Irrelevance to the new fen

[dalekboy]

This post is taken from a bunch of replies on a friend's journal, that it was decided we should stop hijacking and move the discussion somewhere else.

The problem is that a lot of fans want to get along, and many longer term fans don't like change, so the old fans don't change and the new fans try to fit in. The newer folks aren't encouraged to exptress their ideas, and fans have always been good at shouting down those they see as wrong.

I tend to think that when one is well-known and respected in the scene, they have a responsibilty to the newer folks to keep an open mind and to give them the chance to express themselves.

For instance, I have the newer people in Melbourne saying they don't see the point of having fan guests. I disagree with their opinion, but respect and understand that if they feel that way, then many more new folks will as well. So I either need to justify why we do it well enough that they can see my point-of-view, or rethink having fan guests in order to be relevant to the newer folks.

Though that said, I think the fan guest issue is a tiny one compared to how magnificently irrelevant our style of cons currently are to the new crop of fans.

New fans aren't coming to cons. They see them as over-priced, they don't see that they will get any value for money, and when they do come along, they have a hard time making friends because they're shy and because many of us are shy, we're more comfy talking to people we already know.

And then they hear us slagging off 'mundanes' and similarly showing fandom's intolerance for those not like themselves. So to new folks we come across as more exclusive than inclusive.

So discuss... and especially if you're one of the newer fans, please, please, please speak up and tell us what you'd like to see at cons, and what you think needs to be changed.

Comments

[nicked-metal.livejournal.com]

SF conventions seem horrendously expensive to me. Conquest charges between $10 and $50 per player for a four-day convention, and runs at a (modest) profit - the other roleplaying conventions charge similarly. As a softcore SF fan and hardcore roleplaying fan, the decision about where to spend my time and money is extremely easily made.

[angriest.livejournal.com]

Some questions (genuine ones - I'm not necessarily disagreeing with what you say): Where are the RPG cons held? Do they have international speakers? Are they heavily sponsored by big gaming companies such as Wizards of the Coast? How long do they run for?

SF cons certainly don't cost $150 a weekend because the convention committees are greedy - they're significantly expensive events to run, comparatively speaking.

[nicked-metal.livejournal.com]

RPG cons are typically held in schools, we book the school out for a weekend or long weekend during the school holidays, giving us heaps of room at an affordable rate. Sponsorship levels vary from 'pitiful' to 'completely absent'. Some conventions will charge retailers a couple of hundred dollars to set up a stall for the weekend, others consider having retailers present a service to the community and don't charge for it. Massive amounts of volunteer labour are contributed - I wrote one of the events, and spent $100 on printing, and still had to spend $50 for entry (yes, I'm aware of the irony when it comes to complaining about $150).

Conquest setup took place on the evening of Easter Thursday, registration opened Friday morning, and the awards were presented Monday evening. Diehards like myself were there for more than 12 hours every day.

International speakers are quite rare, but we occasionally get someone who is promoting something with an Australian tour. It's more a chance for players to connect and play games than anything else, so the draw-value of international speakers is relatively low.

[(Anonymous)]

I agree. In terms of value for money, contact with people and sheer fun, rpg cons are a clear winner. I've only ever chosen a sf con over a rpg one because I was on the organising committee - and even that was touch and go.

(I'm mid-core gamer, mid-core sf fan, but see both fandoms as closely linked.)

[capnoblivious.livejournal.com]

I agree. In terms of value for money, contact with people and sheer fun, rpg cons are a clear winner. I've only ever chosen a sf con over a rpg one because I was on the organising committee - and even that was touch and go.

(I'm mid-core gamer, mid-core sf fan, but see both fandoms as closely linked.)