WHOBO: MLG Edition, a tournament hosted by both @
Xyro77
and @Airbrush_King, marks the ten year anniversary for Xyro and his participation in the Super Smash Bros. community throughout Texas and beyond. Host of the HOBO and WHOBO series of tournaments that have garnered national attention between 2008 and 2014, one can't help but applaud the contributions that he has made for the Texas scene. Running events for such a long time has given him a wealth of knowledge on the mechanics of being effective as a tournament organizer; here's what he has to say about what he's learned through the years:
Disclaimer: The responses shown below are the opinions of the person interviewed, and do not represent the opinions of Smashboards or the interviewer.
Meet Our TO
Espy: In your own words, can you describe what it means to be a TO?
Xyro: Most people (including most TOs) think that being a TO is simply putting together a event and having people show up. I feel that there is MUCH more than that because anybody can throw together a few TVs at a venue, give it a name/date and say "go to my event." I believe a true TO is one who makes an event as high quality as possible. Something players remember for years. Something they tell their friends about. Something that makes players feel like they are at home with family. Things like a solid venue, ample amount set-ups and a stable stream are a few of the physical things a true TO should be looking at. Other things like side events (tiered events for example), pot bonus/extended payouts and discounts help show the public that their TO is serious about get people in the doors to experience his/her event.
If you would like me to expand or cover anything, please ask. I'll do it.
Espy: I know you are one of the Smash TOs who has planned out dozens of events in your history. Before we continue, tell me a little about that history. How many total events have you run? How long have you been a TO for?
Xyro: I've been a TO for 10 years. I've done Melee/Brawl/64/P:M/Soul Calibur 2 events. If I recall correctly, my first event was Melee and it happened in late 2004 or early 2005. I had 71 players attend and that was with only advertising on Smashboards. From that time to now, I've ending up running well over 100 events (maybe even 200?). 45 are from Brawl alone (40 HOBOs and 5 WHOBOs) and I honestly lost count of how many Melee events I did back in the day. Hell, nearly every city and/or state I traveled to in the past 10 years I've ended up TOing or co-TOing. I truly enjoy it. Much more than playing.
Espy: I didn't realize you had done so many events. I've only known you from Brawl, so that's impressive.
Xyro: I've been around the block a few times [laughs].
WHOBO: MLG is Xyro's 6th in the WHOBO series. It's one of several tournaments in MLG's Grassroots events.
Problem Solving
Espy: Of the plethora of events you've done in your decade of tournament hosting, what do you feel, personally, to be the most important thing to know as a TO? Is there any kind of "Golden Rule" to being a host that you stick to for every event?
Xyro: If I may, I feel there are 2 golden rules... if that's even possible.
Xyro: No matter the size of the event, yes, sometimes things can just go wrong and the event can be super slow. To reduce the chances of your event going slow, you must do ONE thing. It's called putting 110% focus into running your event. I know it's tough to put down the controller when you favorite player asks you to play. I know it's hard to wanna go sit down and practice for a event you know you will make money in. But at the end of the day, this event is more important than ALL of that.
So again, focus on getting people to play their matches, report their matches, turn on Wii/TV if they are shut off or restarted, kick people off of TVs if they are doing friendlies on a tournament TV... ect. Tournament first, the rest can wait. This can help counter low amounts of set-ups.
Consoles and TVs are important, but let's not forget that to run a big tournament, you need a big venue with plenty of space.
Espy: Sounds like a good universal to keep in mind. Sometimes you have to assert the importance of the events over friendlies, crews, money matches, etc. if it means getting the events themselves done. Plenty of your tournaments that I've attended have fared far better because of how effective you've been. I imagine that, on top of that, having a dedicated staff would help a lot as well?
Xyro: I feel the only staff a TO needs is maybe a person of two to help deal with sign ups and maybe watch over the money/computer while you go eat/use the bathroom. Other than that, I want to be in charge 110% of the time. I say this because I would prefer to take responsibility of any issues the event has rather than the staff taking it.
Espy: Having hosted events for pretty much every Smash game, would you say that you've had to switch up your typical TOing habits between the games? Is there anything you emphasize on one game over the other? Like more setups, or start times, or friendlies?
Essentially, what is the difference between hosting 64, Melee, Brawl, or P:M?
Xyro: There really isn't anything major. We all know that Melee, 64 and P:M will finish faster than Brawl so if they have a few set-ups less, it's not that big of a deal. Other than that, I try to treat all games the same. Gotta be as fair as possible.
Espy: How do you feel about WHOBO: MLG? Did you ever expect to see yourself working alongside them 10 years ago?
