Expo Tickets & Prizes: Changes for 2014
We're changing our ticket pricing and the prize auction for 2014. You will be shocked by neither. 
Pricing
I agonize over ticket price every year. The never-ending tension is between two factors. A) We spend a helluva lot more on Expo every year than we get back in ticket sales and B) We absolutely don't want to price anyone out of coming because we'd gladly eat a few extra dollars to see you.
There's two types of costs we incur. First are our fixed costs, which include equipment rentals, logo design, t-shirts, badges, consumables (tickets, TP, soap, paper towels & plates, etc), and electricity. We always go over budget just on the fixed costs. Second are our capital expenses, which include things like fans, electrical work, air conditioners, floor mats, repairs & replacements for damage, and whatever we missed in our planning. We almost always eat capital expenses entirely.
(We're incredibly lucky our LAN infrastructure is volunteered by @Ryder every year instead of in the capital expenses column).
Expo Communism in 2013 worked out well (donations of $30 toward someone else's ticket were matched with $15 from ICHQ), but it added a lot of overhead in communication and sending money around. Plus, I worry about making folks too self-conscious to ask for a special ticket even if they need it.
So here's our experiment:: Three tiers of ticket pricing that all get you exactly the same thing. You pick the one that fits your situation. The new standard price is $95 which helps fund all costs. There is a "Student / Budget" ticket available that approximately covers just your individual fixed-costs. And there's the "Crazy Ivan" ticket where we foot most of the bill. No one will know which you choose (except Lincoln and Brian, who don't care).
tl;dr: communism.
Prize Auction
You'll note the dearth of hardware reviews since our last Expo. Most of the Expo swag came from companies we worked with throughout the year. We'll ask around to see what we can get, but expect a greatly pared-down prize auction this year.
So here's our request: Know a great game you want to share and have some extra cash? Buy a copy and bring it/send it/email us the code and we'll add it to the pile o' loot this year. Prize table donations will get announced in a separate discussion & you'll get an Icrontic badge. Let us know if you want to donate anonymously.
tl;dr: more communism.
NOW BUY TICKETS.
Pricing
I agonize over ticket price every year. The never-ending tension is between two factors. A) We spend a helluva lot more on Expo every year than we get back in ticket sales and B) We absolutely don't want to price anyone out of coming because we'd gladly eat a few extra dollars to see you.
There's two types of costs we incur. First are our fixed costs, which include equipment rentals, logo design, t-shirts, badges, consumables (tickets, TP, soap, paper towels & plates, etc), and electricity. We always go over budget just on the fixed costs. Second are our capital expenses, which include things like fans, electrical work, air conditioners, floor mats, repairs & replacements for damage, and whatever we missed in our planning. We almost always eat capital expenses entirely.
(We're incredibly lucky our LAN infrastructure is volunteered by @Ryder every year instead of in the capital expenses column).
Expo Communism in 2013 worked out well (donations of $30 toward someone else's ticket were matched with $15 from ICHQ), but it added a lot of overhead in communication and sending money around. Plus, I worry about making folks too self-conscious to ask for a special ticket even if they need it.
So here's our experiment:: Three tiers of ticket pricing that all get you exactly the same thing. You pick the one that fits your situation. The new standard price is $95 which helps fund all costs. There is a "Student / Budget" ticket available that approximately covers just your individual fixed-costs. And there's the "Crazy Ivan" ticket where we foot most of the bill. No one will know which you choose (except Lincoln and Brian, who don't care).
tl;dr: communism.
Prize Auction
You'll note the dearth of hardware reviews since our last Expo. Most of the Expo swag came from companies we worked with throughout the year. We'll ask around to see what we can get, but expect a greatly pared-down prize auction this year.
So here's our request: Know a great game you want to share and have some extra cash? Buy a copy and bring it/send it/email us the code and we'll add it to the pile o' loot this year. Prize table donations will get announced in a separate discussion & you'll get an Icrontic badge. Let us know if you want to donate anonymously.
tl;dr: more communism.
NOW BUY TICKETS.
1
Comments
Is there room at ICHQ or hotel and if hotel any hotel you guys set up a group rate for?
:/
There will indeed be attic-crashing space for anyone who needs it. Reports from last year were that it really wasn't very hot up there at all - there's plenty of air circulation. Just be aware we are a single-shower household so you may need to shower at odd times to make it work.
...and I'm not leaving early this year...
Also, weird. Didn't we just leave EXPO? Damn time, you scary.