We've started up the Skype Group for the ESA15 Tech Crew. 

We'd like as many volunteers as possible to actively be a part of the discussion and be involved in thoroughly creating the best work flow for a successful event. With a little bit over 2 months until the first game kicks off the stream, there's plenty of time for adjustments.

For starters we are planning to setup the stream on an alt-account on the 26th/27th to allow everyone a valuable hands-on time with all the equipment. We're aiming to use the exact same equipment on both streams. 

Feel free to ask questions. And just drop a PM / message for an invite to the Skype Group!

http://i.imgur.com/TWjNVY6.png
*ESA 2015 will be open from the afternoon of June 26th until noon July 7th 2015. Click [here](http://www.speedrun.com/esa2015/thread/t8x4w) to visit the master thread!*

The finances, purchases and economy are mainly handled by Edenal. With the support from ontwoplanks, Grukk, oasiz and AMVX for anything tech related, support from Tdawg with bracelets and support from Crippe and Niss3 for venue and on site purchases.  

We’re currently keeping up with our budget and the future looks bright. This thread will periodically be update with new statements.

Update log:
2015-04-27: First post
2015-05-04: ESA PayPal Account / ESA Bank are updated

**[centre][big]Links and resources[/big]**
Consolidated spreadsheet with purchases [here](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QlPRQOSkFeNU1AfYuIFRajTqVKbyRM0zL66SRCg-Ku0/pubhtml?gid=215850501&single=true)
Edenal’s private PayPal account [here](http://s000.tinyupload.com/?file_id=31658772404147958847)
ESA’s PayPal account [here](http://s000.tinyupload.com/?file_id=40209279185764058591)
ESA’s Bank account [here](http://s000.tinyupload.com/?file_id=00236951410217009806)

Uploads from post ESA
http://www.filedropper.com/esa2015paypalaccount150813[/centre]

**What’s those files and link?**
Just above you will find bank and PayPal statements. 

**Why are there private accounts mixed in again?**
Long story short. The ESA accounts does not have any funds. 

If we would begin the purchasing process in mid May when ESA starts receiving money from the attendance fees, we would not have any buffer in case something goes wrong. The majority of purchases we make have shipping times close to a month.

This is why full PayPal statements are available. From mid May, we will start the transition to the official accounts.

**Why are you spending money on this (insert item here)? That purchase seems stupid/unnecessary! **
There’s a legit reason for every purchase. Feel free to ask specific questions and we will answer them.

http://i.imgur.com/TWjNVY6.png
*ESA 2015 will be open from the afternoon of June 26th until noon July 7th 2015. Click [here](http://www.speedrun.com/esa2015/thread/t8x4w) to visit the master thread!*

This thread aims to answer any questions about the attendance fees and payment for attending ESA 2015. All information necessary should be included in this thread in order for you to complete the payments. Please take your time to read the instructions.

**General Information** 
PayPal and Bank statements will be uploaded weekly. You can find more information [here](http://www.speedrun.com/esa2015/thread/a0c2n)

We strongly prefer if you use PayPal.

[center][big][List of completed payments](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15ou3_7x6nUrRxdD6FIRFNL5KTadZvm6sguj5Qbs8dx4/pubhtml)
Latest update: June 16th - 19:30[/center][/big]


**Payment guidelines and rules** 
Payments in Swedish Krona (SEK) only.
If you pay by Paypal, send to money as gift and pay for any currency conversions.
If you pay by Bank Transfer, you need to pay any potential fees. 
Make sure to include your nickname in the transaction details!

**Important dates**
Deadline for discounted payment: 31st May
Deadline for runner deposit: 31st May
Deadline for runner payment: 14th June

**Pricing**
Standard entrance fee: 570 SEK.
Standard 2-day pass: 285 SEK.
Discounted entrance fee: 340 SEK.
Discounted 2-day pass: 190 SEK.
Deposit: 50 SEK (If you choose not to pay the full amount right away)

Exchange rate based upon [XE](http://gyazo.com/9ced291d14eee7423d10a436bc140c1c) on May 3rd. Even if the rates change from now on. The price in SEK won’t change. To make it easier, we’ve calculated with a SEK to € rate of 9.5, and rounded up/down to closest 5/10. 
For example, €36 ¤ 9.5 = 342 SEK.

Those who signed up early are eligible for the discounted attendance fee, provided their payment is completed before the deadline. If this deadline is missed, you are no longer eligible for the discounted rate. The signed-up sheet  [here](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jN_4K4YzGO_EukcSk8NKLrwqakF-DNWHvZDLCUK--N8/edit?usp=sharing), will tell you if you are eligible for the discounted price.

