I need your input...

Vannoth · Post by **Vannoth** » August 5, 2003, 12:54 pm

I'm working on an idea, to pitch for an event, and I have one question.

Say SOE had a free EverQuest event, somewhere. What would you like to see/do/have there/where would it be for this to be a must-attend event for you & your friends.

Nothing is too outrageous, give me all your ideas, just make sure they're legal. I'm sure Free Drinks is one of them, right?

Give me your ideas.

-Van

noel · Post by **noel** » August 5, 2003, 1:14 pm

If Tom was there wearing only... Oops... Inner monologue again.

If it was almost anywhere in Cali or Vegas, I'd go. A few ideas off the top of my head:
Free day at any of the major amusement parks in Cali.
Tour of the SOE facilities in SD followed by a party somewhere after the fact.
Maybe a party at 'Howl at the Moon' in Universal City? (dueling piano bar)
Free concert with a decent artist. (you said nothing was too outrageous)
Free Track day at Willow Springs Raceway.

Free trip to Europe. (ok now I'm getting crazy)

Sorry just off the top of my head. Hope that helps.

Vannoth · Post by **Vannoth** » August 5, 2003, 1:17 pm

This is exactly the kind of stuff I'm talking about...

Gimme more ideas!

The cooler the better.

Mort · Post by **Mort** » August 5, 2003, 1:22 pm

I would pay to see you lock Furor in an enclosed glass cage with all the current EQ Devs....

Lohrno · Post by **Lohrno** » August 5, 2003, 1:39 pm

Know your audience... I think part of it (the part that's here...) would love to just get together in a bar like in Las Vegas, and have a good time. The other part (the..uhm..how shall I put this delicately...people more interested in roleplaying and such...) Maybe you could make some people act out some roleplaying or something. Or what the hell, do both, get people sufficiently sloshed, and have them do drunken EQ theater!

-=Lohrno

Kguku · Post by **Kguku** » August 5, 2003, 1:44 pm

Saiphos I think you should have an event where everyone sees you dressed up as an Iksar and give out free cookies to all!

noel · Post by **noel** » August 5, 2003, 1:46 pm

Yeah to kind of expand on what Lohrno was saying, I seriously think 95% of the Veeshan crowd isn't necessarily your average EQ player. This may be wishful thinking on my part, but at each Fan Faire I've been to, the Veeshan crowd seemed to be the coolest, most normal, most stylish of the people I saw there.

Not that there's anything wrong with the, "Lightning Bolt! Lightning Bolt! Lightning Bolt!" crowd.

(hopefully you got that reference)

Abelard · Post by **Abelard** » August 5, 2003, 1:46 pm

Have a big huge fan faire in St. John's newfoundland! You wont regret it !

noel · Post by **noel** » August 5, 2003, 1:49 pm

But Newfoundland will!

Kilmoll the Sexy · Post by **Kilmoll the Sexy** » August 5, 2003, 1:52 pm

How about all the hot female SOE employees dressed up in the noob woodelf outfit and gave up the nookie in a Reno cathouse? I know I would make a trip like that!

Outside of that, you could arrange with one of the paintball outfits out there to have a free for all with each server being a team. Turn them loose and the last team standing gets to do a player wipe of one guild on the server of their choice.

Morgrym · Post by **Morgrym** » August 5, 2003, 1:56 pm

Build it and they will come....

Well they will if you throw in free round trip airfair and hotel services

. I think a get together pretty much anywhere would go off well if people were given enough time in advance to prep and free travel and lodging. Oh yeah and an OPEN BAR

Elf · Post by **Elf** » August 5, 2003, 2:05 pm

Have a day where you play beer golf or something. Rent out a ton of busses and figure out where all the bars are at in the local area.

Tenuvil · Post by **Tenuvil** » August 5, 2003, 2:08 pm

A chance for one of a kind, uber in game items. Hell, you could take the stats on the BoW, cube them, and name it "Gaklek's Sword of Sanctimoniousness" or something such.

Lohrno · Post by **Lohrno** » August 5, 2003, 2:13 pm

Aranuil wrote:Not that there's anything wrong with the, "Lightning Bolt! Lightning Bolt! Lightning Bolt!" crowd. (hopefully you got that reference)

Bwahaha that's put more eloquently!

