NORCAL INSTALL! [Main Information and Ranbat Update Thread]

[huey253]

SNCI is coming up really soon. I'll be sure to reclaim my title!

[Chun]

Cross-posted from the NCI facebook wall, in regards to the suggestion of changes to the schedule now:

1: I'm not at the point which I can tell you "Sure, let's try to finish it in one day." It's not realistic, it's not feasible, and if there was this much concern about it this topic should have been brought up as more of an issue 3 months before any of the logistical information went up, because at this point it's far too late and means nothing.

2: Finishing all brackets in all games in 1 day = impossible with the sheer estimates of communities gathering on that one day. Even with a 12 PM estimate and given setups that would mean SNCI runs straight into 3-4 AM without any break, only tournaments. We had 4 games last SNCI and barely ran finished at 3AM. This event was meant to be a comfortable gaming weekend with surprises and guests. I've been fine tuning the schedule every gathering for these estimates and I'm confident we can't get it all done one day, otherwise I would have done everything in my power to ensure 1 day would work. It's not sound in terms of preparation for capacity to do it 1 day especially given those who are traveling to Northern California, and I wanted to make an environment comfortable and prime for socializing whiling gaming. People coming from other regions can do some of the brackets comfortably across games, and just play. That was the goal.

3: "Evo, Final Round, NCR, etc. are huge, major tournaments with large turnouts. NCI doesn't even compare or even show up on the map in comparison and does not get the numbers to justify a two day event. NCI could finish in one day if done properly (and on time; it's been done before), so I don't see the point of having a two day NCI. It feels way too forced and pretty much everyone I've talked to isn't excited about it being a two day event." GIs the answer you'd like to see here "yes, our scene isn't big enough, I agree, I'm going to make it 1 day because I don't think our capacity numbers are worth all of this trouble?" It seems like the opinion of some is that NCI will never grow to some large event or have the capacity to be the next NCR or Final Round, or still is stuck in some sort of mentality that these events are made and laid out whimsically at the control of whoever is available. The reason I proposed a 2-day event is the hope that we will reach those prospects, give that a try, and the only way to reach those goals is to test and experience, not sit and hope the day will come. Also, on the contrary I know a lot of people excited to experience a 2-day weekend of just "poverty" gaming and making plans around them, but naturally this isn't the case for all. This is an excellent opportunity to grow your scene and get people coming to play now.

4: 12$ weekend = You don't pay 7$ a day to play at Gamecenter each day. Seriously, it's basically saying "If you're going to come both days, save 2$!" If you can only make it 1 day, 7$ it is. Frankly, every other tournament in the world charges premium just for spectating room only, and I was able to work out with Myung a reasonable venue for the fact we occupy the arcade the entirety of the weekend.

tldr; if you were this concerned about the event's scheduling, you should have mentioned something when I did the bulk of the scheduling and planning asking for opinions months ago instead of whispering words at the last minute and expecting results. Saying these things now at this point in time adds nothing and cannot be changed, and I've already explained why it's 2 days in the past.

At this point the final games schedule will at the very least be posted onto the website later this week so people can adjust accordingly. I don't understand why people will attend other tournaments for 2 days no complaints, but when it comes to NCI expect special adjusting treatment for people that can't make commutes just because they've been with NCI a long time. Let's keep this fun, fair to everyone traveling to play with us, and have a good time.

----

The bottom line is, I'm making every possible effort to make the experience of learning, playing, meeting, connecting, and growing your scene as relaxing as possible. This tournament could be a grind-fest of brackets one after another, but you're looking at a situation where people would not play casuals, would not leave the area to wait for brackets, every waking hour until 4 AM. I'd faster be over-prepared for the numbers to come and have flexibility matches/activities have fun than under-prepare and experience chaotic bracket hell for everyone that traveled out.

~Chun

Edited March 1, 2012 by Chun

[Shining Aquas]

BB scene better watch it. I've been grinding out training mode to the point where I'm now 40% sure I know how to play, as opposed to 25%.

I know the buttons now, y'all better watch it.

[Xie]

Why not just split the games up and add teams for the off day games?

We out-of-towners would like to have a reason to show up both days too, you know.

[brett_]

You don't become a top player just by practicing! You gotta pretend to be a top player and act like one! Otherwise you'll never become a top player!

