The Tournament Guide
![[Seashore]](https://forum.z8games.com/uploads/customavatars/39/navatar_12098639.gif){kind=avatar}
*Disclaimer*
I am not claiming these ways to be the best, nor necessary. These are just the basic things I've observed through experience.
[V1.3]
Before You Read
Before reading this extensive guide, please make sure you know what you're getting into. You will be dealing with trolls, complainers, haters, suck-ups, egos, and last, but definitely not least, good people. Setting this up will be no easy task. Don't start unless you plan to finish it. Do not let anyone stop you. You will need a spine to deal with all of these people, and please, if you decide to do this, be mature.
It's good to see people really taking responsibility and starting a well-thought out, organized tournament. What's more, you get hands on experience with dealing with the people in your community, and you make good friends along the way.
My Experience
Many of you may (or may not) know that I hosted the Ghosts and Ghouls Halloween Tournament. How would I rate this tournament? A failure. Hugest fail I've ever done, it was more 'derpy' than I can be at times! However, it wasn't a total fail. Each flaw I had was a perk. I turned every single flaw that was pointed out to me into a strength. Every flaw I came to notice I took a good long look at, trying to figure out what I can do next time, or now, to fix it. So overall, it was a huge fail, while also being a huge success. I know what I can do to improve next year, and from that tournament, I'll know what to do the year after that, and so on! I had no idea what I'd gotten myself into at the beginning, but now approaching the end of my tournament, I'm glad I did.
Your Tournament
Your tournament can really be anything you please. From S&D, to GM, to even Snipers Only, it's all good! What matters most is your attitude, your love of the mode you're promoting by doing the tournament, and how you set it up. If you're not willing to be kind and respectful to everyone who takes an interest in your tournament, you don't need to be hosting one. If you don't love the mode you're doing, why the hell are you doing it? If you don't set it up right, I can guarantee you that there will be issues. I can also guarantee that your first tournament won't be the best, in fact, it will probably suck. Don't let this get you down!
Your Rules
Your rules are like the skeleton to your body, without it your body would be a mess, and so would your tournament! No one will want to join it, and the ones who might will probably regret it!
First off, lets start off with the suggested rule plan.
- No hacking.
- No glitching (This includes glitching the bomb).
- Don't be a poor sport.
- Be respectful to all competitors.
Notice that those rules deal with the conditions each and every player agreed to upon creation of their account, and the attitudes of each player. Egotistical people, poor sports, etc. scare away some of the other competitors! You don't want that, so make sure to try and implement these should you decide to begin a tournament.
Now, are these the only rules? Heck no! Feel free to add on rules as you wish to fit your needs! Make sure none of the rules conflict or contradict each other, and that you don't have any loopholes!
Modes
Adequate modes for tournaments include:
- S&D
- GM
- EM
- Escape
Now, you may be asking why I didn't include TDM or FFA. Why? Simple- all of these other modes have an objective besides to slaughter the other team, or has means of restricting the other team through means of time. While it is possible to have tournaments with TDM or FFA, it's not going to be as structured, and you won't see many teams using any sort of coordination.
Now are the types of modes, which go from all of them. Snipers Only, Pistols Only, and Knives Only are all great tournament factors as they restrict the players to one set of equipment, and quite possibly one weapon, forcing them to show their skills with what they've been limited to.
Your Competitors and Your Team Sizes
Your competitors and your teams are the backbone of your tournament. Without them, you can't call your thing a tournament. Now one of the most important things is how large you want the teams to be. Adequate team sizes include:
- 3v3
- 4v4
- 5v5
You might wonder why I didn't go over 5. The reason for that is because many clans have an S5, (starting 5) and when you go over 5 players per team you're now intensely limiting the ability of smaller clans that have a lot of potential to show their skill. When you stay at or below 5v5, you're getting the best of both worlds by letting both smaller and larger clans get in on your tournament.
The relationship between the host and the competitors is mutual- they rely on you, and you rely on them. Without one another, both of you are nothing.
Clan Based or Player Based
There is a huge difference between these, and based on which one you decide to go with, determines the popularity of your tournament!
