CGE 2008 - What would you like to see?

[thegardentool]

I've never been to a CGE so I don't know what all is there but what about a console/computer mod contest? A lot of PC gaming conventions have modding contests.

[ubikuberalles]

I agree that merging CGE with another event would be a bad idea. I remember when VGXPO merged with NBC back in 2005 and that was a mess.

However, CGE could incorporate some non-gaming features into it to mix it up a little and breathe more life into it.

For example:

- Try to encourage more cosplay into CGE? I really liked JeanneRocket's costume and it would be cool to see more. Perhaps a cosplay contest in the show? Or maybe coordinate CGE so that it is next door to a cosplay convention?
- Comic books and anime have a close connection to gaming, classic or modern. There was an anime related booth at CGE this year. Let's see more of that next year. Maybe even a keynote that's anime related?

WORKSHOPS:

One idea I've been kicking around for the past few years is some kind of workshop at CGE. At this workshop the participants could work out a design for a new homebrew game or even a piece of homebrew hardware. The workshop could also be about repair techniques, how to set up MAME boxes or perhaps how to convert a console into a portable system (maybe we could get Ben Heckendorn to show up and participate?).

I use the term workshop instead of keynote because the topics listed above would require a lot more time than the hour or so a keynote would offer. This workshop would require a dedicated room or section of the main floor in order to function well. The workshop may also require participation after CGE. Perhaps a sub-forum or dedicated site would be needed for this after CGE activity. Perhaps this workshop idea is too technical for CGE but I'd like to see some kind of gathering or discussion from those who've already created homebrews, hacked old consoles or just know how to repair the classic systems.

KEYNOTE SPEECH TOPICS:

When it comes to keynotes, I've become a jaded CGE attendee. Most of the topics I've seen before. There is nothing wrong with the topics in this years CGE since there are a lot of new people who haven't seen these talks before. However, as a jaded CGE attendee, I'd like to see some new and exciting topics to liven things up. This years keynote about CGE (a meta-keynote you could say) was really cool and exciting.

Here's some ideas for other topics:

- Emulators. What's out there. The ethics of emulators. Are they good or are they ruining the whole gaming scene?
- I mentioned Ben Heckendorn before. Let's have him talk about his portable conversion projects. I'm sure he has some good stories to tell. At the very least he could use it as a opportunity to promote his book.
- Really controversial stuff: warez, ROMS, etc. Is it wrong for the owner of a rare prototype to keep the code to himself or should he dump the ROM and distribute it freely? There are a lot of other controversial topics we could discuss. Just look at some of the hot threads on the DP forum. Let's not make it too controversial; we don't want fist fights here.
- The present and future of gaming. CGE keynotes tend to focus mostly on the past. I think we should also have talks on the present state of gaming and what the future looks like for both retro and modern gaming. This year Bill Kunkel touched briefly on the future of gaming publication. I'd like to see more of this kind of stuff.

I think I'm brainstormed out for the moment.

[Sothy]

Beer vendors on the floor from open to close.

[ubersaurus]

It may be interesting to get some of the folks from Digital Eclipse and/or the Xbox Live Arcade department to talk about their experiences making and releasing games on their service. Lord knows it's become a bastion of high score junkies and quick gameplay(as well as my primary gaming on the 360 at the moment!)

[WizDawg]

I consider myself a classic gamer. I mostly play Atari 2600, 7800, 5200, NES, SNES, TG16, Vectrex, Genesis, and DS(for online Tetris play). So CGE is the place for me. But I'm also a big fan of classic computers. Love the Atari 800 and TI to play games. I wish more computer stuff was for sale and on display. Also it would of been nice to see the Commodore group have their convention as part of CGE since it was happening at the same time.

[rick weis]

first off i want to say Thank you to all of the CGE staff and helpers, it's great that CGE is back! had a blast and spent waaaaay too much money!

as many have said, CGE needs more vendors! (not that i'm complaining) but if you lowered the price for vendors booth/tables (i know you lowered it this year!!! and i don't have a problem with the prices) but still, for most collectors that is a bit too high. there are a lot of collectors out there that have a ton of extra stuff, and you could easily get twice (if not more) as many vendors if you lowered the price of the tables and booths. our NWCGE show last year area was only 3500 sqft and we had 18 vendors. and no offence, but NWCGE has more product for sale then CGE! and we are just a small little show! you need to do better in that area! not just looking for BIG names vendors, but ones that will bring tons of good deals for your show. many good deals=happy buyers and that means i will spend even more money! :P

see ya next year! we will return!

Rick

[ubersaurus]

Plutos and Sirius >D

You know a panel on import gaming and collecting may be an interesting subject. Good places to go searching in Japan, good import games, advice for actually playing some if you don't know Japanese. Only problem is I have no idea who'd be in it!

