Super MAGFest 2023 Updates

the one in which I try not to say “sorry”

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(dino template back by popular demand)

(please enjoy my ptera-byl puns)

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So y’all remember this slide, right

• As my grandmother used to say, “you bet your sweet bippy!”
• We did budget & staffing meetings in March/April with most departments, so those folks should be getting their initial budgets this month!
• We are keeping budgets fairly restricted again, due to the hit to Super 2022’s attendance
• Some upcoming major goals/landmarks:
• Make fresh draft of the layouts with div heads & Colette by end of June
• Get Uber live by end of June (at least for those who use it heavily)
• Finalize the COVID policies and announce dates by late July
• Launch pre-registration by late August/early September
• Oh how I’ll laugh when I copy & edit this presentation for fall MAGCon, but hey let’s dream big for now

we did start planning a lot sooner than last year (e.g. we held budget meetings in April 2022, as opposed to August 2021) but we also brought back our two other main events ( Stock and West!) so progress has been slower than we wanted.

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we’re sorry for the delays and we are doing our best to get you information, tools, and access as quick as we can.

my best and honest advice is simply to ask if you are waiting for something! and ask again if you need to!

COVID is a bummer… but we can still make great & safe events

• We generally got very good feedback about our COVID policies & enforcement at Super 2022, for what that’s worth
• Stock required boosters, but not masks
• West required boosters and masks
• Back in the spring we originally thought Super would require boosters and masks too, but pandemic conditions continue to change (and also we learned a lot from Stock & West!)

I highly recommend watching last month’s fireside chat for details on why we went with the policy we did, but TL;DR:

• our policies are available at https://super.magfest.org/covid
• they will not be changing except for minor clarifications (e.g. we have to fix some stuff regarding infants)
• any person present at Super MAGFest 2023 must be fully vaccinated, must bring proof of vaccination, and must wear an approved face covering, with very few exceptions (exemptions@magfest.org)
• staff with approved exemptions are not permitted to volunteer this year, but CAN still attend!

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you’re all T. rexcellent har har

Pre-Reg Launch!

• Truly one of the most complex operations we carry out--a BUNCH of things have to be decided, scheduled, designed/ordered, implemented, etc. beforehand
• Again this year, we wanted to communicate our COVID policies well in advance so that attendees/staff knew what to expect
• We were already running late between adding all our events back, COVID policies needing to be discussed & revised, and office furloughs
• Then we had some more delays with back-end code fixes & Maritz availability
• That being said, we still beat last year by a week so
• We are still expecting to see a reduction in badge sales overall, but hopefully not as bad as last year–initial sales are strong and we’ve added pricing bumps on November 1 and December 1

Uber!

Uber is a cranky old man so we are still trying to stick to mission-critical changes (e.g. stuff that is affected by any COVID policies), minor critical changes (e.g. dates, email copy), and bug fixes (stuff that is actually broken).�

Questions? Try #stops (for questions about access, administrative roles, etc.) or #devops (to report bugs, request improvements, etc.).�

STOPS will be talking about this more during their presentation, but the Department Head & volunteer checklists will be going live Monday so hold onto your butts! (yes, that is finally when & where you can request staff crash space )

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also just a perennial note that Vicki is a superhero & fixes problems we didn’t know we had & does everything in her power to help departments & we love her

basically Vicki’s life →

Layouts!

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Info Desk

RI Outpost

STAGE

regdesk

regdesk

tech

Ches G

811 sf

Retro Arcade

Ches J/K/L

2296 sf

Techops Storage

Ches H/I

1,642 sf

Techops Help

Ches 4/5/6

2836 sf

Panels/Robotics

Ches D/E/F

3169 sf

Panels 5

Dress Rooms

Ches 10/11/12 2044 sf

Jam Space

jampod

Rehearsal Room

Ches 7/8/9

2196 sf

Museum

Ches A/B/C

2358 sf

Panels 6

MD Ballroom

24,703 sf

LAN

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Promo Tables

Chipspace

Merch Sales

Potomac Ballroom

51,462 sf

Main Stage

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Chipspace

stage

MD Prefunction

VR Zone

15,965 sf

MD C

5921 sf

Arena

Promo Tables

Eastern Shore

(2 floors down on expo level)

5,846 sf

Makerspace

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Marketplace

Arcade

D regdesk

Registration

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B regdesk

Consoles

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Autographs

Logistics

A regdesk

PG Expo Hall D

P: Mon 1/2/23 @ 8am

D: Mon 1/9/23 @ 2pm

PG Expo Hall E

P: Tue 1/3/23 @ 1am

D: Sun 1/8/22 @ 11:45pm

C regdesk

PG Expo Hall C

P: Tue 1/3/23 @ 1am

D: Sun 1/8/23 @ 11:45pm

E regdesk

PG Expo Hall B

P: Tue 1/3/23 @ 12pm

D: Sun 1/8/23 @ 11:45pm

Budgets!

• We reduced budgets a fair amount this year because of all the things we talked about earlier
• Most people have these already, but a few people don’t–if you need more info, email us at accounting@magfest.org or come to our breakout on Sunday 11am-12pm
• Know your budget but don’t know how to make use of it? Visit the accounting instructions on our volunteer portal, Notion
• Anyway, departments can start spending!
• Pls pls pls ask in #money-questions-and-discussions if you have questions! It is easier for us to get it right now than sort it out later

Super MAGFest departments are grouped into divisions

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Events Director (Debra Lenik)

Programming

Music

Gaming

Operations

Staff Services

Communications

Division Head Updates!

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Events Director

(that’s me!)

Comms

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David “Dac” Croach

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Gaming

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Tabletop: David Boyd and Liz Owen

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Arcade, Consoles, Challenges, Museum: Matt Beale

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MIVS, Indie Arcade, Simulations, VR, LAN: Tronster

Music

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Alyssa Forsythe & Pat Roche

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Operations

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Programming

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Mike Kemp

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Staff Services

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Faith Savill, Josiah Tillett

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Operations Div (oops, this is me)

• We used to have an operations div head (Emily & friends, lol)
• But we realized that the ops departments benefitted from a direct interface with event leadership/the office, so we kinda-sorta eliminated the division and set up direct reports instead
• Emily: Accessibility, Treasury, Reg
• Deb: Hotel, Techops, Security
• Techops now includes all AV, woo
• Also sort of Logistics (via Beale)
• I did not put together nice pictures/slides of everyone in my division like all the other div heads did, because I am a terrible parent. I’m sorry & I love you & I’m hanging your report cards on my fridge I promise

Operations

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Thanks!

Questions?�#magcon-questions

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...time to take a T. rest