Is THERE a crew to help people unload AND setup games?

I'm bringing Bill Paxton.

LTG : )™

You bringing a Hobbit LE Prototype too?

I don't have one. Haven't even heard yet when I'll get one for tech support.

LTG : )
Disclaimer : Be sure and hit the JJP fireside chat Thursday night at Expo.

If it wasn't for that long and I mean long hallway I would try to bring some again. I could only have moved one as I have abody like Mike's and it just so tiring. Also after driving 8 hours it would be nice to have help from the show. Tron or ACDC pro would have never made the free pkay area if not for Fattrain and PDXMonkey.

Isn't the game room closer to the dock this year?

Mike I don't understand why you think this cash-back system will succeed this year when it has failed in past years. You aren't always the easiest guy to track down.

I'm more comfortable catching you Wednesday night during setup and getting a wristband then. That way if, for example on Sunday afternoon when I show up to break down my pins I don't need to worry about tracking you down.

I am not sure when you sleep with all the hours the show is open. Great job with all the times of the show. I stayed until the very end out of respect. I only sold one early from free play area and that was late Sat. Thanks for all you and the team do. So glad you glt the long hallway solution for pins fixed. It was a real bummer. I was looking for Pinbell for help as I left mine at home after the struggle to get the 4 pins I brought for the trip.

It was great to meet you Buddy
Happy to help if I can in the future

I'll be there! LMK if you need some help!!!
Tony

I thought the "bring a game, get a wristband for free admission" was a default thing for shows like this. Expo doesn't normally do that?

I think if you gave people a free pass to everything you'd probably get more people to make the effort to haul their games to Expo. I could sort of see the argument for not giving people free banquet (though really it should be worth the cost to you if it means more games and a bigger/better show because of it since everyone's gripe is the amount of games) but really what is the harm to letting some extra people in for those seminars? It's not like more people in those rooms adds any expense to anyone.

Ooooooh, I gotcha. Thanks for the clarification.

As the value of games rise it will become harder and harder to reward hobbyists for bringing their games.

Is $25 worth the trouble of breaking down a game, dragging it up the basement stairs, putting it in a truck, securing it for the ride, moving it through the hotel (some hotels are Union, and ONLY union laborers are allowed to move your game - you can't do it yourself), assembling and leveling it, having 1000s play it, and then doing all of the above in reverse?

People bring games because they really WANT others to enjoy them, not for the piddly free admission for the day.

Well said Vid and THAT is why I will continue to bring games to MGC. The friendly help and REAL incentive of a Private Party with only game bringgers is worth it for the new friendships alone.

Vid - Sorry - I'm not letting someone else move my game. If a show sets up at a show that has a union and requires said union to move *my* stuff, then I'm not bringing anything. That's a "show-stopper" for me... pun intended. For a show of this sort, I don't think it can be a success with that sort of restriction.

Mike - Rebate when the game is removed is also not acceptable. This kind of response "Wristbands are fine I AM REALLY tired of hearing about how I am hard to find Years ago at times sunday morning I was NOT IN LAST MANY YEARS .ALOT of people got cash back against whole packages you have no idea dont be so negative ... Just bring games LOL " is why. You need to learn from what other successful shows are doing...

Jaz

TPF and pinagogo have amazing convenience for pinheads that bring games.
That's probably why they get so many amazing games for the free play area.
What they lack in location they make up for in hospitality.

You just need to learn the art of listening. You created a post seeking more games and received feedback and clarity from people that have the opportunity to fulfill your request, and then you (like you always seem to do unfortunately) take that feedback and argue against it, and try to deivate course.

Instead of saying no, just say "thanks" and actually listen. Some things you can do, some you can't.

I am bringing two games this year for myself and my daughter that are attending.

I would MUCH rather get a wristband Wednesday night for Exhibit and Free play areas than have to shell out $180 up front in hopes that I will be able to track you down Sunday before I leave. It was proven very difficult in the Wyndham days in Rosemont that I just never bothered after that first year.

If people that also get banquet and Stern tour tickets want to work something out with you that's fine. But at least let people that bring games be able to get into the exhibit and free play areas without prepaying.

Not to defend Mike, but he's not hard to find on Sunday, or any day. I've done it the last 3 years. It's never taken more than a few minutes to find him. He might be busy and it might take a few minutes to get taken care of but its not a big deal.

Although I do agree that paying up front is a hassle.

Remember to wax your playfields and install new balls before and after the Expo.

AND based on surveys we give out at expo not having enough games is NOT that big a deal to most... The selection of STERN games MY odd ball rare games and the overall expo expieience overpowers not having a zilion games I believ las tyears count was like 175 or so.. respectable

Personally, I couldn't disagree more.
and it is not just me. There are so many newbies, that have never seen or played hundreds of titles (most from before 1981) and shows are the place to get to get a taste.
I am not being negative, trust me, that would be way too easy. How many of you guys have ever seen or played a spirit or jet spin. Maybe I am going to shows for the wrong reason, but there are some shows that really have an awesome selection of working games. hundreds!
Every year I count the games in the free play room, not the ones in the vendor room, or mikes games, just the free play room, because I play at night when everybody sleeps, and the last 4 years it has been between 65,-75 games, on sat.

