[pc1971]

the flip side of a con gripe thread is a thread the points out what was good about anime central this year.

did we have an awesome guest or panel? please let us know.

was there something you liked and want to see come back next year? here's your chance

did a staffer or department exceed expectations and totally rock? please tell us.

as a staffer, i wanted to thank the attendees for being such great sports about the emergency evacuation of the hyatt on saturday night. you guys were troopers following irt's lead in getting out quick and safe and putting up with the crappy weather with almost no fuss. you guys rock.

[Ohki]

Hey, ACen, major props for the idea of putting IRT in the elevators to keep people from overcrowding them. We had all of the elevators AND all of the escalators working all con and that is amazing. Props to the attendees for that as well, especially re; the escalators since no one was guarding those.

[magicalgamer]

A big shout out to the staff in the ADA room. This department is fantastic.
I really enjoyed the two Bristol Ren Fair panels that I attended - Sewing Q&A and I can't !@#$% sing.

[The Commodore]

I was really pleased with IRT this year. Almost every IRT I encountered was friendly and helpful, which has not always been the case in the past. There was a female IRT controlling the autograph line for LM.C (she has a pineapple on her belt) who was especially cool and did her job really well.

Having IRT in the elevators seemed to help the situation a lot too. I don't think I saw a broken elevator all weekend!

Also a big thanks to whoever turned in my phone during the Soap Bubble, and the guys at the sound booth who held on to it and gave it back to me. You are a lifesaver and restored a bit of my faith in humanity!

[The Phantom Tapper]

The autograph lines were handle enormously better and I do like the location they were held in. Also, I like that IRT peeps were in the evelators making sure the elevators didn't go over the allotted weight.

[JujuFox]

I have a few compliments and thanks to give out!

A few IRT staffers helped me out and I am grateful for their professionalism! They were concerned and proactive about my issue, and told me the steps they were going to take to help remedy the problem. I forgot their names, but in general all of the IRT I encountered and talked to were nice and helpful.

Also, the whole incident on Sat was handled as best as anyone could. Major kudos to all the IRT and staff.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by my booth in the Alley even if it was just to chat!

Also, thanks to our booth buddies Katy and Christine for being awesome! Hope we can be buddies next year too!

Everyone I met from the Alley, the Exhibitors, the staff, the average con-goer, and cosplayers, were awesome and friendly!

I HAD A GREAT ACEN OVERALL! Thank you!

[vortia]

IRT handled the fire alarm situation extremely professsionally and made the best of a very bad situation.

Also JAPANESE LANGUAGE ONLY KARAOKE BACK WOO!!!

[Ashori]

My biggest compliment is towards IRT's handling of the fire alarm situation. I understand it's definitely not easy trying to get 20k or so people out of the hotel and to safety, especially during a big event like the Masquerade, but I do think IRT handed it well. So major kudos.

Also, props to the guy with the raid shield or whatever it's called that said "epic fail" on it that was walking past the crowd. Given the situation, it was fitting and gave us all a good laugh and cheer.

[kenkendazo]

IRT blink. she was the only helpful one we found

[linlindesu]

kenkendazo, on 29 April 2012 - 09:37 PM, said:

IRT blink. she was the only helpful one we found

BLINK! seriously some higher up needs to give that girl props.

Though the con staff wasn't really on target, shout out to the exhibitors and panelists that knew there stuff and were extremely helpful and professional.

[Smokey]

magicalgamer, on 29 April 2012 - 08:20 PM, said:

A big shout out to the staff in the ADA room. This department is fantastic.

Thank you. We try hard to make sure everyone get's to enjoy the con despite their limitations.

There ARE a couple of points I'd like to touch on while I'm posting, though.

First of all, WE didn't cancel the Masquerade. That was done by some idiot who mistook a fire extinguisher for a toy. Could we have finished it at the expense of the next event? (It was a dance or concert, wasn't it? I don't have a guide handy.) Yes, but then we'd be getting complaints about it's time slot being restricted by the continuing Masquerade. Either way, people will say that ACen screwed up.


