless drill and a 1/2" drill bit.

Maybe they should bolt a fire extinguisher to the side of each machine just in case?

I can guarantee you that doesn't even factor into whether I didn't bring a game this year and I haven't heard anyone else express that sentiment either.

Last year you couldn't get a game in. This year was pretty-weak. Not donating the proceeds to charity had nothing to do with the decline as far as I could tell.

I agree and definitely have no complaints about the format or the Westin as the location and can't see any reason to want to move other than finding a parking space can be challenging.

I think the main issues most people would like to see addressed are common-sense and pretty-easily remedied. Other ideas for improvements are good too. I'll be there next year. I always am.