-=Lohrno

noel · Post by **noel** » August 5, 2003, 2:14 pm

Tenuvil wrote:A chance for one of a kind, uber in game items. Hell, you could take the stats on the BoW, cube them, and name it "Gaklek's Sword of Sanctimoniousness" or something such.

Heh. Subtle! ^^

Lohrno · Post by **Lohrno** » August 5, 2003, 2:15 pm

Tenuvil wrote:A chance for one of a kind, uber in game items. Hell, you could take the stats on the BoW, cube them, and name it "Gaklek's Sword of Sanctimoniousness" or something such.

Yah, and then people will undoubtedly whine and bitch till 3 anual events from now.

-=Lohrno

Tegellan · Post by **Tegellan** » August 5, 2003, 2:22 pm

Do an event in Europe maybe? I don't think i am the only European to feel a little slighted that we never get any fan faires

Other than that, Aranuils ideas sound perfect.

Skogen · Post by **Skogen** » August 5, 2003, 2:24 pm

Abelard wrote:Have a big huge fan faire in St. John's newfoundland! You wont regret it !

OH MAN! I didn't know we had a newfie in here!

Ajran · Post by **Ajran** » August 5, 2003, 2:34 pm

Mort wrote:I would pay to see you lock Furor in an enclosed glass cage with all the current EQ Devs....

Now i have to explain to my boss why i need a new 19 inch monitor.

Sargeras · Post by **Sargeras** » August 5, 2003, 2:36 pm

Since this is a free event, I'm assuming you won't have as much of a budget from SOE to work with, so one thing you could have is sponsors. Say Nvidia, ATI, and/or any hardware/software vendor to have booths marketing their products. Maybe even Pepsi, Budweiser, or any drink vendor can market/sponsor/selling drinks too.

Depending on attendance will determine whether or not you can have it outside. I'm assuming that this probably won't happen until a while after Chicago FF, so having an outside event at that time of year might be a bad idea. But depending on the time of year, I'd like to see a kind of catered BBQ at a city park. It's outside, weather is nice, games can be played, there's a playground for people's kids if they bring them.

Btw Saiph, when's the wedding?

edit: spelling > me

Ajran · Post by **Ajran** » August 5, 2003, 2:38 pm

never been to an event yet.. would like to some day.

Most of the complaints i see are food and drink prices.. like 4 and 5 dollars just for a coke...

work a deal with the hotels or something.. i don't mind paying a higher room price to have a drink in my hand at all times.

how about a fan faire cruise?

Sargeras · Post by **Sargeras** » August 5, 2003, 2:40 pm

Location: I am biased for the so cal/vegas area, and since Chicago is next month, it's west coasts turn!

Isn't FF attendance the highest on west coast?

Post by **Xouqoa** » August 5, 2003, 2:43 pm

Mort wrote:I would pay to see you lock Furor in an enclosed glass cage with all the current EQ Devs....

Glass can be broken. Iron cage match, WWF style.

Laliana · Post by **Laliana** » August 5, 2003, 2:45 pm

I think a BBQ, some "fair" type games and a band or two would rock! (Especially if on the West Coast)

Chidoro · Post by **Chidoro** » August 5, 2003, 2:50 pm

Ajran wrote:never been to an event yet.. would like to some day.

Most of the complaints i see are food and drink prices.. like 4 and 5 dollars just for a coke...

work a deal with the hotels or something.. i don't mind paying a higher room price to have a drink in my hand at all times.

how about a fan faire cruise?

Ditto. And until they decide to get off their ases and have one in NYC, I won't be. That's ok though, what's the biggest city in the US have to offer anyway?

A Fanfaire cruise sounds like a great idea, btw

Deneve · Post by **Deneve** » August 5, 2003, 2:50 pm

Xouqoa wrote:
Mort wrote:I would pay to see you lock Furor in an enclosed glass cage with all the current EQ Devs....

Glass can be broken. Iron cage match, WWF style.

let's throw in searyx for good measure

and i think it would be cool to have some GM type events set up that you could register for....seeing as normal in game GM events seem to be dead

Lohrno · Post by **Lohrno** » August 5, 2003, 2:52 pm

Chidoro wrote: A Fanfaire cruise sounds like a great idea, btw

Sure, but its possible some people could get seasick hehe...
Especially if alchohol is involved.

-=Lohrno

Aabidano · Post by **Aabidano** » August 5, 2003, 2:55 pm

Laliana wrote:I think a BBQ, some "fair" type games and a band or two would rock!

