Apolyton Members who are registered and attending!

[Petek]

Originally posted by DanQ
Earlier this month we also took the rare step of emailing all registered forum users en masse about this gathering. By no means has this event only been advertised in this forum.

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Dan; Apolyton CS

I never received such a message. The email address in my profile is correct. Anyone else get the email?

[Jon Miller]

Honestly, it wasn't advertised enough. Thanks to your busy website, it is easy to ignore everything in the 'anouncements' region.

Having it be a banner would have been appropriate.

Jon Miller

[DanQ]

Originally posted by Petek
I never received such a message. The email address in my profile is correct. Anyone else get the email?

I received the email... strange. Fortunately, this was not the only advertising means we employed; indeed, any one type/instance of advertising an event -- particulary one of this significance -- would have been sorely lacking.

Originally posted by Jon Miller
Honestly, it wasn't advertised enough. Thanks to your busy website, it is easy to ignore everything in the 'anouncements' region.

Having it be a banner would have been appropriate.

I respectfully disagree with your opinion for the reasons I have cited already (which was not limited to the "Announcements" section); I'm not saying this could not have been advertised more, but I believe it was sufficiently advertised. Regardless of your position, though, discussing this further is wasted time and energy.

Continuing to concentrate on saving this unique and wonderful opportunity open to all of us should be our focus.

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Dan; Apolyton CS

P.S. For the 'final' record, another means of ongoing advertising employed: my avatar for some months on end now.

[Metaliturtle]

well pickleshoes!

[DanQ]

Anyone who is interested but not able to attend, and would be willing and able to sponsor this event financially in whole or in part, please PM me and indicate a) the amount in USD and b) what if any formal/public recognition you would be looking for in return for that sponsorship.

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Dan; Appolyton CS

[DanQ]

ApolyCon '06 Is Saved!

On behalf of the organizing Committee, it is with great pleasure that I announce that ApolyCon '06 will be going ahead.



This has been made possible not by additional registrants, but rather a most generous donation within the last twelve hours of this writing from a member of the Apolyton community who wishes to remain anonymous. While this party wants to attend this event themselves, they cannot. Having further read the too low number of registrants details, they wanted to do what they could otherwise to help ensure that this event went forward.

This gesture means a lot to everyone who is involved in this event in any capacity -- more than mere words can express. Nevertheless, we thank you publicly here and now.



As a result of this incredible expression of generosity, the organizing Committee has decided that we are in a position to extend the registration deadline -- once and once only -- to and including June 23rd. Please note that this extension only applies to those registrations which can be paid through PayPal. Registrations by mail with payment in the form of USD cheque or money order postmarked after today will not be expected. This is not because we do not want any more registrations by this means, but rather it would become too much of a logistical headache to administer as we get increasinly closer to the event weekend.

To register today, and to read up more on this event, click here. We still have far too registrants given the scope and work that has and continues to be put into ApolyCon '06: in fact, there have been no new registrants for a number of weeks running. This is the other primary reason that the registration deadline has been extended.

Together, let us set an example for future conventions of this type to emulate through community participation as much as content and organization. Keep on Civ'in!

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Dan; Appolyton CS

[condor223]

Didn't think we'd make it!

[Grandpa Troll]

I want to be there but cant but will in spirit

Gramps

[Donegeal]

Maybe a stronger push at CFC now that there is more time?

[DanQ]

Originally posted by Donegeal
Maybe a stronger push at CFC now that there is more time?

(Continued) discussion of this event at CFC is welcome.

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Dan; Appolyton CS

[ZargonX]

You are accepting no mail registrations at all past today? That is very unfortunate. I would still like to attend, and now that I know it is going forward, I am more willing to mail in my check. I mean, I live a 1/2 mile from the convention hotel, for pete's sake; how could I not go? I had also volunteered my services a while back as a convention volunteer, but have heard nothing since. If there are so few people registering, why turn away people based simply on their method of payment?

[Chieftess]

Good to hear. See everyone there!

I'll see if I can come early on Friday to help set things up.

[DanQ]

Originally posted by ZargonX
I would still like to attend, and now that I know it is going forward, I am more willing to mail in my check.

It is this unfortunate thinking that nearly led to the cancellation of the event. We recognized that going public with the too low number of registrations fact would likely result in many holding off on sending payment, but time was tight and the situation was critical.

As I have said previously in this thread, had this event been cancelled refunds would have been processed as quickly and efficiently as possible.

I had also volunteered my services a while back as a convention volunteer, but have heard nothing since.

Yes, I remember and still see your post in the official volunteer thread. JohnT responded acknowledging and thanking you for your offer. At the time there was nothing definitive to follow-up with you on as a site for the event had not yet been selected (no contract signed as well then), and guest confirmations were still being scouted.

Then, the unfortunately low number of registrations issue to contend with, combined with all Committee members' employment obligations and some members' associated unavailability periods, meant that nearly all of Committee members time had to be devoted to "getting the registration out". With the likelihood that we would have to have to cancel this event as a result, and not seeing (most of) those who had expressed an interest in volunteering registering, following-up and aligning volunteer duties had to become a considerable secondary consideration.

If there are so few people registering, why turn away people based simply on their method of payment?

I thought I had addressed this in my message above, but I will elaborate.

It takes time for mailed registrations to be received, and then the time to take them to the bank for deposit; in the case of checks as well, we have to be wary and account (pardon the pun ) for potential clearing time. We did not want to be in a situation of someone mailing their registration this coming Friday, and then there being a problem in transit that we would need to follow-up on: timing is way too tight. Further, we are already pushing timelines tighter and tighter as it is. We need to be able to confirm final numbers for both ourselves and the hotel where this event is taking place. This is what I meant by "logistical headache"s.

That said, there is a potential workaround here for you to consider. If you reasonably know someone who has a PayPal account and, whether they have registered themselves or not, would be willing to 'front' your registration monies for you, you could reimburse them by mailing them a cheque/money order afterwards. There is precedent on Apolyton for this type of action in the form of ApolytonPLUS subscriptions on a number of occasions.

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Dan; Apolyton CS

[condor223]

I need to make a hotel reservation. When might I get the hotel code for the convention price?

[DanQ]

Originally posted by condor223
I need to make a hotel reservation. When might I get the hotel code for the convention price?

The code has been PMed to registrants once payment had been received/processed, be it electronically or by post. That said, given the increasingly tight timeline we're all under either myself, Joe or Ken can PM it to you by the end of this weekend.

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Dan; Apolyton CS