Leading the Charge

Where it's at...

2009-06-28T16:30:00.000-07:00

and no, it is not with two turn tables and a microphone. Let's talk about play space!

The location where you run your events can be as an important ingredient to a successful play group as anything else. Whether it is a space at your local game store or the public library, having a clean, accessible, space is essential. Sorry, the unfinished basement of your mother's does not count.

Not every FLGS has the space to run events in, so basing this entry totally on such a limiting idea is out the window. Instead I'd like to touch upon a few aspects your venue, in whatever form it takes, should have.

Up first is cleanliness. Seriously, this is the MOST important aspect of picking a venue for your events. No TO wants to have to have to come to an event two hours early to move piles of miniatures terrain, nor have to scrape dried on food off the tables. If your venue is unwilling to help you and your players have a clean place to play, you need to find another place. As a TO, you are bringing traffic into their location; traffic that should leave some of their cash flow behind, be it in purchasing snacks or drinks, or product, or paying a rental fee. It should be the venue's responsibility to have the place spotless when you arrive.

On the flip side of this; you and your players need to leave the location as clean or cleaner than you found it. No ifs, ands or buts. Abuse your venue, and you will lose your venue. A homeless playgroup is not a happy one. I've watched fairly good sized play groups shrivel and die on the pure fact that they had no place to play.

Next up is accesibility. This aspect has alot of little small nit-picky points to it. Can people on foot easily get in and out? Can people in cards easily get in and out? Is it handicapped accessible? Is it hard to find? Is it near refreshment? Are there restrooms? Is it public? Is it well lit? Is it... well you get the idea. Essentially, you need for your venue to almost invite your players in. This accomplishes two things.

One, it keeps players coming back. Two, it allows potential new players to stumble on to your events. Keeping new players is great, but getting new players in is essential to growing and sustaining a play group.

The third and final point I'd like to address is size. It's been my experience if your local play group consists of ten players, find a place with room for fifteen. It's a good idea to over estimate your playgroup spatial need as, if you you are doing your job correctly, it will grow. Having some wiggle room before you need to look for a new place can be very beneficial. Having an event scheduled and having few new players turn up is always a possibilty. If you want to keep those players, you better have a place to put them.

In addition, gamers tend to have online communities (Legend of the Five Rings is a shining example there), and often traveling players might want to stop in on your local scene if they are in the area. Being a gracious and prepared host only helps the game grow and word of your own little slice of the pie get out there. Show an unexpected guest a good time, and he'll bring friends next time he's in town.

Over all, the best advice I can offer TOs is you need to feel comfortable in your chosen venue. Find a place, be it mall food court or a gaming room in your FLGS, and love that place. There's a reason one of the most over used quotes is, "Location, location, location."

Job Description...

2009-06-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

In my previous post, I told disgruntled TOs to "do their job."

What exactly is that job? I know I heard more than one of you think that very question. So without going further down the road of TO techniques, I figured I would share with you what I consider to be a Tournament Organizer's job description.

TOs in my opinion have to wear many hats. They are kind of a Breakfast Club in that regard, and it's probably best I break down the four biggest hats they wear. Yes, there are others, but depending on your local scene you may or may not have to don them from time to time. These "Big Four" are roles every TO must play or risk having their local scene fall apart.

1) Creative Director
Every local scene has its own feel and flavor, and every local scene will eventually grow tired of the same old thing. As a TO you need to get a read on this flavor early, and plan events that cater to your audience. Are they casual or competitive? Prefer standard or multiplayer? Draft or Constructed players? The answer for all of you should have been, Yes.

A group is likely very varied, and as such you need to keep your events calendar varied as well. I run my local scene on a weekly schedule, events every Monday night. Well, every other Monday night, as the off weeks are for casual games, the preferred format for my group. During the "On" weeks however, I try to vary it up; one draft a month and one other event, usually a constructed tournament of some type.

The constructed tournament isn't just that however, I've run it as a multiplayer event and as a Political event, where decks had additional deck building requirements beyond the rulebook. I'd like to think the diversity of my events helps maintain interest within my local scene, and I know it certainly provides alot of fun for those that embrace the change.

