Simplified overview Dragon*Con map

Dragon*Con Simplified Map - Click for larger version

One of the things that the Dragon*Con Pocket Program has always lacked is a simplified overview of the entire convention site that shows where the hotels are in relation to each other, the surrounding streets, and the connecting skywalks. When the convention was only in two or three hotels, this wasn’t really necessary, but now that Dragon*Con is officially in FIVE hotels in downtown Atlanta, it can be pretty easy to get lost or forget where you are, especially if you’re a first-timer or if you haven’t slept much. While the Pocket Program does have an overview map, it’s hard to read and unnecessarily cluttered.

Last year, while working at the information booth, I drew a rough map of the area on an index card and posted it on the front of the booth to help people orient themselves to where they were and where they were going while I gave them verbal directions. Soon, people started taking pictures of it with their phones or drawing their own copy, and the number of “how do I get to [hotel]?” questions dropped off significantly.

This year, I whipped up a somewhat neater copy of the map in Paint for anyone to print, save to a mobile device and/or share. You won’t see this in the Pocket Program this year, but you might see a version of it next year. In the meantime, I’m trying to get this posted at the information booths with a QR code that will bring up the map on your mobile device. Enjoy!