I think we have a word for those kinds of people.

[Crosell]

I'm going to throw out my 2 cents into this matter. I don't know why this decision was put in with no input from other TO's. NCI is not a one man show, its a community event. First at the very least all the other tournament ogranizers should have been able to throw there input into the matter. A simple private message over dustloop saying, I am thinking of doing X for SNCI what do you guys think. Lets brainstorm and come up with ideas to make SNCI something unique etc etc. Would have let us feel involved, instead of a hey SNCI is a 2 day event deal with it post that was put up. The individual TO's are just as important in running the event and making sure everything goes well. Second of all, I feel from listening to people at NCI, that the community doesn't feel like there voice is heard anymore. After awhile you stop caring to voice your opinion. Slowly, I've been watching the community become a bit more disinterested in NCI, because they no longer feel apart of it.

Edited March 1, 2012 by Crosell

[Crosell]

Why not just split the games up and add teams for the off day games?

We out-of-towners would like to have a reason to show up both days too, you know.

Xie, can we have a first 10 you teach me shit match :D

I need some coaching because I feel like I'm hitting a plateau

[C0R]

I'm going to throw out my 2 cents into this matter. I don't know why this decision was put in with no input from other TO's. NCI is not a one man show, its a community event. First at the very least all the other tournament ogranizers should have been able to throw there input into the matter. A simple private message over dustloop saying, I am thinking of doing X for SNCI what do you guys think. Lets brainstorm and come up with ideas to make SNCI something unique etc etc. Would have let us feel involved, instead of a hey SNCI is a 2 day event deal with it post that was put up. The individual TO's are just as important in running the event and making sure everything goes well. Second of all, I feel from listening to people at NCI, that the community doesn't feel like there voice is heard anymore. After awhile you stop caring to voice your opinion. Slowly, I've been watching the community become a bit more disinterested in NCI, because they no longer feel apart of it.

The way I see it is;

The community decided the games that are played, that goes without question.

Gamecenter/NCI Staff only has the logistic ability to run X amount of content within a day.

The amount of content demanded by the community requires more time and equipment then can possibly be supplied by the event within one day.

Thus, NCI must be a 2 day event. That is no one's choice but the player's.

The only things that might change that are:

1. The venue was more expansive. Good luck finding a better one. Myung is the most cooperative venue organiser I know of, you guys have a really great venue for the event already.

2. If everyone could agree to entirely drop two games and not wet the bed in the process. No SC5/KoF/BB/GvGEVS/Guilty, pick two. Not happening.

To be brutally honest, it doesn't seem like many people besides Chun actually care about organizing the event. If I care about my community, and I don't like the direction it's headed, I'm going to do something about it. I'm going to contact the event organiser, I'm going to say:

Hey, I don't like this, I don't think it's going to work, here's why. Here's what we should be doing, here's the people who I've contacted before approaching you with a wild suggestion, here's the equipment I've already secured, here's the money we're going to need and the potential times we're going to schedual, I thought about it beforehand because I can't expect you to be a one man army in this. Please, let me help.

I'm taking time off work for this event and travelling from out of state. As a community figure, event organiser and competitive player; I will say this,

Chun may be the face of NCI, but it's the community who runs it, the community who supports it and the community who is misinterpreting it's growth as a problem.

Fuck.

tldr; if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

If it IS broke. Then invest yourself in it's repair and growth until it's something you can be proud of.

[[TRM]tenkai-45i[xTF]]

Okay, let me clear things up for everybody: the problem is not about whether Super NCI should be a one or two-day event. We have resolved that very quickly already.

The issue is whether we should have brackets on Saturday and finals on Sunday. I am suggesting we split the game up into two groups and then run all of one group on Saturday and all of the other one on Sunday. It seems more flexible for people who are traveling from faraway and for those who have less flexible schedules.

There has been more discussion on the Facebook thread: http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=306592476070391&id=126007430795564

[Star-Demon]

Event IS getting pretty big - I'd like ot be able to spend not aa whole day not getting enough coverage of both KOF, BB, GG anad gundam.

PS stop cancelling GG.

[Chun]

I'm just going to let this go and finish this now, because we're running out of time for March.

