TOPIC: Ghosting proposal for smaller conventions

I was thinking today about how the only convention where all runs are sold out is also the only convention where you can ghost players. Conversely, the conventions where tickets aren't sold out don't allow ghosting. I know why this is, but it bothers me, especially because I much prefer 5-man runs when I play.

At GenCon this year, the max loot for normal players was 19 treasure draws for a $62 ticket, or a cost of about $3.26 per treasure draw. How about we just max out ghost treasure at that same ratio for other conventions. So, for example, if the ticket at GHC is $42, then the max treasure draws for a ghost player is either 12 or 13 draws.

Now we can allow ghosts and creative runs without making it more expensive for the players, and sell more tickets, yet farming is no more profitable than it is at GenCon.

(idea stolen from Incognito)

Thanks for stealing my idea! (Kirk and I were just talking about this on the phone a few minutes ago where I came up with this idea).

But yes, if the main concern about ghosting at small cons is that people will take advantage of the treasure at cheaper ticket prices, then you could solve that issue by imposing the same treasure:price ratio (or one that is slightly worse) that you have at GenCon.

This method would also improve distribution issues by freeing up scarce GenCon tickets and consuming excess tickets at the smaller cons.

Shouldn't we see how ghosting affects ticket sales at GHC first before tinkering with it. I know how sales were last year but it was also the first year at GHC. The first year at WYC was the same way, but by the second year it was much better and by the third I don't remember unsold tickets.

I do agree it is odd to have ghosting where tickets sell out and not where they don't.

Right now there are a crap ton of unsold tickets at GHC.

36 of 150 runs have all 10 tickets sold

50 of 150 have 0 sold

I didn't bother to count the ones with only 1 or 2 tickets sold but there are a lot.

I hope this changes when the normal event registration date hits in a few weeks.

I bought out a full run hoping to create a Team Synergy run and I'm nervous about filling it at the moment.

I think the timing of ticket sales with Gen Con was bad. I have yet to buy any tickets. I just bought my badge today.

jedibcg wrote: I think the timing of ticket sales with Gen Con was bad. I have yet to buy any tickets. I just bought my badge today.

Dancing Among the Stones. Saturday 8:25. You would be more than welcome.

Yes, the timing of sales was not ideal.

This idea seems perfect to me.

+1

I don't think we need to wait and see any longer. GHC last year, TDC, and Origins all had significant numbers of unsold tickets. GHC isn't looking good this year either. Why sit back and lose revenue for True Dungeon again?

1) We already accept and allow people to ghost even if it means preventing a real person from playing (otherwise ghosting would be banned at GenCon).

2) We have a valid concern that ghosting at smaller conventions might lead to abuse due to the lower ticket cost.

I even think we can keep it simple. Max treasure draws per ghost at any convention other than GenCon can be set to 10 draws (plus the completion token(s)). I don't see that there would be any harm in trying that at GHC. I know I'll book some 5-man runs.

General tickets haven't gone on sale for GHC yet. I know if I was doing GHC for anything besides TD I would want to know what else I get before booking TD tickets.

jedibcg wrote: General tickets haven't gone on sale for GHC yet. I know if I was doing GHC for anything besides TD I would want to know what else I get before booking TD tickets.

I thought they had. I haven't been to GHC before; when do general tickets go on sale?

I need to figure out if I'm volunteering because I need to figure out if I need to buy a badge...

Kirk Bauer wrote:

jedibcg wrote: General tickets haven't gone on sale for GHC yet. I know if I was doing GHC for anything besides TD I would want to know what else I get before booking TD tickets.

I thought they had. I haven't been to GHC before; when do general tickets go on sale?

I need to figure out if I'm volunteering because I need to figure out if I need to buy a badge...

September 2nd.

Kirk Bauer wrote:

jedibcg wrote: General tickets haven't gone on sale for GHC yet. I know if I was doing GHC for anything besides TD I would want to know what else I get before booking TD tickets.

I thought they had. I haven't been to GHC before; when do general tickets go on sale?

I need to figure out if I'm volunteering because I need to figure out if I need to buy a badge...

If your volunteering odds are your going to have a tough time getting runs. Assuming its the same as last year they only had one shift so coaches could only follow the last group in, and room GM could be in the first run until they got to their rooms. Its probably the reason I'm not going to volunteer GHC this year.