The Thanksgiving Science Fiction Society held a general business meeting on 11 July 2020. The meeting was held online via Discord, with no in-person interaction aside from between folks who live together, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All conversations took place via text chat in Discord. This is a quick-n-dirty Discord transcript of the TSFS General Business Meeting held on 11 July 2020, made in January 2021 by Dave Montuori. All formatting has been lost. Meeting was scheduled to begin at 2 PM EDT. Conversations were held at various hours of the morning of the 11th prior to the meeting coming to order. Herveus | Con Ops The meeting will commence about 2pm. Feel free to post things here in advance. July 11, 2020 jobear 07/11/2020 howdy. I’m not sure I’m going to make it to the meeting so I want to put some thoughts out there now and I will follow up if I’m around. [1:36 AM] 1. Since things aren’t looking enough better to be sure of an in-person convention, I think it is better to decide now to do an online convention, than to wait and maybe have to cancel closer to the time. That’s why we canceled when we did last year, and we got a lot of praise for not putting it off. 2. Our guests of honor won’t be coming if there’s an in-person con because they don’t want to travel. We are unlikely to get Charlie Jane Anders again since this is already our 2nd attempt to have her. 3. Maryland currently prohibits conventions until further notice, and we have no idea when that will be lifted. 4. the hotel is housing COVID patients as of July 6 5. unless the hotel is offering a significant discount, I don’t think TSFS can afford to run a convention at less than full capacity. We were already losing money and concerned we wouldn’t get enough attendees to pay for it. 6. Even at half capacity I’m not sure we could sell that many memberships; most of the people I know are not interested in going to in person conventions at least through the end of the year. I think we will permanently lose a lot of goodwill if we attempt to have an in-person convention, and the people who don’t want to come will not want to come next year either. 2 dcseain Wise words and sage advice. Saria | Videogaming, Website07/11/2020 I am all for a virtual convention, if we can manage it. I'm in the process of making a list of all the games I have with online multiplayer, but it will take finding out what games other attendees have to determine any particular games to be scheduled, if there's a schedule for that at all. I've also been meaning to invest in a capture card and streaming games through whatever means of virtual service we use (I assume a 2020 con specific discord) so that we don't lose the spectator sport element of video gaming. I may also pic a few games to just showcase as a demo to promote some of my favorites, to fill schedule Alex 🔪 Jack-of-All-Trades Saria, maybe we can use twitch streams to drum up interest? [1:47 AM] I can definitely hype Chessie next time I stream Saria | Videogaming, Website I'd assume we'll want to keep Chessiecon video gaming itself locked to people who buy memberships, but if we do end up deciding to do a virtual con I absolutely agree with using twitch to spread the word Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration The question I was going to ask at the meeting itself, and WILL ask then anyway, is: at what point CAN we get a refund from the hotel? From what I;ve heard from other conventions, their hotels are not necessarily willing to give refunds for cancellations yet, they're waiting to see if they'll be able to collect from their insurance, which means waiting to see if the relevant government will have restrictions in place AT THE SCHEDULED TIME. Don't know how that applies to us. [2:16 AM] At the same time, I will note that MarsCon has officially cancelled for January 2021 as of this week. (They're in Williamsburg VA.)(edited) jobear Right. I don't know the answer to that, but with the COVID housing, I suspect it may have changed since Sam talked with them. [10:17 AM] I don't think that should be what we base our decision on. If we get screwed I'm guessing we could do a fundraiser, and that is way better than losing the goodwill of our people. [10:18 AM] It is worth noting that among the people I've heard say no way would they go to an in person convention until there's a vaccine are all our tech people and many of our speakers Marilyn Mix Personally, a socially distant in-person con would not work well because I'm hard of hearing. With masks (except for "window masks") I would not be able to understand what people say. [1:11 PM] The question is do we have enough staff and energy to do a virtual con? Would it really be our vision of Chessiecon, or would it be better to postpone for another year? Postponing would give us a chance to do more staff recruiting perhaps. Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration I have some observations regarding that after last night's Known World Heraldic and Scribal e-Symposium session, which was hosted out of Melbourne Australia (which is why the schedule ran from 6:30 pm to 2 am Eastern US time). @Herveus | Con Ops likely has some as well. (THere's another session tonight.)(edited) Jim/Blaise | Tabletop Gaming Board gaming can certainly go virtual on boardgamearena; it will limit the game selection but is better than nothing. Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration KWHSS went to virtual on just about 3 months notice and really a skeleton staff. They have worked their asses off to be able to do this, but from the perspective of this end user (me) it appears to have been pulleed off with only minor hitches. I'd like to get some feedback from the event staff as to what they needed to do and how much work it took, but I'm not stupid enough to ask them DURING the event. Saria | Videogaming, Website I don't think we'll be able to afford postponing another year, with storage space costs in the interim and two years of no money from memberships. A virtual con isn't going to be a perfect replica of the Chessie experience but it will be FAR better than in person (for the reasons you mention and the idea of having to police social distancing and hygiene in video gaming would be an absolute nightmare, as do I imagine it would be for board gaming) or no convention at all Jim/Blaise | Tabletop Gaming Yes, it would. Yakira - Volunteers and Vendors This is also assuming we would charge for a virtual con. Balticon did not, it was free. Are there other cons that are charging membership? Herveus | Con Ops Aside from WorldCon? Poryshkin | Con Chair (welcoming head bobs to all) Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration Howdy everyone [2:00 PM] Going to refill my mug, biab Herveus | Con Ops It's That Time. Who all is here? Alex 🔪 Jack-of-All-Trades iirc at least one con charged for particular panels; i'd need to go check on which one Poryshkin | Con Chair Do we want to formally start the meeting, or wait another couple of minutes for peoples? Alex 🔪 Jack-of-All-Trades also hello I am here but a little quiet because I have a headache Yakira - Volunteers and Vendors I'm here Herveus, Rachel is over my shoulder Herveus | Con Ops We can wait a few to get started, but we can identify who is here first. Jim/Blaise | Tabletop Gaming I'm here. Poryshkin | Con Chair I'm neither here nor there. Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration Do I have a capital H on my forehead? Poryshkin | Con Chair Question about attendance, though: did Thomas Atkinson get the chat server infor so he could attend? Herveus | Con Ops I don't know Saria | Videogaming, Website here. I have not received contact from Thomas about invite Marilyn Mix present Poryshkin | Con Chair I'll give him a phone call Herveus | Con Ops We'll wait a bit more, then. [2:06 PM] If you have not already done so, there is a bunch of stuff already in the channel that bears looking over. Poryshkin | Con Chair No answer, I left a message for him letting him know Saria's discord ID, and that he should contact her for an invite. Herveus | Con Ops OK. [2:08 PM] I call this meeting to what passes for order. [2:09 PM] Do we want to plan another business meeting in August? 1 Poryshkin | Con Chair yES! Yakira - Volunteers and Vendors yeah Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration Yes. Yakira - Volunteers and Vendors Rachel and I speak together Poryshkin | Con Chair For me, anything except the last weekend is good Herveus | Con Ops August 8 is out. August 1 or August 15? (Both Saturdays) Saria | Videogaming, Website either of those is fine for me Poryshkin | Con Chair I vote 15 August Marilyn Mix aug 15 Yakira - Volunteers and Vendors Either is fine for us Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration No preference, though the 1st seems a bit close to now. Herveus | Con Ops OK. Any objections to August 15? Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration I move for the 15th Yakira - Volunteers and Vendors are we following Robert's rules? if so seconded Herveus | Con Ops Hearing no objections, next business meeting August 15, same Bat Time, new Bat Channel. mneme I'm also here. No issues with the 15th. Herveus | Con Ops I think I'll turn the floor over to the Con Chair. Poryshkin | Con Chair The con chair enacts his gekko powers so he can stick to the otherside of the fflipped floor 1 [2:14 PM] OK, the information dump I promised: [2:15 PM] 1. Treasurer's report. We have $10,171.90 in the various accounts. Only a couple of memberships trickling in, and we're bleeding off money, mainly, but not only due to storage space fees. [2:17 PM] 2. Last time I talked to either of our guests of honor, they were both stopping just short of being a hard NO to an in-person convention. In the case of CJA, she was raising major concerns about not only our safety situation at teh convention itself, but also about the safety concern with travel. [2:18 PM] Tom Smith was willing to drive, which is safer than airplane travel, but still, his health isnt' the best, and an in-person convention poses a health risk to him. [2:18 PM] And as Jo has pointed out, the LB Hotel is currently being used as a tirage/housing for COVID-19 and suspected COVID-19 patients. [2:19 PM] Pluse, as has been true, many of our membership individually fit into one or more of the high-risk and/or immuno-comprimised categories for the virus. [2:22 PM] 3. A hybrid type set up is NOT going to work. Not only are we facing people who might or might not be willing and able to following proper social distancing guidelines, but I have checked our contract: if we relied on the hotel to provides us will a/v feed throughout the hotel, it would incur extra costs that would make it a major losing proposition, even if somehow, we were to be able to maintain socialdistancing AND triple our paying membership. [2:24 PM] 4. Any in-person convention with mandatory masks will not only try to buck people who might be unwilling to follow such rules, posing a major problem for Herveus as head of con ops/security, but it will also pose problems for people who rely on facial communication methods, like lip-reading. [2:25 PM] 5. Finally, I have been in contact with Lee, the hotel sales manager, and he has offered us the following options: (copy and pasting from his e-mail for exactness) [2:25 PM] Here are your options 1. Change your date now, no penalty 2. Cancel now, you would have to pay the cancellation 3. Wait until 8 weeks prior to the arrival date. If still under State of Emergency, at this time it would be a mutual force majeure, no penalty 4. We are working with the groups that have decided to continue with their plans and waived an attrition charges and minimum. [2:25 PM] BRB, NEED TO EUPHAMISE Jim/Blaise | Tabletop Gaming Change date to 2021 and run 2020 as virtual? 