Open House thoughts a week later
Posted: Tue May 11, 2010 12:57 pm
Open House thoughts a week later
Art Contest Winners
The winners of the art contest will be announced in the next Press Release (May 14, 2010). My thanks to those brave enough to enter the contest. I think several of you will be quite happy.
Kathy Simmon’s Ghouls & Dead Things
liven up the Open House
A gallery of vampires, zombies, killer clowns and hooded fiends looked down upon the festivities from the reaches of the warehouse storage area above our offices. A black robed wizard and a pair of zombies stood guard on the floor of the warehouse, and a trio of zombies greeted people upon their arrival, gathered around the sign that pointed gamers to the entrance in the back.
People loved them. I saw a lot of folks taking pictures with the zombies outside as well as those inside. People always comment how the life sized props look so much better in person than in photographs, which is very true. I think that’s because you get the full impact of them being “life-sized,” plus you get to see all the little details and touches Kathy puts into her work. Not to mention the quality. It still amazes me that the “ghouls” hold up 100% in foul weather. Kathy has ghouls in her own display that are 5-6 years old and still look fantastic. Just don’t store them wet! They are like Gremlins in that regard.
I’m happy to report that one fellow at the Open House is interested in the Wizard that stood near the Halloween signs, and two others (Gary and someone else) said they would be purchasing one or two of the ghouls in the next couple of weeks. I’m pleased to hear that, because Kathy works so hard on her Halloween props, they look amazing, and are typically half to one-third the price of comparable mass produced life-sized props that are not as original, cool looking or well built.
Kathy also sold one Halloween sign and got interest in a few others. I wish we had not forgotten the “No trespassing” signs on a tall post with a bloody head impaled at the top. Kathy has two types and they look awesome. (I did the dripping blood work on the heads and signs for both.)
The Hotel Loved YOU
The people at the Plymouth Comfort Inn were amazed again at how friendly and courteous you all were. They had no complaints from or about our gaggle of gaming maniacs, and said we were welcomed back anytime. Nice work folks.
It makes me proud to hear about how awesome you guys and gals are. They were also impressed by some of the costumes they saw and by the fact that we have people coming in from coast to coast, Canada, England and Europe.
I wish I could have spent more time with my freelancers
I promised Brian and Allen Manning we’d hang this year and I spent a whole 60 seconds with them. Sheesh.
Inevitably, most of my time is spent with the fans as well as chatting, signing autographs, running games, doing panel talks and hosting things like the costume contest and auction. I love every minute of it, and as always, Palladium fans were kind and courteous. Still, I wish I had additional time to hang with my fellow creators. I know they feel the same, which is why there is “unofficial” talk among freelancers to get together to have a special freelancers only gathering at the end of April next year (2011).
I love the idea and I'm all for it. 3-4 days of writers and artists jamming ideas and art, gaming and clowning around. Let’s do it. I have already made arrangements with the Hotel for the same discount room rates even though there will only be a couple dozen or so of us. I’ll try to remember to post more on the Palladium Freelancer board. Freelancers, start planning on coming down.
2012 is the next Open House
It bothered me to that several people attending the 2010 Open House apologized to me for not having more money to spend (as well as some who contacted me to say they couldn't afford to make it this year). I appreciate the sentiment and recognize that the comment is born from love and kindness, but truly, nobody had any reason to apologize. We knew going in that the economy was bad and a lot of gamers and freelancers alike could not afford to make it to the Open House this year. That’s okay. I’m thrilled so many of you did manage to make it. I had a blast, everyone had fun, and the event was a huge success!
That’s one reason we are going to skip a year and are planning to host another Palladium Open House in April/May 2012. This should provide time for the economy to settle down and for those of you who hope to attend, to save up money over a much longer stretch of time. After all, we want to make the POH the best experience possible, and if hosting it every two years helps, then that’s what we’ll do.
Another reason is we don’t want to kill Kathy Simmons. The poor woman works like a mule to keep everything running smoothly. She was exhausted and half deaf by the end of this year’s event. While the rest of us get to recuperate, Kathy has the weekend online orders and Open House credit card orders to process, so she has her hands full for days after the POH. To host a POH next year would almost certainly do her in, and none of us want that.
