[Ashe Wednesday]

Hey guys. I posted this in the facebook group and got positive responses so I figured I'd toss it out here and see what you guys think:

I did a quick search on the largest group cosplay and came across this article. I know it specifies the record as "largest gathering of people dressed as videogame characters" but I can't find anything involving cosplays of anime, manga or comic characters. If anyone knows of any legit articles, please post them here.

Anyway, the current record from the link above is 376, set at the London MCM Expo in 2009. I don't know the number of cosplayers or attendees from years past but I went on Saturday only last year and holy crap were there a ton a cosplays! Maybe not 300+ but I think we could do it. So, pending specifcs being ironed out, would you participate? Also, what does staff have to say about something of this size happening during the con? I'm totally open to ideas

[Washu Takahashi]

That sounds awesome! It'd be really cool to be part of a world record :)I think we could top that with no problem. There's over 20,000 people attending Acen, so if we can't manage to find 400 in cosplay, there's really something wrong with this con xD

[rondo]

Washu Takahashi, on 05 October 2011 - 09:20 AM, said:

That sounds awesome! It'd be really cool to be part of a world record :)I think we could top that with no problem. There's over 20,000 people attending Acen, so if we can't manage to find 400 in cosplay, there's really something wrong with this con xD

You can find them...it is just getting them together in one place.

[Washu Takahashi]

rondo, on 05 October 2011 - 10:27 AM, said:

You can find them...it is just getting them together in one place.

Hmmm...maybe in the Saturday photoshoot line-up have a 1 or 2 hours slot for people to meet somewhere?

[GITS SAC Motoko]

I would totally participate! And yes there needs to be a huge gathering like photoshoot to find all the cosplayers. We can do this at ACEN for sure!!!!! >
Cool article too.

[The Fujoshi]

Video game cosplay gathering?

I'm in.

[Kickastina]

That would awesome if it's pulled off. I'll gather a video game cosplay just for it. =D

[Oreo_Otaku]

They are trying to break the record today in suburban Milwaukee.

http://www.chicagotr...0,5526130.story

[Ashe Wednesday]

Here's an updated link to the record attempt in New Berlin. WI Looks like they beat it! Lol good to know my state's in the recordbooks

Here's my question to you guys: Do you want to make this just video game cosplays or should it include other catagories too? If so, which ones? I don't want to exclude anyone if possible, but I'm also not certain on what the parameters of this record will be, and some of those questions won't/can't be settled until an official counter is contacted. There's so many other catagories we could include (anime, manga, comic books, webcomics, fashion cultures, original characters, etc.) so we would either have to decide if we want to only do video game characters or identify and agree on which cosplays are allowed/not allowed and why.

Also, for documentation purposes, even if we don't break the record I still think it would neat to get a photograph of everyone participating. If we do break the record, we can get names and characters if people are willing to supply that.

Here is a link to the Guinness FAQ for anyone who wants to read up on it. We'll need an official adjudicator (official judge) to come to the event and verify if we've broken the record. But in order for that to happen we need to know what record we're aiming for, so let's discuss!

[MsLovelyCookie]

I say we can do a practice run this year and break the record next year. Not everyone can make it to Acen this year because of the date. So why not make it known first, have everyone aware of this record, and everyone will dress the part plus this gives everyone enough time to get their best work done.

[opimus.rm]

Ashe Wednesday, on 06 October 2011 - 05:26 PM, said:

Here's an updated link to the record attempt in New Berlin. WI Looks like they beat it! Lol good to know my state's in the recordbooks

Here's my question to you guys: Do you want to make this just video game cosplays or should it include other catagories too? If so, which ones? I don't want to exclude anyone if possible, but I'm also not certain on what the parameters of this record will be, and some of those questions won't/can't be settled until an official counter is contacted. There's so many other catagories we could include (anime, manga, comic books, webcomics, fashion cultures, original characters, etc.) so we would either have to decide if we want to only do video game characters or identify and agree on which cosplays are allowed/not allowed and why.