3 Poryshkin | Con Chair And I see I also need to nuke my caps lock key Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration I was about to ask, change the date to November 2021 feasible? Poryshkin | Con Chair So, given all that, and some things to follow, I proposes the following: [2:28 PM] 1. We go with option 1, and talk tot he hotel about changing the date to Thanksgiving weekend, 2021. [2:28 PM] 2. Put together a virtual Chessiecon 2020, with our current guests of honor. [2:29 PM] 3. Bring in some other people to help us with part 2: [2:29 PM] specifically, I know that Marilyn had some involvement with the virtual Balticon held in May. I do not now how much involvement. Marilyn, can you fill us in on thsoe details? Marilyn Mix i did not have much involvement with the technical details Poryshkin | Con Chair But were you actually involved in running some of the programming items? [2:31 PM] If so, what platforms did you use? Marilyn Mix they did a lot of training and checking presenters equipment before hand [2:32 PM] they used Zoom and Discord mainky, with you tube , twitch and second life Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration The convention that Herveus and I are e-attending this weekend is using Zoom and Discord. Saria | Videogaming, Website I strongly agree with this proposition. If we can talk to the crew who got into the nitty-gritty of Balticon that would be a good place to start preparations. Jo was involved in the dealer's side of Balticon, as well as exploring their Second Life setup Poryshkin | Con Chair I know that both Zoom & Discord, oh, and Twitch can be set up to be invite-only. Is the same true of SL & YouTube, or do you know? Marilyn Mix they used roll20 for gaming along with discord Saria | Videogaming, Website Second Life has designated servers, I believe [2:33 PM] like Minecraft does [2:34 PM] youtube videos can be set as unlisted, so only people who have the link to the video itself can watch it Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration We had some of the KWHSS presenters saying that Twitch (which they also use elsewhere) canNOT be set to invite-only... Marilyn Mix i can contact the VB54 people for details and checklists Poryshkin | Con Chair As do some other gaming platforms like Board Gme Arena, et al. So, gaming is very do-able (actuallyk I knew that already, as I am doing this job for Capclave coming). Herveus | Con Ops The Heralds Annual Convention Evan and I were up way too late last night taking in was Zoom and Discord. Discord for social space; Zoom for the presentations. Poryshkin | Con Chair I have some contact with some other people who were involved with the virtual Balticon: notably, Roger Burns, who is a member of both BSFS and WSFA. Saria | Videogaming, Website Discord does have screen-sharing and webcam options built in, so it would be easy enough to put panels into one space mneme I'm unconvinced that 2nd life is cost effective -- the Balticon SL crew was usually single digits, and that's a larger con (and SL costs money to rent the land). Herveus | Con Ops Zoom seems to be the thing for panels. We'd probably want staff moderators. Saria | Videogaming, Website one thing I will say is for my personal mental health and safety, I would request that the discord for Chessiecon 2020 be a separate entity from this server, and I will definitely need people Not Me in charge of as much as possible, especially if I'll be doing video gaming things Marilyn Mix that is my main concern. it takes a lot of staff to run Zoom. a moderator plus tech Herveus | Con Ops Staffing will be a concern. Poryshkin | Con Chair However, Zoom also costs $. It is almsot certainly the way to go, but that's um, $100 (?) for the sort of set-up we need. Saria | Videogaming, Website Discord can do exactly what Zoom does, in regard to panels, is what I'm saying Poryshkin | Con Chair This I know from talking to WSFA: the exact amount is the part I'm not sure about. Saria | Videogaming, Website a call with webcam can be set up for the panelists and moderator. people watching can put their questions in text or step briefly into the call Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration The aforementioned Heralds Annual Convention probably could tell us how much their Zoom setup cost, and how much staff they needed to run it. [2:39 PM] I suspect that we'll need the same amount of staff to run via Discord. Saria | Videogaming, Website what do we need staff for specifically in terms of online panels? Just people to help with technical difficulties (if they can) and crowd control? [2:40 PM] because depending on how many panels we're running I don't know that that would take more than one person per panel mneme In general, even for small groups I haven't seen Discord work well for large panels and things; the zoom featureset seems to work better for those. THat said, what people have been doing with zoom generally involves a tech in each room with host or co-host, which is more per-room staff than we've typically used. Marilyn Mix we would need 2 people per panel. Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration One moderator per virtual room, and probably one person handling tech issues for the convention at any given time.(edited) 1 Poryshkin | Con Chair What we would need is as, mneme just answered [2:42 PM] Remember that music is a lot of what Chessiecon does: Discord would not work well for that. Saria | Videogaming, Website if we need cheap/free options, Twitch would be a good option for concerts; they do have IRL and music sections, if our musicians are set up for live shows mneme Yes. Zoom lets you mute everyone easily and turn off all sound processing with the click of a button (which you need for music); Discord is less configurable so far and we haven't even realy tried using it for filk things. Saria | Videogaming, Website assuming Twitch can be done semi-privately; I know they have a subscriber-only mode where only subs can comment (and subs cost money), but I hadn't heard of an unlisted mode Poryshkin | Con Chair My experience with Twitch is limited, but what I do have suggests that Saria is correct. Saria | Videogaming, Website @Alex 🔪 Jack-of-All-Trades can you confirm? mneme I'm going to throw an alternative view that I'm not sure we need to go members only -- limiting attendence to members is a lot of work, and it's possible that memberships-optional/encouraged would net more to pay our expenses than the effort/gatekeeping of requiring it. But it's a risk that way. Poryshkin | Con Chair hm, certainly a valid point. But we're getting ahead of ourselves here. Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration It's not so much members-only that I'm concerned about, it's the ability to maintain some minimal security. 2 Alex 🔪 Jack-of-All-Trades Can confirm - I've found no way to limit a stream on Twitch. Yakira - Volunteers and Vendors I want to second mneme. I think we also do what Balticon did and set up a donations page Saria | Videogaming, Website my concern at this rate is definitely making sure we have enough money for there to BE a Chessiecon 2021. Do our bylaws/state laws permit maybe a fundraising paypal link to promote throughout the con perhaps? 1 Alex 🔪 Jack-of-All-Trades Anyone who has the link can join. Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration What @Saria | Videogaming, Website just said. Alex 🔪 Jack-of-All-Trades But I can look into semi-private for streaming [2:48 PM] Also - there are certain requirements to get an option to have subscribers. 50 followers, x amount of people chatting at once, x hours streamed over the past month, etc Poryshkin | Con Chair To put a concrete proposal forward: 1. The Con Chair is authorized to negotiate with the Lord Baltimore hotel about postponing our even and contract from 2020 to Thanksgiving Weekend, 2021. 2. Con Chair should arrange with the current Guests of Honor arrangements for their participation in a virtual Chessiecon 2020, to be held over the original dates of Chessieson 2020. 3. Con Chair and head of programming should reach out to other program participants about participating, as outlines for Guests of Honor. 4. Appropriate notices about holding a virtual Chessieson 2020 & physical Chessiecon 2021 should be posted on the Chessiecon website & other media. Notices should also me made to other people who have inquired about the status of Chessiecon. Herveus | Con Ops That looks like a motion. Do we have a second? mneme Seconded. Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration Seconded Saria | Videogaming, Website thirded Poryshkin | Con Chair gah, even backspacing I still didnt' type entirely correctly. Paragraph 1, substitute event/even Yakira - Volunteers and Vendors yup Alex 🔪 Jack-of-All-Trades Concur Herveus | Con Ops Any opposed? [2:53 PM] Unanimous consent is a fine thing. Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration Aye Herveus | Con Ops I think we should insist on registration. What the membership fee should be (including optional $0 to whatever) is a question to consider. [2:57 PM] I'd think that people who paid "full price" should be able to roll that over to 2021. [2:57 PM] We should give folks an opportunity to give us some money because putting this on won't be free for us. Poryshkin | Con Chair Questions 2, as Herveus points out, what fee, if any, is appropriate for membership in the virtual Chessiecon 2020? Is this fee in addition or in lieu of any membership dues already paid? mneme And we because we have expenses that need to be paid over the next year. Marilyn Mix balticon had a "membership" donation level that had perks like early access to zoom sign up Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration Registration sez: Somewhere I have the text of the letter we sent out last year. Presuming we want to offer rollovers to 2021, then once we have a definite on 2021 (and not before!), we can tweak the letter and send it back out to everyone who didn't ask for a refund last year.(edited) Poryshkin | Con Chair Excellent point, Evan [2:59 PM] Are you comfortable re-wording that as you see fit, or do you need some guidance on that? Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration I'll do the first draft and then ask for feedback. Poryshkin | Con Chair works for me Herveus | Con Ops Did Balticon allow people to register at no cost? Yakira - Volunteers and Vendors Balticon attendance was free Poryshkin | Con Chair Question 3, for a membership in a physical Chessiecon 2021, what sort of cut-off dates do we want for membership fees? [3:01 PM] Yes, but Balticon is a much larger organization, with much larger cash reserves. Yakira - Volunteers and Vendors @Poryshkin | Con Chair not disagreeing Poryshkin | Con Chair Perhaps we can offer a technically free attendance at a virtual Chessiecon 2020, but also ask for a donation? Yakira - Volunteers and Vendors that's what Balticon did [3:02 PM] They had perks though Herveus | Con Ops Or even something like $10 a head as a base number? Poryshkin | Con Chair If we were to offer perks, what sorts fo things would be appropriate? Yakira - Volunteers and Vendors I would say mugs, but then there's purchase and shipping on our end Marilyn Mix see above. [3:04 PM] con badge graphic, Yakira - Volunteers and Vendors could we offer 'backstage passes' with the GoH? mneme Yeah -- at that point we'd need to raise the numbers to cover a physical gift and shipping, and that's a fair amount of people points. special role is good. Marilyn Mix early registration to zoom meeting Poryshkin | Con Chair "Before we get back to our program, National Public Radio would like to remind you that..." Marilyn Mix souvenir book Herveus | Con Ops Were there limits on panels? Saria | Videogaming, Website is there any reason not to just push a donation jar? mneme If there are limited-attendence events (like kaffeklatches), members can have early access to reg on those. Yakira - Volunteers and Vendors none whatsover Saria Marilyn Mix i think there were, but i never ran into one Poryshkin | Con Chair Honestly, my experience with WSFA Zoom meetings, getting a Zoom meeting wtih mroe than 20 or so people seriously degrades the feed. Yakira - Volunteers and Vendors only 100 people could get in on a zoom chat but they overbooks those, I know because I signed in a few minutes late to a panel and got rejected Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration For 2021 registration deadlines: early-bird rate deadline should be either the end of November 2020, or the end of February 2021. I am way too busy with holidays and Katsucon deadlines in between those two dates.(edited) mneme Poryshkin: Only if they all ahve talk access. We've had 60 person filks (with only one mic live at a time) and much bigger panels (with only the panelists live) with no issues. Jim/Blaise | Tabletop Gaming Saria, just pushing a donation jar is likely to not raise enough, which is why we're looking at additional fundraising methods. Poryshkin | Con Chair In view of our inability to offer an i9n-person con the last two years, I am inclined to go with the latter deadline: end of February. Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration Yeah. There's a way to set up REALLY big meetings on Zoom that doesn't degrade the feed. I can ask my mom's church how they did it. Poryshkin | Con Chair Ah, good point, mneme. Yeah, the feeds did work a lot better when the host auto-muted people's mikes. mneme For -really- big things you can apparently do zoom -> youtube. [3:08 PM] Or probably zoom->twitch. Saria | Videogaming, Website that's true, youtube also has a life feed [3:08 PM] which I've heard mixed answers as to which is easier to use [3:09 PM] I believe both still require an external program such as OBS Yakira - Volunteers and Vendors And this is where we talk to someone on tech at BSFS to find out what they did and how Poryshkin | Con Chair Actually, I've been participating in a regularly-scheduled gaming event set up as a zoom meeting, with the YouTube feed presented as part of the gaming thing. I can tap into that resource to see how that works. mneme Live donation tracker with goal markers. Marilyn Mix Rather than speculate or reinvent the wheel, let's ask Balticon about platforms. I think they wrote up a summary for Conzealand and other cons Poryshkin | Con Chair Sound like a good idea. Herveus | Con Ops I expect to be reaching out to the folks who are running the show this weekend. They cut off free registration at 500 (hard limit) because that was the limit for their Zoom subscription. They ran something like 8 channels last night and have 5 lined up for tonight. Marilyn Mix we can brainstorm about what we would like to do, now, and then next month decide what is realistic Poryshkin | Con Chair Herveus, I know you mentioned, but I've lsot track: what show is that? Herveus | Con Ops SCA; Known World Heralic and Scribal Symposium. [3:12 PM] Hosted in Melbourne. Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration aka KWHSS Poryshkin | Con Chair OK, so we're talking about a comparatively huge fan base. Alex 🔪 Jack-of-All-Trades oh man that would have been great to attend, but....melbourne Herveus | Con Ops aka The Herald's Annual Convention. [3:13 PM] It's an event that has never cracked 250 in person. They were figuring on 80 in person. [3:13 PM] Three months ago, things shut down and they switched gears to virtual. Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration We could potentially get a lot more attendance at an e-Chessiecon if KWHSS is any indication. Herveus | Con Ops Yeah. Poryshkin | Con Chair But some other details I'd like to talk about wrt virtual Chessiecon 2020: [3:14 PM] Do we want, and how would we work a dealers' room? [3:14 PM] Same question for an art show? [3:15 PM] And one of the things I would love to bring back is the charity benefit auction. so, same question for something like that. [3:15 PM] BTW, for those of you who aren't aware, Chessiecon's chosen charity is Seedlings Braille Books for Children Marilyn Mix balticon had a web page listing the dealers Nd their contact info and a phot slide show. dealers also hand a dedicated Discord channel Yakira - Volunteers and Vendors dealer's room is tough, it means pushing websites Poryshkin | Con Chair Ah, right, now I remember most fo that. [3:17 PM] I was imagining somethign similar for fan tables. Jim/Blaise | Tabletop Gaming Art show is difficult - how to protect the digital images while still displaying them. Yakira - Volunteers and Vendors as for charity auction, we can have a channel for each piece we're actuioning and the only comments are bids, anything else gets deleted, like a silent auction that can run all weekend Alex 🔪 Jack-of-All-Trades Deviantart has an optional but very good watermark system Poryshkin | Con Chair That would demand several mods, though, for constant monitoring. Saria | Videogaming, Website Art show was done through second life at Balticon; the images were posted throughout the digitial building, I believe, so there wasn't any way to download them or anything Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration Facetious comment re: Art show... Minecraft-style graphic display only? (edited) Marilyn Mix balticon also did an artist alley in a similar way mneme I didn't realize taht twas the only place teh art show was at Balticon--I don't think there was a way to bid on them? Or if so it wasn't super-obvious from the 2sl display. Saria | Videogaming, Website I don't know about bidding, I feel like that might have been a thing but I don't remember if mom mentioned it Marilyn Mix i don't recall any auctions at VB54 Poryshkin | Con Chair We can talk to her off-line, get soem of the details later. Saria | Videogaming, Website in terms of moderating, I would like to point out that Alex and I know a LOT of people who are pretty tech-savvy who can't normally attend the con due to distance [3:22 PM] so we can sound the call for our friends to come help Poryshkin | Con Chair thanks, yes, please do that. It's not just for a speculative auction, of course. Alex 🔪 Jack-of-All-Trades Light the beacons of Gondor Yakira - Volunteers and Vendors I'm certainly willing to help wrangle people, I just don't know that many mneme The balticon approach for dealer's tables, fan tables, and I think artists alley was a pair of channels (1 voice, one text) for each table. This made for a really busy discord (which could have been better handled by encouraging people to role shift more frequently to enable/disable views of the optional rooms), but did I think work well for the vendors. Yakira - Volunteers and Vendors @mneme good to know, I actually didn't visit any dealers 'tables', I will talk to Kelly at BSFS and find out how they configured dealers, Poryshkin | Con Chair Question for Evan: [3:27 PM] Do you have a good handle on our general membership (as in actually registered), potential membership, vendors, staff, and guests? Or do you just have one big glom? Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration I have a reasonable handle on how many currently registered people fall into each category. I'm not logged in to the reg database so I don't have those figures right on hand, but I can get them. [3:29 PM] I do NOT have any sort of handle on potential registrants. Poryshkin | Con Chair I dont' actually need the detailede information, I just wanted to know where you stand. [3:30 PM] Yeah, by potential registrants, I mean, people who have attended in the past, and just havent' gotten around to registering yet. Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration Um. That data I do NOT have. Would be useful to have. Ask Jo? [3:31 PM] When I log in, I can only see 2019 and 2020. Poryshkin | Con Chair Marilyn, the same question for you, as regards programparticipants, and potential programparticipants?, and potential [3:31 PM] Oh, that was weird... Marilyn Mix Ive only had 2 respond to the mass invite [3:34 PM] i need to check the database, but their were 200 or so past participants [3:34 PM] sorry for typos, i am using my ipad Poryshkin | Con Chair Yeah, again, exact details aren't necessary right now, I'm just wondering how much of a handle we have on the various populations. [3:35 PM] I have NO right to criticize anyone's typos. Jim/Blaise | Tabletop Gaming Typos happne. Poryshkin | Con Chair I have every right tl laugh at my own. [3:36 PM] Be that as it may...other than working out details, are there any aspects of doing a virtual Chessiecon 2020 that we haven't addressed? Herveus | Con Ops I think we have a moderate grip on the scope of the matter. There are many details to sort out, but I think we have directions to look in. Jim/Blaise | Tabletop Gaming One possible benefit for paid registration would be proceedings of the panels... Saria | Videogaming, Website I would like to add a sort of call to aid from video gaming to whatever announcement is made about virtual con, since that takes some involvement from other people. Especially since I'd love to have a Minecraft server for the con, but that would mean using Realms which has a VERY limited maximum players at once, so sounding a call for people who have more resources would be useful