Convention Policies

In order to provide a safe and fun environment for all attendees, please follow the following rules and guidelines.

Abide by All Applicable Laws

As visitors to the Rochester Institute of Technology campus, all attendees must obey all local, state, and federal laws. Attendees are also expected to comply with RIT's rules and regulations.

Staff Authority

Attendees are expected to follow the instructions of the Tora-Con staff, its volunteers, RIT Public Safety and uniformed officers.

Refunds

There will be no refunds for any registrations, no exceptions.

Disruptive Behavior

Any behavior that disrupts the family-friendly environment of the convention will be dealt with at the discretion of the Tora-Con staff and security. Punishments may be anything from warnings to ejection from the convention. In addition, any behavior that threatens the safety of another person will result in RIT Public Safety being called and criminal charges being filed.

Alcohol and Smoking

No alcohol, cigarettes, or any other drugs are allowed at Tora-Con. RIT Public Safety will be notified for all infractions.

Age Restrictions

All children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Tora-Con staff and volunteers cannot help locate any lost children, but can direct adults to RIT Public Safety. Some panels and events may have age restrictions (over the age of 18 at the time of the convention). To gain entry to these panels and events, please have valid identification that clearly states the date of birth. You will be asked for your identification at entry to these panels and events.

Badges

To gain entry into any event or room at Tora-Con, attendees are required to have their badges worn and easily visible. A Tora-Con volunteer or staff will be checking badges at the entrance to every room. If you do not have a badge, such as losing it while at the convention, they will direct you to the location to purchase one.

Room Capacity

No additional attendees will be allowed in a room once its capacity has been reached. If an attendee needs to leave the room which has reached capacity, they may not re-enter the room. A limited number of events may be simulcast to other rooms, but this is not guaranteed.

Attendee Courtesy

There is no reserved or saved seating in any room at the convention. If your costume is larger and may block the view for other attendees, please position yourself towards the sides or back of the room. A Tora-Con staff or volunteer may direct you to a seat if the event will fill the entire room; please follow their directions. There is never any sitting in a walkway or on stairs. Please clean up and do not leave garbage at any event.

Lines

Attendees are not permitted to hold places in line. Any attendee caught trying to jump/skip places will be sent to the end of the line. Tora-Con staff and volunteers control the direction of the line in hallways.

Costume Rules

These are only a summary of the complete rules.

Your costume must be checked first at registration.
You may be stopped after picking your badge at the Cosplay Registration Table.
Any form of nudity or partial nudity is prohibited, no costume is no costume!
No exposed hard materials, including, but not limited to, metal and wood. Hard materials may only be used as a structural base for your costume.
No sharp edges or points.
No free-floating chains or trains, they must not be able to flail around.
Your costume must be able to fit through a door of standard height and width.
No part of your costume should obstruct the path of another attendee.
If your view is obstructed, please have a guide to direct you.
If you wish to take part in the Cosplay Contest, in addition to the rules above, please adhere to the Tora-Con 2011 Cosplay Contest Rules.

Weapons & Props

All props must be checked at Cosplay Registration Table even if you are not participating in any cosplay related events.

No weapons are allowed in the convention or anywhere within the RIT campus. In addition, lookalike weapons that have the possibility of injuring people (i.e. metal, wood, or hard plastic) are prohibited. Tora-Con staff and volunteers will have the final say on whether a lookalike weapon is acceptable. Items in violation of this policy will be confiscated by security and returned at the conclusion of the convention. Failure to follow Tora-Con regulations will result in the ejection from the convention.

No signs are allowed unless they are part of the costume for a character. Tora-Con staff has the final say on whether a sign is appropriate. Non-compliant signs will be confiscated by security and returned at the conclusion of the convention.

After 9pm on Saturday, ALL props must be stored away until end of Con on Saturday. This includes ones deemed safe for Tora-Con by staff at the Cosplay Registration Table. Tora-Con will not provide any space to store your prop. Tora-Con is not responsible for any costume prop confiscated by Public Safety.

Photography & Video

Tora-Con attendees must grant permission to be photographed or recorded by authorized members of the Tora-Con staff. Attendees must also grant the RIT Anime Club permission to use such images or footage for promotional purposes.

Photo and video cameras are permitted at Tora-Con. However, they may be prohibited from some events to accommodate guests' and/or participants' requirements. Additionally, all photography and video equipment is prohibited during showings. Signs will be posted of these rooms before entering the room.