**Accounts:**
PayPal account: 
paypal@europeanspeedsterassembly.com

Bank account:
Account number: 3045 02 22314
Bank: Nordea
IBAN: SE6730000000030450222314
BIC (Swift-adderss): NDEASESS

Account owner: Fredrik Lidholt
Address: Sjöbågen 4A, 352 57 Växjö, Sweden

**What's the deposit?**
A partial payment for runners, which is later deducted form attendance fee. All runners who submitted games agreed to it on the submission form. Your deposit is part of the standard attendance fee, so you do not need to pay it on top of the entry fee but we will require it by deadline.. The deposit is non-refundable. You can pay the deposit first and the full attendance fee later if you wish.

**Why are you only accepting payments in SEK?** 
There are three reasons for this decision.
First, it makes it easier for us to ensure that everyone pays the same amount. 
Second, the majority of the bills and expenses for the event are in SEK. 
Third, currencies are fluid and can fluctuate over time. For example, over the course of one month the value of the Euro could decrease in relation to the Swedish Krona, effectively making transactions made in that currency worth substantially less, causing issues with the budget.  

**Is there a final deadline for payment if I want to attend ESA?** 
No. 
However, runners and attendees who are paying the discounted price will need to pay before the set deadlines listed above under “Important Dates”.

**Is my payment refundable?**
Yes, and No. Deposits are not refundable. 
Payments for the event are partially refundable (50%)  if we are notified with one week of the start of the event, or fully refundable in cases of new medical conditions, illness in the family or under special circumstances like flights being canceled due to the airliner declaring bankruptcy. If you have such a problem, please contact us personally.

**What is the runner deposit deadline?**
This is the first deadline to confirm the commitment of the runners. We’ve had issues with runners not showing up and neglecting to tell us that they are not planning to attend. This early deadline gives us a chance to identify potential issues with the schedule. This deadline also coincides with the discounted deadline where we assume the majority of the runner have signed up for. If you have not paid the €5 deposit before the runner deadline, you run will be cut immediately.

**What is the runner payment deadline?**
The runner deadline for payments is there as a final check of commitment from the runner. We’ve had issues with runners not showing up and neglecting to tell us that they are not planning to attend. This early deadline will give us a few extra days to sort out last minute schedule changes. Runners who have not paid full price by this deadline will have their runs cut excluding exceptional circumstances worked out with us prior.

**What’s up with private names for the bank and Paypal accounts?**
ESA is not registered as an organisation. So there needs to be someone legally responsible for the accounts. For more information about the state of the accounts, read this [post](http://www.speedrun.com/esa2015/thread/a0c2n)
  
**Further questions?**
Email to: questions@europeanspeedsterassembly.com
Tweet our twitter account: @esamarathon
Or post in this thread.

http://i.imgur.com/TWjNVY6.png
*ESA 2015 will be open from the afternoon of June 26th until noon July 7th 2015. Click [here](http://www.speedrun.com/esa2015/thread/t8x4w) to visit the master thread!*

This thread aims to answer any questions about the cost of attending ESA 2015, what the money will be spent on and perhaps even more importantly the reasoning behind the statements. Last years attendance price model where we adjusted the fee based on the amount of attendees worked well for us and we will continue on that path. 

**General Information** 
The European Speedster Assembly is a community event that is organised and run by volunteers - this involves dozens of people with a range of expertise, hundreds of hours of planning, and a significant financial backing. The finances involved are raised through attendance - by staying independent we are able to develop ESA in a way that is most beneficial for our community and the attendees. The crew volunteer their time freely in order to ensure that the event reaches it's full potential - something truly special, as opposed to an uninspiring basement gathering.
 
We believe that being transparent with the finances is the best approach so that the community and attendees can understand the costs involved. There is a risk to this, but we feel that our attendees deserve to know where their money is going - especially as you are the ones funding this, without your contributions, ESA would not be possible.
 
To give the best possible price, the fees for the event will change based on the number of attendees - the more people, the cheaper for everyone. We aim to make a high quality event that is great value for money, the final cost for those paying in advance of the deadline will be announced on the 3rd of May when the payment thread goes live.
 
Please note that the decisions regarding budget and pricing are essentially set in stone. We have tried to hit a middle ground between getting the money to make a great event and to make the event very affordable. We are not saying that we will not change things if we get significant negative feedback, but generally these things are not for open discussion at this time.

**Important dates**
Deadline for discounted sign-ups: 30th April
Posting of Payment Thread (with price): 3rd May
Deadline for payment: 31st May (one month before the event)
 
**Pricing**
The initial entrance fee is €60 for the entire duration of ESA.
Alternatively a 2-day pass is initially priced at €30, which can later be upgraded to a full-time pass. However, the pricing for the 2-day pass will only scale down to 20€. 
 
