OFFICIAL - ApolyCon '06 Schedule

[Chieftess]

So, is it 5:30pm? Or 7pm? (the thread says 7, but the other site here says 5:30)

And in that schedule above, I took "7:00" as being 7:00am, not pm.


EDIT: Just to add... some advice for next time. I think this is one problem with this event having so few people. Not only was it, "Will there be enough people?", but, "Will there be enough events?". $180 is a lot of money for virtually 1 day of events - much less if one can't attend the late night stuff. A shrinking schedule (and at the last minute at that) doesn't help. (not advertising the forum as a main forum at the top of the page might've hurt it a bit, too). Had I known that Sunday, and most of Friday would be scrapped, as well as the "banquet" being in a bar, I would've thought twice about writing a money order for $180.

[snoopy369]

Friday is not at the Still. The Still is saturday's dinner.

Friday is at the hotel's restaurant, which will be provided as part of the convention fee, and then the program continues at BHG with the poker night with sodas and pizza and whatnot.

5:30pm Friday is the 'meet&greet' in the hotel lobby area, hanging out with us and having some diet cokes or whatnot Then moving on to the dinner at the hotel restaurant by 7 (at the latest, no reason not to go earlier if everyone's there).

Then at 8 (or thereabouts, depending on dinner), walk over to BHG (across the street, apparently!) and have the offline gaming night. I personally am not sure about alcoholic beverages there, I hadn't seen anything about such, but I'm not sure. To the best of my knowledge, this was going to be just pizza/soda/snacks/etc.

Then 8am sharp is Saturday...

The Stil is the location for the banquet Saturday night. It is a full service restaurant, not a bar per se, though as it is a Celtic restaurant, it is named a "Stil" for cultural reasons. If that is a problem for you or your parents, we can arrange a credit for that portion of the fee ($75).

After that is the Civ4 tournament, 8-1a (may not run that late, just depends on the games) at the hotel. No alcohol there (unless people go to the bar to drink, of course, but not in the room).

Indeed there is no program Sunday, Chieftess i'm not sure where that was implied but I apologize if that was the case. As far as I know we never planned to have a Sunday program, largely because it was assumed people would want to go home and have a travel day/tourist day depending on the flight schedule.

I'm also not sure where the confusion from Friday AM came... I don't think we'd ever planned on Friday AM events, and as far as I know the event schedule never included it, but I could be wrong. Again, I apologize if there was confusion there, we certainly could have been more clear

In the future, if/when Apolycon 2 occurs, I have no doubts that we'll do things somewhat differently, and hopefully better, based on what we learn from this event. Hopefully a somewhat less expensive, and/or longer/more content, convention can be held in the future.

Certainly we would have to figure out ways to increase turnout - whether that means not holding it during the world cup finals or trying to expand the potential attendee pool, or any number of other things. Turnout, and potential turnout, substantially affects the *length* of the convention, because the largest single cost is the room fee; half of the hotel cost is the room fee (for only 1 day, as we are doing the Friday events elsewhere). Larger turnout would ameliorate this, as well as more rooms reserved at the hotel would reduce the cost per room etc.

Finally... again assuming we do this again, we'll need more help organizing it Anyone who has insight to put into organizing or marketing the convention, I'm sure would be more than welcome to participate in the organizing of this event in the future The more minds in on the planning from the beginning, the more well developped and effectively promulgated the plans for the event will be

[snoopy369]

I'd encourage you to see the menu at the Stil ... http://www.thestill.net/html/menu1.htm

It was chosen at the recommendation of several Firaxians as the best restaurant in the area. It serves a wide selection of foods, specializing in traditional Irish fare in addition to some pretty interesting appetizers.

[Chieftess]

Originally posted by snoopy369
Friday is not at the Still. The Still is saturday's dinner.

Friday is at the hotel's restaurant, which will be provided as part of the convention fee, and then the program continues at BHG with the poker night with sodas and pizza and whatnot.

5:30pm Friday is the 'meet&greet' in the hotel lobby area, hanging out with us and having some diet cokes or whatnot Then moving on to the dinner at the hotel restaurant by 7 (at the latest, no reason not to go earlier if everyone's there).

Then at 8 (or thereabouts, depending on dinner), walk over to BHG (across the street, apparently!) and have the offline gaming night. I personally am not sure about alcoholic beverages there, I hadn't seen anything about such, but I'm not sure. To the best of my knowledge, this was going to be just pizza/soda/snacks/etc.

If there's no alcohol at the restaruant on Friday, then I'll come. Not sure how late I'll be able to stay - my parents don't like driving late at night (I don't drive - long story).

Then 8am sharp is Saturday...

The Stil is the location for the banquet Saturday night. It is a full service restaurant, not a bar per se, though as it is a Celtic restaurant, it is named a "Stil" for cultural reasons. If that is a problem for you or your parents, we can arrange a credit for that portion of the fee ($75).

