NEC XIV Tournament Format Poll (BBCP/GGAC+R) Mk. II

[St1ckBuG]

Round 2.

I'm re-making this poll for two reasons:

1). The original poll was done wrong: there should be 5 options with the ability to vote twice (once for each game), with the last option being that you don't care what the other game's format is. I realized later that this could potentially have a huge effect on what the outcome is, since I'm always forcing you to pick two things at once (even if you don't care about the other game at all). I'm sorry for not noticing this sooner. I'm an idiot.

2). To reiterate why you're choosing in the first place since a lot of people didn't see my post later in the thread.

So, let me tell you why this poll is important and why I'm not just making the main tournament format singles just like every other year.

Almost every tournament I help run (NEC/WB/SJ/ECT), I always get asked if I'm going to run teams for 'X' game. I always say the same two things: "no, it's impossible" or "sure, I'll run teams only if we fill an 8-team bracket. I make the sign-up sheet if I have the time and space to run it and put it at the front desk. Usually the way it works is this: singles on Saturday and teams on Sunday.

Guess what happens almost 100% of the time? No one shows up Sunday for teams. All those people asking about teams on Saturday don't care enough to actually get a tournament started on Sunday. They're too busy sleeping. I can't find them. They're out eating. I've got 2 cars of 4 people each leaving in a couple hours who signed up but we can't start because no one else is around yet. I always have to take the walk of shame back to the front desk, ask for the envelope, and then give the people their money back followed by a "sorry, maybe next time". TLDR; ya'll are lazy.

What I've learned since then is the only way you're really getting both singles and teams done is if you have teams on Saturday and Singles on Sunday (thanks MeltyBlood). We've had a couple exceptions to this, but that's mainly because we had the space and time to do teams on Sunday and people actually showed.

This was back when there were one, or maybe two main games. Things are different now.

Now we have three "main anime games" this year at NEC: Persona, Guilty Gear, and BlazBlue. Persona has been around for over a year now. It will always get good numbers because it's popular, but BBCP is coming out in October and +R is already out (giving the GG scene a small second wind). Every game will get a decent (or great) amount of entrants. Running singles and teams for both games would be impossible. I'm telling you that right now because I know. I've been running these games for over 5 years and I know what kind of time/resources are needed to get both done.

P4 has held the spotlight easily for the past year so I think it's time to let the other two games shine a bit. This is an executive decision by me. You can hate me for it. I don't care. Persona will be singles, and singles only. If someone wants to run P4 teams and you can get the setups and space for it: go for it. Don't let me stop you, but I'll have nothing to do with it and you won't be running it during singles (Eric won't let you). Also, this year at NEC Eric plans to have our games on the main stream for finals on Sunday. This means, on Saturday, we will have the main event for every game and play it out to top-whatever. The only exception to this is P4: Persona will be singles and we will finish it completely on Saturday unless I'm told different. With this being said, getting both side events in on Sunday would be next to impossible with finals going on, so I'd rather let the community decide what format the main event formats are because there might not be enough time/resources to run any side events. Like usual. Also, if we do end up having side events, there is a very strong possibility that they will be single elimination due to time constraints.

Do you understand now? Does this make sense?

You're choosing what you want the main event formats to be for BB and GG because the possibility of having side events on Sunday is very slim. I'm trying to plan ahead. When given the decision would people rather do teams or singles as the main event, given the strong possibility of no side events?

So once again I ask you to vote. Vote once for each game.

This is a chance to try something new or stick to what we've done in the past. It's up to you guys.

If you have any questions please post them here. I'll do my best to answer them.

[Shinobi!]

I chose teams because it's something that I personally have not seen in awhile; teams taking precedence over singles. Not only is teams a faster and smoother experience for the organizers (atleast in my experience running teams since I stress that teammates stick together and contact each other on incoming matches), but a much more hype and dynamic besides the normal singles. People discuss orders as a whole against their upcoming team, certain matchups, single player confidence against another to change the outcome of your team's match. It's like what you do for singles, only this time your actions effect not only you but your team in general.

Also, me and da gawd are looking for a 3rd. Free wins, I swear.

[Eshi]

GET HYPE FOR TEAMS!!!!

[HeartBuri XD]

Thank you for clearing that up Stickbug

[Avion]

I voted for singles, I like being able to get more games in, and the skill divide in America is too great so you end up having one guy on the team who just does everything anyways. If teams are to be played, I'd much rather have 2v2 waseda style instead.

[Zinac]

I'll reiterate my reason for choosing singles. I just want to play more matches.

[mynus]

That's what casuals are for... I wanna see some hype as fuck reverse OCV's and teams getting train run on them! Teams is always über hype.

[C0R]

Hoobie Train is a comin for EC

[Abominable K]

I voted for teams because I have a dream I wish to see fulfilled.

[Layer]

I voted for singles, but then I read everyone's reasoning and realize what a foolish mistake I made.

Give me some Hype!

[Zinac]

If you can commit your entire team to go to NEC, then you should be voting for teams. Otherwise =/

[Shazay]

That's a lot of votes, NEC is gonna be hype.

[VR-Raiden]

Holy crap this is close. TEAMS!