Clan Based
The good thing about clan based tournaments is that the players are easier to track. I learned my lesson the hard way, though- do not under any circumstance limit teams to a specific player roster! This creates trouble if someone leaves or gets kicked from the clan. Not locking the roster in these types of tournaments will save you a lot of time with having to possibly change rosters. Another plus to this type of tournament is that, if you're doing it right, you'll have a lot more played matches and a lot less no-shows!
Player Based
These are kind of weird, but they pop up every now and then. Basically, you let the players assemble their own team, not specific to clans. They can be with friends, or even random people if they choose. A negative to this type of tournament is you will probably get more no-shows than clan based tournament. Another negative is that player tracking is somewhat hard to do.
Times
Your default match times are very important in attracting players. It can be whatever you like, but try to make it convenient to the majority of players.
Also, a great thing to do is that if a team has a problem with a date or time, ask them to consult the opposing team about times they can both work with, and that fit into your schedule. This saves you time because you're not playing the middleman, and the issue will get resolved quicker. If both teams fail to work out an appropriate date/time, continue with the default scheduled match. Tough luck if either or both teams don't make it. The tourney has to go on.
Organization
Your Thread
Make sure it's organized! No one's going to want to try and interpret one big giant block paragraph that explains everything.
Scheduling
This coordinates with times, try to make it at convenient times for the majority of people.
Dealing With The Public
Dealing with the public is probably one of the most difficult things you'll do. I can tell you now to not ignore the haters, the complainers, the trollers, the poor sports, etc. Why? Simple- they quite possibly have a good reason for displaying that emotion towards your tournament. It's up to you to take a good hard look at what could be making them say these things. Tweak your flaws. Admit to your mistakes. That, right there, is the hardest and best thing to do in your tournament.
Helpers
Obviously you can't do everything yourself. Trust me, don't try it. You'll need helpers one way or another. It's up to you what they do. The tasks can range from scheduling, bracket making, spectating, communicating, and much more. One thing you do not want to do is force people to help. Many people that may not be able to participate in the tournament itself may be interested in helping you out; the position needs to be voluntary.
Prizes
Believe it or not, prizes aren't always the things that attract players the most, however they do determine how many players might be interested. Don't feel obligated to put a prize in your tournament. They aren't necessary, but a great way to help reel in some competitors. I'm not saying don't put one in, because they do help! It's just a complete matter of opinion, and if you're willing to give out a prize if you think it's worth it.
Let's take a look at how prizes influenced past tournaments: (Courtesy of JudgeSims)
JudgeSims wrote:some people will enter to have a good time. others need motivation. let's take a peak at previous ghost mode events, we will see the massive difference between low prize tournies and big prize. the main point here is prize makes a huge difference, more so than you have here in your guide.
march of the ghosts (2010) - perm axe, 20kzp, perm discontinued spray tag. (that's just for 1st place, there were prizes for 2nd and 3rd as well) this tournament had 32 clans, all of them played their matches. sign ups were opened and closed in 1 minute and 45 seconds. leaving perhaps 100+ clans behind that were interested in entering.
ESL GM cups (20011) - no prizes. around 12 teams signed up over the span of a month. with only 4 being active through it all.
march of the ghosts 2 (2012) unobtainable gold katana (and some other stuff for the top 10) hundreds of clans participated in this event. not a bracket style tournament but still a pvp event.
talons tournament (2012) 15kzp, 10 awm red dragon crates and 30 day ghost character (for 1st place and some other stuff for 2/3) 32 teams signed up over the span of 2 months. most didn't show up but that was because motg2 interfered with it. it had good potential with some good teams.
ghosts and gouls halloween tournament (2012)10kzp prize 13 teams sign up over like 2 months. majority didn't show up.
so as we can see, the events with great rewards are hugely popular. in fact, the order of prize reward worth is the same order of team sign up amount (motg, motg2, talons, ghosts and gouls, esl cups)
the prizes make a huge difference. more so than we think. i do believe the SnD scene is the same way. prize = popularity
Conclusion
In conclusion, you should now have all the information you need to hold a 'better-than-average' tournament. Good luck and thank you for your time and interest for reading this extensive guide on how to host a tournament.
