Botcon 2014 brochure

[Paulbot]

They've just posted box art on Facebook but still no indication of registration

[griffin]

Yeah, it must be getting close, as they just sent out three tweets in the last 20 minutes (which is about 9.30am their time).

The box art for the boxset on the official Transformers Facebook page.

[Paulbot]

Their latest tweet/Facebook post says "Registration for BotCon is about to begin " http://fb.me/19DQrXxTv

[griffin]

dammit... you keep beating me to it.

(should I wake up Ultra Marginal though... because we know what "soon" means to FunPub)

[Paulbot]

It's vague. About to begin could mean "this week". They are teases. Not so late here on the West Coast I forget it's past 1am in my "real time".

[griffin]

Ah, that's right.... that's why you are still up.
I thought it might be just in case they allow non-attendees to start as well, or maybe a last-minute change of mind to attend this year.

[griffin]

I wonder how many people are now clicking refresh every few minutes on the BotCon registration page.

I can understand a surprise launch though, as it can stagger the demand on their server... but when they let people know the day and time, or even warning that it is about to open within the hour, it could risk crashing their (cheap) system... which would really annoy people.
As much as I'm personally not a fan of the surprise launching of registration (mostly because of our timezone), I'm actually more for it than announcing a day and time that draws in the less obsessed fans... who will secure limited items or events that they will waste or not appreciate as much as those people who are obsessed enough to be constantly monitoring the tweets, emails and website, and get in before it is broadcast to the fansites.
Most years I miss out on things like the Custom Class because I don't find out until it is broadcast to the masses, but if I had put in the effort, I may well have got in most years. Annoying as it may be, especially at our odd times, I can see it more as a reward element... to get more people into the limited things who will appreciate it more.

Either way it is going to annoy people... so I guess we just have to deal with it, and rant about it later.