Stamper Puzzle/Hunt
Wanted to offer some feedback on the puzzle challenge for Rigel---the people who DID complete it seemed to be having fun with it when they came to my table, and I think it has the potential to be a fun yearly challenge. I think if the stamp sheet was a separate little sheet (maybe the charity can give them out? or put on a stand by the door to take one? or in the front of the pocket program booklet?) that was more easily portable and more visible more people would have done it considering how crazy people seemed to go for ribbons. I'm guessing a lot of people didn't know the puzzle was in the book...
I felt a little bad that I merely glanced through the conbook, and completely overlooked the fact that there was a stamper game in it. Perhaps it was a miss on both parties - me for not reading the conbook closer, and the staff for not advertising it enough, if at all. I'll definitely look out for it next year.
It took me a second to see how easy the clues were, but I guess I ass-u-med that 200 ribbons out of 4k attendees would get snapped up pretty quickly, so I pretty much gave up on it and then got busy enough the rest of the con that I forgot about it. 
I don't know whether a prize other than a ribbon (but what else can the con afford?) would've made me more ambitious to play 
I was at registration on Thursday and someone was asking for a stamp. They said to come back after opening ceremonies. It might be a good idea to include a start time in the instructions next year.
Personally I did not attempt to do it, because I assumed that people would be running around when it started, and the 200 people would be finished very quickly. That was apparently not the case, so I would likely try it next year.
That might have been one of the group I was with, we had figured out most of the places to go, and were a bit confused (and disappointed) at the 'come back after Opening Ceremonies the hunting doesn't start until then' instructions.
(Mostly, because it didn't mention WHEN the 'start' of the little hunt was supposed to begin officially.
The other reason that the dino hunt might have been overlooked? Most of my group (myself included) tend sometimes to NOT look at the included booklets until later (usually when its cool down time before sleep, or well after the con is over). Fortunately a few of us did and pointed out the dino hunt game to the rest of us.
The main booklet that most might focus on is the conbook that details what cool things are where. We were actually wondering why it couldn't have been in there, but figured there must have been a reason.
Once we got to hunting it was rather quite fun just to see if we could be one of the lucky 200 or, not. (For us, the tracking expert ribbon was more than enough of a prize for our group. As, the fun was in the hunt).
I delayed the stamps until after Opening Ceremonies because it would otherwise give people who arrived on Thursday an advantage over people who arrived on Friday, and all the stamp stations weren't accessible until after Opening Ceremonies, like the Info Desk and the Charity's table. I wanted to start it when it was actually possible to complete it. I'll try to remember to put that direction in the instructions if we do it again.
The conbook actually didn't indicate what things were where, but rather the At-Con Guide did, which is where the puzzle was printed. The conbook is for creative talent from the attendees and for staff credits rather than convention-produced content.
I'm glad you took part and enjoyed it. 
I must have misread the instructions because I thought the clues were spread throughout the convention space and would have taken a lot of effort to find. And all for some little ribbon? I didn't give it a second thought after that XD
The clues were the dinos names, but yes, you did have to go all over the convention to get the stamps. That was actually the whole idea - to get people to go places at the con they may never have visited before.
Can you suggest an affordable alternative prize that you might be more interested in pursuing?
I saw it and I really wanted to do it but I thought we had to find the dinos at those places. I spent 10 minutes looking up and down the registration space to find one but I couldn't. :< I feel so stupid now. Maybe I just should have asked. I would love to for it to happen next year, since I know better now I would totally do it.
Sadly, I'm one of the folks who open a bag, pull out the pocketbook, and look at the pretty pictures when they get home because they're at a super-con and want to do as much as possible. ^^;
I was one of the 18 people who did finish the puzzle. I had a LOT of fun doing it. Thank you, Rigel!
It was my first con and I felt a bit run off my feet just trying to accomplish the many things to do at the con, I figured since I didn't know the con well I would struggle to find the stamps, aside from seeing them at the bag stuffing
I feel really bad now. I've *been* to all five areas. Just never thought to bring the book with me.
Sorry, Rigel.