TL;DR
- Use logic.
- Be smart and clever.
- Good management.
- Don't abuse competitors.
- Prizes influence popularity.
- Your first tournament will probably stink.
Special Thanks
I would like to thank [MOD]NattNatt and Thisgameowns for the help in setting up the primary infrastructure for this tournament. You two were huge helps, and I couldn't have done this without y'all!
I'd like to thank my competitors. I'm nothing without you guys!
I'd like to thank the haters. The trollers. The complainers, the losers, the ragers- everyone who pointed out my mistakes. Thank you for doing this. The next tournament will be better next year thanks to you guys!
I would like to thank JudgeSims for his input into this guide in the "Prizes" section.
Comments
-
Thanks
Even though my tournament is not the greatest, lower then beginner at best but thanks for the tip, ill be using this as a primary guide to my Santa clause tournament im gonna do in the winter a few months from now
That one will be way better than the current one, especially with the help of this guide
/Sticky worthy? -
Sweet_Power wrote: »Thanks Even though my tournament is not the greatest, lower then beginner at best but thanks for the tip, ill be using this as a primary guide to my Santa clause tournament im gonna do in the winter a few months from now
That one will be way better than the current one, especially with the help of this guide
/Sticky worthy?
Depends on if a moderator or GM thinks so, I won't ask for it. It would be cool, though.
LobsterMts wrote: »nice. I think that the hardest part to manage in a tournament is, well, organizing what times are best for teams, etc.
I don't think anything is easy about it, lol. That is definitely one of the more difficult parts to the procedure. -
-
-
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CryingMonkey wrote: »Doubt it, I've never played in a tourney and I don't have a team/clan.
Feel free to come to Ðestructive, or better yet, you might want to join VATAV.
Anyways, if we are to continue on this topic, let's do so through VM's. We're getting off-topic. -
Great Guide Seashore
But GGHT wasn't a fail at all!
I loved it!
My first clan based tournament
And I had the best GM Matches of my life
Ha ha, it really wasn't the 'exterior' of the tournament that failed! It was what was going on within the walls of the overwatchers, the rules, regulations, etc. -
-
the tournament you hosted may not of gone as hoped, but i wouldn't call it a 'hugest fail i've ever done'
you only made some questionable choices but really it was the community's fault; no one was interested. which leads me to my next topic. the prizes.
some people will enter to have a good time. others need motivation. let's take a peak at previous ghost mode events, we will see the massive difference between low prize tournies and big prize. the main point here is prize makes a huge difference, more so than you have here in your guide.
march of the ghosts (2010) - perm axe, 20kzp, perm discontinued spray tag. (that's just for 1st place, there were prizes for 2nd and 3rd as well) this tournament had 32 clans, all of them played their matches. sign ups were opened and closed in 1 minute and 45 seconds. leaving perhaps 100+ clans behind that were interested in entering.
ESL GM cups (20011) - no prizes. around 12 teams signed up over the span of a month. with only 4 being active through it all.
march of the ghosts 2 (2012) unobtainable gold katana (and some other stuff for the top 10) hundreds of clans participated in this event. not a bracket style tournament but still a pvp event.
talons tournament (2012) 15kzp, 10 awm red dragon crates and 30 day ghost character (for 1st place and some other stuff for 2/3) 32 teams signed up over the span of 2 months. most didn't show up but that was because motg2 interfered with it. it had good potential with some good teams.
ghosts and gouls halloween tournament (2012)10kzp prize 13 teams sign up over like 2 months. majority didn't show up.
so as we can see, the events with great rewards are hugely popular. in fact, the order of prize reward worth is the same order of team sign up amount (motg, motg2, talons, ghosts and gouls, esl cups)
the prizes make a huge difference. more so than we think. i do believe the SnD scene is the same way. prize = popularity -
the tournament you hosted may not of gone as hoped, but i wouldn't call it a 'hugest fail i've ever done'
you only made some questionable choices but really it was the community's fault; no one was interested. which leads me to my next topic. the prizes.
some people will enter to have a good time. others need motivation. let's take a peak at previous ghost mode events, we will see the massive difference between low prize tournies and big prize. the main point here is prize makes a huge difference, more so than you have here in your guide.
march of the ghosts (2010) - perm axe, 20kzp, perm discontinued spray tag. (that's just for 1st place, there were prizes for 2nd and 3rd as well) this tournament had 32 clans, all of them played their matches. sign ups were opened and closed in 1 minute and 45 seconds. leaving perhaps 100+ clans behind that were interested in entering.