As for the "mess" that IRT is getting blamed for in returning you all safely back inside, I was monitoring their channel on the radio, and what I heard was several different authorities telling them different things at the same time. They couldn't "be on the same page" because they weren't being given clear instructions. If you want to blame someone, blame the Hyatt, the Fire Department and Rosemont Public Safety for not coordinating with our execs before giving the all clear.

Having stepped into their shoes by assisting in crowd control that night, and experiencing the crap people give them, I've gained a whole new respect for the IRT ops. They're given the most difficult, undesirable jobs, and given nothing but grief when they do those jobs well. From now on if I hear a complaint about one being rude, I'll be wondering if that really was the case, or if the complainer is just some crybaby whining about a proper response they were given when mouthing off to or otherwise abusing that op.

In my opinion, our Blackvests are true heroes. When they can calmly take such incredible care of an tremendously massive assembly of people, even the geniuses who can't even manage to use a revolving door without breaking it, or the morons who can't tell the difference between a piece of fire fighting apparatus and a squirt gun, they deserve a LOT more credit they're given. Without them, we'd have to include the amount of casualties in our attendance numbers. I'm proud to be working on the same staff as these selfless, dedicated volunteers.

I was also very impressed by EMRT, who arrived in less than a minute after being called when we saw a minor medical emergency occur outside our office. Mad respect, guys. You are the best, and we're lucky to have you with us.

This post has been edited by Smokey: 30 April 2012 - 08:41 PM

[S1NN3R]

Smokey, on 29 April 2012 - 09:57 PM, said:

In my opinion, our Blackvests are true heroes...., they deserve a LOT more credit they're given. Without them, we'd have to include the amount of casualties in our attendance numbers. I'm proud to be working on the same staff as these selfless, dedicated volunteers.

I was also very impressed by EMRT, who arrived in less than a minute after being called when we saw a minor medical emergency occur outside our office. Mad respect, guys. You are the best, and we're lucky to have you with us.

I can't agree with you more. Our Blackvests have always been our heroes, but this year I believe they went beyond their own, as well as my, expectations. With IRT and EMRT, many cracked jokes and had smiles Thurs through Sun despite having lost their voices. Truly a pleasure this year

[Tombolo]

Staff and IRT were generally pretty cool, even when stuff was going wrong or they didn't really have a good idea of what was happening. I got there Thursday night to pick up my badge, and there were issues with the servers, which sucked and made everybody wait a lot longer than expected...but they were pretty good about keeping us posted as to their progress on fixing things, and obviously working hard on it.

[pepperbots]

I want to give a huge shout out and lots and lots of kudos to ALL of the Masquerade staff. This was my and my friend's first time competing in any cosplay competition, and I know that this certainly wasn't a typical Masquerade, but I also know you guys did everything you could to keep things running as smoothly as possible. The backstage area was pretty confusing, but there was ALWAYS a courteous staff member nearby that could get us where we needed to go, whether it was the bathroom, the green room, or wherever. The fire alarm set all of us in disarray, but we got back into line up with the staffers help no problem. All of the staff did their best to keep everyone informed of what was going on, especially when things kept coming up.

The judges were amazing! Very attentive and asking a lot of great questions. We never felt rushed (just nervous since this was the first time competing!), and even though we ended up showing up late to our judging appointment (my fault), they never gave us a hard time and were very understanding. They've absolutely convinced me to keep on competing! (Hopefully the judges at other cons are just as awesome as they are!)

I know that you guys are also going to get a lot of crap for cutting the skits. You were pretty much caught between "cut part of masquerade, get crap for it" or "cut into dance, get crap for it". But, I wanted to make sure you guys know that at least my friend and I were super happy with all of your staff and not everyone blames you for the hard decisions you had to make. Keep on being awesome! We will definitely be back to compete next year!