Yakira - Volunteers and Vendors I have to go, I'll read anything after this later today and leave comments if needed. jobear I need to check the registration site because Evan you should be able to see A list of all previous registrations Poryshkin | Con Chair Oh! One thing I would like to think about now: my reading of the room seems to be that yes, we should technically offer virtual attendance for free, but ask for a donation, and state that we might have to limit attendance to a given program item to "X registrants", and offer, as a perk for the donation 1st priority on attendance up to "Y limit" X and Y can be worked out later, given detail on what sort of programming we're talking about (example: dealwers room, where X & Y might be infinite vs a guest of honor presentation, where they might be say 50 and 30 or somesuch); for donation amount Z. [3:41 PM] Should Z be fixed or variable, depending on program item? Jim/Blaise | Tabletop Gaming For every 2 dollars you get priority on one event? mneme Ug, no, but could have 2-3 levels of membership Poryshkin | Con Chair OK, so youre saying Z is variable, but not event-based, it would be the members choice as to where to direct the registration priority? jobear The registration page has 2019, 2020, 2021, and a link that says view all past and current members Marilyn Mix VB54 had 3 or 4 levels or membership, plus a general donation ability Jim/Blaise | Tabletop Gaming That's what I was leaning toward... jobear I think any perks for registration should be super simple and we should push it as a thank you gift rather than something you're buying Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration For the data the con chair requested, I'd really want to be able to read (but not edit) 2014 through 2018 registrations. Jim/Blaise | Tabletop Gaming But I can see the point that it's too much management. Marilyn Mix Ranging from $5 to $60 or moe. jobear Right. I'm pretty sure all means all that have been registered through this system Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration I can check that after the meeting(edited) Marilyn Mix Most of VB54 perks were virtual, like publications. jobear That list was created for a different reason but I think I can add a year column so you don't have to click through to see that Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration It looks like we're going to have to tweak the reg database for 2020, but exact details probably won't be until the August meeting. Marilyn Mix The $30 level got you the pre notification for panel sign up Poryshkin | Con Chair mmmm, another good poitn, evan Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration We don't need everyone present for working on the reg stuff. jobear I think we can use the same reg Database. It will just have different options and prices, which is the case every year they just usually look similar and this year they won't [3:48 PM] I think we can use the same reg Database. It will just have different options and prices, which is the case every year they just usually look similar and this year they won't [3:49 PM] No idea why Siri thought I was saying that twice Poryshkin | Con Chair OK, so now the reading of the room I'm getting is that Z should be variable, but based on the type of perk, not on the programming type . Is that correct? Herveus | Con Ops I think that's right. Saria | Videogaming, Website maybe we could commission a cute thank-you graphic like a sort of digital pin Marilyn Mix yes, [3:50 PM] everyone who donates and get a con badge jpg Poryshkin | Con Chair Well, this seems like we've come to a good stopping point. Anything I may have missed that we should attend to now wrt to either Chessiecon 2020 or 2021? Marilyn Mix will there be an issue that TSFS is not 401(c)3 Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration Do we want to continue the registration discussion now (after adjournment) or schedule a different day? Marilyn Mix as far as soliciting donations Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration How is TSFS registered? I have always presumed it was registered as a not-for-profit but no idea of further details. Herveus | Con Ops It should not be. Donors won't get any tax benefit, but it's just income to us. Poryshkin | Con Chair We've been at this nearly 2 hours, I think further registration falls under "details to be worked out later": unless you need further input to be able to do what you think you need to do? Marilyn Mix Action items? Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration I don't need further input RIGHT NOW. But I'll need it before the August meeting. Which is why I asked if we wanted to schedule reg discussion for another day. Herveus | Con Ops I was going to reach out to the KWHSS crew to learn more about how they pulled this off and what their Zoom getup looks like. Poryshkin | Con Chair Evan: we are registered asa non-stock. non-public corporation under the laws of Maryland. Not-for-profit is a separate legal distinction, mneme I assume graphic is just honor system (ie we send people the jpg and ideally svg and they can do what they want with it)? That coudl work. Herveus | Con Ops If the graphic is personalized... Poryshkin | Con Chair That's granted by the IRS, and once that is granted, then we would go back to the State of Maryland, and get recognition as a NFP organization. Saria | Videogaming, Website personalized might be trickier unless we put a blank space for a name or something, but that might be doable. mneme We have reasonable bylaws? Herveus | Con Ops I think so. mneme The 501c3 rules have been significantly simplified, or atl east they were as of 2016 when I checked. Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration I'm not suggesting we should go for charitable status (e.g. 501(c)3...) but there may be benefits to being just an ordinary NFP. Not sure. Herveus | Con Ops Who was going to gather information about Balticon? Marilyn Mix I will mneme c3 is mostly a purpose-based distinction; something cons can claim, but somewhat dubiosuly (although less dubiously in our case given a history of charitable giving). c7 is easier. Herveus | Con Ops OK. Poryshkin | Con Chair I would like to wrap this up, frankly, but Evan, do you want to set up a registration-specific meeting for you, me & Jo, and other people who might have input to the registration database beffore 15 August? Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration I would like that, yes. Herveus | Con Ops So with all that, are we ripe for a motion to adjourn? Poryshkin | Con Chair Not yet Herveus | Con Ops OK. Poryshkin | Con Chair Evan: what date/time is good for you, then? [3:59 PM] JO, same question to you? Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration NOT Wednesday or Thursday evenings. [4:00 PM] Also, not Sunday mornings. jobear I'm not sure. How long a meeting do we need? I'm not sure what needs to be changed or why Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration I'm going to put together my wish list and send it out. I hope this shouldn't take long. jobear I mean at some point will have to discuss what the options for levels of membership are, But that doesn't require a change to the program [4:00 PM] Ok Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration And yeah, it's mostly just refining the membership categories. jobear I guess we can decide after I see the wish list. That way I can get a feel for how much time we need and let you know when I have that time Poryshkin | Con Chair Monday evenings are right out for you, aren't they Jo? jobear The program is set up to allow for changing that every year so it sounds simple. Yes Sunday and Monday evenings are right out Poryshkin | Con Chair So, best handled by exchange of e-mails, rather than meeting? Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration Start with exchange of emails is fine. I'd like to be able to have one point where we are all "together" before the next meeting just to make sure we really all are on the same page. Poryshkin | Con Chair Sounds dangerously like a plan, then. [4:04 PM] With that, I'm going to turn the floor back over to our President, for any agenda items that are TSFS-related, but not directly Chessiecon-related. jobear Sounds like a plan to me too Herveus | Con Ops I don't have anything else at this time. Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration In which case, I move we adjourn. Poryshkin | Con Chair second Herveus | Con Ops Unanimous consent? Saria | Videogaming, Website aye jobear Aye Marilyn Mix aye Herveus | Con Ops Thank you all for showing up and grinding this out. We are adjourned and will meet next on August 15 at 2pm in Discord. Different Bat Channel. Dave/Evan(damont) | Registration Thanks everyone. "See" youse next month. Jo, Poryshkin, I'll check out the reg thing to see what I can see and get an email out to you soon as I can. Herveus | Con Ops New channel sitting there with the date and time. [4:08 PM] Bye y'all. July 12, 2020 Marilyn Mix I just found out that another November convention was cancelled (Windycon) July 13, 2020 Saria | Videogaming, Website So while I've been working on my available games for online multiplayer, I had a thought; if we do free membership for the digital con, would there be objections to multiple gamers running twitch streams as part of the video gaming track, so long as Chessiecon's name is on it? People doing that can be vetted through me, if that's a factor, but I was thinking that might be a good way to a: get Chessiecon's name spread further out in the interwebs and thus reach more people for potential donations, and b: add variety to video gaming's options while keeping the spectator sport element without needing to go through my channel (IE: someone who has a game I don't have could invite people to play through the video gaming track's discord channel and then broadcast the game through their own twitch channel with Chessiecon's name on it, so there could potentially be two video game room channels running at once for multiple watching options.) This of course depends on if the ones in question have a twitch account to stream with, but I thought I'd put it forward as an option. [3:39 AM] this of course assumes video gaming uses twitch over screen-sharing through discord, but I don't see why I wouldn't aside from time-sensitive games like Jackbox (screen-sharing doesn't have the lag that twitch livestreams do), and it could be a 'both is good' scenario Saria | Videogaming, Website ftr my intention is to encourage people to run games they have with people regardless, I'm mainly wondering if specifically having others streaming would be a problem July 18, 2020 Marilyn Mix I have a Covid patient or two at my house. It may be a week before I have the energy to do any planning for burial Chessiecon. [6:46 PM] *virtual [6:47 PM] So far the symptoms are mild. Saria | Videogaming, Website Here's hoping they stay that way -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-