Virtual Cons In The Future? Babyfur Con #1

[FunTime]

So I "attended" the Baby Fur Con this past weekend ... all online using Zoom, various rooms and seminars ...

It was actually REALLY NEAT to see everyone on their webcams, asking questions and participating within the groups.

I think this must be the start of something good ...

 

Did anyone else attend?  What were your thoughts?

[Crinklz Kat]

Didn't attend, though I considered it.  Had to work that evening (as I have been many Saturday nights) and that conflicted with some of the good sessions. 

But, I'm not sure this is the wave of the future.   I believe part of the allure of the cons is getting to meet people in person, and being able to see friends from prior years again.  It's like that for some of my car events - it's about the only time I get to see some people the entire year. 

[Snugglebear_69]

My Daddy Wolf and I didn't attend as it lacks the in person interactions that we value so much at cons. The ability to go to the dances, hang out with friends and play games, to suit at the venue and compare notes and experiences with other suitors or to look through artists work or buy physical badges or pins. Plus you lose the impromptu dinners out which are so much fun.

Seminars are part of a con but we find the more cons we go to the fewer seminars we attend and the more we focus on in person interactions with friends and meeting new people.

Personally, I certainly hope online cons are NOT the wave of the future as there are SOOOOOOO many things that would be lost, first and foremost being real face to face, in person interactions with people who share similar interests.

[DL-Boy]

I had a brilliant idea but it would never work with the likes of Zoom or other video conference apps.

Basically an app (using something akin to a Quake engine) that has a MAP laid out like a conference hall.  Each attendee chooses an avatar that looks like their chosen character and also takes a face-shot that is placed on their avatar as individuals get within range of one another.  Now, just like navigating in an MMORPG, just walk around, check out the exhibits which could be videos, still images or apps, pass other attendees in the halls, seeing them in their visages and as each approaches you their faces appear.  If you engage someone in passing, it switches to a video chat window where you can video chat.  There would be audio of whatever you're getting near, coming through the speakers.  There could be conferences where everyone watches live presentations.  It would be so cool.

[Little BabyDoll Christine]

While this may have its good points, like ease of "attending", It lacks certain things. How do you look at and buy souvenirs, which tend to be on the touchy-feely side (material, fit & finish; often hadmade, sometimes OOAK or/and custom)? A virtual "dealers' room" (a stple of cons for 50+ years, does not cut it.  How do you go out for a pizza? I am sure some lady would love to feel my babydoll or blouse and skirt. This is not planned and put together like a con, with  a "texture and sense of craft

On the other hand, it is something that could be done at more frequent intervals, which is a plus. Those have been around for over a decade. They eventually break down as persons drop out as happened to the GirlTalk. To regular chat sessions a decade ago: Easy come; easy go

One thing the pantdemic did was reaveal the shortcomings and limitations of the "telecommuting" mania that we have been hearing about for the lest decade or so as the wave of the future. Like everything the Intelligentsia comes up with that is top-down, it kind of flubs. Something about "there are more things in Heaven and Earth than are dreamed of in all your...". The better sorts of things evolve bottom-up, like LMMS, and Audacity, or are made in a "shell" that persons then add their own things to or request be added in large enough numbers to make it worthwhile, like DD

[Little BabyDoll Christine]

3 hours ago, DL-Boy said:

I had a brilliant idea but it would never work with the likes of Zoom or other video conference apps.

Basically an app (using something akin to a Quake engine) that has a MAP laid out like a conference hall.  Each attendee chooses an avatar that looks like their chosen character and also takes a face-shot that is placed on their avatar as individuals get within range of one another.  Now, just like navigating in an MMORPG, just walk around, check out the exhibits which could be videos, still images or apps, pass other attendees in the halls, seeing them in their visages and as each approaches you their faces appear.  If you engage someone in passing, it switches to a video chat window where you can video chat.  There would be audio of whatever you're getting near, coming through the speakers.  There could be conferences where everyone watches live presentations.  It would be so cool.

5 gets you 10 this already exists, but the hardware alone would probably be custom made and cost $10,000 or more and the software at least $1,000 or be custom written for the business entity using it. I have spoken with someone who was part of a music performing duo in 2,006 and the rig cost over $50,000. But every aspect of it could be custom adjusted to sound abolutely spot on live and custome adjustable for performance. Do not forget, anything that is broadcast is compressed and would have to be re-expanded by the reciever. This would be at least T1, which is Enterprise grade (which is why, when you are talking to a call center in East Kupkake, your tech's accent seems so thick you can just about make out what he or she is saying. Nothing like talking to someone named "Alan" with a thick Cantonese accent. Your little DSL or Cable, let along phone, connection doesn't have the bandwidth and your sound card probably could not support it). In short, even if you could afford it and were willing to pay the price, to what end?

[Ferix]

I have been to furry cons and I have been to CapCon twice, so I went in to this virtual con pretty skeptical about the whole experience. I was way wrong.

I think this con was fantastic and those who are discrediting it without going do not know what the experience was like.

It was super neat, many of the participants were in their "little space", wearing their gear and having the room they were video streaming from setup with all their little stuff. Zoom worked really well and the way it was able to swap automatically between the people who were talking made it fell like I was sitting at a round table hanging out and chatting with those people.

Friday night was happy hour! There was drinking, talking, socializing, and just hanging out in diapers with a bunch of other people in diapers sharing the same head space. It was great.

Saturday was the big day with lots going on. There were several panels about all sorts of things related to the ABDL, age player, and cub/furry community. There were lots of artists streaming their artwork while having causal conversations with the people watching.

I hosted a panel myself, which went super awesome. One thing I was able to do, which I could not do at a real con, was setup cameras at my craft table and my sewing machine; For my panel I talked about cloth diapers and everything you needed to know about them, then the second half I demonstrated how to make a cloth diaper and I was able to sew it together while everyone watched! Viewers were able to raise their virtual hand and I could answer their questions. I'd select them, and they would have the option to type their question or to un-mute and they could ask from their camera. It was super cool!

This was a virtual con and is different than a real con. Don't go in expecting to get the same things out of a virtual con as you would a real con. That being said though, the con provided a space I didn't realize the community needed. It was a great space to share our secret side with each other and be ourselves, in the comfort of our own homes. It also allowed those who could not attend regular cons to join, such as those who do not have the funds, they live too far away, or they are too shy to be there in person. This con has the potential to reach more people in our community than any other con could.

At the end of the con, everyone had nothing but positive things to say during closing ceremonies. There were even people joking, saying we'll be doing this every weekend. It was so popular that day that it was decided to have the con an additional day so they setup the con to run Sunday as well from noon to 6 to just hang out and chill.

As far as merchandise goes... really? The con was setup to support the community, not to shill out gear. I'm sure in the future, if virtual cons continue to grow, there will be a dealer's den of sorts. But it's not a physical con so it shouldn't be expected to act like a physical con.

There is some exciting talk about combining a future physical con with a virtual aspect, so that the con can reach those who aren't able to attend in person. I think that would be a fantastic idea.

It was truly a good wholesome time that I think that y'all need to try out. It was only $20 to attend and I totally got my money's worth out of it.