Having read the AAR, I had a thought. It may be a terrible one, but who knows.
You said, "What Origins needs to bring back are the collection of successful-but-not-all-consuming companies that used to populate a whole lot of smaller spaces (10×20 or so) rather than the giant 40×60 islands under ceiling-hung satellite-dish-sized signs. What Origins needed to fill out the vendor hall were any/all of7 Ares, Green Ronin, Modiphius, Red Raven, Gale Force 9, Eagle-Gryphon, Battlefront Minis, Atlas Games and their support for Steve Jackson Games, Columbia, Privateer Press (or whoever bought them), Multi-Man Publishing, Gamelyn Games, Daily Magic, Yarro Studios, Blue Panther (and everyone they represent), 1First Games, Tabletop Tycoon and their different imprints, Dark City Games, Loke Battlemats, Wehrlegig (though Drew & Cole were there supporting Leder Games), Left Justified Studios, Kobold Press, Renegade Game Studios, Fort Circle (in a booth, not just with us), Phalanx Games, Devir, and R Talsorian, and most of those companies were either (1) at Origins within the last 5 years, and/or (2) present at GAMA Expo within the last 2 years."
I would love to see more publishers show up. But I don't think those publishers can afford it, which is another point you made in the AAR.
So, instead of having them look into getting their own little area in the vendor hall, would it be possible to have them join together to get a larger war gaming focused booth? And instead of being a larger booth in the vendor hall, could that larger area be with ACD?
I know vendors used to setup in the gaming hall that we are in. I distinctly recall visiting Ares booth once right around where we were setup this year. Do they still let vendors in? If so, would it be more cost effective--and better exposure for both war gaming and the war gaming publishers--if ACD doubled its space and dedicated the new area to publishers who could run events/demos and sell their products? Recognizing that the companies you mentioned above are, obviously, in competition for each other. But ACD hosted a number of talks about where those companies were going in the future (sadly, not in time slots that fit my schedule), could that be expanded from talks to a table or two? We're a niche corner of a niche hobby, the more light we shine--and ACD has turned itself into one of the brighter lights--in the corner, the more it grows the hobby, which helps us as gamers and all the companies you named above as publishers. Rising tides raise all ships and such.
Finally, you mentioned getting bigger and better signage. My local library has a maker space where you can do vinyl prints for next to cost (it might even be cost). I'm happy to get more info on that if your local library's don't have that option.