That's probably going to get a good turn out, a lot of fun and cheaper than the hotel\convention center type deals. A fairground space or racetrack would work well.

You could even have "roleplaying nerd" adapted versions of the fair games. Enough booze and everyone would be playing them

Lightning Bolt! Lightning Bolt! Lightning Bolt!

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » August 5, 2003, 2:55 pm

The actual event really doesn't matter. I think people just want a place they can drink and talk about EQ with people from their server.

Whatever event you come up with is just an excuse for EQers to be able to get together, socialize and drink : ) An event that allows for people to sit around and talk is desirable as that's what will happen anyway : )

A demo room off to the side with EQ2 running on 100 machines wouldn't hurt and also a table set up with old Sovereign promotional stuff would be key.

Did I mention that people really just want to socialize and drink? : )

Sirensa · Post by **Sirensa** » August 5, 2003, 3:01 pm

The fun part of EQ events for me has always been the social aspects. So I would say a free party would have to be the thing that could lure me - and it would have to best West Coast / Vegas most likely.

Stuff like dancing, drinks, karaoke, etc. If I could say ideal, I'd make it a killer beach party BBQ all day, dance party all night!

IMO if we wanted to game - we'd stay home and play on our computers. We do enough of that to forgo it for something social

masteen · Post by **masteen** » August 5, 2003, 3:09 pm

Do something like Extreme Elimination Challenge (aka Takeshi's Castle) on TNN. Only instead of cash money, give out 1337 beta infoz about the next expansion.

Skogen · Post by **Skogen** » August 5, 2003, 3:35 pm

I really don't care as long as plenty of hookers & a blowjob parlor are there.

Vannoth · Post by **Vannoth** » August 5, 2003, 3:42 pm

I did say legal...

Sargeras · Post by **Sargeras** » August 5, 2003, 3:44 pm

FFS people, let's be serious about this. We are wasting Saiphos' time if he's reading through this post, and all he sees is crap like that.

Ajran · Post by **Ajran** » August 5, 2003, 3:46 pm

Vannoth wrote:I did say legal...

I think in Vegas it would be....

Vannoth · Post by **Vannoth** » August 5, 2003, 3:47 pm

You guys are always complaining about how SOE doesn't listen to you, and now's your chance to be heard.

Your ideas might seriously be used to plan something, so help me out here.

_V

Jice Virago · Post by **Jice Virago** » August 5, 2003, 3:48 pm

A Cali beach grill out would be enough to draw a descent part of the veeshan crowd and not push the budget much while covering all the essentials: Beer, Food, and EQ addicts. As long as there are some people from EQ Dev and CS teams willing to mingle, I doubt it would need to be any more formal than that to get a good turnout.

Adelrune Argenti · Post by **Adelrune Argenti** » August 5, 2003, 3:51 pm

You sure you just didn't forget to do your assignment, Vannoth, and are now pawning it off on us?

I am thinking....YES!!!

Vannoth · Post by **Vannoth** » August 5, 2003, 3:57 pm

Nope, I was told to brainstorm ideas and think like the player in me and not the employee. So I'm asking you guys for input along with my own ideas.

I want this to be a huge event, 5x the size of a Fan Faire.

What would it take to get that many people out somewhere..

-T

Melrin_Specclaster · Post by **Melrin_Specclaster** » August 5, 2003, 4:04 pm

Free food is a must, free drinks is kinda iffy.

Take your basic SOE groups.

Public relations guys. Put them in a booth where ppl can chunk pies at them for hours.

Developers. Put them in a booth where you toss the baseball to dunk them.

Then people like yourself where you can hang out and talk.

I think people just want to watch those people suffer, and when their angst is spent, hang out, eat, have some drinks and BS.

Post by **Xouqoa** » August 5, 2003, 4:07 pm

If you're thinking of something that large (5x of FF), perhaps you could organize some sort of beach front party with a concert? I don't know anything about booking bands or how much it costs, but it could potentially be a huge draw for folks to come out - especially if the tickets were cheap and the food/drinks were free.

Maybe get two or three bands to perform, charge a minimal cost for ticket for admission, then include a certain number of food and drink items with each ticket purchased. Inside the event grounds you could have tents or something set up with EQ2, Planetside, vendor tents, etc.

Perhaps the event sponsors will front the costs of the event? Got any famous musicians/bands that play EQ that you know of? I bet they'd be willing to do the show. =)

Wulfran · Post by **Wulfran** » August 5, 2003, 4:07 pm

A Dev Team Dunk Tank!!!

