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sgx_d
2009 CGS
2008 CGS
Member
Goldsboro
Posts: 113 |
Hoping to compile everbodies wish list for next year.
1. Reduce crowding and congestion in the halls
- Thx to Mike E, the CoD4 tourny opened up a side room to hold waiting teams until it was their turn. Halo needed this... badly. Perhaps next year they could add more seats/desks to these ones to people can sit and plan. (Free level maps to talk strats?)
2. Turn down the volume in the auditorium a bit.
- The announcer was spot on in volume, but ALL the music was WAY too loud, same with the band as well. If they had turned it down just a bit, it would of been spot on.
3. Pre-payers not using the side door
- I noticed a few people that had pre-payed but ended up waiting in the big line. Some had no clue they had a pre-pay door on the left side. A sign beside where the line forms up would be great. The only one I saw was to the left and was easy to miss if you weren't looking. Place it on the right next time. Also if possible an email with a diagram with directions showing where the pre-pay door will be for them may come in handy.
4. The awards ceremony took too long.
- Yes it was awesome this year, and had way more people staying till the end. However it took too long, and I was tired of clapping long before it was over. Shorten the video clips a bit. I'd also like to suggest dropping a few official tournaments or grouping some of them together. Perhaps only sending the top 2 winners to the front. Maybe grouping up some of the tournaments together. Fighters, GH/RB2, both Halo 3s, etc etc.
5. Too few sponsors, and not enough from them.
- It's a bit harsh to complain about them, because they pay to give away free stuff in the hope we buy their stuff. With todays economy I understand why so little support this time, but we can hope for an improvement for next year. Perhaps some innovative suggestions to get the sponsors more actively involved in the event. Bawls bottle bobbing? A build a PC from junk parts competition from newegg? If you can drop some innovative suggestions to sponsors that would get them actively involved with the gamers besides setting up a booth and showing off some of their stuff it would be much more beneficial for the sponsors and the attendees. (Best one I have seen at a CGS was the Army's tractor trailer with the Humvee and chopper simulator.
6. Tournament directors.
- Halo 3 has gotten bad reports about their directors every year so far. I know it's hard to pick and choose when all you have is volunteers, but perhaps requests on the forums for a tournament director might give you more resources. At the very least pick them more carefully, and specify what the directors are supposed to do and not do. Giving them a free hand helps make things run smoothly, but guidelines can make things better. Loganman and the rest of the laglesslan crew have always performed near flawlessly every year they have been around. I understand that Logan wasn't part of the staff this year but still helped save the day with UT3/Q3. Get some good guidelines for what your tournament directors should do.
7. Exhibitors
- Sadly there were just too few, and not as well utilized as they could be. Just like the sponsors, they need to use some imagination for these events. I hate to pick on any one in particular, but even one that's hard to interact can find some way to be involved. I saw a exhibitor for a hotel, (don't remember which one sadly) she was right beside the ATM and had a nice stand and brochures. She presented herself as smart and professional, however had she come dressed up as a pillow I'm sure she would of had a greater influence on the audience. I know I would of had to talk to her for a few minutes at the very least to ask why she was dressed up as a pillow. The conversation could of quickly turned to how her hotel likes to give discounts for gamers at major gaming events like the MLG, and even local events like the CGS. Don't be afraid to drop suggestions to the exhibitors on what they could do to interact with the gamers more.
8. Tournament registration!!!
- This year we had many issues with tournament registration. Some teams came a long way and didn't get into the tournament they wanted.
- Online registration needs to be simplified Barney style. Just a few clicks of oversized buttons with very simple instructions. It'll probably take some major recoding of that area, but it will be worth it.
- On site registration needs to be better advertised. Very few people knew where to go to register without asking around. Whoever is at the front desk needs to tell all attendees if they want to register to go to room 216. And just down the hallway you need a VERY big sign in the middle of the hall that people have to physically go around to get past. After the first hour or so you can move it to the side, but at these big events people don't always pay attention or notice the obvious stuff.
9. Tournament wait time
- My team was the LAST team to compete in CoD4, and we didn't get to play our first round until after 1pm. You might want to reconsider how the tournaments are structured. Long wait times between matches are bad, especially if that is the only reason you came. To help with this, and after the eventual loss most of us suffer from, revamped sponsors and exhibitors will greatly help with this. An example for restructuring, CoD4 was played best out of 3. 10 minute rounds/500 points. In theory it could take 30 minutes of game time + 5-10 of setup, totally 40 minutes potentially per match! Try two rounds, and combine for total score. 3rd round will be played if there was a tie. So in general you would have only 30 minutes per match. Finally if sponsors allow, increase the number of systems available for the tournaments. I know this is hard to do, but if possible go for it.
