New Lan Stuff

[Tallgeese 0]

So, I created a new layout for the lan this year, its VERY different, but gives us SO much extra space for people, it doesnt feel all cramped like normal. We also have a unique prize system going, hope everyone likes the new changes.

[Fascist Flakes (Jagr) 0]

How about making a post of the schedule of tournaments and such?

[MasterP 0]

Can we get some details on what the new changes are?

[Tallgeese 0]

Schedule has a few variables we have to look at in the morning, games and systems related (not to mention the potential jacked up SC2 internet).

 

The changes to the lay out are the wii's are where the 360's were, the 360's and the ps3's are over by the wall where food use to be, and the pc's have been streamlined into one long table. right now Pc's have 24-30 current spots, but more can be added on if need be, or the whole thing changed, it is still a work in progress kinda (not a biggie though).

 

Whats all the changes gives us is a TON of room in the center of room, and the ability to stand in the center of the room and see everything going on at once. This alleviates the 20+ people who crowded around the brawl/360 torunaments RIGHT by the door, and looks very nice to boot.

[Phonetically Phamous (dice 0]

sweet

[MasterP 0]

Please don't pull an ASU and reduce PC slots for a LAN where PCs will have higher than average attendance.

[Tallgeese 0]

Please don't pull an ASU and reduce PC slots for a LAN where PCs will have higher than average attendance.

 

 

Sigh, I knew that was coming. We have RARELY had over 20 people for pc people on the last lans. Dont get me wrong, if we likely were going to have more than 24 people, they would have had the space. They could have had more tables to if needed, as I had planned ahead. Now, as per my predictions, we actually didnt have that many pc players, and everyone had ample room in my opinion.

 

All in all everyone I talked to loved the new layout (many said it was really needed). The lan went well, we have about 70 something, which while not the highest attendance ever, we were able to get tons of new faces, and had a great time.

[a waffle 0]

I personally liked it better, it felt more spacious and didn't feel as cramped for the consoles.

[FTE Kaz-Ka 0]

I personally liked it better, it felt more spacious and didn't feel as cramped for the consoles.

 

I concur

[melatonin 0]

I think the 8 person MTG freeplay is enough to warrant trying MTG out as a club sanctioned event. A lot of people at the LAN said they would have played in it, but they didn't know there was going to be an MTG tournament (Although, I admit that I did get it together on a very short time frame.) However, next time, we would need to start the tournament ASAP if it was going to be held at the same time as a LAN. Advertising, whether it would have it's own event or be at the LANs would also have to be considered. The tournament held by Josh Young the day after went extremely well, and we may want to consider getting his assistance on this project.

 

So, anyone else want to see if the club can expand to mtg?

[MasterP 0]

Like I said in the other thread, if you want to do something like this it might be better to book a quieter room on the 2nd floor of the UC. They're almost always open on the same day as our LANs and a couple have more than enough table space.

[Freezer 0]

i would be up for helping / competing.

[melatonin 0]

I think holding it in a separate room at the same time as the LAN would be worse than having MTG at the LAN in the LAN room. Having them so far apart would mean it would be chaotic for people to get to their matches (vidya and mtg) without holding up everything. Also, space doesn't seem to be a major issue at the moment, the new LAN layout is great.

 

In my opinion, we should go for one of these two options:

 

1) Hold MTG at the LAN, in the room.

Pros:

Wouldn't cost any extra to the club apart from prize support due to shared venue and promotion.

Potentially/probably higher LAN attendance.

Cons:

Slows down both mtg and video game tournaments.

Added space.

 

 

2) Hold separate events at separate dates.

Pros:

Tournaments would be faster and more focused.

Cons:

Cost of running the tournament, like prizes, venue, promotion, etc.

[Freezer 0]

or.... both.. smaller more casual tournaments actually at the Lan and the heavily advertised ones outside the lan

[MasterP 0]

The original complaints were that the grand room would have lighting issues and be too loud. If those are no longer complaints <_ then there no reason to get a room.>

 

If the complaint is that getting to play in 2-3 tournaments at once would be too chaotic then why does it matter what room you're in? Anytime someone plays in more than 1 tournament at a time they ALWAYS hold either or both up. That's just how it is. If that's a debilitating problem for MTG players then either explain in advance that they can't participate in other tournaments or hold it another day.

 

On that note, until you can get more than 8 people I don't think the club should be shelling out cash for advertising and prizes. Not that I don't like the game (I used to love it) but until you can prove it's profitable the club shouldn't be spending cash on it. In the meantime, pick a room, print your own fliers for it, and have fun. On gameday just take up a pool and order some pizza. PCs did this for a freeplay LAN in one of the Belk labs and it was a lot of fun.

 

Keep in mind though that regardless of when or where you do it, we can get any non-premium room for free.

[Ephraim 0]

I say seperate dates at a smaller location.

[melatonin 0]

On that note, until you can get more than 8 people I don't think the club should be shelling out cash for advertising and prizes. Not that I don't like the game (I used to love it) but until you can prove it's profitable the club shouldn't be spending cash on it. In the meantime, pick a room, print your own fliers for it, and have fun. On gameday just take up a pool and order some pizza. PCs did this for a freeplay LAN in one of the Belk labs and it was a lot of fun.

Lots of people said they would have participated in the MTG tournament if they knew it was going to happen. They just didn't bring their decks because they didn't know about it.

 

I suggest that we hold MTG as an official event during the next LAN and be sure to include it on our posters. 3 packs or an intro deck would be a sufficient prize.

[MasterP 0]

I mean that's all well and good but you can't count on it. PC's were counting on the 24 people that voted for TF2 to actually play and only 8 showed up. It's easy to say they would have, could have, or should have, but when they're signing up for the MTG tournament and find out that they have to sit out the Halo and Blazblue tournaments they may very well start singing a different tune. If it flops you're only out ~$15 in prizes, which isn't bad at all so as far as risk-taking the consequences of failure are pretty light.

 

What I would do is to try to find a local card store to sponsor your tournament. There's at least one in Sylva and bound to be more in Asheville. Get with them ASAP and try to work something out with them. Not only can they advertise for us and send a high number of non-students to the event to compete but they can also sponsor the prize, which could end up being way more than what the club would have bought otherwise. If you can get a local or regional shop excited about it there's no limit to how big you could grow this.

[FelixNova 0]

I liked the layout, mostly.

All the space in the middle was nice, but seemed like a waste.

Would like a little more space for PC, and the consoles seemed somewhat cramped right up against the wall, not much room for specs on that side.

But with the turnout for PC the space was adequate.

 

Small complaint:

You have to walk around the PC table to get to the stage.

Unless you are already on the stage side, but then you have to run around it for...

 

Medium complaint:

Food.

PC is farthest from food, besides JJ.

But plenty of room to run.

 

Largest complaint:

AIR CONDITIONING!

AHHHHHHHHHHHH!

SO COLD!

[melatonin 0]

The Nexus (Sylva's TCG store) said they could probably give sell us boxes at wholesale price ($75 for 36 packs (rough 2.1 a pack)) if we advertise for them at events. What we could do is buy a box at the beginning of a semester and hold $4 entry tournaments, and then put 1 pack into the prize pool for each person who enters. So, we'd break even after 19 entrants, possibly split over several tournaments. After all packs are given away for prizes, we'd have 69 dollars profit. If we went this route, I'd try to go for monthly tournaments separate from LANs.

 

I'm going to Brainstorm Entertainment (Franklin's TCG store) tomorrow and going to discuss possible cooperation with them.

 

There's also Quantum Games (Dillsoborough's TCG store) that I could talk to, but they aren't open for business yet.