After that is the Civ4 tournament, 8-1a (may not run that late, just depends on the games) at the hotel. No alcohol there (unless people go to the bar to drink, of course, but not in the room).

Yes, the fact that there is alcohol there will be a problem. It's just not the fact that I don't go to bars, or don't like drinking, my parents are uneasy about driving at night with "a bunch of drunks on the road" (to quote them). So, I won't be at the Saturday "banquet".

Also, what do you mean credit $75? Refund? That would be good.

Indeed there is no program Sunday, Chieftess i'm not sure where that was implied but I apologize if that was the case. As far as I know we never planned to have a Sunday program, largely because it was assumed people would want to go home and have a travel day/tourist day depending on the flight schedule.

I'm also not sure where the confusion from Friday AM came... I don't think we'd ever planned on Friday AM events, and as far as I know the event schedule never included it, but I could be wrong. Again, I apologize if there was confusion there, we certainly could have been more clear

In the future, if/when Apolycon 2 occurs, I have no doubts that we'll do things somewhat differently, and hopefully better, based on what we learn from this event. Hopefully a somewhat less expensive, and/or longer/more content, convention can be held in the future.

Certainly we would have to figure out ways to increase turnout - whether that means not holding it during the world cup finals or trying to expand the potential attendee pool, or any number of other things. Turnout, and potential turnout, substantially affects the *length* of the convention, because the largest single cost is the room fee; half of the hotel cost is the room fee (for only 1 day, as we are doing the Friday events elsewhere). Larger turnout would ameliorate this, as well as more rooms reserved at the hotel would reduce the cost per room etc.

Finally... again assuming we do this again, we'll need more help organizing it Anyone who has insight to put into organizing or marketing the convention, I'm sure would be more than welcome to participate in the organizing of this event in the future The more minds in on the planning from the beginning, the more well developped and effectively promulgated the plans for the event will be

Confusion came in like this:

1 - By saying, "Apolycon - July 7th through 9th". That implies Sunday is part of the convention.

To quote the chatroom: "Apolyton Convention 2006, July 7-9"

2 - By saying, "7:00" without the am or pm, and choosing times like 8-9, 9-1 (which could go either way). That made me think all day Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

3 - Next time, plan the schedule atleast 1-3 months before the deadline...


Now, just so I can be absolutely sure (I'm a programmer/analyst, I like order.), where exactly are we meeting and when? (what room? what floor? hotel or other place?). I need locations because I have to tell my parents where to pick me up and such.

EDIT: I just saw a quote about female programmer/analyst flash by.

[Chieftess]

I told my mom so she knows what times to drive me there. Generally, it went like this:


Me: "It starts at 5:30, everyone meets, then a dinner, then we play some games until 12:00am".
Mom: "12AM!? They're screwball!"
.
.
.
Mom: "What happened to all day Friday, and Sunday?"
Me: "Well, they didn't plan it out too well - and the schedule said '7-8' an-"
Mom: "Am or pm?"
Me: "I thought it was am, but it's pm".
.
.
.
Mom: [about going to BHG] "How across the street? You can't cross that busy 7 lane highway! You'll need someone to drive you there! You'll get killed trying to cross!" [implying that, even at 29, I still don't know how to cross a road...] :sigh:
.
.
.
Mom: ... [slight paranoia begins to set in here] "$75 for a dinner is ridiculous! They're out to make money off of you! What company is this?".
.
.
.
Mom: [about the convention in general] "Sounds like it was set up by a bunch of guys who don't know what they're doing."


Now, my mom and late aunt would set up professional-styled events for a Cancer Support Group, and that certainly was much more organized than this was. They'd have a schedule done atleast 3 months in advanced, sponsers set atleast 6, if not 11 months in advanced, etc. (Her general expression about this convention looked 'pissed')


[30 minutes later - paraphrasing]
Mom: "When are you crossing over? I want to know! I want to speak to someone so I know you won't be crossing a 7 lane highway!......."


You guys are in trouble.

[MarkG]

damn

[Jon Miller]

I think Sunday is intended to be a normal apolyton meet (ie, drinking, talking, hanging out)

JM

[Zopperoni]

Originally posted by Chieftess
Now, just so I can be absolutely sure (I'm a programmer/analyst, I like order.), where exactly are we meeting and when? (what room? what floor? hotel or other place?). I need locations because I have to tell my parents where to pick me up and such.

Today, we're meeting at 17:30 in the hotel bar. When you enter the hotel, it's right in front of you; it's called the Martini Bar.
So, basically, at the hotel, ground floor.

Tomorrow, we're opening at 08:00 in the morning. We are in conference room Chesapeake 3-6, but one of us will be at the lobby as well.

