PSU: Mobilization Bravo

[Triggar]

As Alpha winds down and the attendees return home to share stories and pictures, Bravo is developing like a tropical storm off the coast of Cuba.

I announced it on Saturday at the live Ask the Devs session, so I'll announce it formally here as well:

Planetside Universe Mobilization Bravo is officially in the works, and it will be held in San Diego, California.

Martyr and I will be coordinating the event together and are in contact with Sony about planning a possible tour of Sony HQ.

Nothing is scheduled as of now, and Martyr and I are taking some time off before we start planning Bravo. All we know so far is that you'll pay when you register, but we don't know anything other than that.

We've created #PSUMB in IRC that we'll leak info on, as it comes in, and we'll update this thread as plans form.

[Rayder]

[Infernus]

Yay!

[ViperGTS]

W00tage.

[martyr]

notes on registration of attendees for mobilization bravo:

we will be giving discretionary preference for registration sequence.

first, attendees of mobilization alpha get the first shot, meaning guaranteed spots.
second, our favorite outfits, meaning SoV and CDL
third, PSU community members
finally, public registration avaliable.

again, cap is at 40 people.

also, we're considering making the mobilization more complex, with some optional "deployments" such as empire paintball, a lan party, the sony tour, the san diego zoo, etc.

how the registration of these deployments will be handled will depend primarily on how much work i can get gryphon to do for us, but ultimately the registration for bravo is not going to involve any papers, relying instead on electronic signatures and webforms. i may make avaliable a pdf form avaliable for those who want to print a paper copy for themselves.

[ViperGTS]

Originally Posted by martyr

notes on registration of attendees for mobilization bravo:

we will be giving discretionary preference for registration sequence.

first, attendees of mobilization alpha get the first shot, meaning guaranteed spots.
second, our favorite outfits, meaning SoV and CDL
third, PSU community members
finally, public registration avaliable.

again, cap is at 40 people.

Oh thats not cool.

[martyr]

neither are you, for not coming last time. dork.

[Triggar]

The man speaks the truth.

[OfaLoaf]

1. Shoot me for saying this, but shouldn't most PSUMA attendees not get the first slot, as they already went to a PSU mobilization, and so give other people a chance to go?

2. If the cap is reached and we still want to go, can we still go to San Diego on our own and follow the official attendees around?

[martyr]

1. well, we had fun, so it only makes sense that we want the fun people to come back.
2. definitely not, that's a serious security risk

[Triggar]

No. If you want to follow the official attendees around, register and pay.

Also, we already know that the attendees of this year's event are good people who won't be a pain in the ass. They risked a lot to come to this event (i.e. giving a complete stranger $350 in hopes that I wasn't a con artist) and were, in essense, the guinea pigs. If anything went wrong, it was on their clock. They deserve the first shot.

[OfaLoaf]

k.

[BizSAR]

Strength And Honour is planning on having representatives attend. Yours truly will be the first to confirm at this point, with others to follow.

I have a couple InFocus XGA digital projection systems for presentations, movies, games, etc. that I can loan to the organizers. Perhaps some black lights and fog machines as well.

My guess, especially after PSUMA, is that you may need to expand your maximum number a bit. With this much lead time (one year, right?), you'll quickly fill 40 well in advance, perhaps doubling that number. At least that's what my crystal ball tells me.

[Triggar]

I'm not planning an event for any more than 40 people. Maybe I would if:

a) I was getting paid,
b) It was my full-time job.

But as it is, I'm a full-time college student with a job, a flight block, and a demanding school work schedule. I'm keeping myself sane and capping it at 40.

[Infernus]

so wait? PSUMA people get primary priority then? O mai... I feel like one of the people that gets to board the airplane first (damn medallion club members *shake fist*)

[Triggar]

What'll probably end up happening is something like, on Day X we'll open up registration to PSU:MA attendees at 10am. At noon, we'll open it up to SoV and CDL. At 2pm, we'll let PSU people register, then at 4pm we'll open it up for everyone.

[Biohazzard56]

What about Black Hawks, we have alot of PSU Members, that should make us a favorite outfit.

[BizSAR]

It is definately a lot of work, especially at little or no compensation. I've organized camping trips of 30-80 people here in Oregon, and know what it's like, but I could never have done it alone. Perhaps with the assistance of others/grassroots effort, larger numbers may be accomodated. Many of us are here to help, and some of us aren't even a pain in the ass............

There's no reason you should have to go it alone. I volunteer my services wherever needed, and have a reasonalbe number of talents that could prove useful. I'm reasonably close for this one and want to help it be that much better than PSUMA while maximizing the fun factor.

Many of us non-"pains" didn't go to PSUMA simply because it was too far away, couldn't afford it, etc., not because we didn't trust anyone or didn't want to be guinea pigs.

[Triggar]

Right, I never said that. I just said that the people who did come had a lot of balls, and that I appreciate it.

Also, the 40 people cap isn't just for the organizational aspect. During this past weekend, we had to account for each person on the buses and at the meals. I had to personally put together the gift boxes and run the giveaways. 40+ people would be a non-personal event that I think would be out of hand, volunteers or not.

