Event and Trade: February 16, 2024
2/16 TGA EAT
Nicole J. is acting Secretary today In attendance: David, Mike, Chris, Stephanie, Ross, and Nicole
***Denotes committments
Welcome, Introductions, and Announcements (5 minutes) Old Business (45 minutes)
Japan Trip:
- General update from Stephanie:
* April 24th meeting w/ US Embassy. 1 hour meeting is booked. Briefing for us. * Working on another Japanese org meeting. TBD.
- Gold Key Service
* Will be discussed on the 11:30 meeting * The Gold Key serivce is the trade arm of the group to set up business specific meetings before Game Market. * Submissions are good from everyone except below: * Poke Thing 12 -Nicole*** * Poke Flatout -Ross***
- Update on companies attending (Stephanie & Nicole)
* GTS distribution: Patrick is not going. Trying to figure out who can go? Ross to ping Patrick*** * Haven’t fully withdrawn. Need to find a representative!
- Step Grants and EVP update
* Deernicorn was approved for a Step Grant * Thing 12 was approved for a Step Grant. Can Nicole use some for flight? TBD.
- Japan Consul General Meeting on Japanese Protocol
* March 14th in Tacoma for all individuals and companies attending TGM. Stephanie to send out invite to all.***
- Visas/Cert of Eligibility/PoS Update (Mike & Stephanie)
* Arclight will sponsor our visas. * Mike will start filling out the form. Look to finalize on Tuesday. * Japananime games is not getting visas and selling through another means. Mike recommends that we stick with visas. If we wanted to pursue not visas, there may be another way.
- Update from workgroup (Mike)
* Marketing stuff was taken care of. * Transition into the doing: * Ross doing shipping. He’s figuring out the dates and organize the Arclight. * 30 days sea * 1 week for air * Or in luggage with person * Booth images next * Familiar requests to setting up a booth. Discussion of all these tasks should move to the work group and avoid using too much of EAT committee meeting for these tasks. * Instruction translations in progress. Don’t need to ship them with the games to the show. Details on instructions will move to the work group.
- Capturing SOPs on Wiki (followup from 1/19 meeting. Nicole)
* Nicole confirmed commitment***
- Japanese trip misc: Communication
* Nicole confirmed to take on communication for the before, during, and after the Game Market. Will communicated and connect with SoS. Social media page TBD.***
Other Trade Missions: Essen Trade Mission Recruiting Process (Ross)
- We have goals on DEI. Recommend going through the process where TGA finds members and the Membership committee to review members. Would rather not have SoS solicit companies or people.
- Need to have a form and improve process details. Process is putting a call out, have a form on the TGA website, and have 2-3 weeks to review recommendations.
- April deadline to confirm booth. End of March to have companies confirmed.
* Coyote and Crow * Thing 12 * Lone Shark and Green Ronin maybe. Fill out roster if needed
- Official Policy Recommendation: Ross proposes a policy for trade missions that SoS ask for recommendations and TGA delivers them. Nicole to capture in SOP.***
- Want to avoid being an echo chamber. Bring on diverse groups, companies, etc.
- Expand our reach of recruitment for these trade shows.
- Second work around Essen around this trade mission: make sure to advertise the STEP grant. That’s available to all.
New Business (15 minutes)
Tacoma Lunch and Learn (Ross) - Feb 23rd.
- Carlos who has been working with TGA. He’s invited TGA to table at this event. Commerce meeting. Tacoma business meeting. Free lunch.
- Note that there are business opportunities. A solid community foundation here.
- Flyer is in chat.
- Ross is attending. Will post in chat and share to get more people to table
- “The city that loves you back”
ECCC is coming up. If there are materials for TGA, we can distribute and solicit. - Mike is going, Nicole is going - Ross can share materials used for the Lunch and Learn*** - SoS is there to register to vote - Will create and share materials to hand out.
Mix Boarding House Town Hall + PlaytestNW - Roll PlaytestNW into the TGA? - March 13th 6pm
3/25 Game Day (11:30-1) in Bellevue (Stephanie) at Bellevue college in the Archives room - Legislators going on a tour to east side - Ask independent companies to meet - 10 legislatures. Captive audience. Informal meeting like the consul meetings. - 6-8 people to attend. - Large group to get more people to attend, 4 more people - Nicole to write something to Andy for communication group.***
Open Discussion to other events. - Do something at Gen Con. Ross suggests a model of shared resources like the indie RPG group does.
- Gen Con could be good recruiting opportunity for a casual, small party/social event. - Stephanie mentioned STEP grant possibility for Gen Con for international business. Stephanie will need to ask Nicole in Commerce. International exhibitors at Gen Con estimated 10-15% - Could have companies that already regularly attend Gen Con could have TGA promoted standee, pins, buttons, etc to promote the org.
- PAXWest
- Could we organize another event related to how SoS did a campaign event like last PAXWest event he did.
- Organize a TGA presentation in how we are organizing, how we work with the org, and share the knowledge. Inspire other states and organizers to do the same.
- We could develop a process to attend/create events or table/promote TGA for 2024 even if we don’t end up going. - Carry agenda item about PAX West and getting info on Washington companies in attendance. - Start for 2025 long term goal for next year for larger presence at shows like Gen Con.
- Would like membership wise that we’ve like to grow as an org. Set goals like this body getting opportunities to WA companies to as many events as possible. Have a strong local community like Seattle Indies or PlaytestNW. - Think about socializing meetings to bring in members. - Ross shared funding timeline.
- Bank account and PayPal opened. - Draft of membership dues. - Target to sign up in March. By April be an official member to be in the slack. - Need to quantify and share the value that being part of the TGA has for companies.
Commitments Review (5 minutes)
New Commitments Review
Set Next Date (5 minutes)
- Calendar says March 1
Meeting adjourned!