10. Free play...
- Like the other said, there wasn't enough free play. It would be nice to setup an extra room or two just for free play.
11. Competitors lounge
Here is the pork of my stimulus plan... I'd like to see a lounge setup for the competitors to interact on a more personal level. Perhaps a projector showing off a long playlist of gaming videos. Posters, blown up images of game maps. Gaming memorabilia placed all around. Perhaps a stage for some experienced gamers to have a discussion on tactics.
Final Notes:
I cannot stress enough that the sponsors and exhibitors need to get a bit more creative with how they interact with the gaming audience. When I am at a gaming convention, I like to see a character instead of a business suit. Orthodox suit and tie presentations only draw in those who are looking for what they are selling. Going something slightly out of the norm, I notice right away and at the very least I want to investigate more. Penny Dreadful really took the cake this year, and I'd like to see others come up with their own innovative ideas to interact with the audience.
To Mike, Tracy, and the rest of the staff... thank you. Every year I come home satisfied and happy. You are doing a wonderful thing and my world would be a lot less brighter without the hard work you put into these events. Keep working hard at this, we all appreciate it, even if we like to complain about it. :P Also please look into opening up a second building or two when the economy/sponsors allow. I believe we hit 1300 people this year, and without effective improvements to traffic I believe this is going to be your max limit without opening up more buildings or finding a new venue. |
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TikiTurtle
Member
2009 CGS
2010 CGS
Escapist Day 2
Escapist Day 3
Pikeville, NC US
Posts: 37 |
lol, yea that sound in the auditorium was way loud :P my ears were whistling from the mad treble xD
:D lol, pillow thats such a genius idea xD
[url=http://www.virusgaming.net/][img]http://www.virusgaming.net/cabal_na/id5.php?id_char=338.jpeg[/img][/url]
[IMG]http://i55.tinypic.com/293973q.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/nuR4V.gif[/IMG]
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SilentJo
Member
2009 CGS
2010 CGS
2011 CGS
Chocowinity, NC
Posts: 46 |
My suggestion would be to have more doors open to allow people to get in. Having one huge line didn't help people much. A group of four people ahead of us waited at least 20 minutes before they got close enough to read the sign that directed them to the pre-paid entrance and went that way. Or either have the doors open earlier and have the tournaments start at regular times, or start the tournaments later to allow everyone to enter the building first. Half of our Rock Band team was still in line when the tournament was about to start, but luckily we were were lower down on the bracket so that gave them time to get in the room.
jo
3rd Place- Rock Band 2 Tournament 2009/2010
1st Place- RB3 Tournament 2011
PMS Clan Rhythm 360 Member
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Aleins
Member
2009 CGS
Wilmington, NC
Posts: 8 |
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Make sure the tournament rules posted are the ones enforced. Rather this be making sure the tourney headers are good or setting up some kind of higher structuring system to reinforce it. |
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chainsawsakura
Member
2009 CGS
gboro
Posts: 3 |
I was one of those girls helping in the "UT3" room Friday night and all day Saturday. While I do not understand what was really wrong with UT, I know it had to do with the schools setup that we, sadly, cannot change/couldn't change on short notice without major help. But we made due, and I wanted to thank Logan again for helping. you got me addicted any way you cut it!
I agree with most of these comments. But please do keep in mind that this event is simply to have fun, and not to come out and compete in everything and take home oodles of trophies. Its gonna be hot, its gonna be crowded, and that is half the fun. Everything else we will iron out, and next year ( Our 5th anner.! ) will be even better than anything else before.
Game safely, game happily, and don't forget you just spent 50 bux on a disc to be able to shoot an alien. |
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sgx_d
2009 CGS
2008 CGS
Member
Goldsboro
Posts: 113 |
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Good stuff, keep the suggestions coming. |
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JeepChick
Member
2009 CGS
Concord, NC USA
Posts: 27 |
Close online registration earlier, and have a Friday night check in for teams.
Close registration for any tournament at LEAST one hour before the start of the first round to insure brackets can be correctly set up.
Provide bracket schedule (it can be calculated easily by using the time limits for each round) and have it posted for teams waiting.
Refs that know the game (even a little bit) - you don't even have to play the game, you can google it a bit and browse message boards and get the gist of most games.
Bleed for Peace
JeepChick
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punisherthe
Member
2008 CGS
2009 CGS
2010 CGS
2011 CGS
Wilson, NC
Posts: 34 |
We NEED Bawls back.
The New Era "TNE" Founder
www.youtube.com/user/T3hNewEra
or
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-New-Era-TNE/244618234955
2011 3rd place Rock Band 3 Drummer!!!
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