Fest West 2019 poll

[Iwantgames:)]

I really wish I could go. Unfortunately work and kids never leaves much time for long distance travels. I'm lucky to get to got to the Florida Retro Computer Club meetups

[+arcadeshopper]

No sorry been pretty distracted with family and work.

 

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[+arcadeshopper]

so here's the situation

 

Family obligations have kept me pretty busy/unable to work on this. (FIL had a stroke)

I just put in an offer on a house and it's supposed to close 3/26 so I'll be moving late March/early April.. those that know me understand the scale of this endeavor.

 

SO I can't continue any pretense of being able to organize this at this point. Especially alone.

 

I'm happy to work with anyone who wants to take this on. I have looked around and there's no cheap/easy way to host this near PDX without people having to pay up front for that. I can not front any cash to reserve/rent a room. I can only suggest we get another free venue like last year or the year before. And consider that good enough.

 

I can get a library room in the Beaverton area pretty easily.. I know there was a bit of push back for the distance from the airport etc.. There's always the Vancouver library from last year. Or the place Kevan found that has food service ..

 

Greg

[+adamantyr]

It's cool, that's a bunch of stuff going on you definitely should focus on. I'm sorry about your FIL, I hope he makes a full recovery!

 

I'm cool with Vancouver again. I'm not that keen on Beaverton, but I could probably make that too.

 

I'll also add that if we have to push Fest West back a month or two in order to accommodate I'm all right with that.

[Omega-TI]

 

Or the place Kevan found that has food service ..

 

 

The Oak Tree Restaurant is big enough, has plenty of electrical outlets and is close enough to multiple hotels for a "two day thing." It's only 30 minutes north of the Portland Airport for those coming in out of the area. Pushing the date back a month or so would probably work and give people more time to make plans and set up accommodations.

[+adamantyr]

 

The Oak Tree Restaurant is big enough, has plenty of electrical outlets and is close enough to multiple hotels for a "two day thing." It's only 30 minutes north of the Portland Airport for those coming in out of the area. Pushing the date back a month or so would probably work and give people more time to make plans and set up accommodations.

 

I liked the Oak Tree! I even took my GF and her daughter there on our way back from Rose City Comic Con. And there are close by hotels that are inexpensive too.

 

Adam

[Omega-TI]

If I was to guess, Fest West 2019 is probably as good as dead. As far as I know, no major talent(s) could be booked and no new items are ready for demo. No person(s) have publicly come forward to take on the task, let alone show any initiative in being interested in taking it over.

[RXB]

If I was to guess, Fest West 2019 is probably as good as dead. As far as I know, no major talent(s) could be booked and no new items are ready for demo. No person(s) have publicly come forward to take on the task, let alone show any initiative in being interested in taking it over.

 

What can I do to help?

[PeteE]

I don't think it's fair to say it's as good as dead. Omega, if you can get us the conference room at the Oak Tree Restaurant again, I would definitely go. I don't think the Fest West need to be all about demonstrating new stuff, I personally enjoy the meeting in meat-space and talking to others about their projects and mine. I'd certainly like to have a game competition like last year - perhaps Dragon's Lair would be a good candidate.

[+arcadeshopper]

Yeah lets shoot for May and the oak tree.. at least we can get together everyone and see what they are up too.. talk about existing products..

[+adamantyr]

Yeah, I like the socializing aspect of it as well. My game won't be done by then, but I'll be able to demo combat and stuff.

[Omega-TI]

Yeah lets shoot for May and the oak tree.. at least we can get together everyone and see what they are up too.. talk about existing products..

 

Sweet! Book the room and tell me when to be there!

[Omega-TI]

I'd certainly like to have a game competition like last year - perhaps Dragon's Lair would be a good candidate.

 

I've already lost! I've become quite adept at dying in that game.

[Omega-TI]

Yeah lets shoot for May and the oak tree.. at least we can get together everyone and see what they are up too.. talk about existing products..

 

Don't mean to be a pain, but do we have a date yet? Last time they needed to know in advance how many were going to show up, so they could adjust staffing levels.

Getting some confirmations would be a big help to the person doing the legwork this year.

[+arcadeshopper]

 

Don't mean to be a pain, but do we have a date yet? Last time they needed to know in advance how many were going to show up, so they could adjust staffing levels.

Getting some confirmations would be a big help to the person doing the legwork this year.

Sweet! Book the room and tell me when to be there!

 

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[Omega-TI]

Not me bub, I'm not hosting this year. I need to know the date and I'll be there... with at least three weeks advance notice or I'll be a no-show.

[+adamantyr]

Greg has already said he can't do this alone. And that's fair; moving into a new home takes ALL your energy and focus. I know that all too well!

 

I'd help out if I could, but If I was the host/organizer, I would want to do it a lot closer to home. Which I'm sure would eliminate most of the attendees there down in Oregon who would be disinclined to drive up north.