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by Chieftess


If there's no alcohol at the restaruant on Friday, then I'll come. Not sure how late I'll be able to stay - my parents don't like driving late at night (I don't drive - long story).

It's a hotel restaurant... i'm sure they serve alcohol. There's little likelihood of any restaurant that's not fast-food or similar not serving alcohol (as unfortunate as it is, and as a teetotaller i'm all for more like that). I don't believe it's an alcohol-focussed restaurant, though.

Also, what do you mean credit $75? Refund? That would be good.

Yes. The $75 charge for that, btw, was never really intended to be a precise amount of the cost of the meal - some of the cost recovery for the event came out of that as well. It was a way to allow people to bring their families or to attend a small part of the event without being here for all of it.

Confusion came in like this:

1 - By saying, "Apolycon - July 7th through 9th". That implies Sunday is part of the convention.

To quote the chatroom: "Apolyton Convention 2006, July 7-9"

2 - By saying, "7:00" without the am or pm, and choosing times like 8-9, 9-1 (which could go either way). That made me think all day Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

3 - Next time, plan the schedule atleast 1-3 months before the deadline...

We've actually had a schedule on-site (convention.apolyton.net) that was pretty accurate for six months now. It had some changes to it, but nothing major time-wise... the only significant change other than shifting who speaks when, was changing the banquet to the restaurant, which was made a few weeks ago.

Now, just so I can be absolutely sure (I'm a programmer/analyst, I like order.), where exactly are we meeting and when? (what room? what floor? hotel or other place?). I need locations because I have to tell my parents where to pick me up and such.

The convention schedule should have that information. Friday is at BHG, not sure 'who' from BHG will be there, it's not a speech or anything, just games playing and hanging out etc. Across the street does not mean across a seven lane highway In fact, it's more across a parking lot... They're both even numbers on the same side of Greenspring Drive, the larger (4 lane) street, in the same business complex.

http://www.mapquest.com/directions/main.adp?go=1&do=nw&rmm=1&un=m&cl=EN&qq=m4ZeC4eEaUh9FRgxf%252bvPuiO7QqkAlqBfzs%252btD3F5hh29vaicPBO8LA1JzRfGlu8QzTiNGEverh5pcwaYFOblYBKs%252bDylj5YipKZ9btilHYlXiGC6SMRTNC36F11vshbgV%252fufmLKfSNdFn9wAtFJqwdmlY9bEVKZ8qZuB5khxV4hRklu2myBKlLk8ehT2uIcRmvSmH8jUIZ9Vh2mqmK6PmQ%253d%253d&ct=NA&rsres=1&1y=US&1ffi=&1l=&1g=&1pl=&1v=&1n=&1pn=&1a=2004+GREENSPRING+DRIVE&1c=timonium&1s=md&1z=&panelbtn=1&2y=US&2ffi=&2l=OVPFR8%252fvg6U%253d&2g=KdtqN4cY6Rk%253d&2pl=&2v=ADDRESS&2n=&2pn=&2a=1954+Greenspring+Dr&2c=Timonium&2s=MD&2z=21093-4111

BTW, driving here if your parents didn't know, is easiest via the 83 (via the 695) and then exit at Greenspring drive, take 'east' greenspring drive, it's the second little street off to the right (there's a big Holiday Inn Select) sign. There's basically 2 minutes of driving off the highway at the most (plus whatever is on your end, of course )

Saturday is entirely at the Holiday Inn Select, excepting the dinner. 8am start time, 1:30am (sunday) end time for the competition sponsored by Firaxis, but held at the hotel.

The rooms the hotel events are held in, btw, are on the 'south' end of the hotel, rooms Chesepeake 3-6.

[Wiglaf]

Chieftess I recommend marijuana if you are so afraid of hangovers.

[ZargonX]

BTW, driving here if your parents didn't know, is easiest via the 83 (via the 695) and then exit at Greenspring drive, take 'east' greenspring drive, it's the second little street off to the right (there's a big Holiday Inn Select) sign. There's basically 2 minutes of driving off the highway at the most (plus whatever is on your end, of course )

Actually, you want to take the Timonium Rd East exit, then hang a right at the first light. Drive about 1/4 mile, and you can't miss it.

[Wiglaf]

And going to a bar (with a room that's 90% male) is like putting candy in front of a kid and saying, "Now don't eat this...".

Would you rather it be 90% female?


BTW, if I could be irrestistable to 90% of girls I meet in bars, I could die right now a very happy man.



Carry on with your discussion about apolyton convention fraud and 6-lane highways. 6 ****ing lanes, people!!

[Donegeal]

Originally posted by Wiglaf
Chieftess I recommend marijuana if you are so afraid of hangovers.

I don't think that's a very good idea...

[snoopy369]

I generally consider anything that comes out of Wiglaf's mouth to be a bad idea

[Donegeal]

Where are you guys?