Here are some suggestions that could help this mini game gain more popularity in next years AC. Maybe you could increase advertising by placing the game in next years AC guide booklet, since that is one of the most popular publications read by the con-goers. I lost count of how many of those small booklets i saw in the hands of the con-goers. Even if the game was placed at the middle or end of the booklet I'm sure a lot more people will stumble upon the game while skimming through the convention event guide. For a different prize you could maybe create a raffle pool for those that have completed the game and raffle off some t-shirts, or maybe free admission for next year. I'm sure if a raffle is announced people would show a lot more interest in completing the game. I was one of the 18 that completed this game, it was a lot of fun and I had other con-goers asking me how I got the badge. At the closing ceremonies when asked how many completed it there may have been a small amount that raised their hands, but from what I saw it seemed that the crowd was interested and I heard at least 10 people scream out "You need to advertise it!". I think if you find a efficient way of advertising it more, then you will have those 200 slots filled within a matter of 20 minutes. Hope this helps
Thanks for the feedback.
It would be very hard to fit in the Pocket Program considering how much space it took up in the At-Con Guide.
The puzzle is supposed to be self-executing - wind it up and let it go - so no raffle. I already spend 75% of my time organizing and executing the charity raffle.
I'd also like to be sure everyone who completes it in time gets something, rather than everyone who completes it might have a small chance of getting something.
I have some ideas about how to direct people to a puzzle in the books. Gotta keep it a secret in case I decide to do it again, tho.
I'm making a note to make sure to play this stamp game if it occurs next year, I felt all bad in the closing ceremonies when we realized hardly anyone played it...
Maybe some kind of announcement during the opening ceremonies? Or was there one, I don't remember o.o
There was supposed to be an announcement, but I can't make it to Opening Ceremonies anymore because that's right in the middle of charity donation drop-off. And Opening Ceremonies was more abbreviated than expected, so the announcement never got made. Perhaps that would've helped.
Next year! We play a video of everyone going "awwwww" when you said you thought it would be a good idea after learning that only 18 people played during the closing ceremonies!
It will be so moving, everyone will play! ...something like that.
I thought it sounded like fun... but I didn't look through my registration stuff until two days after the con! Next year I will know to look at it when I get it. All I did was pull out the pocket programming schedule and shoved the rest in my bag until later. I didn't know there was all kinds of fun stuff!
I agree Chargecko, that "awww" would be the best marketing ever.
I saw it in the con book but since I showed up Friday night around 8 I thought all the ribbons would be gone and never tried it. Maybe next year we should do a competition with "Achivements". Some ideas I have are
"The 6-2-1 Achivement" bring in recipts for 2 food purchases made in the same day, be awake and not smell.
"Everybody's Bit.. umm Friend Achivement" Have a volunteer sheet signed by three or four of the directors
"Faster Then a Speeding Kage Achivement" Get from one point in the hotel to a point in the Convention Center in a certain amount of time.
I'm sure I can think of some others but just not right now
Honestly, I simply didn't know about this. I would have loved to participate. I definitely don't think you should give up on it, just advertise it a little more. Tweet about it or...you know, just let us know.
The trick is that the whole concept is supposed to be something that people find and that some people do, rather than something that everyone is told about and everybody does. That turns an inexpensive bit of whimsy into a significant exercise and expense. What I'm looking to achieve is something in the middle - between nobody finding it and everybody being told "go here and get free stuff". It's a secret puzzle that needs to be discovered and solved by those who are interested and clever enough to figure it out.
Now that word has gotten around about this year's puzzle you will probably have more people looking for it next year even if you don't advertise it.
Thanks for the feedback!
I have been getting positive comments from the few people who did play (all 18 of you). I'll need to sleep on it for a few months before I decide whether it's worthwhile to do something similar next time.
There were two reasons it was in the At-Con Guide. First, it saved us the cost of printing 4000 copies, which would've added to the already arduous pre-con bag-stuffing effort. Second, I wanted to ensure that people wouldn't just make photocopies, get multiple ones completed, and collect more than one ribbon for themselves. This latter concern was alleviated at the convention when RB, our Programming Directorial Second, informed me that they used a badge list.
If we did something new, it would probably stay in one of the publications to keep costs down. The question would be how to get the word out. I have some ideas for that and some new ideas for games. We'll see. Keep a third eye out. ~*~