Lohrno · Post by **Lohrno** » August 5, 2003, 4:07 pm

Vannoth wrote: I want this to be a huge event, 5x the size of a Fan Faire.

What would it take to get that many people out somewhere..

-T

Well, what are your budget considerations? Do you have a lot of money to spend, or will you need to raise money for it to even happen?

-=Lohrno

Spankes · Post by **Spankes** » August 5, 2003, 4:13 pm

if you are really looking to get 10,000 people to go to this thing then a free day at magic mountain or something might do it with a concert at night.

beer included, of course.

But, to get that many people then lots would need to be willing to travel for it. If you want people to travel then the event, whatever it is, should take place over 2 or 3 days so that people feel like the trip was worth it. I live in AZ, and even if an event was at magic mountain or somewhere in san diego I think I might be hardpressed to want to make the 5 hours each way drive or spend money for a plane ticket for a one day event.

So, perhaps we should expand our thinking a bit.

Pherr the Dorf · Post by **Pherr the Dorf** » August 5, 2003, 4:17 pm

Hmmm I am thinking a guild related Tourney, or maybe just server, Kinda like March madness but bigger. Static content with random chars, maybe an instanced thing like LDoN is gonna be. Big old BBQ's always are good too.

Deneve · Post by **Deneve** » August 5, 2003, 4:27 pm

not really feasable, but RL guildwars with those sumo suits would be hella fun to see

Ajran · Post by **Ajran** » August 5, 2003, 4:50 pm

If you want 10000 people you need 2-3 days of free food and beer in an easily accessible location with something for them to do.

The trick is to get everything included in some sort of package deal. travel is seperate. but the hotel accomodations, the food, the beer, the entertainment needs to be a package deal.

Trying to get 10000 people to agree to a location and what that entertainment portion should be however could be a lesson in futility for you..

One of the reasons i have not gone to previous events is the short time of the event itself.. i find it difficult to justify the expense for what amounts to a day and a half of events that overlap and you miss half of them anyways.

I can justify an 8 hour drive each way or a $300 dollar round trip ticket for something thats going to last 4-5 days and that I don't have to bring another 300 bucks for 2 nights of mingling in a bar. If i want to mingle in a bar i can just stay home and go out for 20 bucks with people I already know.

Seriously something in Vegas. there is all kinds of entertainment there.. get a nice 4 night package deal from a decent hotel that includes meals and drinks.. 3 days of EQ related material and nighttime entertainment a couple of nights maybe a comedy show who knows. one day to have a BBQ or something in an outdoor park area. Just if you do this in vegas please god don't do it in the middle of summer..

I think that taking a somewhat normal fan faire and expanding it to 4 or 5 days with an everything included once your there type pricing would get the 10000 people you are looking for.

Not sure what a typical cruise could handle number wise pretty sure you aren't going to fit 10000 people on a cruise ship.. my main reason for suggesting that is because most cruises include everything in the price you pay.

Kilmoll the Sexy · Post by **Kilmoll the Sexy** » August 5, 2003, 4:52 pm

In all seriousness, if you want to see 10,000 plus people, just make it cheaper. Make it a $25 or $30 fee and have it where you don't necessarily have to spend $100 a night on rooms. Rent a convention hall in a downtown area where there are as many cheaper hotels as there are high dollar ones.

Throw in mega kegs and other drinks and no one will give a rats ass about food. Haul in video games galore...like DDR and anythign else that is somewhat active. Drop a shit ton of EQ machiens and hold 6 on 6 or 10 on 10 tournaments between evenly geared groups for prizes and prestige. Randomly drop clickable items about the arena seconds before you give the start command.

Bring in the sumo suits and mud wrestling. can you imagine a Cartalas vs Kyoukan mud wrestling match for a way to draw people? In other words throw a PARTAY that says "we want you to come to have fun and not just to make a buck off of you for once".

masteen · Post by **masteen** » August 5, 2003, 4:53 pm

Deneve wrote:not really feasable, but RL guildwars with those sumo suits would be hella fun to see

I can see Furor screaming "Disco Defensive" at the top of his lungs as he dons his fatsuit

Neost · Post by **Neost** » August 5, 2003, 4:53 pm

<cough> Burning Man <cough>

VeeshanVault

I need your input...

I need your input...

If you really want people to come...