Dear Everyone That Is Accusing Me Of Dropping 2 Days Out Of The Blue:

http://www.dustloop.com/forums/showthread.php?10419-NORCAL-INSTALL!-Main-Information-and-Ranbat-Update-Thread&p=1193217&viewfull=1#post1193217

November 15th, 2011. 13 Inputs.

Tried to contact TOs via Facebook queries, since I have no numbers. No replies, no queries, no results. The only people that I contacted that got back to me were Tone, Honnou, PNW Crew, Socal, and everyone else that already was actively helping out. I am NCI's Web Administrator, Company Liaison, Public Relations Associate, Guest Relations Associate, Advertisement Manager, Floor Manager, Timekeeper, Treasurer, and most importantly, just another player that likes games. I have Coopa as my help to create quality flyers and FKO to help me advertise, but that's the extent of the assistance I get. Keep in mind I go to school too; I'm programming constantly and on the off time I have I work on this event. I try to keep the bulk of the work to myself so people can enjoy themselves more. I'm eternally grateful to the TOs that do keep up with me and their support, Myung for being really helpful in management of the new venue, and people that provided equipment to this point. Thank you.

Thus, posted this after no immediate replies:

https://twitter.com/#!/NorcalInstall/status/157257399529521152

I did enough attempts for notification while managing new changes to things alone. I'm not asking for thanks, or anything like that, all I ask is you come and have a good time.

We've had BBREVO, Catherine Tournaments, Gundam added due to popular demand, the support of the Soul Calibur V community, and at least I know 2 people that will help out with Guilty Gear and actively work with equipment with me rather than wait till the day before.

We're growing. Why in the world would we want to eliminate any chance to get NCI even bigger and better places?

#notesports #realhonestfightinggaming

P.S. Xie, that's not a bad idea for Sunday on top of finals, I'll see what we can do about that. I already had a fun event in mind involving regions planned :3c.

~Chun

Edited March 2, 2012 by Chun

[brett_]

Since I don't actually ever do anything useful, I'll atleast repost this because no one seems to be reading it. It's the only way I can help from the moon.

tenkai-45i[xTF];1279308']Okay, let me clear things up for everybody: the problem is not about whether Super NCI should be a one or two-day event. We have resolved that very quickly already.

The issue is whether we should have brackets on Saturday and finals on Sunday. I am suggesting we split the game up into two groups and then run all of one group on Saturday and all of the other one on Sunday. It seems more flexible for people who are traveling from faraway and for those who have less flexible schedules.

There has been more discussion on the Facebook thread: http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=306592476070391&id=126007430795564

[magz]

Since I don't actually ever do anything useful, I'll at least repost this because only Brett seems to be reading it. It's the only way I can help from going completely insane.

tenkai-45i[xTF];1279308']Okay, let me clear things up for everybody: the problem is not about whether Super NCI should be a one or two-day event. We have resolved that very quickly already.

The issue is whether we should have brackets on Saturday and finals on Sunday. I am suggesting we split the game up into two groups and then run all of one group on Saturday and all of the other one on Sunday. It seems more flexible for people who are traveling from faraway and for those who have less flexible schedules.

There has been more discussion on the Facebook thread: http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=306592476070391&id=126007430795564

[Chun]

tl;dr version:

I will probably run the whole of Guilty Gear on one day, in the interest of being able to stream matches in the empty time made from the bracket split. Same with Gundam. BB/KOF/SCV I can't predict as easily due to volume counts, and limiting to one day for those tournaments is asking for disaster. So I'll keep simulating schedules for those of you that are only going to play them. The final schedule will be posted online. Your voices are heard.

Edited March 2, 2012 by Chun

[tofurr]

Anyone know what hotels are really close by to GameCenter?

[Chun]

http://norcalinstall.wordpress.com/super-nci/

The 2 links on the website here are the cheapest within small driving distance.

[Dakanya]

tldr; if you were this concerned about the event's scheduling, you should have mentioned something when I did the bulk of the scheduling and planning asking for opinions months ago instead of whispering words at the last minute and expecting results. Saying these things now at this point in time adds nothing and cannot be changed, and I've already explained why it's 2 days in the past.

Yeah people were quite concerned and a few people, including myself, brought up our concerns a long time ago... so here I quote my post from nearly two months ago...

in the interest of those who only want to attend for one day, i think we should try to finish what we can all in one day ie guilty gear...