[Mayhem]

Yes, but on the other hand that's why several "dealers" and "sellers" were in the trade room all day both days, because it was a lot cheaper than being in the main room. Prompting complaints from some who had paid for tables.

[rick weis]

Well, that's why we have the trade room. If tables were priced cheap enough for everyone, you'd basically end up with a flea market. If you saw the organizers' keynote, you'd know there's no money to be made from running the show. No offense, but running a show like CGE isn't the same as running NWCGE. With a show that size, you're somewhat limited in what you can (and can't) do. Compared to what VGXPO is charging this year, CGE tables are pretty much free... so maybe they should be raised?

As far as who has more product, there was less this year than in shows past b/c two of the biggest vendors (B&C and Telegames) couldn't make it. But people go to CGE for multiple reasons besides vendors (museum, keynotes, auction, etc.) so having more product doesn't necessarily translate to more attendees.

what's wrong with a flea market? would anyone that goes to CGE be offended to see 100 vendors there? (well maybe a few vendors would) :P not ME!! like that guy CGE had in the corner of the room, if they had 20-40 more like him, i dought any attendees would complain about that! would they?? would you?
trade room is great, but it's in a different room and that's is getting people to leave the main floor room, it would be like having the arcades in the front of the hotel, you don't want to draw people away from the main floor, you want to draw them in. IMO

hey, no offence taken! every show has there special thing they work at more, CGE has a lot of everything, (well except many contests, atari 2600, CV...ect, that would be nice to see) problem is most people that goes to CGE has seen the museum, keynote many times, (not to mention the same old vendors) would love to see the auctions go longer but dought John can last too much longer while drinking doing it. :P

yeah i know most the hotels charge up the ying yang for EVERYTHING now! it's all about nickel and dimeing you to death! even though the nickel and dime is more $50/$100 and more...ect it's a hard balance to have a show break even and still have prices not too high to get more vendors/people in to them.

"having more product doesn't necessarily translate to more attendees" part truth! but it does help keep the ones that go to cge (that are there to buy stuff) a lot more happier.

don't get me wrong, i don't mean to be bashing CGE, i would love to see CGE get bigger and better each year! but attendees wise, that is not happening ...so far! at least from my view.

Rick

[DreamTR]

The biggest complaints from NEW attendees is that there just aren't ENOUGH vendors, so I'm not sure why anyone would complain about the Swap Room. That's the best part if you come to spend your money there. The only people upset about the Swap Room are the ones who paid more to have a booth during the show.

I am 100% certain if they had some sort of last minute Vendor thing for a table for $100 for the weekend, people would have taken advantage of it.

[PingvinBlueJeans]

There weren't enough places to chill out...I'd like to see an opium den at CGE next year.

[DreamTR]

It was never intended for people to be table squatters. Joe already covered this here so I'm not going to rehash it again.





Nothing, except that the show wouldn't be in Vegas, and wouldn't attract much in the way of alumni or sponsorship...




It's not as though CGE ever turned away vendors, but then again... do they have ROOM for 100 vendors? Even doubling the number of vendors would be near-impossible, not without majorly inconveniencing everyone (go to a ChillerCon show sometimes, where you're shoulder-to-shoulder with people in an aisle 6 feet wide. Not exactly a fun experience...). And if they offer cheap tables in the main room, that would invariably affect (negatively) how many booths there were. Think about it-you'd have someone paying a few hundred for a booth sitting next to someone who paid $50 for a table. Even ChillerCon doesn't do that.

As for having things in different rooms, I don't see how you can have the museum, auction, or keynotes in the main room, so I'm not sure why having the trade room separate is an issue with anyone. If your show is comprised mostly of vendors (who have 'a' table, or part of a table) along with a few game stations, then having everyone in one room isn't a problem. As I said, CGE is a different show, so trying to apply rules that work for a show like NWCGE is just asking for problems IMO.

Regardless of the rehashing, a lot of the new people come to this convention and save up their cash because they want to buy and sell. There is no other event that comes close in terms of quantity and quality of items that could be sold at one time. If you have over 1,000 in one area, and everyone saves up to come to this, I would not understand a point of not having as many vendors as possible. Swap area should always be there. You take that away and cut the vendors, I guarantee you a lot of people will not come back. The CGE is great for history, keynotes, etc, but there are tons of people that come to buy/sell. Everyone goes for a different reason, but you can't deny the amount of customers wanting to buy buy buy as much as they can. If you have 1,000 people spending an average of $50 at the show, and that money just goes home with them, something is not right. $50 being EXTREMELY conservative. I can't even beging to tell you the amount of people I know that spent at least $1,000.