I want to thank everyone who took the time to thank Kathy for her hard work, and especially the gent who sent her a small, cheerful and lovely bouquet of flowers. They arrived yesterday at Palladium and really made Kathy’s day. She’s had a few mishaps since the Open House, so the flowers felt even more special. Someone, not thinking, shouted right next to her ear at the POH and has accidentally damaged Kathy’s eardrum – hopefully temporary damage. Then, her refrigerator died a few days after the Open House. Money being tight (as it is for most of us), she spent a while looking for a suitable and reasonable replacement. Consequently, the success of the Open House and recognition of her efforts meant more to her this year than ever.
Speaking of “thank you’s” – freelancer writer and Rifter® contributor, Scott Gibbons (who I did get to hang with a bit), came up with the cool idea of having dozens of people at the POH sign thank you cards and send them to our printer McNaughton & Gunn for getting Triax™ 2 done in time for the Open House. Great idea. We did it and they should be getting them today or tomorrow.
Video Tour of the Palladium Offices on YouTube
Madman Mike Leonard did an impromptu video of my last tour of the Palladium offices on Sunday afternoon at the Open House. Thanks Mike.
I’m afraid I was tired and a bit low key (Hey, it was the waning hours of the last day of the Open House.), and some of the video is dark, but it’s fun to watch. Here’s the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch_private?v= ... DltLA-n-dA
More video?
Wayne Smith videotaped most of the panel talks and events and hopes to post at least some snippets in the weeks to come. Of course, one of the best panel talks was the impromptu Sunday afternoon questions and answers chat. Since it was impromptu, there is no video of it. Oh well.
I’m sure there are many other adventures, observations and stories to be told, and I invite those of you who were there to do so on the Palladium Message Boards.
Also check out the photo gallery. Those of you who were there can send us your photos (send to palladiumbooks@gmail.com) and we’ll post them in the gallery too. I’d sure love to see other people’s photos.
Sincerely,
Kevin Siembieda
Publisher, Writer, and Game Designer
Palladium Books, 29 years of publishing role-playing games
© Copyright May 11, 2010 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.
Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Palladium Books®, Phase World®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Megaverse®, Nightbane®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars® and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. Heroes Unlimited™, Beyond the Supernatural, Dead Reign, Warpath, Shemarrian Nation, and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc., and Kevin Siembieda.
Robotech® and Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® are Registered Trademarks of Harmony Gold USA, Inc.
Art Contest Winners
The winners of the art contest will be announced in the next Press Release (May 14, 2010). My thanks to those brave enough to enter the contest. I think several of you will be quite happy.
Kathy Simmon’s Ghouls & Dead Things
liven up the Open House
A gallery of vampires, zombies, killer clowns and hooded fiends looked down upon the festivities from the reaches of the warehouse storage area above our offices. A black robed wizard and a pair of zombies stood guard on the floor of the warehouse, and a trio of zombies greeted people upon their arrival, gathered around the sign that pointed gamers to the entrance in the back.
People loved them. I saw a lot of folks taking pictures with the zombies outside as well as those inside. People always comment how the life sized props look so much better in person than in photographs, which is very true. I think that’s because you get the full impact of them being “life-sized,” plus you get to see all the little details and touches Kathy puts into her work. Not to mention the quality. It still amazes me that the “ghouls” hold up 100% in foul weather. Kathy has ghouls in her own display that are 5-6 years old and still look fantastic. Just don’t store them wet! They are like Gremlins in that regard.
I’m happy to report that one fellow at the Open House is interested in the Wizard that stood near the Halloween signs, and two others (Gary and someone else) said they would be purchasing one or two of the ghouls in the next couple of weeks. I’m pleased to hear that, because Kathy works so hard on her Halloween props, they look amazing, and are typically half to one-third the price of comparable mass produced life-sized props that are not as original, cool looking or well built.
Kathy also sold one Halloween sign and got interest in a few others. I wish we had not forgotten the “No trespassing” signs on a tall post with a bloody head impaled at the top. Kathy has two types and they look awesome. (I did the dripping blood work on the heads and signs for both.)
The Hotel Loved YOU
The people at the Plymouth Comfort Inn were amazed again at how friendly and courteous you all were. They had no complaints from or about our gaggle of gaming maniacs, and said we were welcomed back anytime. Nice work folks.
It makes me proud to hear about how awesome you guys and gals are. They were also impressed by some of the costumes they saw and by the fact that we have people coming in from coast to coast, Canada, England and Europe. I wish I could have spent more time with my freelancers
I promised Brian and Allen Manning we’d hang this year and I spent a whole 60 seconds with them. Sheesh.