[+FarmerPotato]

Hi all,

 

We're planning another trip to Portland soon, like in May. If y'all pick a date for FestWest there's a chance I can attend!

 

I would bring the work in progress of FORTI-2 hardware (it runs! sort of), and a fun bitmap scroller game that I just had to write (thanks, RetroChallenge 2019.)

[+jedimatt42]

Greg has already said he can't do this alone. And that's fair; moving into a new home takes ALL your energy and focus. I know that all too well!

 

I'd help out if I could, but If I was the host/organizer, I would want to do it a lot closer to home. Which I'm sure would eliminate most of the attendees there down in Oregon who would be disinclined to drive up north.

 

That is really at the heart of the burden. Hosting something away from home is difficult. Vancouver is 2 cities away from where the Portland crowd is, as the bulk of us are in Beaverton/Hillsboro. home... Those diner dives on the side of I-5 are farther away from home and you have to show up in person to get their attention... (And I don't like american cuisine).

 

A bigger issue, is that the target audience is too small for anything that requires funding. Even with a free venue last year, I had to spend money on equipment to make it workable.

 

Hosting wasn't fun. It is just too stressful to be fun. (possibly just me) I actively tried to lower the bar last year, so we could get expectations down to something easy to sustain. I'd prefer to do things more like a meetup, and distance from anything in the shape of a 'show' -- drop formal presentations, drop prizes, etc... Just allow people to get together, and converse and show-n-tell... I'd prefer a large enough space that many conversations can be going on simultaneously, instead of the shut-up-and-listen model we've used to date, and I've observed at the Chicago show. But the small audience issue doesn't justify that.

 

I honestly cannot recommend against hosting enough. When I dropped in and said I would not be doing it this year, I really did not want it to land on Greg, and am totally content with it just not happening. That is ok.

 

---

 

On a side note, the 'tell me where and when, and I'll be there' battle is ... out right embarrassing. This needs to stop. We need it to stop. Its been done, its been said.

 

-M@

[+adamantyr]

I'm planning on going to the Portland Retro Gaming Expo in October as well. Hoping my game will be complete enough I could maybe have it running! That can be my retro meet-up for the year.

[Omega-TI]

 

That is really at the heart of the burden. Hosting something away from home is difficult. Vancouver is 2 cities away from where the Portland crowd is, as the bulk of us are in Beaverton/Hillsboro. home... Those diner dives on the side of I-5 are farther away from home and you have to show up in person to get their attention... (And I don't like american cuisine).

 

A bigger issue, is that the target audience is too small for anything that requires funding. Even with a free venue last year, I had to spend money on equipment to make it workable.

 

Hosting wasn't fun. It is just too stressful to be fun. (possibly just me) I actively tried to lower the bar last year, so we could get expectations down to something easy to sustain. I'd prefer to do things more like a meetup, and distance from anything in the shape of a 'show' -- drop formal presentations, drop prizes, etc... Just allow people to get together, and converse and show-n-tell... I'd prefer a large enough space that many conversations can be going on simultaneously, instead of the shut-up-and-listen model we've used to date, and I've observed at the Chicago show. But the small audience issue doesn't justify that.

 

I honestly cannot recommend against hosting enough. When I dropped in and said I would not be doing it this year, I really did not want it to land on Greg, and am totally content with it just not happening. That is ok.

 

---

 

On a side note, the 'tell me where and when, and I'll be there' battle is ... out right embarrassing. This needs to stop. We need it to stop. Its been done, its been said.

 

-M@

[Omega-TI]

 

 

and I'll be there' battle is ... out right embarrassing. This needs to stop. We need it to stop. Its been done, its been said.

 

-M@

I thought having it tossed back at me was funny. I got a laugh out of it.

[+InsaneMultitasker]

Have it in Portland, TX a city "roughly equidistant from Portland, Maine and Portland, Oregon.[5] I" Travel for all!

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland,_Texas

 

Seriously, hosting can be fun and it can be stressful. I helped set up one of the chicago faire's long, long ago and I tell ya, I don't think I got any sleep that weekend and I certainly didn't get to do any TI-related activities. What I DO remember is the rows and rows of chairs and tables and ugly carpeting. And certainly no disrespect to presenters but sitting in a darkened room much of the day being unable to speak/mingle with the attendees was not my favorite experience by a long shot. Keep things loose, maybe some informal presentations and let folks gather together. And if you don't have a gathering this year, there is always next year..

[RXB]

When and where I will show up!

 

If you want help what can I do?

[patrickmcmichael]

Living on this end of the country now (Cali), I would totally love a Fest West! I really hope this becomes a go and that I can attend. FT work, volunteer work, and being back for another round of school makes logistics challenging, but if it's on this side of the country that helps. I'd happily pay an admission fee to support the event and community.