[Kickastina]

^ I agree 100%.

[Niroz51]

All the IRT members my group and myself encountered were very nice. I don't know if I just had good fortune but it really surprised me since I heard many con-goers complain they were rude and had an overall bad demeanor but the ones I talked to did a good job of directing and helping me out.

[MH121]

pepperbots, on 30 April 2012 - 12:26 AM, said:

I want to give a huge shout out and lots and lots of kudos to ALL of the Masquerade staff. This was my and my friend's first time competing in any cosplay competition, and I know that this certainly wasn't a typical Masquerade, but I also know you guys did everything you could to keep things running as smoothly as possible. The backstage area was pretty confusing, but there was ALWAYS a courteous staff member nearby that could get us where we needed to go, whether it was the bathroom, the green room, or wherever. The fire alarm set all of us in disarray, but we got back into line up with the staffers help no problem. All of the staff did their best to keep everyone informed of what was going on, especially when things kept coming up.

The judges were amazing! Very attentive and asking a lot of great questions. We never felt rushed (just nervous since this was the first time competing!), and even though we ended up showing up late to our judging appointment (my fault), they never gave us a hard time and were very understanding. They've absolutely convinced me to keep on competing! (Hopefully the judges at other cons are just as awesome as they are!)

I know that you guys are also going to get a lot of crap for cutting the skits. You were pretty much caught between "cut part of masquerade, get crap for it" or "cut into dance, get crap for it". But, I wanted to make sure you guys know that at least my friend and I were super happy with all of your staff and not everyone blames you for the hard decisions you had to make. Keep on being awesome! We will definitely be back to compete next year!

I have to second this one. Masquerade staff was perfect. Cutting short the Masquerade was NOT their fault. The fault lies with the people running the con and whoever did the scheduling of the rooms. And, of course, whoever triggered the fire alarm.

We have been to many conventions, from smaller anime ones to the larger ones like Dragon*Con. This year's Acen has to be the BEST judging and Green Room experience ever. The judges took their times and asked intelligent questions. the Masquerade staff in the office and Green Room were very professional and attentive and treated the cosplayers as adults, rather than children like many other green rooms I have been in.

I would love to continue to go to ACen, simply just to support the hard working Masquerade Staff. But, after this year, when a non-Anime/Manga themed rave overtrumped the supposedly "premiere event" (as specificed in Acen's own guidebooks) like Masquerade, it's hard to justify the cost to go to ACen again.

[Ekqo]

The IRT staff were friendly and very helpful, minus one incident that I posted about in the Gripes thread.

I was really grateful for both the traffic conductors and the abundance of water jugs and pitchers! I don't know who's behind those (con or con center...?) but THANK YOU. When a tiny glass bottle of soda costs $3.00 ( 8|;; ), free water was the best. Crossing the street was easier and faster, too.

A lot of the vendors were really friendly. The Deleter vendor guy on Sunday near the end was really helpful. When I asked how to care for my cartridge Gpen, he not only showed me how to clean it, but also started it for me, too, which was great since this was the first time I've used a pen like this. The Asian lady at the Bandai booth was really nice, too; I was there so many times for blind boxes she could probably recognize me, lol. Many of them had great salesmanship attitudes and I felt welcomed to their stalls. I really want to see Ibi's video (the Sixh designer). He was taking one of the crowds on Sunday, and then I saw him take it into the men's restroom..........

The Guidebook app was awesome. I know a lot of people griped about it because they didn't have a smartphone, but for someone who did, it was really useful. I had maps, dealer hall listings, and panel changes with me the whole time. I agree there needs a better way of telling people about changes (someone had the idea of using a projector; what about the digital touch signs I saw in the Hyatt?), but the Guidebook was a good idea and I hope it's used again next year.

