Dreamation thoughts: organization, accessibility, etc. This post is specifically not about games.

Dreamation thoughts: organization, accessibility, etc. This post is specifically not about games.

tl;dr - Dreamation was fantastic. The IT nearly caused a panic attack. Enforcement of the harasssment policy is really hard. I doubt this is new stuff.

Preface: Dreamation was super awesome! Everything said here is from a place of love and adoration. I had some really great experiences at Dreamation, both games and meeting new friends. 

Comments that express concerns are very much welcome; comments that are, effectively, "this sucks, Avie and Vinnie suck, bathrooms should always be gendered" will be deleted. Comments that tell me I'm wrong, and how, are awesome.

Second preface: I'm a cis gendered straight white dude. Married, with disposable income. Pretty much the only privilege I'm missing is religious, and I can fake that pretty well. I also have a (minor) invisible physical impairment that makes me aware that spoons exist, and a (very) minor mental one that makes mazes near impossible.

Some positives:
-- Degendered bathrooms, but not on the bottom floor. Maybe so there's an option for those who want gendered bathrooms? In which case, kudos!
-- water water everywhere! I'd get thirsty and look around, and there was water coolers! Hooray. Even so, by Sunday the dryness of the hotel was really getting to me.
-- the right anti-harassment policy!

Some negatives:
Prereg: I went through 22 emails with Vinny trying to schedule my games. I didn't have just the usual complaints about the website: for whatever reason I literally could not understand what time games were at, or what might overlap. I had to spreadsheet it to get it done. It was triggery, calling back to mind events from 25 years ago. Sitting at work, I nearly had a panic attack. Even so, I didn't really know where I was going from session to session, as the names of the games were no where on the schedule. I went to the wrong time slot of The Watch, accidentally ditching out on Posthuman Pathways because I can't schedule.

What's worse: I know I am not the only one. I've heard from multiple people that this caused panic attacks, or that they simply don't do it because it seems impossible.

The Big Board: Going from 2 feet off the ground to what, 6 foot? I find it physically painful to kneel for any duration, so dropping a knee to find a game is not a viable option. Anyone much shorter than me may find the top row equally inaccessible. I'd also be concerned about stalker behavior -- publicly showing where everyone will be sounds like it'll allow for bad things.

Finding Spaces: I got so lost! That hotel is a maze, and my general solution was to find someone i know and follow them. This works, but it costs them mental energy and time, and it cost me a sense of independence. I almost ditched out on a game because I couldn't find where that particular room was; I was two floors off.

Safe(r) Space: I heard from others of some harassment. No one was alerted, due to the mental energy it would take. When it is a GM being harassed, there's the added concern that you are contracted to provide entertainment for these people.  That is, the best policy in the world doesn't do anything if the mental tax to enforce it is too high.

Where's my Credit Card: On Friday or Saturday, I noticed my CC was not where it belongs. I assumed I'd put it in the wrong bag and that it'd turn up. On Sunday, roommates notice there's a voicemail in the hotel saying someone found it. There's no contact info. Neither the con nor hotel have any idea. Still not found. Similarly, I witnessed at least one person try to find her gaming folder, which was safe but not very accessible.

Suggestions for improvement, from my perspective:
Pre-reg: Revamped website (possibly with Convent, Fear The Con, or another con management software), and an app. Near as I can tell, the Gold Standard (cvent) is ~$10,000 a year for an organization. You can do multiple events, so that'd cover all of Dexposure's events. The grapevine tells me this almost happened this year, but there were Problems.

The Big Board: an app, and disposable tablets available for use at the reg desk. That is, if you express a need, get handed a tablet to do reg. Then bring it back. Easy enough for reg desk to hold onto your ID while you hold onto the tablet (or, a chromebook. Whatever.)

Finding Spaces: App, with a bloody map inside it. And directions to every room available from any other room. Or, at least, every major space to every room.

Safer Space: Maybe security folks in uniformly colored shirts, strolling around. And, of course, a big red button inside the aforementioned app. Maybe also a yellow button for things that don't need to be immediately dealt with.

Missing Credit Card: All calls should include contact information, and the organization you are with. And stuff that is found should be given over to security, either hotel or con. I understand this is volunteers, but that's why we have scripts. 

Edit: Security is 24 hours. Good!

Let me stress once again: Dreamation was fabulous. I played wonderful games, I met wonderful people. I never was never sure where I was supposed to be, or if I was standing someone up by accident.

This is a public post. Feel free to tag in anyone. i don't imagine these ideas are fresh, but the perspective on how triggering registration was mighhhhhhht be? Probably not.