Greetings. This is the Dark Lily Girls’ Academy circle. We are a group of individuals who love lovely girls, weaving various stories set in a dark academy.

The “Dark Lily Girls’ Academy” Circle
This circle is formed by people who love lovely girls. We create games, manga, novels, and other works set in a dark academy, weaving various stories. Currently, we are conducting a mysterious mock entrance exam at events.

On November 3, 2024, we made our first exhibition appearance at the Digital Game Expo 2024 held in Tokyo. For the test play display, we prepared mock exams lasting 1 to 3 minutes.

This was our first exhibition as a circle, so we prepared with a sense of tension. Fortunately, since we could set up the day before, we participated in the prior day’s setup to avoid a last-minute panic on the exhibition day. However, on the day itself, rain hit due to a typhoon. Perhaps because of the rain, it seemed there were fewer circles that came for the pre-setup.

Our booth setup took about 1.5 hours with just the two of us! We transported our setup materials using two suitcases and a larger bag and stored everything under the table, but we did not have space for boxes or stock for distributed materials. I plan to think more about where to store our belongings for future events as a lesson learned…..

Thanks to finishing the setup the day before, we were able to prepare comfortably on the morning of the event! Once the event started, time flew by, and many more people than we had anticipated took the mock exam. Some even asked us, “What are we being tested on?” which was a great reaction for our mysterious mock exam. Honestly, it made me very happy.

However, there were many points for reflection and improvement.

Guiding Those Who Want to Take the Exam

Initially, we had hidden the headphones and controllers under a cloth under the monitor, but many visitors asked, “Is this a game?” realizing it was hard to recognize as a game. After rearranging the display to place the headphones and controllers in a visible location, it became smoother to guide people to try the game, so I think it would be good to keep this layout in mind going forward. It might be more effective than just having a sign saying “Try it out!”

Securing Eye Level and Space Configuration

Because we raised the height of our booth racks too much, we couldn’t make eye contact with customers and ended up handing out pamphlets from above, which was quite inconvenient. We need to be conscious about not being too far back from the booth. Considering the depth and height of the table, I plan to improve the setup for future events to allow for more visibility while making it easier for people to try the game.

POP for Game Duration

Since we didn’t display a notice about the duration of the mock exam in advance, we quickly made a handwritten sign at the Digital Game Expo. For the next time, I will prepare signs indicating the duration.

Establishing a Place for Storage

It was inconvenient that there was no place for visitors to put their flyers or materials, so I thought a basket for storage would be helpful. Additionally, since we mostly stood and didn’t utilize the chairs, I’m also thinking of effective ways to use them in the future.

Conclusion

Digital Game Expo 2024 was a valuable opportunity for many people to enjoy the mock exam despite being our first exhibition as “Dark Lily Girls’ Academy.” The feedback was substantial, we identified challenges, and we will prepare to ensure smoother testing at future events. We hope to utilize the learning from our interactions with all of you, so please look forward to our next exhibition…!

We hope to see you next at COMITIA 150 on November 17!

Until then, may the pure flowers be blessed💐

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