The Starving Artist and eBook panels were great! I really enjoyed learning from experienced panelists, and took a good deal of notes (that's right, I took NOTES). The Jrock Revolution girl was also really nice despite the small number of attendees and the things she had to deal with (unknown technology, restrictions placed on her by her company, etc). I had to leave the DIY plushie workshop early; it was rushing on too quickly for someone like me, who didn't know how to sew, and there weren't enough supplies for everyone. I probably shouldn't have gone in the first place, but I didn't realize it was probably a panel more for those comfortable with a needle.

By the way, the tables in the dealer hall by the concessions stand = best things ever. I sat and people-watched while drawing all day Sunday, and I got to chat with others who would sit and chill out. My brother and I took turns roaming the dealer hall. It was a great way to end the weekend, especially since I was not only tired and sore, but also getting sick with a head cold (still sick. still tired. still sore. lol).

Here's to hoping my studio gets an alley table next year! (:

[Washu Takahashi]

Let me start off by saying that in my 6 years of attending Acen, I believe this one was the best.

The guidebook app was AMAZINGLY useful. Being able to have my phone remind me 10 or 15 minutes before an event started made planning my weekend so much easier. And every time I wanted to see what was going on I didn't have to pull out my booklet and search through it, it was just a few simple presses on my phone. Big thank you to the ones who set that up and continuously updated it throughout the con. My only complaint was that whenever I got a text it would freeze up my phone and tell me I had an error and guidebook needed to force close. Not sure if this was a guidebook app issue, or an anime guide in the app issue, but something to look into for next year.

The IRT was extremely helpful. I did a few things this year I'd never done before, so I had lots of questions. I'd find the nearest IRT and they would always answer best they could and kindly, and if they couldn't help they tried to point me in the direction of someone who could. I even had a few conversations with some of them. A big shout out to the people running the signings, everything went really smoothly and lines were much clearer this year. It sucked that you had to cap most of the lines at 50 people, but 50 people takes about 60 minutes to get through, so understandable. Maybe next year you could try and schedule the guests for 2 hour signings instead of 1? Or at least just the more famous guests. But still, smoothly run!

I also wanted to thank the two women who volunteered to do hair and make up for the H&A models. You guys were fabulous

The Crystal Ball went off without a hitch. It was really fun, the choice of snacks was good (though next year I wouldn't mind seeing some Doritos or other chips, not a fan of Chex Mix haha) and I had a great time dancing with my friends. The only complaint I sorta have is the music. It was good overall, but I didn't recognize a lot of it, and I listen to the radio everyday so I know most popular songs from the 70s/80s to today. Would have liked to see some more variety and current music. LOVED the grab bags though! Really wasn't expected anything like that, so it was a pleasant surprise. Thanks for all the hard work that went into it And sorry that we supposedly broke the floor? haha.

And the last thing I wanted to compliment you guys on were the lines. Last year I had to take someone to get their badge on Thursday and we got there at 8pm. Didn't leave until 1am. This year I had to take someone, got there around 6:30, and was out within an hour or two. You did an amazing job that night (or maybe just less people came on Thursday this year?) I saw the line Saturday was huge, but that's to be expected for such a big con. Big thanks to everyone working over there, I understand how stressful that job can be!

[madhattr999]

Autograph Lines

Just wanted to say that the handling of the autograph lines was awesome. It was probably the best system I've experienced (and I've been to 40+ cons). For anyone who doesn't know, I'm talking about having a general autograph line, and staff members pulling people out to a new line line just in time for when a specific guest arrives. I went to 5-6 autograph sessions this week and they all went flawlessly. It just goes to show that autographs can be handled effectively and easily WITHOUT the awful 30 minute lineup rule (which did not end up getting used this weekend due to the improvisation mentioned above). Please stick with this method for subsequent years

[myrla]

Special Needs - you guys rock. It helps I had a friend that told me I could go in and register, but it was even better when I was standing around and IRT and the medics would make sure I had visited and had my appropriate passes.

IRT - you were everywhere this year, and it showed. Great job.

