TOPIC: Feedback Needed on New Coaching Room Ideas

SageSTL wrote: This looks great. Anything to lessen the chaos of the starting/coaching rooms will be fantastic, especially for new(er) players.

Assuming that there's going to be bag check this year (at the very least for Adventuring Guild members), can the bag check area be in the inn or close by?

We are still working on Bag Check location -- but it will be near the entrance to the event.

This new arrangement sounds fantastic! I assume there will be an "Inn" for each adventure, which splits into puzzle/combat thereafter. A great advantage of the increased convention hall space!

I'd like to use this opportunity to reiterate the suggestion of simplifying the mats. While excellent, I feel they had too many examples and areas for special tokens. I saw many newbies confused, trying to read through and wrap their heads around all the text. I think their time would be much better served by familiarizing themselves with their character card/abilities and the rules.

I suggest the mats keep the rows for "AC items", "saving throw bonus items", and so on, with the "et cetera" spaces to the right losing much of their current text.

But this is just my thoughts. From my perspective things got somewhat confusing and the coaches had to look over all the tokens anyway rather than relying on the player having properly placed their tokens on the mats, but I imagine the feedback from the coaches who actually experienced this system would be more valuable.

Garrison wrote: I'd like to use this opportunity to reiterate the suggestion of simplifying the mats.

already in the works

Jeff Martin wrote:

Xavon wrote: The grey rectangles represent the token mats, right?

I like going back to the separate table for each time slot.

Will there be someone who takes over for the coaches in the training/practice area, or will the coach stay with the players the entire time? Either way it will take at least three coaches per side for this.

Maybe there should be a small dresser/cabinet/chest by the door with the player cards, and the lights and clips can be put on top. Hopefully something that won't break the bank, or suspension of disbelief.

Lighting was an issue this year, hopefully this can help alleviate that.

Really good idea, overall.

Yes, the gray areas are the token mats.

We will work out the flow later -- but either way would work.

I think the tables will just be re-stocked by a traveling Coach Asst. who will have a rolling cart of supplies.

I was just thinking of the coaches having to run back for fifth level cards all the time this year. Or will those be automatically included in the party card set this year?

Looking at the photo and diagram, trying to picture people flow.

1. I wouldn't recommend a drape on the entry to each mustering/coaching area. There's going to be a lot of people poking their head/nose in there (has anyone showed up yet? is this my group? Fred, you forgot your healing tokens! etc. etc.) and constantly opening the drape will be more disruptive than a glance in.

2. You may have issues during the 'shift' phase, where players trying to figure out where to muster get sucked in with a group of 10 going in to the practice area (or vice versa, actual players get lost in transit). If you could figure out how to load the coach/muster rooms from the front, but exit out the back and around somehow, it flow smoother.

Overall these look like EXCELLENT suggestions that will add a lot of character to the pre-game experience!

If the coach did the coaching room and the training that would be cool. It would give the coach more time to bond with the party. Not sure how the timing would work out on that though.

Jeff, this sounds like a great improvement and should really get people into the spirit of the adventures from the very start!

sounds like very good improvements

Really like the u-shaped coaches room. As for stool or mat, have both available and let each coach decide. They'll be working for several hours each shift, right? Shouldn't be too much swapping out.

The move away from the wrangler concept may be a good one, as well. The idea had a purpose, but was misunderstood.

As for the mats, it's gotta be incredibly difficult to design one that's functional for coaches, yet understandable by veterans and beginners alike. How about a table in front of the Inn with a mat and a volunteer to explain to players how they're supposed to use the mat? That way, they'll be using them the way the coaches need them to.

The U-shaped table is a great idea, as is having a table for each slot, allowing new players to arrive way early to study up. One issue with that is getting the word out. If this is your first year doing True Dungeon, and this is a new thing, I wouldn't expect new players to know they can show up nearly an hour early for their slot. Perhaps a blurb somewhere in the Con Program would help?

I personally didn't have any issues with the tables or the Coach leaning over me. My issue was always having the Coach cutting it down to the very last second recording the gear of the party. I think the new table shape should assist in that, but I still worry that the stress of getting all the tokens recorded will spoil the atmosphere a little. Any chance of having a "roaming" coach that could go from room to room that hasn't started yet, and if people are in there early and ready to show tokens, can get a head start on that process? Or possibly have the party card at the "Event Start" area, and once you have picked up your wristband, you can also show the tokens for that wristband at that time.

Maybe have large posters in each room of the 2013 Token Set, one poster each for all the rarities (maybe including a poster for the 2012 UR's since they are still orderable, and maybe a poster for the Transmutable tokens)? That might be a great way to build enthusiasm and awareness of the tokens.

On that note I wouldn't mind a bit of advertising for the PYP program accompanying the token poster. The first year I played I had no idea you got an UR with every $250 dollar order. In my mind I was like one in a hundred packs, never gonna happen and even if it does I'm never going to be able to hit the ones I want. Knowing that just 30 packs in essence gets you your choice & that additional tokens were for sale at the con would have been great info to have while I was already looking at the token posters.