(*This was posted on the forum and emailed to feedback.)
I’m here to list off a few suggestions and observations on this years costume contest at Blizzcon, in hopes they get passed along to the powers that be. I feel some improvements can be made in a few areas. I fully recognize you guys make awesome video games, and are still learning how to run costume contests, so don’t take this as being harsh. I’ll be as short and honest as possible. I’m not a sore loser, either. I did enter the costume contest, but I did so just for fun. PREPARE YOURSIEGE WEAPONS, HERE BE WALLS OF TEXT.
-Backstage conditions:
A dark waiting area sectioned off by curtains, about half the size it needed to be. Chairs appeared about an hour after people had been standing around waiting, and even then there were only about 30 or so chairs. Water was available when asked, but a cooler and cups would have helped a lot. It was really hot back there with lots of warm bodies in sweaty costumes. By the time the costumers were ready to go on stage, there’s was a lot of sweat and crankiness. After people were on stage, they were asked to wait in an area right next to the waiting room, which could have easily been more room sectioned off initially.
-The wait:
The costume contest happened last. After the Sound-alikes, the Blizzard music contest, the dance contest, and then the Machinma contest. People got to watch the show from ‘behind’ one of the projector screens but the sound was horrible. I’m sure the MC was hilarious but having 100 people in various costumes wait for 2-3 hours in a hot, dark room was pretty miserable. I understand the need to have everyone ready and prep’d, but if the waiting conditions had been better, this paragraph probably wouldn’t be here. The 100 people back stage are missing the show by being a part of it. Being able to hear and see what was going on might make things a little more bearable.
-’Categories’/Awards:
The page is no longer there, so I can’t reference it. Correct me if I’m wrong but it said ‘5 laptops’ or something to that effect, with the first place getting a year of WoW as well. When the awards were chosen, however, they picked one Starcraft costume, one Diablo costume, one Warcraft costume, and then one ‘best’ costume. There were something like 3 Starcraft costumes, 1 Diablo costume, and then 95+ warcraft costumes. The odds of any kind of recognition at that point, needless to say, made a lot of peoples heart sink. Laptops are awesome, but the odds were pretty crappy. Give out more awards, like ‘most creative,’ ‘most beautiful,’ ‘most original,’ ‘funniest,’ ‘employee favorite,’ or even gag categories. Not everyone needs a laptop, but more recognition would be nice. Throw people some 5$ keychains or a poster, or even a certificate signed by someone important. Something more then 95 people getting a “Thanks for everything, good night.” While I’m sure people would like a new computer, I would venture to say that more are doing it for fun or for any kind of recognition. (And a small side note: a few people who won the first year’s contests won this years as well. Working as intended?)
-Staff:
Staff were awesome, helpful, and everyone knew what was going on. What, feedback can be good, too!
The people participating in these contests are, arguably, some of your biggest fans. They are spending lots of money, time and passion making these costumes, in addition to paying the 100+$ for the right to even participate. You have to be careful with this because you don’t want to discourage people from participating again in future contests. I’m not suggesting we move mountains for these people but I do think they need to be treated, at the very least, like people who are going to be on stage, entertaining a crowd of people for an evening; think a TV show green room vs. a hospital waiting room. For as much as Blizzard adores their fans and says they are all about the community of people who play their games, more resources can be used by you guys in making sure this night of fun is fun and memorable for everyone, including the participants.
Zug/Xia
Kil’Jaeden
The Collective
A.k.a. Mangy Rock Flayer from the Burning Crusade Alpha (blue and white box guy)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/62492410@N00/1014597858/