Botcon 2013 plans and recruiting

[Omicron the IceQueen]

By the way, to the mods, could you help with the group chat? I know BWint used to do group chats before, not sure if its still going or not. I just realized help would be a good thing since I never did a chat with more then four people and I have no idea how many will want to come O_o

[Omicron the IceQueen]

[Sorry for spamming] there is another option of getting a few Motel 6 rooms [65 a night +tax] the time of Botcon itself on the weekend for two and having someone camp out on a roll away for another 6$. So that would be about 25 a person a night roughtly. and this is only about 14 miles away.

Again I'm not sure how many people are comming yet exactly. Just trying to get other plans out *likes having a few differnt ones just in case*

[Beastbot]

Omicron--

As of Botcon 2012, up to 3 Minicon packages can be adjoined to one Primus package. You need to make sure you and your "Minicons" get in line with each other, though, as they give out the Minicon badges when the Primus attendee picks up their boxset & other swag, and all have to be present and have their photo IDs ready to get their badges. Minicon packages CANNOT be adjoined to Protoform packages; Minicon packages tend to be used for the other attending members of the Transfan's family so they can all get into everything "on the cheap", comparatively.

If you go here:

http://www.botcon.com/BotCon2012/

And click on "Information", it'll pull up a .PDF with a lot of registration information for last year's Botcon on it, including fairly exhaustive information on each of the packages. Again, this is for last year, so the specifcs CAN change a bit, but generally it's the same every year except for the prices going up a little, heh. I keep up with Transformers news pretty closely, so I'll be sure to post in this thread whenever this year's info goes up (and it's always at least a few days in between when they put up the prereg info and when they actually let you preregister).

As for myself, I have one of my possible Minicon slots spoken for (my mom's coming). I'm also conferring with Starath on whether she and her friend want to take up the other 2 Minicon slots or not (EDIT: They are). I'm staying in the "official" Botcon hotel with my mom, so the room's already spoken for, as well.

Omicron, you seem to be the one communicating with the others on hotels, so let me know how things are going, but I'd be happy to help, of course. Feel free to PM me with any other questions you have, (or you can just post them here, I check this thread on a near-daily basis).

[Starath]

Hi again.... A short message as I'm getting ready to teach a class in about 20 minutes.... Hahahaha I'm so responsible

(actually the kids are testing right now so it's okay. Really.)

BeastBot, I've gotten your PM. I've replied to it.

It is 75% possible my friend and I will be able to pay for our own lodging.

BUT OMG BOTCOOOOOOOOOON. I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!!

[Omicron the IceQueen]

okay, hi guys! I'm online both msn/skype, yahoo, Google Chat and AIM for the group chat to talk about botcon! if you need any of the screan names please PM me


edit:
11:30 am, still here for any intrested in group planning for Botcon. I'm by a phone too if that's needed

Edit:
1:28 pm, okay going off line for a nice long walk....

[Starath]

So.... I've hit a snag. One heck of a snag.

Within two weeks travel costs have gone through the roof. I'm panicking. My Dad can't cover the cost of travel himself. I can't pay for it all myself right now.

Basically, I'm praying my tax refunds pay for this trip. If it can't.... Botcon is no go.

I want this to work. I told my friend she was going, and I can't look her in the eyes and tell her we can't. Our friendship has been... rocky... of late (things are resolved, but still fresh).

I don't know what I can do. Together she and I can handle the hotel as well as BeastBot's two Minicon packages. It's just... getting there and back..... or... I don't know.

Help.

[Beastbot]

Starath, when do you think you'll know definitively whether you can go or not?

I sure hope you can, but I'm in a completely different location, flying in myself, so... can't really help there.

I ask because whenever prereg info goes up I need to pay up front, and I will need to know whether or not you're going by then, as I I can't cancel prereg after I've already submitted it without a hefty cancellation fee.

[Starath]

As it is, I'm going to say Botcon is still a green light.

Marginally.

I just finished my taxes. I'm getting a promising refund, but I'm not going to get too excited until the money hits my bank account.

Meaning, BeastBot, that you will be paid for your Minicon packages. If for some reason my friend and I have to back out, I will be able to compensate you for your trouble (provided the fee isn't over triple digits).

So. I need to finalize my tax info, which will be done tomorrow. Other than that... we're still going, as long as travel expenses don't skyrocket again.

[Beastbot]

Good, great to hear! As for the cancellation fee, it looks like the relevant info for such things has been deleted from previous Botcon's web pages (since I guess it no longer matters for those conventions)... if I remember correctly, it's either 10 or 15% of the total cost. Now, within that there's some questions I have that I don't see an explanation for anywhere-- is that cost a percentage merely of what's being cancelled, or of the entire package? Is it possible for me to cancel just part of the package (because obviously I don't want to cancel my Primus package)? Hrrrm... I guess what I'm saying, Starath, is that if I add the Minicon packages and then something bad happens and you and your friend aren't able to make it, I'm not quite sure of the cost. It will definitely not be more than the cost of the Minicon packages themselves, but if I'm unable to cancel part of the package than it COULD be that the entire cost of the packages is eaten up. I promise that if you can't make it and I get any refund at all for them I'll pass it all on to you, but just something to consider. I've never cancelled a package (or part of it) after pre-registering, so I just don't know at this point. I'll keep searching around for relevant info, but things do change a bit from year-to-year regardless...

(If anybody reading this has ever done something like this, please post here or PM me so I can know.)

Anyways, on a different note, the second exclusive of the box set has been revealed-- Machine Wars Skywarp, from the RotF Dirge mold with a new head:

http://www.botcon.com/BotCon2013/bc13skywarp.cfm

LOVING that "cyber-virus" deco on the wings.

[Omicron the IceQueen]

Hey Beast bot, if 'something' does come up after the packages is, I know two people who will take the minicon slots in a heat beat, and we can still sort out payments.

Doesn't hurt to have another back up plan does it?

[Beastbot]

Hey Beast bot, if 'something' does come up after the packages is, I know two people who will take the minicon slots in a heat beat, and we can still sort out payments.

Doesn't hurt to have another back up plan does it?

The problem with that is Starath will likely have paid me by the time if she does back out, and the Minicon packages already made out in their (real) names. I'm not even sure if I can cancel part of an order at this point, and if I can reinstate it with different names (and I'd have to use different names, as they require you to present your photo ID when you pick up your packages).

So as for the two friends you have, I wouldn't tell them to count on going as my Minicons by any means, particularly at this point. They should budget in going by other means. But we're getting a bit ahead of ourselves here; let's see what happens. I'm sure some details will be ironed out once the prereg information goes up for this year.

[Omicron the IceQueen]

I agree it is a bit too early I was just trying to help. [though I may have just confused instead]

[Starath]

Well guys, it's official.

Starath and her best friend DLO are coming to Botcon 2013.

Flights are booked. Hotel will be booked tomorrow.

BeastBot, let me know when you need payment. Hopefully it won't be too soon in the future because I just took a major hit to my account, but yeah. We're coming.

[Beastbot]

Hooray!

(As far as payment/further info goes, they almost never put up prereg before the core box set figures are revealed, and they've revealed two out of the five with one being revealed a week, so.... I would say an absolute minimum of 2 1/2 weeks, maximum of 6 weeks. Sometime in March is the likeliest, basically.)

[Beastbot]

Third exclusive for the boxset has been revealed, and OMG GUYS. OMG.

Machine Wars STRIKA:

http://www.botcon.com/BotCon2013/bc13strika.cfm

My second-favorite TF character EVER gets a toy with a robot mode that's actually good! OMGOMGOMGOMG...

They can't top this. They CANNOT top this...