How to be Top Rabbit at the Big Experiment
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[edit] There have been significant changes to the way The Lab operates this year (2008)
- All Top Rabbits need to read and understand this document
- Don’t think you already know it.
[edit] Summary
- Your job is to be responsible for the Lab and everything that goes on in the Lab.
- The Top Rabbit wears the purple lab coat so people can easily find you.
- You are in charge of The Lab
- Know what’s going on (or what should be)
- Greet those entering The Lab, get them involved
- Be the ‘Face of Looney Labs’ to new visitors
- Manage your Rabbits well, help them as needed
- Help your Tournament Director when needed
- Explain the Open Gaming Ticket Box
- Keep the Top Rabbit Log Book
- Try to keep the Lab tidy and presentable
- Deal with Emergencies
- Help make sure everyone is having fun
- Be sure YOU have fun – it’s contagious!
[edit] Specifics
[edit] Be ready for your shift at least 15 minutes before the shift is to start.
Be ready to go early enough so that the shift change between Top Rabbits goes smoothly. Get to know who the demo and tournament-running Rabbits are so you know who you can call on if you need to. Familiarize yourself with the schedule so that you know what tournaments are running during your shift so you can help direct people to the right spots. In general, be ready to be Top.
[edit] You wear the Purple Lab Coat: You're in charge.
Be gentle in this "being in charge" stuff – but know that you do have the trust of Looney Labs to run the Lab in the way that shows off our games in the best light possible. The Lab is the first place that some people have ever experienced Looney Labs games – your job is to make their experience the best it can be. Help the Rabbits have fun too!
[edit] Stickers and Demos and Flowers (oh my!)
We are not doing the Collect-Little-Stickers-to-earn-a-Happy-Flower thing this year. People who have attended past Big Experiments may be expecting to have these available. Tell people we have cut back on the formal demo slots this year, for an even more laid back “let’s just hang out together and play games” atmosphere.
[edit] The Open Gaming Ticket Box
- By the letter of the Origins Ticket Laws, each two hour slot of gaming must be paid for, so anyone hanging out playing games in The Lab needs to have a Big Experiment Ribbon or should be coughing up a generic ticket every two hours.
- In order to keep the laid back free feeling atmosphere The Lab is famous for, and to help encourage ribbon sales, we are establishing a ‘Pay Later after you’ve decided to buy the ribbon’ policy.
- Tell people… the Big Experiment Ribbon is $16 and gets them unlimited open gaming all weekend long in The Lab plus entrance into all our events, including Werewolf. It can be purchased at the Event Registration Desk.
- If they are not sure about getting a Ribbon, tell them they can hang out and play and think about it… and tell them about the Open Gaming Ticket Box. We want them to come into our space and hang out and play games with us. We hope that they will have so much fun, that they keep coming back, and before too long will have stopped by the registration desk and buy a Big Experiment Ribbon. But if they decide not to spend enough time with us that it’s worth buying a ribbon, they can deposit generic tickets into the Open Gaming Ticket Box to cover their gaming time in The Lab.
- If anyone tries to engage you in conversation about how some people are going to cheat, tell them it’s an honor system, we trust people will pay – and change the subject. And then, trust people to pay.
- Don’t harass anyone – and be sure you make a point of noticing when people come back having bought their ribbons!
- When Rabbits ask about the Ribbons and ticket box, point them to read How To Be a Rabbit at The Big Experiment. All Working Rabbits should have Ribbons, but can get a free ribbon for only 4 hours of work, they should see the Event Coordinator (Carol) for details.
[edit] Greet people as they enter the lab and try to get them engaged.
Make people feel welcome! If they have never played any of our games before, try to get them into a demo, or suggest they watch the current demo game in progress until a seat opens up. If they are familiar with our games, tell them about our tournaments, give them a Lab Report with the schedule, and invite them into our space to play games. If they do not have a Big Experiment Ribbon, explain how the Generic Ticket Box works and encourage them to get a ribbon and hang out with us all weekend. Tell them you can loan them a demo of any Looney Labs game they want to play, and ask them to bring it back when they are done.
[edit] Manage your Rabbits well.
Anybody wearing a lab coat is a Rabbit, but only the Rabbits running tournaments or sitting at the Demo Table are "On Duty." If a Rabbit says they want to help demo, by all means, hook them up, but we're encouraging more of a "hang out and play" attitude than a "you're a Rabbit at Work" attitude. If no Demo Rabbits are available – DO NOT ask Rabbits who are not on the schedule to step in to demo – this is an important shift from last year – it is ok to tell visitors who are asking to learn something that we have nobody to demo right now and suggest they borrow a demo copy of the game and grab a table themselves. Try to let them know if a demo spot opens up later. This is where your knowledge of what is happening in the lab is crucial. Be aware of what's going on, and smoothly introduce people into games as the opportunities happen.
[edit] AYAW? has moved!!!
The event has gotten too big, and the fire marshal has moved us. To help make sure the event successfully relocates, we need to stop even a small game from taking root out in front of The Lab. We will put up signs, but please direct all Werewolf players to the Table Top Room in Hall E.
[edit] Stoner Fluxx Demos.
We don’t have any demo copies of Stoner Fluxx on the demo table, but there is a tournament Friday at 10pm, which will be run with Stoner Fluxx 2.0 prototype decks.
[edit] Keep the Log Book.
There's lots of info that you'll need at your fingertips, and more that you gather through the con. Make sure to have the Rabbits sign up on the Cell Phone Log sheet and the lab coat sign-out sheet. Most importantly, please take a head-count of (a) all people in the lab wearing lab coats and (b) all people in the lab total (including those in lab coats). This needs to be done once an hour and a timer and clock have been supplied for this purpose.
[edit] Help the TD.
The Tournament Director is your second in command, and is in charge of all the tournaments happening in the lab. When the TD needs a hand, please help out!
[edit] Deal with Emergencies.
A separate page has our emergency procedures listed. Please read it!
[edit] Remember that we never take cash – only tickets and generic tickets.
We also do not sell the Big Experiment Ribbon. For tickets and ribbons, send people to GAMA's Registration and Ticket sales area.
[edit] Keep the Lab looking nice.
When possible, please help the Rabbits remember to clean up after themselves. And remember to keep the Top Rabbit Table tidy too – it's one of the first things folks see when they walk in the Lab. Remember that nobody should be in the TR Box area except the TR & TD.
[edit] Most of all, have fun!
While running the lab can be a lot of responsibility, it is also a fun place to hang out – and if you're having fun, it will be more fun for everyone else. If you find yourself not having fun, getting too tired or just need a break, ask for help or look for someone who can take over for you. If you're not having fun, please let us know so we can help fix it!
THANK YOU FOR HELPING TO KEEP THE LAB RUNNING SMOOTHLY!!
We could not run the Big Experiment without you!
Looney Labs, 2008
www.looneylabs.com
