Tournaments

[Diritas]

I suppose if I'm going to make a jack-arsed response I should at least follow it up by trying to add something to the conversation.

I like the idea of the brackets however I think we'll encounter some issues with it. We could set brackets using Mele's Adventurer's Guild rank system(Seasoned etc. etc.) however then we would be trying to get a bigger turnout by narrowing down the eligible participants even further. I think it's definately worth trying but I'm not certain it will work out as hoped.

Reward incentives would be good. Especially something like a glory prize to the 3rd, 2nd and 1st place competitors. If you are the champion of a highly reknowned tourney, you've earned some glory in my opinion. Ranked incentives would also give more people a chance at recieving a prize or some recognition.

Those two things combined seems to be a valid option for garnering lots more attention to these events. Using brackets to make players feel more comfortable and offering item/glory rewards to the winners would really spice up the events as well as give us the opportunity for more events.

Additionally, I think that SC or IMM assistance in these events would go a long way towards keeping them healthy. Even if it is something so simple as the "Story Event in Progress: Tournament at Swordspoint Hall" message. Giving these events a bit more of a formal or 'staff supported' feel might help them quite a bit. Even better would be a custom echo in place of the Story Event echo, something like, "Excited chatter and rumour-mongering can be heard from people discussing the tournement taking place at Swordspoint Hall." that way people can regard the message as IC and come to spectate even if they hadn't remembered it was going to be taking place at that day/time.

Just my 2 copper.

[Aldren]

I agree with most of what Diritas has stated above (although I still don't understand his insult(?), I'll enjoy my ignorance-inspired bliss while it lasts). I think that a healthy reward for people who attend doesn't necessarily need to be material (no uberswordsofdoom handed out to help peak fighters only peak higher), but in fostering group comeraderie and small rewards (glory, restrings, recolours, or the like).

I am also 100% willing to supply your requested echoes so that some additional interest might be drawn into the fold.

Top 3 Ideas Listed Above (in no particular order)
1. Expand tournaments to include low-levels, medium-levels, and high-levels of all classes and as many races as possible.
2. Tangible reward (not necessarily materialistic), even for the top 3 or 5 finishers (depending on turnout).
3. Give the people in the audience a purpose - Heralds, score-keepers, healers, bookies, etc).

[Diritas]

I agree with most of what Diritas has stated above (although I still don't understand his insult(?), I'll enjoy my ignorance-inspired bliss while it lasts).

I was inferring that I belong on that list and that my thinking so could be attributed to pride/arrogance. It's a dig at myself, not others. Sorry if I wasn't clear.

[Tamryn]

If only we had some way to decide who should be on the list... perhaps some sort of competition...

[Harroghty]

I like the idea of ability groups and maybe regional heats of competition (familiar for you more veteran players). This is something that used to happen with the grand Fighter's Tournament (and will again when I get around to dusting that off).

[Aldren]

I think it would add a lot of flavor if we'd consider hosting the Fighter's Tournament again, as well as the Mage Fair for each competing school of magic. These kinds of "Hero Tournaments" have always been some of the highest-attended events we've held, and it's been far too long since we've had one. Rangers should have their foregathering as they did in days of old, fighters should choose their myrmidon, druids should elect a druidic council, and wizards should select their High Invokers, Mages, etc.

None of these types of events should really have a poor turnout - Our numbers overall have increased and there are a *ton* of new players who, I assume, would enjoy attending these social events. I personally enjoyed them very much as a young adventurer.

[Harroghty]

Yes, and the facilities for that are third on my to-do list. Right now I am finishing up some King's Forest stuff, then reworking the newbie temple, and then next up is Abbey of the Sword (a new, neutral venue for tournaments). So it's probably six months out to be conservative.

[Hrosskell]

I really like the idea of a "fair grounds" style area that can be manipulated based on the event in question and a sort of meta-schedule that goes with it, providing monthly events that SC/Imm teams can work with. If you involve teams, rotating events, times, and attractions you can probably appeal to and reach a broader crowd--even if the same event comes once a year, character turn-over and player turn-over allow these sorts of areas to stay fresh. Examples include the WD Fair or that awesome Mount-oriented area from a while back. You could work class specific events this way as well.

As for player-run events, I honestly think that on-the-fly/word-of-mouth style events are cream of the crop; from meet and greets Ash and Cahir put together to bardic festivities put on by Arael, a few of my fondest memories here recently have been things just turned up randomly. Finding ways to support and encourage this are important, but I'm not really sure how you give people the tools for that.

[Rhangalas]

*cough* Ahem. Sorry. Something in my throat. Tastes like... pride or arrogance or something. Odd.

I had a similar problem, but it just turned out to be an amalgamation of fructose syrup and cheese, from all the Dr. Pepper and Cheese Poofs that is consumed during my grinding sessions.