To sum it it, being a Creative Director is a lot of outside work, but its very rewarding for your players. They'll enjoy the lengths you go to give them a fresh spin on their old game.

2) Gift Giver
Yes, you as a TO need to be the provider of gifts. This should include prizes for performing well in tournaments as well as simple participation prizes. What are these prizes? Usually, they consist of booster packs or promotional cards, but that can get boring quickly. I like to mix things up with a pool of both card and "vanity" prizes.

For example at each of my Sealed Deck events, I like to have a small prize, usually something Zen related, that will go to the first player to play a card type called a Ring. These Rings are a staple of Legend of the Five Rings, and rewarding a player for trying to focus on them is a great way to introduce some fun, casual flair to an otherwise competitive environment.

Other vanity prizes I have given out have included katana letter openers to players who represented their faction well, and Rares from my own personal collection for the Best Sportsman.

Speaking of sportsmanship, I think EVERY tournament should offer a prize for this. It promotes fair and gracious play amongst your players, and gives something for a mediocre player to shoot for, even if they cannot take first place.

Which brings me to my second "rule" regarding prizes; everyone walks away with something. Be it a booster pack or promos, everyone should come out of a tournament with something to show for it, otherwise why would those mediocre players keep coming back only to lose to more experienced, competitive minded persons? AEG offers free event support from l5r.com, and most other organized CCGs do as well. Contact your game's company and see what they can send you; then give it out like candy. Your players will always come back for more.

3) Rules Judge
The bane of many a TO is having to make rules calls. While an often times annoying hat to wear (I mean, who wants to tell their friends that they are wrong?), its often a necessary one. Fortunately, explaining how to be a good rules judge is easy.

Basically keep up to date on all current rulings and errata. It's fairly daunting at first, but the more you understand about the rules, the easier it gets. Next, be consistent in your rulings and should you ever be unsure of how to answer a rules dispute, make the best ruling you can and then follow up on it and get an answer from an official source.

Being consistent is the best way to make sure even if you rule against someone, they know you are being fair and won't get frustrated and leave the scene.

4) Teacher/Babysitter
Two sides of the same coin here, folks. Being the figurehead of a local scene means you are often the first one sought out to provide instruction to new players. Take it and embrace it. Learning a CCG is never an easy or quick deal, but the rewards in teaching it can be great. I love seeing players I have taught the game to beam with pride when they beat me in a tournament. As for being a babysitter...

If one of your players needs to be constantly watched, it's probably best if they learn to grow up or leave the game. Nothing can suck the life out of a local scene than a player who just doesn't get it. The first few times they get out of had, offer a warning. Take them aside and explain to them why their behavior is out of line and what they can do to fix it. Also make sure you listen to their side of the story. Help if you can, but if one person is bringing down the whole group, it may be time for you to ask them to leave.

Certainly one of the hardest jobs and calls to make as a TO, and fortunately I've never had it go that far. If it does however, be firm and resolute. Make it perfectly clear to the offender, that they will not be welcome at future events until they have worked on their issues and you have invited them back again. I'll probably delve more into problem players in a later entry, but for now I'll leave it at that.

There you have it. A fairly basic cross section of the four jobs most TOs encounter. There are more, but these really hit the nail on the head. Work on them and the rest really become easy.

As a final note in this entry, if there are any topics you'd like me to cover or address in the future, please comment and suggest them. I'd love to make this blog have an interactive aspect to it.

Curve Ball...

2009-06-10T13:00:00.000-07:00

So as I am sure some have been made aware, the CCG I run tournaments for, Legend of the Five Rings, has suffered a set back in the release date of the new base set. Chaos and anger has ensued on the games forums.

Am I happy at this turn of events? Hardly; I'd say I'm fairly annoyed by the prospect of having several weeks worth of planning turned upside down. Am I angry about it? Hardly; It's just a game. To paraphrase Tim Gunn, I'll make it work.

Release and Pre-Release Tournaments are a staple of any TOs responsibilities. These events tend to be bigger, thus drawing larger turn outs in terms of attendance and interest. It is because of this TOs tend to put a fair amount of planning in on these "once in a lifetime" events. So how can you minimize the damage when these events become jeopardized by an unforeseen set back?

