So, each of the Indie Circuit TO's received a special invite to participate in the Throne of Skulls tournament in Vegas in June.
What this means is that if I want, I can head to Vegas for a long weekend in the summertime, play some 40k with folks, yatta yatta. So what should I do? What would you do?
We can all agree the format for Throne of Skulls is not for hardcore competition, and is not well designed for a competitively evaluative tournament between many of the country's stronger players ... but is there anything beyond that worth considering? It surely will involve a lot of fun people, and a lot of competition regardless by virtue of the skill of those attending.
What to do ...
- Mike
So....why wouldn't you want to go?
ReplyDeleteIt's the TOS format, so competitiveness went right out the window a long time ago. Maybe you can use the time to explain to they at GW that there are indeed competitive players out there that are just as important as the hobby-only types the TOS is catering to.
If you're not looking for a super competitive event, it sounds like a fun time. You'll still see some level of competition, but I think it's the other events that go on in addition to the gaming that make it look fun.
ReplyDeleteFrom my experience, I think that going with a group of people can make or break an event like this. Going to an event like this and having a good time won't be a hard thing to do, but getting a crew together could make it a hell of a time.
I think that the big hurdle to overcome for most people is economic. I'd love to go, and I know a few people that are going, but plane flights don't come cheap. If you can get a good deal, the hotel room is relatively inexpensive (more so when split between an few people).
Go to Vegas. Skip the tournament. You'll have a better time.
ReplyDeleteI'll put in my two cents and how I made up my mind about attending, and maybe that'll influence you. I've ended up winning two tickets this season as a player, and really would like to go, but what keeps me from it is:
ReplyDelete1) The cost is prohibitive, with flight + hotel I'm looking at 800 ish for the event, and realistically a bit more for enjoying myself in vegas.
2) The format isn't my cup of tea for the reasons you mentioned. It's fine to have many different kinds of tournaments, but imo, it's not fine if you use it as the capstone of a season that already had a specific design/flavor.
3) I had to decide in about 2 weeks after being notified of the details whether I would attend. I couldn't even pin down whether I'd be free or had the funds in that amount of time, so I had to decline.
My main motivation for wanting to go was purely that it would be a blast going and visiting with a bunch of good guys, and getting to play against tough, GT winning opponents. But when chatting with a friend recently (also a ticket(s?) holder, he pointed out that that might not even be the case. Most of the ticket holders that we knew that won GT's have declined going. The tickets may pass a decent ways down the line, until it's not really the "finals" of anything, it's "who wanted to go as you progressed down the list". This ends up making it even less evaluative.
My thought is, if they're going to give you a different deal and help foot the bill, or if you have enough free money that it doesn't impact you terribly, go, and give feedback. If not, just sit it out. There's no shortage of good events to spend time/money going to as I'm learning!
Would have been good to have you at SVDM this past weekend btw, it was a great time, and terribly fun at the Ruby Tuesday bar afterwards with 10-20 people each night staying for a few hours and eating/drinking.
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ReplyDeleteif you can afford it, go. Why wouldn't you? I see no reason not to, even if you think the format isn't good enough. Pass or fail as a tourney, it's going to be a moment in 40k history you won't want to miss.
ReplyDeleteThere's a lot more to tournaments than the format of the games.
You have no idea what GW has in store for you all. You could be surprised.
I think you should come to Indy, and we'll set up a Back40K writer's tournament, with you as our special guest.
ReplyDeleteFarmpunk: Are you guys ever going to do an Indy open?
ReplyDeleteMVB: I'm for you going so as to hopefully get a foot in the door to affect the national scene. You already have on the local level. Half the tournaments in NC (and I'm sure many other places) are "Nova style", which is awesome. Why stop there? See if you can have the same effect on GWS itself.
The UK version is basically identical and all the guys I know who went to it had a good time. I think you need to think of it more as a 'hobby event' than a real 'competitive tournament' or you'll be disappointed.
ReplyDeleteSome opinions from people who attended one of the UK events can be found in these posts,
http://gmortschaotica.blogspot.com/2011/01/throne-of-skulls-mike.html
http://gmortschaotica.blogspot.com/2011/01/throne-of-skulls-chris.html
http://gmortschaotica.blogspot.com/2011/01/throne-of-skulls-adam.html
http://gmortschaotica.blogspot.com/2011/01/throne-of-skulls-ben.html
http://gmortschaotica.blogspot.com/2011/01/throne-of-skulls-alex-s.html
There's a few others spread around January's archive as well
http://gmortschaotica.blogspot.com/2011_01_01_archive.html
Not sure whether they'll encourage you or put you off, lol.
One point in favor of going, and one against.
ReplyDeleteFor: I heard you were going to be at SVDM. This was a good things, as I'd be able to avenge myself. I would be busy playing, of course, but there's no reason I couldn't take my opponent and you at the same time on two adjacent tables. You, wisely, got scared and didn't show, but there's a good chance I'm going to Vegas, so that'll give me another shot.
Against: Right now, with a bunch of the 'competitive' people not going, I have an outside chance of winning. Then I can tell all my non-40k friends that don't know any better that I'm the best in the country. But if you go, more of you good players will probably go, and all of a sudden things are looking less rosy for me, which we can all agree is a bad thing.
I really don't see the point in going. The format is fail, the qualifying events (mostly) were fail, and so what can you really expect?
ReplyDeleteApparently I can expect Simon Leen, at the least.
ReplyDeleteAlso, my local buddy Mike Somerville is going, and he's hard-as-nails on the gaming table. Plus, the multi-dice tattoo on his forearm carries the subtext: Choose Your Weapon.
Quite possibly. If I go, it'll be because there should be fun games to be had and because family isn't to far from there.
ReplyDeleteI live in southern California, so I'd go if I qualified (so close!) but I'm not sure I'd fly from the east coast for it.
ReplyDelete@euclid
ReplyDeletewe're working on the Indy Open. I've got to talk to Strung Muppet again. He's gotten rooms reserved at the Convention Center tentatively for Nov 5th. (He pre-empted me by a week, and reserved rooms)
I've got to make sure He's willing to play ball with us, and do a NOVA event. His last event disentigrated into a game day with rules and prizes shifting like sand (which would RUIN a large event)
If He's willing to do the tourney our way, we'll work with his reservation. If not, we're going to find a sponsor, and make a reservation for space at the Indiana Convention Center.
Go. Stay in Wynn.
ReplyDeleteGo to Pure & XS.
Play 40k.
Win, win win.
I'm jealous!
Mike, only go to Vegas if you think you'll have fun. If you don't have fun, what's the point?
ReplyDelete