Attendees that pay in advance of the deadlines will benefit from a scaling price that is dependent on the total number of attendees. The initial target for the scaling to start is 150 attendees - we are expecting to exceed this considerably, so the price you pay is very likely to be less than the initial €60.
 
The entrance fee will be recalculated with every additional 25 attendees over 150.
For example (approximate costs):
150 attendees would pay €60 each.
200 attendees would pay €45 each.
300 attendees would pay €30 each.
 
However, after the deadline for payment has passed, the price for attending will be set at a flat €60. This is a process used by a number of similar events (Dreamhack, etc.) - whilst we aim to offer the discounted price, the costs and time involved in refunding payments is considerable. We hope to deliver an event which is well worth the €60 so please still consider attending if the deadline has passed - the extra money will be put aside for ESA2016, so you will also be playing a part in making future events a success.

**Budget**
This year we're having a handful of new expenses to cover. The rent for the House of Culture which is 1650€, internet connection for the House of Culture which is estimated at 150€, one year of equipment storage which is 1700€, an estimated transportation and logistics cost of 1000€ and finally a budget for equipment set at ~4500€.

We will continue to do our best to provide some form of breakfast or light meal depending on the kitchen situation. Included in the price is also a fabric bracelet. We will also try to provide something similar to the pinball machines that were featured at AGDQ2015.

The proposed list of equipment can be found [here](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/180wWuGCbLJPrq_TUs9o4R1egDDC_dV3asBOLbFHuf2Q/pubhtml).
Every piece on the list has been carefully considered. Investing in proper flight cases will ease the loading/unloading and allow the possibility to properly store and transport the equipment for the future. Hundred of hours have been put into research to build racks similar to what you might have seen at AGDQ2015, which will decrease the setup time and reduce cable jungle to a completely new level. We think of it as approaching Utopia. Like previous years we will continue to take advantage of the generosity of the attendees who are willing to offer their own equipment for us to be able to keep the purchases to a minimum. 
We're striving to capture consoles at the highest possible quality. In the future we would love to be able to provide all the consoles ourselves, but this goal is not feasible for ESA2015. However we intend to provide AV cables for all consoles, which is a big step towards providing everything.
If you have equipment to volunteer, please contact oasiz or Grukk directly.

**Accounts and transparency**
We believe that since it's you, the attendees that are contributing to making ESA happen, you deserve to know how we spend the money. We have one PayPal account and one Swedish bank account at our disposal. The bank account is completely necessary to be able to acquire a VISA card which can be associated with the PayPal account as well as making purchases locally without having to resort to shuffle money between accounts.

Statements from these accounts may be requested at any time, but do so with respect. We are aiming to upload them bi-weekly/monthly to an online repository. To request a statement, send an email to: questions@europeanspeedsterassembly.com.
  
**Questions?**
Email to: questions@europeanspeedsterassembly.com
Tweet our twitter account: @esamarathon
Or post in this thread.

http://i.imgur.com/TWjNVY6.png
*ESA 2015 will be open from the afternoon of June 26th until noon July 7th 2015. Click [here](http://www.speedrun.com/esa2015/thread/t8x4w) to visit the master thread!*

This thread aims to answer any questions about the signups of ESA 2015. Last years attendance price model where we adjusted the fee based on the amount of attendees worked well for us and we will be using it again this year. Further information about pricing can be found [here](http://www.speedrun.com/esa2015/thread/o8kwn).

[center][big][Sign up here!](http://www.speedrun.com/esa2015/signup)[/center][/big]

**Important dates**
Deadline for discounted sign-ups: 30th April
Posting of Payment Thread (with price): 3rd May
Deadline for payment: 31st May (one month before the event)

**Why sign up?**
Signing up not only helps us gauge the amount of attendees coming to ESA - which in turn, will help us with our organising and will provide a better point for you - but it also will allow you to be elligible for the early discount!

**What's the discounted price?**
In order to keep the price for ESA as low as possible, we are using a scaling price model for attendees who sign up and pay before a set deadline. Exact details can be found in the "Pricing & Budget thread" [here](http://www.speedrun.com/esa2015/thread/o8kwn).

**Can I still attend ÈSA 2015 if I don't sign up?**
Yes, of course. However you will not be eligible for the early attendee discount. The standard prices are 60€ for the full event, 30€ for a 2-day pass. And the 2-day pass can of course be upgraded on site if you so choose.
 
**Why do you need my email and phone number?**
Email will be used for mailing list, which will be used very sparingly. Sending out a handful of reminders before the event - this means we can guarantee that our attendees have received key information.
Your phone number will be used for emergencies when we really need to contact you such as you missing your run or more serious problems. 
We will keep your personal information strictly private. 

**I'm not 100% certain that I can attend ESA 2015. Should I sign up anyway?**
Yes. Sign ups are not binding. We except a certain amount of late drop outs, from both runners and attendees. Unforeseen events are a part of life. 

