Tuesday, September 14, 2010

NOVA Open 40k Next Year, Schedule Development

At next year's Open we have numerous tracks of gaming to go through ... in 40k alone here's what the schedule is starting to shape up as ...

We'll be doing Weekend Badges for somewhere in the region of $25-30, and then charging small fees for each event (basically, the way Adepticon functions). Fees will vary based upon what it costs us to run them / the prize return. In order to participate in a single major tournament over the weekend (i.e. the NOVA Open GT) and secure your weekend badge, the prices should remain somewhere in the $50-65 range net for the weekend badge / swag bag / free events / open gaming / social hours / GT. So no worries about paying the same as you did this year to get actually more. We'll probably have "bulk" purchases that'll discount you if you want to buy a "track." I.E. the Hardcore Gaming Track would get you a competitive tournament experience on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, along with either NOVAcalypse or a night fighting event (we're at least talking about having smaller nightlong mini tourneys for those people who really want to bleed their eyes out wargaming all weekend).

One of our goals here is to provide a ton of things to do for those who just want a few games, but also to provide a really hardcore gaming experience for others ... if you were to participate in the Whiskey Challenge on Thursday night, the Invitational on Friday, the Open on Saturday and Invitational/Open on Sunday, and NOVAcalypse Friday and Saturday nights, you'd play 15 games of 40k.

Thursday PM
- Whiskey Challenge matches, social hours and open gaming

Friday AM-PM
- Warhammer 40k NOVA Invitational Championship Day 1, $1,000+ cash prizes for Renaissance Man and Tournament Champion of this event, which will be qualified for at major events across the continent, including Adepticon, Wargamescon, Mechanicon, etc.; 4 Rounds
- Warhammer 40k Team Narrative Tournament Day 1 (optional participation in Days 1, 2, or both), 3 Rounds

Friday PM
- NOVAcalypse Round 1

Saturday AM-PM
- Warhammer 40k NOVA Open GT Day 1 (128-256 slots, still being determined), 4 Rounds
- Warhammer 40k Team Narrative Tournament Day 2 (optional participation in Days 1, 2, or both), 3 Rounds

Saturday PM
- NOVAcalypse Round 2

Sunday AM-EarlyPM
- Warhammer 40k NOVA Open GT Day 2 (128-256 slots, still being determined), 3 Rounds
- Warhammer 40k NOVA Invitational Championship Day 2 (32 slots total), 1 Round

So there's a lot of 40k, but there's narrative track 40k on all days and hardcore track 40k on all days; with the way we calibrate the Renaissance Man and Tournament Champion awards, there's a hobby-emphasized track and a hardcore-emphasized track also within each tournament - the Open and the Invitational.

Anywho, one thing I'd ask - if you browse this blog, and are planning on attending the Open Convention next year (probable late August), please actually post and let us know. The number of slots we plan for the 40k event will hinge heavily on our ability to predict attendance. I *know* we're going to sell out 128 after this year's success; whether we move to 256 is the big question, as well as whether we'll sell a ton or only a few of the narrative team tournament slots.

11 comments:

  1. I will be attending, definitely the open, maybe something else.

    I still think the cash prize is an incredibly bad idea. Awesome, great big prize is great, cash is a now.

    Dave

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  2. I am planning on making it - or so that is the hope right now :)

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  3. While I didn't go this year, I'm hoping that The Open GT remains the main focus of the weekend. I think having events on Sunday for those not in the "undefeated" bracket is excellent. Free Booze is even better.

    Just be careful about spreading yourself too thin since everyone raved how detailed and thought-out this past NOVA Open was.

    If including additional events to attract those not interested in The Open GT gets one of them to give it a shot the next year, then it was worth it. It helps breakdown the stigma that competitive games can't be fun and that soft-scores are needed.

    I'm of the opinion that a Cash Money prize is a bad idea. Who knows what lengths people will go to in order to win a grand. Hell, look at what some losers with do for extra plastic toys.

    I've now got a cool calculator and laser pointer with NOVA Open on it. How about get a dice brick made up with NOVA Open etched on it. Make all those in the GTs play with those same dice. Might cut down on some shenanigans in addition to being awesome swag.

    Just stay away from the first week in August since it's GenCon

    What venue are you looking at? an we bring in our own drinks?

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  4. I will be there with Sandwyrm. Wife permitting of course!

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  5. I'm thinking about going next year- there are a lot of events I want to go to though, lol. What exactly would happen if a guy played well in the Invite Championship, then also played well in the Nova GT, and was qualified for both 2nd days? It's certainly not inconceivable, since the guys from the invite are going to be the 'best' players from other big events.

    Also, out of curiosity, what tournaments are you thinking of having be qualifiers for the invite? And how well would you have to do at them in order to be invited?

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  6. Good questions, largely meriting their own posts, but I'll get to that.

    The short form = this ...

    1) Everyone gets to play in the 2nd day of the NOVA GT this year, it'll be a true 7-8 round tournament (depending on total registrations). The final game of the Invitational will occur AFTER the final game of the Open GT. So, if you play in both, you'll be given time to complete both.

    2) Qualifiers for the Invitational are so far likely to be as follows:

    NOVA Open 2010 (5) - Top 4 undefeated finishers + Renaissance Man, Tony K. not qualified (list overage)
    Adepticon 2011 (4) - Selected by Adepticon
    WarGamesCon 2011 (4) - Selected by WarGamesCon

    I'm in talks with Bolter Beach, Mechanicon, YTTH/Yeticon, several West Coasters (looking for more here), Battle for Salvation, and a few others to fill the remaining slots. The above covers 13 out of 32. If all those just listed are included, 2 West Coast + 2 Bolter Beach + 2 Mechanicon + 2 Yeticon + 2 Battle for Salvation would get it up to 23 out of 32. I'd like to preserve a few for "at large" invites.

    Missions for the Invitational will probably be more mainstream; they will retain the no-tie formula, and may retain the tiered win condition formula, but expect the missions themselves to get much closer to the "base" game, to level the playing field between attendees from a variety of camps.

    We'll keep evaluating the $$$ option; the caliber of those qualifying is the catch-point; that, and the fact that we'll have refs covering every table proactively, as opposed to just a handful of judges meandering the room.

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  7. I was so hot to go this year...and had to duck out at the very LAST second.

    My Tourney schedule this year is going to be planned FAR in advance. The Nova is HIGH on my list of "must go to" events. After the attendee's reports of how well it went, I cannot wait.

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  8. I'm hoping to make it to the Open, and the Narratives sound awesome as well!

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