TempleCon 2011 - how you can contribute (we're looking for tables)

[PG_Snakeman]

Amazing themed tables with great terrain, stunning visual appeal, and fun themed scenarios have become a hallmark of TempleCon game play in recent years. During and after TempleCon2010, we heard from a lot of people who were very excited to build their own unique custom tables after being inspired by the tables there. We want to help these terrain addicts along even further by offering clubs and players the chance to help us make TempleCon2011 even better. If you want to show off your own creativity, or that of your local game club or store, now is your chance to build a custom scenario table to be showcased at TempleCon2011 as part of the Iron Arena event.


Because of limitations of space, there will likely be many more people interested in participating in this than we can accommodate. Also, we know there are ideas floating around in our own heads that we can?t fit on the tables so we know it?s true for others as well. To help things run smoothly we?ve laid out some guidelines and selection criteria. Based on these, a panel of organizers will pick from submitted tables to see who will be invited to bring theirs to the show. Space is still in flux right now, so we know that we?ll be choosing more than one table and less than 20, but we can?t say for sure beyond that yet. If you want to be part of the fun of TempleCon2011, just follow these instructions.


The guidelines are posted here and I've attached them as a .pdf for those who want to download a copy.


Table Dimensions/Specifications:

1. The table footprint must be no larger than 4 feet by 4 feet and must be sturdy enough that it can be set up even if up to two sides must overhang the hotel table by up to 6 inches. We recommend building on 2? by 4? sections of ¼? plywood or 1? foam.
2. The table can be of any height, but make sure players can reach all playable areas when it?s sitting on a standard height folding table.
3. The table must be accompanied by a custom scenario of some sort. It should be no longer than the front and back of a single 8.5? by 11? piece of paper. You must bring at least 5 copies of this document with you when the table is set up. We will provide clear plastic page holders for it.
4. Tables can be either stand-alone or can be staffed by one or more members of your club/local gaming group to ?run? the scenario.
5. The table may include up to two discreet signs that include the name of your club/game store and/or may be accompanied by a stack of business cards to promote your club or business.

Requirements:

1. It is the responsibility of those individuals/clubs/stores who have been selected to confirm their attendance at TempleCon2011 by 1/17/2011 or earlier.
2. It is the responsibility of those individuals/clubs/stores who have been selected to transport their table(s) to and from the convention site as well as set up and take down their table(s). Organizers will be on hand to specify locations and provide technical assistance. You must bring all the terrain pieces/components of your table. Table set-up usually takes place Thursday evening after 6pm or early Friday morning (7am or so) and all tables must be taken down by 6pm Sunday evening. The organizers will coordinate specific details with those selected to bring a table.
3. We have not had any major terrain mishaps or problems at TempleCon over its entire history, but be aware that the organizers cannot watch everything all the time. Though we make every effort to make the gaming area secure and orderly, we can take no responsibility or liability for your table or its components. Please do not include your grandmother?s diamond ring as a terrain feature or build the whole table out of custom blown glass?..

Submission:

1. All submissions must be sent to Paul Shoemaker electronically at: pressgangsnakeman@yahoo.com. Use ?TempleCon2011 table submission? in the subject line
2. Your e-mail must include your name and the name/web site of your club/store/etc. along with a brief (two paragraphs or less) description. Please also indicate if the table is intended to be stand-alone for people to play at or if your club/store will have members ?staffing? the table to run the scenario with players.
3. We prefer submissions as attached .doc or .pdf files with the images incorporated into them (helps prevent your e-mail from getting stuck as spam) but separate attached .jpg photos are OK if there?s no other way.
4. You must include at least one (1) and up to four (4) photos of your table. At least one must be an ?overview? showing most/all of the table. If possible, position models on the table to demonstrate to us that playable surfaces are actually usable ? we worry about steep hill slopes.
5. You must include a copy (draft is OK) of the scenario to be played on the table. We may provide feedback on this as part of the selection process.

Timeline:

1. All submissions are due by or before 12:01am Wednesday, December 1, 2010. Submissions received after this date/time will not be considered unless we?re critically short of submissions.
2. Selected entrants will be notified by e-mail by or before 12:01am Monday, January 3, 2011.
3. A final list of participating tables will be posted on or before Monday, January 24, 2011.

Selection Criteria:
Submitted tables will be selected by a panel of event organizers and TempleCon staff with judging conducted on a 1 to 10 scale in each of the following categories: visual appearance/appeal; originality/creativity; playability of terrain; and scenario design/rules balance.





Thanks and please feel free to post questions here if you have any.


Paul

[CT GAMER]

Paul I can understand the logistics issues that require you to do this, but as someone who participated last year and spent many score hours and a good chunk of change (triple digit figure) out of pocket making the tables and terrain for the INCOMING! event I am a little apprehensive about having to spend the money and time getting a table/terrain in for a judging deadline two months before an event that I have no guarantee I'll get accepted at. Templecon gets bigger and bigger, so I can empathize with the logistics issues ,just makes me a little skittish as a designer.