**Help! I missed the deadline. Can I still get the discounted price?**
No. Your split's red. This is a marathon, there are no resets. 
 
**Questions?**
Email to: questions@europeanspeedsterassembly.com
Tweet our twitter account: @esamarathon
Or post in this thread!

http://i.imgur.com/TWjNVY6.png
*ESA 2015 will be open from the afternoon of June 26th until noon July 7th 2015. Click [here](http://www.speedrun.com/esa2015/thread/t8x4w) to visit the master thread!*

This thread aims to answer any questions about the mass housing, including fees and payment. All information necessary should be included in this thread in order for you to complete the payments. Please take your time to read the instructions.

**General Information** 
Mass housing payments will be merged with the attendance payment document. The deadlines for mass housing are not negotiable. If you fail to pay to meet the deadline, that’s on you and you will have to pay the full price.

Confirmation from the municipality is not yet 100%. However, we have a verbal agreement confirmed with to municipality officials. If that would still go south, there’s a plan B. (And it’s not camping…)

Attendees staying in at the mass housing will receive a special blue bracelet. Only the ones with the blue bracelet will be allowed in. 

We only accept PayPal for the mass housing and and air mattresses.

[center][big][List of completed payments](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15ou3_7x6nUrRxdD6FIRFNL5KTadZvm6sguj5Qbs8dx4/pubhtml)
Latest update: June 16th - 19:30[/center][/big]

**Payment guidelines and rules** 
Payments in Swedish Krona (SEK) only.
If you pay by Paypal, send to money as gift and pay for any currency conversions.
Make sure to include your nickname and what it’s for in the transaction details!

**Important dates**
Deadline for discounted mass housing payment: 21st June
Deadline for air mattresses: 21st June

**Pricing**
Discounted mass housing fee: 200 SEK.
Standard mass housing fee: 350 SEK.
Air mattress: 150 SEK

**Accounts:**
PayPal account: 
paypal@europeanspeedsterassembly.com

**What is mass housing?**
A much cheaper alternative to stay at a hotel. You will bunk in a gym hall. Where you can store your bags, shower and sleep.

**Where is the mass housing?** 
The venue for mass housing is the Kavelbro Gymnasium. It’s located about 500 meters south of the House of Culture, just past Nyeport and the Hotel.

**When does mass housing open?** 
Mass housing at Kavelbro opens the 28th. Until then, you are free to stay at the House of Culture. We've made arrangements to use one of the big rooms as sleeping hall for the 26th and 27th. 
This is due to the soccer tournament occupying the Kavelbro gym hall until then.

**When does mass housing close?** 
Mass housing at Kavelbro closes on July 8th at noon. 

**Why has this post taken so long to post?**
The mass housing are out of our hands. We are at the mercy of the municipality of Skövde and they have not been as helpful as we would have wanted. We are simply not a priority for them, and as time passed we went into period around their graduation (which was last Friday). 
We've spoken with them every week since April and they have not been able to fully confirm or provide us with the contract we needed. 

We're tried. It's taken a long time and we apologize for the delay.

**What about the days when the hotels are fully booked?**
We've decided to allow all attendees to use the mass housing for those days. We did not anticipate that the hotel would fill up, and opening up the mass housing those days seems like a good solution. 

**Is the mass housing unisex?** 
Yes.
Bathrooms, dressing rooms and showers are separated. The sleeping area is not.
If there are enough females requesting a private area please contact us. And we will do what’s within our power to help you.

**Can I pay on site for mass housing?**
Yes. 
There are no final deadline for mass housing. But we do not accept cash payments. You must either be able to transfer the money with PayPal. Or do a wire transfer in front of one of the staff members.

**Will you arrange for air mattresses this year too?**
Yes.
Niss3 has kindly offered to handle a joint purchase. You will need to sign up here and Niss3 will make sure they are ready for you to collect at the venue.
The price per air mattress is 150 SEK. Slightly higher than the actual cost, but does also includes electrical pumps.

**Payment for air mattresses?**
Payments for air mattresses are PayPal only and need to be complete latest on June 21st. No exceptions. 

**What about the air mattresses from previous years?**
While there are plenty of air mattresses left from the past two years. We have no clue how many or in what condition they are in. We will keep them as spares.  

**Why PayPal only?**
Wire transfers have been an issue and are stealing time we don't have.
The error-rate of wire transfers are close to 1/3 or ~33%. Which means the transfers requires special manual treatment. Might not seem like a big deal, but 15 minutes here and there quickly adds up to hours and even days wasted.
  
**Further questions?**
Email to: questions@europeanspeedsterassembly.com
Tweet our twitter account: @esamarathon
Or post in this thread.