Megabyte
07-23-2005, 04:12 PM
Megabyte and DOCTOR DEVICE's Tournament Guide
Tournies that are done properly take a LOT of work. Most people out there think that if they make a post saying "I W@NT 2 rUn a T0URN3Y" in a thread then show up in game, that its gonna happen. They simply don't realize that (realistically) not everyone can run a proper tourney. Either from lack of organziation skills, dedication, or time available. You're going to need to set aside a good several hours to get it setup, several more to run the show (or more if your tourney goes over multiple days), and several more again to list out the matches, send out prizes, and get info from participants.
Most importantly, though, you'll need TAL approval. :p
"BUT WHAT IS TAL APPROVAL?" :fie:
You propose your tournament idea in the TAL Tournament/ODT Suggestion Thread (http://tacticsarena.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39786[) where the mods weigh your ideas. Most likely, if you couple your hopefully original (or unoriginal, simple tournaments are fine) proposal with showing an aptitude towards clear organization, deadlines, and activity, your TAL Approval will be granted.
The TAL Approval will mean your tournament is certified by the Tactics Arena League, and participants who win or do very well will receive points towards end-of-the-year prizes. Basically, you'll get real quality players!
Once again, to receive TAL Approval you must:
Have a clear and defined rule set for your tournament
Show an aptitude towards organization
Show frequent enough activity that you can update your tournament timely and keep it running
Preferably have played for at least a season, or in plenty of tournaments
BUT HOW DO I ORGANIZE MY TAL TOURNAMENT? :fie:
What you'll need:
Rules: Clear, concise, and complete rules. EVERYTHING should be explained out. How opponents will be matched up, what sort of units are allowed, how many players will be in the tourney. Spell it all out. While no list of rules is every 100% foolproof and covers everything, you want to get as much of it in there as you can. This will help prevent problems in the future.
Leaders: Depending on how the tourney will run, you'll need either someone in or out of game to organize the matches and result. Largely, this will be you, the person running the tourney, but sometimes you need help. Be sure to utilize your helpful Tournament Mod staff provided there is a conflict/question in your thread, or as to how the tournament should be run.
Deadlines: Timing is everything. Would it be better to have the matches' deadline be at 8pm on a Thurs, or 4am on a Monday? Set reasonable but firm deadlines.
Again: Set reasonable but firm deadlines.
Once more, everybody: Set reasonable but firm deadlines.
If your deadlines are neither reasonable nor firm, your tournament will fail and degenerate into inactivity. Be sure to ask any questions you have concerning when your tournament deadlines should be with a Tournament Moderator.
Participants: Guess what, you need people! This is actually the hardest thing to get it seems for most tournies out there. People are flakes (you are, admit it!). So, how to get them to join in?
TAL Approval.
At the very least, though, make sure you adhere to the above guidlines. Organization and creativity helps encourage players to stick with it. Most people will bail on a tourny if they think the person running it is unorganized, an idiot, or a flake themselves. Aside from that, keep it fun for the participants (duh). Don't run your tourny like a POW camp, and remember not to take yourself, or your tournament, too seriously.
Prizes: Luckily, you don't have to worry about prizes. When your tournament is done you post your results in the TAL Marketplace (http://tacticsarena.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39789). The winners and other successful members of your tournament will receive TAL points they can spend on TAL rewards at the end of each season.
Scheduling: - Scheduling for your tournaments will be determined by the mod(s) that approve your tournament. :)
"BUT HOW DO I RUN MY TOURNAMENT, SPECIFICALLY?" :fie:
OK! You got some people, got yourself organized, now its time for the tourney! Here's some guidelines to keep it runnin smooth. :cool:
Stick to your Rules and Stick to your Deadlines:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2rE_voavMo&feature=related
Changing the rules on the fly is bad. VERY bad. People will get annoyed, and learn to loathe you. Stick to the original plan. If its not as cool as you hoped, tough luck champ; do better next time.
Stick to your deadlines! You've got to keep the tournament running, and punish those that disregard your deadlines with disqualifications. It's unfortunate, but it happens.
Flexibility and Reasonability: There will be circumstances where you will need to rule on DQs, extensions, and other such grey area. There can never be a codified system for how to deal with these, but remain impartial and level-headed. If you have any question, any at all, on a decision you are about to/have made, get approval for it by a Tournament Mod first. That's what they're here for.
Screenshots: Make sure your participants know the rules concerning screenshots: they are mandatory unless otherwise stated. If your opponent confirms, you're clear, but make sure your participants know that if they want to unequivocally claim victory, screen shots are a must.
Private Messaging: Make sure your participants PM each other to set up arrangements for games in a timely fashion. Moreover, make sure they do this early so that if there is a scheduling conflict, it can be reconciled sooner rather than later.
"BUT WHAT DO I DO AFTER MY TOURNAMENT?" :fie:
Give out some congrats to all who won and post your results in that handy-dandy TAL Marketplace Thread aforementioned. Get some feedback and be on your merry way. Great work champ, you just ran a tournament. :cool:
We look forward to approving and enjoying your tournaments,
Tournament Moderators DOCTOR DEVICE, Magician, xEaglex, Pikachu!, and meat.eater
PS. Here are some tournaments that have run smoothly in the past. If nothing else, take cues from these tourneys:
**Revelation Survival Tourney** (http://www.tacticsarena.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17158)
**Team Rev Re-Selection** (http://www.tacticsarena.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19442)
***Mithrandir's Pro-Sports Style Tournament signups*** (http://www.tacticsarena.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20140)
Tournies that are done properly take a LOT of work. Most people out there think that if they make a post saying "I W@NT 2 rUn a T0URN3Y" in a thread then show up in game, that its gonna happen. They simply don't realize that (realistically) not everyone can run a proper tourney. Either from lack of organziation skills, dedication, or time available. You're going to need to set aside a good several hours to get it setup, several more to run the show (or more if your tourney goes over multiple days), and several more again to list out the matches, send out prizes, and get info from participants.