We had plans for another scenario table at Templecon 2011, and I would be building the custom table/terrain specifically for it, and wouldn't be doing so otherwise.

Hmmm, gonna have to rethink that plan in light of these facts.

As much as I wanted to build something new (visions of a steam barge stuck in an ice flow dancing in my head) maybe a reappearance of INCOMING! is in order since that table/terrain is all ready to roll and was well-received at Templecon 2010...

[Mod_Garvin]

I should also mention that any tables submitted for staff judging will be featured on our new "WARMACHINE: MECHANIKA" section of TempleCon.org, which will be used to track the road to TempleCon. We'll also be allowing for player voting on some tables for fun so we can get an idea for what you guys want to see.

[SoulReclaimer]

Why just accept scenario tables? It would appear to be a better plan to offer a scenario placement and also just a "LENT" board that people could play games on, Eternal War especially. There are people out there, myself included, who would love to bring a table by but not spend the time running rules/scenarios. Just a thought.

This would reduce the HOURS your group has spent in the past making and fixing terrain. Heck why not have a Table Design Building competition?

And as far as space...<wink> I got a truck and maybe 2011 we can hold some Table Tailgating "TAKE THAT GENCON"

[PG_Snakeman]

Why just accept scenario tables? It would appear to be a better plan to offer a scenario placement and also just a "LENT" board that people could play games on, Eternal War especially. There are people out there, myself included, who would love to bring a table by but not spend the time running rules/scenarios. Just a thought.

This would reduce the HOURS your group has spent in the past making and fixing terrain. Heck why not have a Table Design Building competition?

And as far as space...<wink> I got a truck and maybe 2011 we can hold some Table Tailgating "TAKE THAT GENCON"

I think it's safe to say that there are enough of us involved in this with both creative and rules-minded leanings that we could certainly work with someone who wanted to submit a table with a scenario of "no scenario, just play" or, better yet, told us "I've got this amazing looking table that will knock your socks off but don't have a good scenario for it, can you help me?"

In short, while we want other heads than our own to make scenarios, (look how much fun Incoming! was) we don't want that to deter you from submitting a table.

This guidance is to put a fair and ordered process in place so we're not mobbed with random inquiries. The fact of the matter is that the number of people/groups able to make nice tables and then get them to TempleCon is limited so we don't expect to run out of space, but we wanted to have a clear and transparent process if we need to tell someone they can only bring 3 tables and not 12 in order to make space for others. It's just that I write grant applications for a living so I tend to write these sort of documents in that same proposal instruction packet voice.

[Epicterrain]

Snakeman:

I am the owner operator/artist along with my wife of www.Epicterrain.com And id love to submit a table with rule set/scenario to templecon 2011 but do to the fact that i live in Wi and have no way of getting there .. Is there a way that you take submissions through the mail (my expense) i would send you the table and rule set ? Or would i have to try and find someone to take it snd set it up for me ? Here is an example of some of my work [IMG][/IMG]

[PG_Snakeman]

Snakeman:

I am the owner operator/artist along with my wife of www.Epicterrain.com And id love to submit a table with rule set/scenario to templecon 2011 but do to the fact that i live in Wi and have no way of getting there .. Is there a way that you take submissions through the mail (my expense) i would send you the table and rule set ? Or would i have to try and find someone to take it snd set it up for me ?

Wow, that's a great swamp piece you have there! The other terrain you have on your web site is quite nice looking as well and would certainly compliment the TempleCon tables.

My main area of hesitation in encouraging you to submit some photos and saying "yes" to having you mail a table to us is around the actual logistics of mailing. I'm pretty sure that you could have it shipped directly to the hotel for myself or one of the other organizers to pick up and we could certainly set it up in the convention space. However, were I in your shoes, I'd be nervous about the kind of damage that the USPS can do to a large package in transit. Also, I'm not sure about how we would go about handling the return of the terrain after the convention.

These are certainly logistical issues that we're willing to work on. In fact, we're having a planning meeting this weekend and I'll bring it up to the others then. In the meantime, let's start with staying in touch (you can send me PMs directly on these forums) to iron out details and I encourage you to put together some table photos and a submission as described above. Even if the logistics of shipping don't work out, we may find another way around and pulling together cool terrain and scenarios is never wasted effort.

Thanks,

Paul

[SoulReclaimer]

Submitted via procedure, also including link

http://www.flickr.com/photos/3103922...7622889346061/

[PG_Snakeman]

Submitted via procedure, also including link

Looking nice! E-mail received (our first) and thanks for sharing here.

[SoulReclaimer]

With Croctober coming, maybe I will drum up a scenario for it with Swampy goodness

[Atlantean]

Now that the deadline is past, how many tables were you guys able to get?

I am really interested in seeing more of the entrants great work.

[PG_LonelyMonk]

Total tables at TempleCon is 14