Subject: 2017 Game Designers Workshop - Registration Info - RSVP Needed!
Greetings, fellow designers!
It’s time to register for the Game Designers Workshop! This year we will be at the Edgewater Hotel in Seattle, on the weekend of October 14 and 15. The Edgewater is Seattle’s only waterfront hotel, and the GDW returns to it for the third time!
If you’ve never been to a GDW, read the FAQ, at the end of the email, to find out what wonders await you! Or visit the GDW website for boatloads of additional information.
The period between signing the contract with the hotel and getting enough registrations to cover the minimum guarantee is the period which gives your GDW organizers ulcers and insomnia. So be kind to us and send your checks to Bob (address below) as soon as possible.
Cost
The registration fee is $360. This covers:
· The meeting room rental
· Breakfast on Saturday and Sunday (in the hotel)
· Lunch on Saturday and Sunday (in the hotel)
· Saturday dinner at a nearby restaurant
· A few miscellaneous expenses
There are also optional dinners on Friday and Sunday for early arrivers and late departers. Payment for those will be collected in cash on the spot. We’ll collect RSVPs for those dinners as we get closer to October. And, for early arrivers, there will be a fun outing on Friday afternoon.
Our meeting room has space for 30 people; once we get 30 payments we’ll start a waiting list, since there are usually a few people who drop out at the last minute.
Lodging
You’re responsible for booking and paying for your own lodging. We’ve negotiated a discounted rate on rooms at the Edgewater: $199/night for a cityview room or $249/night for a waterview room. These prices don’t include taxes, or a $16/night mandatory “property fee” that covers a number of things, such as free wifi.
To book your room, call 206-728-7000 and reference “Game Designers Workshop”. If you have any trouble getting the discounted rate, please let me (Steve) know.
There are a limited number of these discounted rooms. If we use them up, they may make more available pending non-GDW demand. The sooner that happens, the better our chances are of getting more discounted rooms. So please make your reservations ASAP. In any case, the discount ends on 9/13/2017.
What Do I Need To Do Right Now?
1. Mark the weekend of 10/14/17 and 10/15/17 on your calendar.
2. Reply to me (Steve) right away, checking a box below so we can start getting a rough count:
[ ] I’ll be there! I'm sending a check to Bob immediately and plan to stay at the Edgewater.
[ ] I’ll be there! I'm sending a check to Bob immediately, but I’m staying elsewhere.
[ ] I’ll probably be there. I'll let you know for sure ASAP.
[ ] I probably won’t be there this year. I'll let you know for sure ASAP.
[ ] I definitely won’t be there this year, but please keep me on the GDW mailing list.
[ ] I won’t be there, and please remove me from the GDW mailing list.
3. If you’re coming, please send a check for $360, made out to “Bob Bates”, to:
Bob Bates
5207 Honeysuckle Ct.
Centreville, VA 20120
Thanks, and we hope to see you in October!
--Steve (steve@boffo.us)
--Bob (bobbates@bobbbates.com)
--Gordon (gordonwalton@hotmail.com)
--Noah (nfalstein@gmail.com)
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why Seattle?
A: We have the GDW in different cities, generally wherever the game industry tends to congregate. We surveyed the membership this year, and Seattle won by a hair over San Francisco and San Jose.
Q: What should I expect when I attend a Game Designers Workshop?
A: It’s like a two-day GDC roundtable, except one where the people around the table are the world’s most experienced (and good-looking) game designers. Each attendee gets to pick a topic and moderate the discussion for 1/Nth of the weekend, generally around 40 minutes. In addition to that, there’s fine food, schmoozing, drinking, and playing games late into the night.
Q: $360! Why so much?
A: Basically, hotels are thieving bastards. We try to run the event at a break-even – no one is making a profit on the Workshop.
Q: Can I bring my spouse/significant other/buddy to dinner?
A: Friday and Saturday dinners are members-only. On Sunday, which tends to be smaller, we allow spouses and significant others (although most would rather do anything else rather than hang out with a bunch of inebriated game designers).
Q: I know a good game designer… can I invite him or her to the Workshop?
A: The workshop is invitation-only through a time-tested system. We are always looking for new designers to add to our group. If you know of a good candidate, send a recommendation to Noah, Steve, Bob, or Gordon – please do not just invite them yourself.
Q: Do I have to pay by check?
A: Bob prefers checks, but can handle PayPal.