One last thing, this isn't up for debate. 40 people is the cap. If you want to get together with 50 of your outfit buddies, go ahead, but I'm not running it.

[QuakCow]

SD for teh win

[BizSAR]

The 40-person cap is in stone. OK
Respectfully, again, you state that you personally had to put things together. Many of us are here and willing to help.

Am I getting this all wrong? Is this really an event intended for primarily PSU staff and their friends? If so, I am truly sorry...it did sound like so much fun.

[Triggar]

The event isn't primarily for PSU, but the reason I offered to plan it was so that I could meet PSU people. This past event, we had OF people and people from different outfits come, and it was great.

I'm just making it clear that even with tons of volunteers, I still have to plan and oversee everything, and at the event, I'm the one who has to make sure everything goes smoothly, and I cannot physically do that if the group was any larger than 40 people. Maybe after I graduate, if I decide to scrap aviation altogether and get a job as a professional event coordinator, I'll plan a 200 person Mobilization. But for now, I have to keep myself within the limits of my time constraints and ability.

[Infernus]

Originally Posted by Triggar

What'll probably end up happening is something like, on Day X we'll open up registration to PSU:MA attendees at 10am. At noon, we'll open it up to SoV and CDL. At 2pm, we'll let PSU people register, then at 4pm we'll open it up for everyone.

I still like the idea of it... I mean... I already said I would be registering ASAP. And I like the idea of paying when you register... it leaves out the uncertanty factor (and an extra deadline I don't have to remember).

[BizSAR]

I now fully understand the situation.

My offer of help and projection systems, etc. stands if I'm fortunate enough to get a spot for the event.

[martyr]

bizsar, i'm organizing it too, which is why we upped it to 40.
we figure we can handle about 10 people each, which leaves the admin and cdl/sov folks to take care of themselves, hehe

[Triggar]

Thanks for your offer of letting us use stuff. You'll have plenty of notice of when the registration will start, so be ready when the time comes and you shouldn't have too much of a problem.

[martyr]

this is true; since most of our preferred outfit people came to alpha, they fall within the first 30 people, which leaves space for another 10-ish.

if all of you are super-extra-nice to trig, maybe i'll think about thinking about more than one mobilization per year, but we're keeping the 40-person cap.

[Triggar]

I read my lovely boyfriend's last post and exclaimed,

"More than one Mobilization per year, what are you nuts?!"

And he said, "Yeeeeah."

[Doop]

I agree, Black Hawks really should be a favorite outfit also, a lot of PSUers are on it.

[BizSAR]

Don't we all want to be favorites/favorite outfits at this point?

I don't have much faith in the non-PSUMA/favorite people/outfits being able to attend. It seems to me that you'll hit your 40 way before it gets that far. It's just too popular of a thing you all started. How many attended PSUMA? I guess I don't blame you for wanting to keep it "in the family".

*sigh* I guess we'll have to wait for SOE to set up a PS community event. Maybe by then they'll come around, ignore the idiotic forum posts on the subject, and host something.

[Triggar]

We had bumped the cap for PSUMA from 30 people to 50 people. Only 30 people ended up paying by the cut-off date, so we had 30 attendees.

The people on the OF scoffed at the idea, as well as the price tag. They were not willing to spend any more than $20 for a convention. Good luck getting them to put something else together.

[JetRaiden]

put me down for Mobilization Bravo.

[QuakCow]

well, seeing as im in SD, i dont have to fly....so thats a + for my attending

[BizSAR]

Yeah, it's ludicris(sic) to think that something like PSU is providing would be much less than ~$200 NOT including airfare, lodging, etc. I've organized camping events of 50+ people (in a ski club I belong to, mainly) and that is even up to $50 a piece. Sheesh! What are these people expecting for $20, parking?!

I've also attended/volunteered for events like BeatleFest, sci-fi conventions, weekend concerts attracting 5-10 THOUSAND people and those were still in the $150-$200 range a piece simply for getting a pass into the event and maybe free hors de'vores(sic) Saturday night (a bust for that many people). Even the 500-750 person weekend music festivals I've been on an organizing committee for have been upwards of $100 for the event.

Sorry if I seemed down. I was really bummed I couldn't go to PSUMA, and I'm even more bummed at the prospect of not being able to go to one held on my side of the continent before it's even beyond the planning stages.

[Infernus]

Originally Posted by JetRaiden

put me down for Mobilization Bravo.

Indeed

[Triggar]

You'll all have plenty of advance notice of when registration opens up. Be warned that you will have to pay at the time of registration, whatever the price ends up being.

But let me reiterate: Martyr and I have not even begun to think about Bravo. We're still recovering from Alpha, and so should you!

[Squeeky]

PSU:MB for the win

[Triggar]

Squeekster 2K4 is the honorary Lil' Brotha. 'Cause I'm a banana.

[Infernus]

Originally Posted by Triggar

But let me reiterate: Martyr and I have not even begun to think about Bravo. We're still recovering from Alpha, and so should you!

Time to send money to Triggar and martyr so they can go food shopping...

[Triggar]

Nah, that's what parents are for