First and foremost is communication.

Now AEG, the company that produces L5R, hasn't been the most forward with the details of this push back. This has quite a few players and a fair amount of fellow TOs up in arms.

I say, "So What?"

You, as a TO, know that the date has been pushed back. So how do you react to it? Start talking to your venue and product supplier. For me, these are one in the same, my Friendly Local Game Store (FLGS for short). Write an email, pick up the phone, twitter (tweet?), do what ever it takes to make sure your people know you know about the issue.

Next, allow your player base to know you are working on it. Most FLGS now have a web presence, and usually some form of forums or message boards. Let your players know what you know! Of course, this might not be much right now, but at least a simple "Hey, I know, I'm working on it." You'd be surprised how accepting people can be when they at least know you are trying.

Now's the time for you to get to work. Find out from the company who will supply your product, when you will have what you need to run the event in hand and when that company can get that product to you. From that point you'll have some idea on whether or not you'll have to reschedule, or if you can make it happen. When you know something, let everyone invloved know! This means your venue, your players and anyone else who might have a passing interest in your event.

Most importantly, roll with the punches. What was it that was said? "Shit happens and then you make lemonade?" Yeah, something like that.

Being flexible and not letting things get you flustered is a staple of leadership, and yes, you as a TO are a leader. Your players look to you, and believe me, so do your venues. They expect the sky to fall, it's up to you to reassure them it is not.

You're the TO, this is your job. Without you, there is no local scene. So get out there, do some of the hard work, and quit your bitching.

Weathering a storm like this is simple. Keep your communication up, don't let them see you grumble, and remember this is but one bump in a longer, happier road.

About Me

2009-06-09T09:49:00.000-07:00

My name is Benjamin Higgins, and I am a Gamer.

Somewhere back in my teenage years, eighth grade if I remember correctly, I discovered a wonderful thing, Fantasy.

Despite almost giving up on Tolkien after my English teacher made reading The Hobbit a chore, with the support of my friends I ventured deeper and deeper into the fantasy worlds of Middle-Earth, Dominaria and the World of Darkness.

There I had my first experience with a collectible card game, and was immediately hooked.

Fast forward almost a decade later and I was a hardcore gamer. I played Dungeons and Dragons two nights a week, and hung out at the local game store everyday after work. Back then Magic: The Gathering was my cardboard addiction of choice. Then one day a new face appeared in the store, hocking some other CCG, Legend of the Five Rings.

I think I resisted his attempts to shove this new world down my throat for a few weeks, but I finally broke down one quiet afternoon and had him teach me the game.

I've never looked back at Magic since.

Since that day, I have played L5R fairly consistently, taking extended time off due to location changes and such, but my desire to play the game never dulled. As I jumped from game store to game store, eventually I can across the opportunity to run events for the CCG I loved. The current TO had stepped back from the game over differences with the local playgroup, leaving a void to be filled. I've not sure what prompted me to take the plunge, but I volunteered and the rest is history; I've been TOing since.

For the last two years, I've lived in Burlington, Vermont. When I got to this city, I wanted to see what gaming opportunities presented themselves. Upon my first visit to Quarterstaff Games, I was excited to see Legend of the Five Rings in stock. After asking the manager if it was still played and hearing his response of "kinda, but not really," I figured why not and jumped back into the role of Tournament Organizer to get the game I love so much back off the ground.

Since that day I have grown a practically dead game into probably the second best selling CCG at the store, falling only behind Magic. We consistently run pre-release events with over ten players, and have a good core group of six to eight who show up for weekly casual games.

Now, after just adding four more players to our playgroup, I feel I must be doing something as a TO right, and seeing cries for help on other forums for how to build/rebuilt groups, I found the urge to write and share my experiences as a TO with the internet communities. Hopefully there will be something in my ramblings here that you can take with you to your local groups. Enjoy!

Coming Soon...

2009-06-09T09:09:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome.

This blog will be used as a way for myself to express my ideas as a Tournament Organizer for a local game store, and also to potentially educate other TOs in the art of Leading the Charge.