Inevitably, most of my time is spent with the fans as well as chatting, signing autographs, running games, doing panel talks and hosting things like the costume contest and auction. I love every minute of it, and as always, Palladium fans were kind and courteous. Still, I wish I had additional time to hang with my fellow creators. I know they feel the same, which is why there is “unofficial” talk among freelancers to get together to have a special freelancers only gathering at the end of April next year (2011).
I love the idea and I'm all for it. 3-4 days of writers and artists jamming ideas and art, gaming and clowning around. Let’s do it. I have already made arrangements with the Hotel for the same discount room rates even though there will only be a couple dozen or so of us. I’ll try to remember to post more on the Palladium Freelancer board. Freelancers, start planning on coming down.
2012 is the next Open House
It bothered me to that several people attending the 2010 Open House apologized to me for not having more money to spend (as well as some who contacted me to say they couldn't afford to make it this year). I appreciate the sentiment and recognize that the comment is born from love and kindness, but truly, nobody had any reason to apologize. We knew going in that the economy was bad and a lot of gamers and freelancers alike could not afford to make it to the Open House this year. That’s okay. I’m thrilled so many of you did manage to make it. I had a blast, everyone had fun, and the event was a huge success!
That’s one reason we are going to skip a year and are planning to host another Palladium Open House in April/May 2012. This should provide time for the economy to settle down and for those of you who hope to attend, to save up money over a much longer stretch of time. After all, we want to make the POH the best experience possible, and if hosting it every two years helps, then that’s what we’ll do.
Another reason is we don’t want to kill Kathy Simmons. The poor woman works like a mule to keep everything running smoothly. She was exhausted and half deaf by the end of this year’s event. While the rest of us get to recuperate, Kathy has the weekend online orders and Open House credit card orders to process, so she has her hands full for days after the POH. To host a POH next year would almost certainly do her in, and none of us want that.
I want to thank everyone who took the time to thank Kathy for her hard work, and especially the gent who sent her a small, cheerful and lovely bouquet of flowers. They arrived yesterday at Palladium and really made Kathy’s day. She’s had a few mishaps since the Open House, so the flowers felt even more special. Someone, not thinking, shouted right next to her ear at the POH and has accidentally damaged Kathy’s eardrum – hopefully temporary damage. Then, her refrigerator died a few days after the Open House. Money being tight (as it is for most of us), she spent a while looking for a suitable and reasonable replacement. Consequently, the success of the Open House and recognition of her efforts meant more to her this year than ever.
Speaking of “thank you’s” – freelancer writer and Rifter® contributor, Scott Gibbons (who I did get to hang with a bit), came up with the cool idea of having dozens of people at the POH sign thank you cards and send them to our printer McNaughton & Gunn for getting Triax™ 2 done in time for the Open House. Great idea. We did it and they should be getting them today or tomorrow.
Video Tour of the Palladium Offices on YouTube
Madman Mike Leonard did an impromptu video of my last tour of the Palladium offices on Sunday afternoon at the Open House. Thanks Mike.
I’m afraid I was tired and a bit low key (Hey, it was the waning hours of the last day of the Open House.), and some of the video is dark, but it’s fun to watch. Here’s the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch_private?v= ... DltLA-n-dA
More video?
Wayne Smith videotaped most of the panel talks and events and hopes to post at least some snippets in the weeks to come. Of course, one of the best panel talks was the impromptu Sunday afternoon questions and answers chat. Since it was impromptu, there is no video of it. Oh well.
I’m sure there are many other adventures, observations and stories to be told, and I invite those of you who were there to do so on the Palladium Message Boards.
Also check out the photo gallery. Those of you who were there can send us your photos (send to palladiumbooks@gmail.com) and we’ll post them in the gallery too. I’d sure love to see other people’s photos.
Sincerely,
Kevin Siembieda
Publisher, Writer, and Game Designer
Palladium Books, 29 years of publishing role-playing games
© Copyright May 11, 2010 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.
Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Palladium Books®, Phase World®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Megaverse®, Nightbane®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars® and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. Heroes Unlimited™, Beyond the Supernatural, Dead Reign, Warpath, Shemarrian Nation, and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc., and Kevin Siembieda.
Robotech® and Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® are Registered Trademarks of Harmony Gold USA, Inc.