[sockie]

I had never stayed in the Hyatt before this year, so I really can't directly compare, but based on all the horror stories I've heard, I wanted to thank the IRTs that manned the elevators all weekend. They were always polite but firm and kept things running smoothly. I never saw any out-of-service elevators--although I had friends who got "stuck" in one for about 5 minutes. I never had to wait more than a few minutes to get on one. I was very pleasantly surprised.

THANK YOU FOR THE GUIDEBOOK APP. I can't believe anyone would complain about this! It was so unbelievably helpful. I really appreciate the work that went into keeping everything updated. Please continue this app in future years!

[Gwydion]

Just wanted to say that everyone on staff that I talked to or asked questions was very polite and very helpful! I was extremely pleased with staffers this year. Also, the fact that the AA tables did not simply have numbers on top of them but actually had our studio names on the front made it incredibly easy to find our space. Just a little something I appreciated.

[Goldeneyeuro]

Another set of kudos to those enforcing the new elevator system- only used them once this year and didn't last year due to the horror stories and not staying at the Hyatt, but if they didn't break down, perfect. Policy was implemented at another con I went to this year and it's not as bad on paper (this hotel had at least 18 floors with only 3 elevators) as it seems and in practice, excellent.

As for IRT staff, no bad experiences at all, and I must say that they seemed much better and more effective this year at keeping things under control despite the chaos- I did see one staffer yelling at an attendee in the street after the fire alarm incident, but the staffer wasn't in the wrong because the attendee had an multiple guns being used as props on his outfit and was trying to run across the street when the police were trying to leave the area. Another set of kudos- getting IRT staff members to stand by the coned areas of major outside sidewalks by the Hyatt and convention center- seemed more effective at controlling where people walked as opposed to screaming "Get on the sidewalk" every 30 seconds.

[Agatha]

IRT, IRT, IRT. Every single one I encountered this year was awesome - very helpful, polite, and professional, even when dealing with difficult situations.

The guidebook app was wonderful, too! I don't like carrying bags around, so it was great to be able to just carry my phone with me instead of a big ol' guidebook.

[Grimby]

I just have to give a big shout out to all of the IRT/staff in the artist alley. This was my first year with a table, and as such I was rather turned around on where to go. As soon as I arrived, IRT kindly showed me where I needed to go, and even went above and beyond by walking me straight to the artist checkin, and even walking back with me to hold the doors open while I carried my things in. I wish I remembered the fellow's name--he was an absolute pleasure to talk to, and incredibly helpful and friendly... Wherever you are, kilt-man, I thank you!

I was also very impressed at how attentive the AA staff was in general--They made sure I knew who to talk to if I had any questions or concerns, and multiple people from IRT introduced themselves and made it clear if I had any issues I could come to them.

I also just have to say that I am so very impressed with the patience of the IRT I came across... Despite being asked the same question hundreds of times, they always had a positive attitude and a smile on their face.


Another compliment I have to give is how the AA closed later than the dealers room. The 6:30 flood we experienced once the dealers room closed was absolutely phenomenal. We had so many people who were coming by our table for the first time because it was the first time they were forced out of the dealers room. I thought it was a nice way to give the non-traditional artists a chance to compete with all of the licensed merch dealers.

All in all, I am very happy with my experience this year. While I was limited to only small ventures from my table, everyone I encountered knew what they were doing (or could at least point me to someone who did) and were incredibly nice.

Thanks to everyone who made this weekend awesome for me!

[Molly Mae]

IRT is typically a thankless job. You guys are awesome and for every person who complains about IRT, there are 2000 other ACEN goers who aren't complaining (silently thanking you). I thank you on behalf of all of them.