Also, for documentation purposes, even if we don't break the record I still think it would neat to get a photograph of everyone participating. If we do break the record, we can get names and characters if people are willing to supply that.

Here is a link to the Guinness FAQ for anyone who wants to read up on it. We'll need an official adjudicator (official judge) to come to the event and verify if we've broken the record. But in order for that to happen we need to know what record we're aiming for, so let's discuss!

So who's going to pay the $6000 for the judge.

This post has been edited by opimus.rm: 07 October 2011 - 08:00 AM

[rondo]

opimus.rm, on 07 October 2011 - 08:00 AM, said:

So who's going to pay the $6000 for the judge.

Interesting point. However, they say...

Quote

Please note that the presence of an official GWR adjudicator is not compulsory in order to attempt a GWR record.

Thing is, for something like this, having an adjudicator is probably needed.

Quote

Please note that inviting a judge (adjudicator) to your record attempt comes with a cost.

The cost of our adjudication service is between 4,000 GBP and 5,000 GBP per day depending on the location (this equals approximately 6,470 USD - 8,360 USD but the exact equivalent depends on the exchange rate on the day you make the payment).

This post has been edited by rondo: 07 October 2011 - 08:09 AM

[LC Asuka]

First off: I'm not speaking as an ACen staffer here (especially one from Main Programming), so don't take what I say as if I am. These are just my own personal thoughts on the matter as a regular congoer.

I think that if we were to officially organize something like this, two things would probably have to happen.

1) This would have to fall into a Main Programming-type event. Main has one of the biggest venues that could hold more than enough people to break the record. Plus, it doesn't hurt that Main would be indoors and people could be seated comfortably during the counting (or whatever procedures that take place during the adjudication). As such, a big factor is whether or not there's room in the MP schedule for a record attempt (I have no idea how long something like this would take).

2) Much like the Crystal Ball, this might have to be a "pay to participate" event. The adjudication cost is a good chunk of change, and having ACen pay for the whole amount means that the convention as a whole could lose out on things like guests, panels, etc. If anything, there could be a survey on the main page to get a very rough estimate as to how many people would be interested in taking part (I, for one, know that I'd be interested). That way ACen can gauge how much to charge for entry into the record attempt. Mitigating the costs would be extremely beneficial in keeping both ACen and the attendees happy.

[Washu Takahashi]

LC Asuka, on 07 October 2011 - 10:07 AM, said:

2) Much like the Crystal Ball, this might have to be a "pay to participate" event. The adjudication cost is a good chunk of change, and having ACen pay for the whole amount means that the convention as a whole could lose out on things like guests, panels, etc. If anything, there could be a survey on the main page to get a very rough estimate as to how many people would be interested in taking part (I, for one, know that I'd be interested). That way ACen can gauge how much to charge for entry into the record attempt. Mitigating the costs would be extremely beneficial in keeping both ACen and the attendees happy.[/color]

I can see why you'd say this is necessary. however, if it does become necessary, I doubt as many people would be willing to participate. "Why should I pay X amount of money that I could be spending on (insert other con related cost here) when this doesn't matter to me that much?"

I liked Cookie's idea of a trial run. We could see how many people show up this year, make it free. It would give us an idea of how many people would be willing to show up for something like this, along with how long it would take to do a head count. We could also set up a donation center that would go towards paying the judge.

As to what should be allowed, I don't like the idea of just video game characters. I'm not a very big gamer myself, besides Pokemon, and a lot of other people at the con aren't either. I think it should at least include anime, maybe even American cartoons? Although most anime has a video game version by now, so lots of anime characters could be considered "video game characters". Labeled this event as video game characters only could really limit/decrease the turnout.

IDEA. In order to not have a judge, do you think we could possibly prove how many people attended by videotaping them? Say we have this in some random location and have people form a line there. They wait their turn, walk up, say the number person that they are, then state their name and character's name and series. Then they walk off, someone marks their hand with a permanent marker so they don't try to get back in line, and that's it. I would think it'd have to be an exceptable way to do it because we're documenting each person's entry and proving they're in costume by using the video camera.