Even now, I don't see why things can't be changed, we have two weeks, and there are several cons with the original plan you had.

tl;dr version:

I will probably run the whole of Guilty Gear on one day, in the interest of being able to stream matches in the empty time made from the bracket split. Same with Gundam. BB/KOF/SCV I can't predict as easily due to volume counts, and limiting to one day for those tournaments is asking for disaster. So I'll keep simulating schedules for those of you that are only going to play them. The final schedule will be posted online. Your voices are heard.

TL;DR of what...? Well it'd be great if we could finish some games in one day. I mean just think about it, those tournaments would probably get less entrants or may not even happen if they were actually run across two days... There aren't any good reasons to split a bunch of tournaments that average less than 32 entrants across two days.

[Crosell]

*shrugs* I'm going to stay out this for now. Too much RL shit going on for me.

Dakayna with the current setup one of two things are going to happen at this tournament

People show up both days and things are cool

People will show up day one, get knocked out and not return the next day. Making the second day event much smaller mainly consisting of people who are in top 8 or traveling, and those who want to hang out with those traveling.

[qwerty]

You don't become a top player just by practicing! You gotta pretend to be a top player and act like one! Otherwise you'll never become a top player!

I think we have a word for those kinds of people.

A+ post

If we run poverty (GG+MB) on Saturday it can finish early, even if people show up on Norcal Standard Time. BB, Gundam and KOF take a lot of time, so they should either be two day games or Sunday only games.

It just seems like the best thing to do. Plus, people interested in Sunday games can get some casuals in since GG/MB don't use those setups. Getting casuals in during a tournament is usually pretty hard at Gamecenter, since most if not all of the setups are dedicated to tournaments.

[Tari]

For whatever it's worth, I was under the impression that it was going to be run with every feasible tournament being run on a single day instead of split across multiple days.

[Shining Aquas]

For whatever it's worth, I was under the impression that it was going to be run with every feasible tournament being run on a single day instead of split across multiple days.

...going to be run with every feasible tournament...

Be careful, that's dangerous ground you're treading into. We could totally run side tournies for Shaq-Fu, Street Fighter 3D, SNES Sailor Moon, Spawn: In The Demon's Hand (2v2), Power Stone 2 (2v2), CvS1, Street Fighter 1, World Heroes, Clayfighter 63 1/3, Mortal Kombat 9, Pokemon Puzzle League, NFL Blitz (2v2), Touhou 12.3, Rag Doll Kung Fu, Atomic Bomberman (Norcal vs Socal, East Coast vs West Coast) and Pokemon Stadium 2.

I'm definitely not saying we should run any of those. Spawn would be pretty hilarious at 1 am though.

[Tari]

Be careful, that's dangerous ground you're treading into. We could totally run side tournies for Shaq-Fu, Street Fighter 3D, SNES Sailor Moon, Spawn: In The Demon's Hand (2v2), Power Stone 2 (2v2), CvS1, Street Fighter 1, World Heroes, Clayfighter 63 1/3, Mortal Kombat 9, Pokemon Puzzle League, NFL Blitz (2v2), Touhou 12.3, Rag Doll Kung Fu, Atomic Bomberman (Norcal vs Socal, East Coast vs West Coast) and Pokemon Stadium 2.

I'm definitely not saying we should run any of those. Spawn would be pretty hilarious at 1 am though.

You know what I meant. :P

Though... it would be hilarious.

[Meowmix]

Be careful, that's dangerous ground you're treading into. We could totally run side tournies for Shaq-Fu, Street Fighter 3D, SNES Sailor Moon, Spawn: In The Demon's Hand (2v2), Power Stone 2 (2v2), CvS1, Street Fighter 1, World Heroes, Clayfighter 63 1/3, Mortal Kombat 9, Pokemon Puzzle League, NFL Blitz (2v2), Touhou 12.3, Rag Doll Kung Fu, Atomic Bomberman (Norcal vs Socal, East Coast vs West Coast) and Pokemon Stadium 2.

I'm definitely not saying we should run any of those. Spawn would be pretty hilarious at 1 am though.

No mention of PRIMAL RAGE? For shame, man.

[brett_]

Endless Duel.

[Meowmix]

Endless Duel.

This x100000.