I ONLY go to expo for 3 reasons:

1. The people and they are not unique to expo, but rather pinball shows in general. If anything it seems more people are being scared off the past 2 years IME and from talking with other collectors.
2. To PLAY pinball and expo is seriously lagging in this department. It has gone down dramatically the past few years. Better playing and quality at the other major shows in the midwest (MGC and VFW).
3. To see , play, interact with botique pins and the makers. This is the ONLY thing currently of value and unique to expo and the only reason I am even going this year. If it was anything more than a 2hr drive I would not even put int the effort.

Not being negative, just being honest

Sorry if I offended you.
I'll no longer offer feedback or suggestions.

I don't remember anyone reporting that there were 175 games in 2013:

i could care less if there was only 1 game in the free play area, i go for the tourneys only. many of us do so in fact. its all good.

Yea but Andy you're the exception not the rule. Professional tourney guys are small in numbers, i estimate them at 1% to 3% of the total pinball show crowd. the other 95+% go to play pinball in the free play area.

that said, i think asking people to bring games is a good thing. Nit picking the details is really not getting anything done. Mike can be found pretty easy. his booth is the big one at the show's vendor front door. Maybe Mike can give some cash to one of his trusted people to help with the sunday money chore, so someone is always present in his booth sunday with the payback dough. That is mike, if you leave the booth, give some doe-ray-me to the guy working your booth, until you return. that would be a great way to solve the "where's waldo" problem.

I think what we need at Expo is someone to head up or manage the free play hall and provide good perks for bringing a game. Check games in and out, coordinate the help for people bringing in games, layout and everything else with that room. Expo is managed by Rob and Mike but has someone different that leads the Seminars, Vendor Hall, Check in booth, Flip out Toury and ExpoBrawl and the free play room shouldn't be any different.

The buzz about the money for the game being there is currently bad due to past experiences and that needs to change. Mike's forum presence is not helping the situation either even tho I know he is trying to make things better but you have to polish those 'online' communication forum skills. This leader of the free play room would need to head up this line of communication also.

Check in game, get slip of paper with game name and when you leave on Sunday show that paper and get your $. Need to do best of show in the free play room. Pretty much need to copy the perks of other shows that works.

I have been to 26 or 27 expos and I really don't feel a need to bring something to expo for the free play room unless it is something I want to sell and I am usually there to buy and that is a shitty attitude that I have but it is the truth. I have been to MGC twice and I want to bring a game there due to the perks.

Very few go just for the tourneys.

Do the tourney guys even need to pay an entry fee to expo since games are in the hallway?

great idea and well said!

I should get free admission for the next few years.
I am there from Wednesday thru Saturday around noon and have been for the last 9 years.
I used to bring free play games. out of 5 or 6 years of bringing them I got some admission back ONCE and got grief about me taking it out Saturday when I was leaving.
I'm very appreciative of the Chicago guys stepping up and bringing nice games for us to play, but the "system" of reimbursement needs changed if you really want to offer this to entice someone to bring games.
my .02

_{Post edited by dgoett: typos}

Mike, you need a PR guy for all your posts, not just for your original post And you need TO fix YOUR shIFT key.

Everybody knows you are short on games, even you and Rob. That's why you started this thread. And it is not just about the number of games. It's about the number of people in attendance AND the number of games available for them to play. Only you know what the number of attendees is, and I know you aren't giving that up, but 100 games today doesn't go as far as 100 games went at the Ramada, especially when a game on a modern pin can take a half hour.

The guys reading this thread are offering their input and suggestions to you. They care and want to help. My $.02 is that a little listening on your part would go a long way. Your defensiveness doesn't. Finding all the reasons why something won't work isn't where you should be headed...it should be about finding what does work.

And...in your post, somebody wrote "If you bring several games, multiply the games times (within reason). " What's that all about? If you are short on games, besides being cheap, why in the world would you even think about putting a limit on how many games somebody could bring? If one game is good, isn't ten about 10X better?

Actually there are some volunteers managing the free play room this year. Not with all of the detail you described - not that I know all of Andrews plans/procedures.

absolutely Joe- If when I showed up and set the game up Wednesday, I tell them how long I was going to be there and they gave me that many days arm bands, I would bring a NICE pin every single year. I'm not going thru the hassle of packing it 6 hours from home, letting people play the crap out of it and STILL pay $125 or whatever for the privilege.
Change the way it works [and maybe trust people a little] and you'll have a LOT more games.

It doesn't pay to load a game up, bring it down there, unload it, let it get the crap played out of it, load it back up and bring it back to the warehouse for the admission price. Now if you were to offer something else such as a drink package, private party etc, I think you would have more games than pinball life show up.

I go to expo for 2 main reasons:
1. see the custom pins
2. See the latest stern table (and the few titles I may not have ever played yet), but if I was patient I could play one on location for much less

I'd like to start going to more of the chats.

Nothing in this thread has made me want to bring a game. The entire thing sounds dodgy at best. Are there any security measures to guarantee someone doesn't walk off with somebody else's game?

How many games will there be at Expo this year ? How many have signed up ? Can we see a list ?

If Mike has someone running the game hall this year, he needs to say something. At least let them step up and explain how things will be different to put people at ease.

Great that the game hall will be open more this year!

I'm only going to be there Saturday, but might decide to bring a game down for the day. I don't care about all the drama, all I care about is being a small part of the show. It's fun bringing a game for others to enjoy!

Don't be so NEGATIVE!

Oh, don't worry, I'll be REALLY negative and pouting in the corner after getting sneered at for bringing an un-cool game!!