This post has been edited by Washu Takahashi: 07 October 2011 - 02:12 PM

[Ashe Wednesday]

I would worry about having an entry fee into something like putting some potential participants off for the precise reason Washu Takahashi stated, but there is no way a judge could be afforded in any other way. I like the idea of a survey on the main website, to gauge interest. My only concern would be the difference between the number of people interested and the number of people who actually show up, but that's completely in the hands of each individual.

I like Washu Takahashi's idea for videotaping each participant, if it would be allowed. We would have to make each person's clip short, fast and keep the lines moving as swiftly as possible and everyone would have to realize that something of this size takes time, and they're going to have be patient. Other than that, I'm trying to find loopholes and I got nothing so far.

[The Fujoshi]

Well if you do it next year I still wouldn't mind doing it. I just need a heads up or something.

[Soy Sauce]

As much as a nice idea is sounds on paper, it's extremely difficult to pull something together such as this gathering. I attempted to do this at Anime Expo 2009 and we didn't do so well. (We had about 100+ in attendance counted.) It wasn't because the gathering didn't count, it's just doing this during a convention would be extremely difficult to manage. Not only space issue, but also that people had made plans to have fun at the convention, not to spend hours breaking a record.

With things said before, you need to get judges to come to your record gathering. You need 1 Guiness Judge (which you need to cover all of their travel, food, hotel, etc. costs) or you need 2 judges with legal power. (Judges, Officers, etc.) Plus, you also need multiple media outlets to cover your event such as videographers, photographers, and journalists. And ontop of that, making sure each participant signs their information so each one gets counted.

In other words, it's costly, it's a hassle, and it's a headache if you're the one running it.

I'm speaking from experience. It's not as easy as you think.

This post has been edited by Soy Sauce: 12 October 2011 - 11:11 PM

[tatterpillar]

I think it could be pulled off with plenty of advanced planning. Also, if it works out, imagine all the marketing for ACen! Heck, you should even market the attempt to break the record to attract more people in the first place.

[code2destroy]

How about, on saturday sometime before or after any of the main programming (while most people are waiting for them to set up) we have everyone in the line sign their name, phone, and address stating that they are a cosplayer and would like to be counted for the record.

Lines gather the most amount of cosplayers.

People are less inconvenienced while standing in a line.

People already video tape the length of the line.

Have someone go by and record the line, while another 2 or 3 take names, and a clicker counter (someone with that doohiki that you click a button to count something).

One place = around the Hyatt Hotel
Judging = see the number for yourselves

I'd do it before the rave b/c most people take off their costumes by then. So before the masquerade would be most natural.

Or like someone said, have a group of people go to the photoshoots and request from the photoshoot heads to announce this record breaking effort to everyone before they start snapping pics. They'd announce the time and meeting place of the "officiating" (which would have to be after all photoshoots are done). Then, cosplayers can all move to the location as a group. Signing into the area would help keep track. Perhaps they could put their badge name and their cosplay character down if they don't want to give their real name?

To do this, photoshoot leaders need to be aware of how many people are in their shoot. Otherwise, late comers to the shoot will miss out.

[Fayelee_Darkclaw]

I'll go just email me here or Fayelee_Darkclaw@yahoo.com and let me know time and place we should os DO this

[MasterHavik]

If someone does Naruto. We'll get it for sure.

[Fayelee_Darkclaw]

I'm doing kyuubi

[Fayelee_Darkclaw]

I'm on Guinnedss world record setting it up....we need a date and time

[kotomichi]

Honestly, I feel like cosplayers are magnets.

Get a bunch in an area...and more will come.

[-JUNK-]

I believe this would be awesome but like Cookie said above to plan it for next year since a nice handful aren't going to be able to make it this year.

[Kent]

Awesome idea!!
I think to make this thing really explode it would have to be in the guide book this year that they hand out and say its for next year so more people see it. Not everyone that goes to ACEN comes to the forums, if that was the case these forums would explode. I saw the record at the bottom of the page for 331 people online at the same time and thats only when acen is going on. I dont know why I like the word explode today?!?

[ravenfinch]

im in im torakaka so that works perfect