ESL GM cups (20011) - no prizes. around 12 teams signed up over the span of a month. with only 4 being active through it all.
march of the ghosts 2 (2012) unobtainable gold katana (and some other stuff for the top 10) hundreds of clans participated in this event. not a bracket style tournament but still a pvp event.
talons tournament (2012) 15kzp, 10 awm red dragon crates and 30 day ghost character (for 1st place and some other stuff for 2/3) 32 teams signed up over the span of 2 months. most didn't show up but that was because motg2 interfered with it. it had good potential with some good teams.
ghosts and gouls halloween tournament (2012)10kzp prize 13 teams sign up over like 2 months. majority didn't show up.
so as we can see, the events with great rewards are hugely popular. in fact, the order of prize reward worth is the same order of team sign up amount (motg, motg2, talons, ghosts and gouls, esl cups)
the prizes make a huge difference. more so than we think. i do believe the SnD scene is the same way. prize = popularity
I think the main reason people didn't really participate in seashore's tourney is because they would like to see a mod host one. I think they don't trust players to host tournaments, they probably think it would fail anyways. The prizes do matter too but I think if a mod hosted it, more people would of participated for sure. -
the tournament you hosted may not of gone as hoped, but i wouldn't call it a 'hugest fail i've ever done'
you only made some questionable choices but really it was the community's fault; no one was interested. which leads me to my next topic. the prizes.
some people will enter to have a good time. others need motivation. let's take a peak at previous ghost mode events, we will see the massive difference between low prize tournies and big prize. the main point here is prize makes a huge difference, more so than you have here in your guide.
march of the ghosts (2010) - perm axe, 20kzp, perm discontinued spray tag. (that's just for 1st place, there were prizes for 2nd and 3rd as well) this tournament had 32 clans, all of them played their matches. sign ups were opened and closed in 1 minute and 45 seconds. leaving perhaps 100+ clans behind that were interested in entering.
ESL GM cups (20011) - no prizes. around 12 teams signed up over the span of a month. with only 4 being active through it all.
march of the ghosts 2 (2012) unobtainable gold katana (and some other stuff for the top 10) hundreds of clans participated in this event. not a bracket style tournament but still a pvp event.
talons tournament (2012) 15kzp, 10 awm red dragon crates and 30 day ghost character (for 1st place and some other stuff for 2/3) 32 teams signed up over the span of 2 months. most didn't show up but that was because motg2 interfered with it. it had good potential with some good teams.
ghosts and gouls halloween tournament (2012)10kzp prize 13 teams sign up over like 2 months. majority didn't show up.
so as we can see, the events with great rewards are hugely popular. in fact, the order of prize reward worth is the same order of team sign up amount (motg, motg2, talons, ghosts and gouls, esl cups)
the prizes make a huge difference. more so than we think. i do believe the SnD scene is the same way. prize = popularity
Alright, thank you for your input, Sims. I'll definitely be adding some of this in later!Bac0nStrips wrote: »I think the main reason people didn't really participate in seashore's tourney is because they would like to see a mod host one. I think they don't trust players to host tournaments, they probably think it would fail anyways. The prizes do matter too but I think if a mod hosted it, more people would of participated for sure.
I think that could be one reason, as when people think of a moderator they think of someone who's somewhat official and at least know what they're doing, unlike when they see another player.
Another reason on top of this, is that this is a small tournament. I can't get it on the launcher of CF like MOTG and MOTGII, and those other large tournaments. All I can do is put a thread on the forums that won't get stickied. It ends up with me having to constantly bump the thread for others to actually take notice of it.
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