GAMA Newsbriefs for January 24, 2008

GTS STANDARD RATE DEADLINE FRIDAY, JANUARY 25!!
Put your product in front of hundreds of retailers -- and save money at the same time! Booth prices go up next week, so send in your applications NOW!!

For available booth locations and information, contact Matt Ragsdale (sales@gama.org or by phone at 614-255-4500)


GTS Q&A: HOW BUYER RIBBONS AND MEAL TICKETS WORK
Your GAMA Retail Membership includes two GTS show badges, two tickets to each GTS meal, and one buyer ribbon. (Of course, you get lots more benefits beyond GTS badges with your GAMA membership. Check out www.gama.org for all of the details!) If your company has more than one location, then each retail location may have its own membership in GAMA.

If you plan to bring more than two people from your store to GTS, then you need to purchase extra badges for them. Those regular attendee badges get your people into the seminars and onto the show floor, but they don’t include “buyer” recognition or meal tickets.

So, what if you need more buyer ribbons or meal tickets for your people? That’s no problem -- just buy them!

* Buyer ribbons: You can have as many buyer ribbons per retail location as you care to purchase. If you want additional people treated as buyers during the show, then you need to buy more buyer ribbons.

* Meal tickets: If you want everyone from your store to attend the meals, then you need to purchase additional meal ribbons for your additional retailer badges. (And yes, that's how much it costs to feed you. We don’t mark up meal tickets at all!)


NEW GRD FORUM ON DELPHI GROWS TO OVER 40 MEMBERS!
More than 40 retailers already signed up for GAMA’s new discussion and information forum for GAMA Retail Division (GRD) members. Did you?

This forum gives GAMA Retail Division members a place to discuss GAMA-related topics (the organization itself, things that members want GAMA to do, and such) with fellow members and GAMA staff. We wholeheartedly encourage GAMA Retail Division members to also participate in the industry-wide discussions at the Game Industry Network (GIN). If you aren’t familiar with the GIN, visit http://forums.delphiforums.com/titangamesinsid/start to learn more about this valuable industry resource.

To join the new GRD forum, simply follow the instructions in your invitation. All of the information you need is there, including both the forum link and the member password.

If you need a new invitation or run into any problems joining the forum, please contact Trey Reilly at programs@gama.org.

If you never used Delphi Forums before, you'll need to register for a free Delphi account. It only takes a minute and the basic level of membership is free.


ORIGINS SPECIAL EVENT PROMOTIONAL DEADLINE JANUARY 31
Do you want to be considered for feature text and special mentions about your Origins 2008 events in the Pre-Registration book? Then send us your information by January 31!

Yes, we know that it’s really early, but by now you know at least something about your Origins event plans. This is your chance to share them with the world!

To get in the running for special promotion in the Pre-Registration book, send us *at least* a general description of your event by the deadline. We don’t need every last detail – just enough to get people excited about your plans!

Just like we did last year, this year’s Pre-Registration Book will focus on promotional descriptions of particularly cool or special events, as well as events that support the various show themes. The full event grids will be available directly from the web site.

You can submit events for the final on-site book through April 4, 2008. The January 31 deadline only applies to extra promotional mentions in the Origins Pre-Registration book.


2008 ORIGINS THEME TRACKS ANNOUNCED
Every year we change the themes we celebrate at Origins. Games that are in theme get given special feature text in our pre-registration materials, in the Onsite Book, and on our website. If a game or seminar that you’re submitting fits one of our themes, and you’d like to be involved, just indicate that when you submit the event. There’s no special invitation involved.

Braaaains – Our celebration of all things zomberiffic, this theme track looks at our favorite unquiet dead. From the mummies of Egypt to the voodoo creations of Louisiana to modern-day apocalyptic horror, we’ll track our brain-eating friends as they shamble through the ages. Pack some salt and your shotgun as you play in this programming track featuring games, tournaments, special events, Guests, screenings, and seminars.

Women in Games and Gaming – Whether it’s Helen of Troy or Queen Elizabeth, Wonder Woman or Lois Lane, or Joan of Arc or Rosa Parks, stories and events featuring women are intriguing and powerful. This track looks to call out and celebrate female heroes, villains, and game players of all shapes, sizes, and professions; with games, tournaments, special events, Guests, screenings, seminars and discussion groups.

Heroes – A celebration of the individual hero – changing the course of history and story by their own actions. From all up and down the timeline (and some alternate timelines too), we’ll take a look at what it means to be a hero and why only some beings make the grade. This is also the StrategiCorps 2008 Theme for heroes in historical and war game settings. We’ll examine the hero’s journey with games, tournaments, special events, Guests, screenings, and seminars.

The Final Frontier – Space. We love space ships, Star Trek, Star Wars, and anything that’s got aliens or a plasma cannon in it. Come join us as we celebrate mankind’s dearest dream – to find out what’s really out there and either conquer it, trade with it, or ally with it.  Check out our space-themed games, tournaments, special events, Guests, screenings, and seminars.


NEW RESTAURANT FOR ORIGINS MEETINGS
There's a new breakfast/lunch place near the office -- Rise and Dine (http://www.risedine.com/). It's straight down Nationwide, on the opposite side of the Nationwide Arena. The food looks solid and the prices seem right. It should make a great place for those early morning meetings during the show!


ORIGINS AWARDS ROAD SHOW AT U-CON
- Report from Will Niebling
We recently concluded the U-Con game convention in Ann Arbor, MI. We believe that the “Origins Awards Road Show” was a definite success! Since this was the first appearance of the “Road Show,” turnout was small, but still higher than our original estimates had expected. With proper advance marketing by the Academy and the host convention, we believe that those numbers can grow very rapidly and the “Road Show” can become a valuable draw for small conventions, and a fabulous tool for marketing the Origins Awards.

First, we were very pleased with the response from publishers. We were able to display nearly 50 games representing over 25 different publishers. This included both small and large publishers, and made the “Road Show” a true all-industry event. Having this support enabled us to expose visitors to a very broad range of game types and styles, often including types of games that those visitors had never experienced before! Thanks to these publishers, the “Road Show” served to educate the public not only about new games released this year, but also about the rich variety of games available.

Nearly every game submitted was played during the three-day event. We had groups and individuals throughout the weekend, all of whom were excited by the variety and quality of games we had to present. The few games that we were unable to play were still on display during the entire show, and many visitors were delighted to examine them and discuss them with us and other attendees at the show.

During the whole weekend, we had many visitors. Some stayed on hand for much of the show, and some visited only once as their other activities at the convention allowed. Those visitors were delighted that we presented them with a casual “pick-up” atmosphere where they could learn to play and enjoy new games that they had not been exposed to before. Many of them marveled at the variety and quality of the games we were showing. This was not only a benefit to small publishers who do not have large marketing budgets, as even some games from larger, better-known companies were unfamiliar to the majority of attendees.

Since we were not selling any product at the show, there was no “pressure” on visitors as is often the case during a convention when a publisher “demos” games at their booth. Because of this more relaxed atmosphere, the visitors who played games at the “Road Show” were more relaxed and receptive to making honest judgments of the games they were playing. I am pleased to say that the vast majority of responses to all of the games were overwhelmingly positive.

In short, the results of the “Road Show” were very positive. A number of publishers were able to place their products before the game-buying public in a very accessible way. Game players were able to experience first hand many of the best games published this year. Everyone who participated had a wonderful time. Both the game industry and the Origins Awards both enjoyed some very positive exposure. Without doubt, now that word has gotten out, the next appearance of the “Road Show” will be an even greater success!