Most importantly, though, you'll need TAL approval. :p
"BUT WHAT IS TAL APPROVAL?" :fie:
You propose your tournament idea in the TAL Tournament/ODT Suggestion Thread (http://tacticsarena.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39786[) where the mods weigh your ideas. Most likely, if you couple your hopefully original (or unoriginal, simple tournaments are fine) proposal with showing an aptitude towards clear organization, deadlines, and activity, your TAL Approval will be granted.
The TAL Approval will mean your tournament is certified by the Tactics Arena League, and participants who win or do very well will receive points towards end-of-the-year prizes. Basically, you'll get real quality players!
Once again, to receive TAL Approval you must:
Have a clear and defined rule set for your tournament
Show an aptitude towards organization
Show frequent enough activity that you can update your tournament timely and keep it running
Preferably have played for at least a season, or in plenty of tournaments
BUT HOW DO I ORGANIZE MY TAL TOURNAMENT? :fie:
What you'll need:
Rules: Clear, concise, and complete rules. EVERYTHING should be explained out. How opponents will be matched up, what sort of units are allowed, how many players will be in the tourney. Spell it all out. While no list of rules is every 100% foolproof and covers everything, you want to get as much of it in there as you can. This will help prevent problems in the future.
Leaders: Depending on how the tourney will run, you'll need either someone in or out of game to organize the matches and result. Largely, this will be you, the person running the tourney, but sometimes you need help. Be sure to utilize your helpful Tournament Mod staff provided there is a conflict/question in your thread, or as to how the tournament should be run.
Deadlines: Timing is everything. Would it be better to have the matches' deadline be at 8pm on a Thurs, or 4am on a Monday? Set reasonable but firm deadlines.
Again: Set reasonable but firm deadlines.
Once more, everybody: Set reasonable but firm deadlines.
If your deadlines are neither reasonable nor firm, your tournament will fail and degenerate into inactivity. Be sure to ask any questions you have concerning when your tournament deadlines should be with a Tournament Moderator.
Participants: Guess what, you need people! This is actually the hardest thing to get it seems for most tournies out there. People are flakes (you are, admit it!). So, how to get them to join in?
TAL Approval.
At the very least, though, make sure you adhere to the above guidlines. Organization and creativity helps encourage players to stick with it. Most people will bail on a tourny if they think the person running it is unorganized, an idiot, or a flake themselves. Aside from that, keep it fun for the participants (duh). Don't run your tourny like a POW camp, and remember not to take yourself, or your tournament, too seriously.
Prizes: Luckily, you don't have to worry about prizes. When your tournament is done you post your results in the TAL Marketplace (http://tacticsarena.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39789). The winners and other successful members of your tournament will receive TAL points they can spend on TAL rewards at the end of each season.
Scheduling: - Scheduling for your tournaments will be determined by the mod(s) that approve your tournament. :)
"BUT HOW DO I RUN MY TOURNAMENT, SPECIFICALLY?" :fie:
OK! You got some people, got yourself organized, now its time for the tourney! Here's some guidelines to keep it runnin smooth. :cool:
Stick to your Rules and Stick to your Deadlines:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2rE_voavMo&feature=related
Changing the rules on the fly is bad. VERY bad. People will get annoyed, and learn to loathe you. Stick to the original plan. If its not as cool as you hoped, tough luck champ; do better next time.
Stick to your deadlines! You've got to keep the tournament running, and punish those that disregard your deadlines with disqualifications. It's unfortunate, but it happens.
Flexibility and Reasonability: There will be circumstances where you will need to rule on DQs, extensions, and other such grey area. There can never be a codified system for how to deal with these, but remain impartial and level-headed. If you have any question, any at all, on a decision you are about to/have made, get approval for it by a Tournament Mod first. That's what they're here for.
Screenshots: Make sure your participants know the rules concerning screenshots: they are mandatory unless otherwise stated. If your opponent confirms, you're clear, but make sure your participants know that if they want to unequivocally claim victory, screen shots are a must.
Private Messaging: Make sure your participants PM each other to set up arrangements for games in a timely fashion. Moreover, make sure they do this early so that if there is a scheduling conflict, it can be reconciled sooner rather than later.
"BUT WHAT DO I DO AFTER MY TOURNAMENT?" :fie:
Give out some congrats to all who won and post your results in that handy-dandy TAL Marketplace Thread aforementioned. Get some feedback and be on your merry way. Great work champ, you just ran a tournament. :cool:
We look forward to approving and enjoying your tournaments,
Tournament Moderators DOCTOR DEVICE, Magician, xEaglex, Pikachu!, and meat.eater
PS. Here are some tournaments that have run smoothly in the past. If nothing else, take cues from these tourneys:
**Revelation Survival Tourney** (http://www.tacticsarena.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17158)
**Team Rev Re-Selection** (http://www.tacticsarena.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19442)
***Mithrandir's Pro-Sports Style Tournament signups*** (http://www.tacticsarena.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20140)