[A True Elsewhere]

I second all of the compliments to most IRT and staff members. You guys clearly went through customer service training for this year. It shows. I know - I've worked in customer service for 17 years, three of which were for a convention. I know you are all volunteers and that this can be used as an excuse for certain behavior. To a point, you are correct, and of course you should be given props and thank-yous. However, each congoer pays good money to attend this convention. It's nice to know that some conventions are treated like businesses. Really, in this world, that's how it should be (to a point).

EMRT - you guys were amazing. Props, kudos, and thank-yous.

The fire alarm situation was VERY well organized. I have never experienced a fire alarm at Acen, but if one should occur at Anime Milwaukee, I know who we should model ourselves after. Thank you, Acen staff. Thank you for the communication. It went as smoothly as it possibly could go. I could tell you all were being very serious about this particular event, even if it turned out to be an accident caused by a bad choice. Sadly, there will be people at conventions who make poor decisions. If I can think of any further ways to get a clearer handle on these kinds of situations - ie poor decision making on the part of the occasional congoer - I will definitely suggest them. I'll work on this.

PS: Blink and Bubbles of the IRT team - thank you! Ladies, you did a SPLENDID job. You deserve many hugs and handshakes and a good long soak in the tub. PPS, Bubbles - adorable pink nails! Super cute with that black vest, my dear. ;D

Thank you to every single IRT staff member in an elevator. That takes patience, I know. You were all wonderful.

Also - thanks to all IRT members who kept picture-taking-people from blocking walkways, hallways, doors, etc. It did not happen all the time - I do not quite believe this is entirely possible - but when it did, I noticed. Thank you. Keep up this amazing vigilance. If you guys are having classes about how to be IRT, good JOB!! It SHOWS!! Props to your TEACHERS! <3

Thank you, Acen, hotel, and convention center staff.

Oh, one more thing:

ANGELIC PRETTY, SIXH, AND HANGRY & ANGRY - thank you SO much for including these guests! I know they are not directly related to anime, but I applaud the effort to branch out into Japanese fashion culture. It's so interesting, and we the average fan would never get a chance to experience these amazing fashion designers without you, Acen. Thank you so very much. I absolutely adored the fashion shows. I absolutely adored the panels. I absolutely adored these Japanese guests, and I know for a fact that at least Angelic Pretty had a worthwhile experience at Acen. I heard it from the Chicago Elegant Gothic Lolita community that when Angelic Pretty received the scrap book that this community had put together for them, the shop girls and RinRin began to cry, they were so touched. Sometimes we don't speak the same language, be it the human speech kind or the cultural kind, but that we can experience these deeper moments which connect us as people in one world is truly special. Acen and all of its staff members make this possible. Thank you. It was worthwhile. Please bring more cultural guests as well as industry guests. It's events like these and the industry events that Acen should focus on, and not the dances/raves. Cultural and industry events should be your priority. I believe this would change the make-up of the convention, and would perhaps "class" up the attendance. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Ahem, for the attendees: Thank you for those people who were considerate, kind, and polite. Thank you to those people who cosplayed and came to have a good, safe, healthy experience with those who share common interests. Thank you, Lolitas, for coming out in your finery. Thank you to everyone who was considerate. You made this convention a wonderful one. It's not only Acen staff who appreciates you, but other attendees as well. <3

[Dark Spellmaster]

Big thank you to the IRT that was helpful in helping my friend find a way to locate his missing wallet...Also big thanks to whoever lent a phone to his girlfriend when she needed it in registration, he had her phone and she couldn't contact me.

To the staffer that was watching our Devil May cry panel. You rock! Not only for helping us out, but for keeping the crowd calm and helping my sister set up her camera. Thank you so so much. And Mad props to the attedees this year at our panel being so willing to deal with our small glitch.

[ATICE]

I have to give MAJOR props to cactusmomma this year. I saw no changes in times with the photoshoots, just like we all asked for, and... I think a few got moved by like 15 minutes, but whatever.. like 99% of them stayed the same as cactusmomma had posted on the forums. Next year we definitely need more indoor locations though, because.... buuuuurrrrr... haha.