[DogP]

I can't even beging to tell you the amount of people I know that spent at least $1,000.

Drexel at the auction?

DogP

[megamaniaman]

I personally think that a good way to solve the Swap Meet room situation is to have a 2 hour time limit. That way we can have even more vendors at the convention because every 2 hours there are fresh new faces.

[swlovinist]

Dream TR, and Rick Weis bring up some great points. The whole keynote speeches are ok, but man they have been done over and over again(same ones). CGE needs new blood badly in reguards to vendors and setup. I also think that the vendor price needs to be addressed. There are alot of vendors that would come and offer more flavor for the show(product) if the price was more reasonable. I know that change is tough, and that some may be resistant to change. The truth speaks though...CGE is having a rough time bringing in new blood.

[vectrexer]

WORKSHOPS:

One idea I've been kicking around for the past few years is some kind of workshop at CGE. At this workshop the participants could work out a design for a new homebrew game or even a piece of homebrew hardware. The workshop could also be about repair techniques, ..........

In concur on the workshop idea. Having some of the developers who attend the show put on a few development sessions might be a good thing. Not just for the people who want to do home brew, but also for the pros out there looking to do an emulation / port of a game to another platform.

A repair workshop for old and new consoles would be nice. Even the Security guard in the evening (I forget her name) was asking console repair questions. The simple ones related to cart and slot cleaning. I am sure the attendees both old an your would appreciate knowing there is more to repair than simply giving your cart the blow job repair trick.


The workshop also presents the possibility of bringing on some more blood for keynotes too.


Ben Who? What about Dave Kaplish! Dave mentioned he was ready to do even more on site work than just at the table. A workshop with Dave doing so on-site vacuforming??!! Great! (even with the fumes and fire hazards) ;-) If you don't remember Dave's booth he was selling the portable systems.

[Fighter17]

We need more importers or a bigger selection of imports.

The y-bot booth with the imports just had Nintendo stuff. I asked the Japanese seller "Megadrive" and he looked suprise. He pointed me to few games and that was it. They were few Saturn, Playstation imports, and etc.

It would be great to cover tons of imports from different systems. Famicom, Megadrive, and etc. Don't only focus on the cheap games, also get the major rares.

Some of the people at the swap meet has tons of crap, so much crap that they should become venders at the show (Dream TR if I remember correctly).

Also about the swap meet, I believe we should should follow this format: $10 for the first hour, then $20 for second, and $30 for third, and etc. We could use more tables at the swap meet as well. Also what about having small groups of people be at one tables (they could split up the bill)? Like we can have three different groups of people at one table, and etc. Also the guy who was in charge of the swap meet was very relaxed about the hour rule (on Sunday he could careless). While I was happy I didn't give him anything, he should enforce the rule with an iron fist.

Also the arcades machines weren't in good condition. Many of them had color issues on the screens, some weren't working correctly (Marvel Vs. Capcom 2), and a good number of them had burn-in. Can we get better condition arcade machines please? What about a bigger selection of 90s machines (Neo-Geo, and various shmups games)?

Oh, we need food nearby and chairs. My feet were killing me during the expo.

Oh yeah, announce when the keynote speeches are going to happen.

[swlovinist]

I have a great idea. I think that coducting a public survey on DP on what systems people would like more to be represented at the show. The answer might suprise us all.

[16-bit]

Well, that's why we have the trade room. If tables were priced cheap enough for everyone, you'd basically end up with a flea market. If you saw the organizers' keynote, you'd know there's no money to be made from running the show. No offense, but running a show like CGE isn't the same as running NWCGE. With a show that size, you're somewhat limited in what you can (and can't) do. Compared to what VGXPO is charging this year, CGE tables are pretty much free... so maybe they should be raised?

As far as who has more product, there was less this year than in shows past b/c two of the biggest vendors (B&C and Telegames) couldn't make it. But people go to CGE for multiple reasons besides vendors (museum, keynotes, auction, etc.) so having more product doesn't necessarily translate to more attendees.

I won't question the point that the organizers make no money from the show, but let me tell you that vendors do the math too.

A $300 10x10 booth space for access to a little over 1000 attendees isn't exactly a bargain.
My fixed costs for attending CGE are comparable to the total costs of doing $12,000-$15,000 on eBay.

Why not scrap the alumni-dinner (which I am sure costs a fortune and has no direct impact on attendance) and use the money to cover transportation and hotel costs for a couple guests (which is all you need for a show at its current size) and then move the show to a part of the country where you are able to negotiate a better rate like northern NJ?
Most shows that draw 5,000-10,000 attendees typically only have 7-10 guests at most. Having 40+ special guests for show at its current size is overkill.

[DreamTR]

New Jersey? Atlantic City compared to Vegas? I dunno about that one...