Xyro: Dude, it's incredible. MLG Smash has not been to Houston since 2004 or 2005. That's 9-10 years of no MLG sponsored events. I had no idea @Solid Jake (blessed be his name) would push my MLG application to the the desk of the man who gives permission to allow an event to boast the MLG name. It is an honor. Whether WHOBO: MLG breaks records or not, people need to support this event and ALL the MLG supported events even if you don't support the rulesets. It's not only making Brawl/Melee/P:M look good but it has a direct relation to how well Smash 4 will be looked at in the future. Think ahead, people. Please!
Xyro has been a driving force behind the development of Smash in Texas for the last ten years.
Final Thoughts
Espy: What is it that you look for in being a TO? What's your reason for stepping up to support Texas and the Smash community at large? What do you get out of all of it?
Xyro: My first Smash tournament was in early 2004 at "The V Games." 69 people showed up to that event and I saw the TO walk from station to station to station talking to players, announcing matches and taking notes of stage/character picks. Once I Ieft the event I thought to myself "that was so cool. I want to do this" and so I did.
I guess my reason for being a TO is broken down into 3 sections:
Xyro: Do not be afraid to ask for help. It's a fact, you will not know everything. I recommend asking @
Xyro77
(me), @Keitaro, @Alex Strife and/or refs from EVO/MLG. We all have had multiyear experience and we all would be more than happy to help you.
Don't jump to the status quo without research. If you look at Brawl as it is now, you will see our ship is sinking. More and more people are dropping this game because of the lack of stages and over abundance of Meta Knight and this is causing people to ignore Brawl. Instead of following the herd, maybe try Meta Knight banned + extra stages like Brinstar, Jungle Japes, Frigate Orpheon, Pokemon Stadium 2, Pictochat? Maybe try tiered events like low tier 2 vs. 2 or mid tier singles. Maybe try duelist as a side event? Do stuff that sets you apart from the norm/failing status quo.
Please, please, please put the controller down and focus on your event/the players. Talk to your players. Help them find housing/rides. Show them ways to connect to other players through social media and Smashboards. Make them feel like your event is a safe house.
Espy: Was there anything you wanted to say/elaborate on from before?
Xyro: In closing, I think we all know by now that Smash 4 is the future. It is already looking better than Brawl and we haven't even had demos yet. Let's please learn from the mistakes we made. Don't give any character like Meta Knight a benefit of a doubt for 6 years. Don't be afraid to ban him. People WILL move on and WILL pick a new character. The game will last longer/feel more fresh if you do this. Do your own thing. Please don't rush to join the status quo. Experiment with Smash. Try lots of stages, try different ideas even in the face of adversity. If you are ever confused about anything or need guidance... ask me. I am always right.
==========
A big thanks goes out to Xyro for making this interview possible. For more tips from talented event organizers, feel free to check out The ABC's of Tournament Hosting by @nealdt and A Guide for Helping out your Community as a TO by @Xiivi.
Xyro77
and @Airbrush_King, marks the ten year anniversary for Xyro and his participation in the Super Smash Bros. community throughout Texas and beyond. Host of the HOBO and WHOBO series of tournaments that have garnered national attention between 2008 and 2014, one can't help but applaud the contributions that he has made for the Texas scene. Running events for such a long time has given him a wealth of knowledge on the mechanics of being effective as a tournament organizer; here's what he has to say about what he's learned through the years:Disclaimer: The responses shown below are the opinions of the person interviewed, and do not represent the opinions of Smashboards or the interviewer.
Meet Our TO
Espy: In your own words, can you describe what it means to be a TO?
Xyro: Most people (including most TOs) think that being a TO is simply putting together a event and having people show up. I feel that there is MUCH more than that because anybody can throw together a few TVs at a venue, give it a name/date and say "go to my event." I believe a true TO is one who makes an event as high quality as possible. Something players remember for years. Something they tell their friends about. Something that makes players feel like they are at home with family. Things like a solid venue, ample amount set-ups and a stable stream are a few of the physical things a true TO should be looking at. Other things like side events (tiered events for example), pot bonus/extended payouts and discounts help show the public that their TO is serious about get people in the doors to experience his/her event.
If you would like me to expand or cover anything, please ask. I'll do it.
Espy: I know you are one of the Smash TOs who has planned out dozens of events in your history. Before we continue, tell me a little about that history. How many total events have you run? How long have you been a TO for?
Xyro: I've been a TO for 10 years. I've done Melee/Brawl/64/P:M/Soul Calibur 2 events. If I recall correctly, my first event was Melee and it happened in late 2004 or early 2005. I had 71 players attend and that was with only advertising on Smashboards. From that time to now, I've ending up running well over 100 events (maybe even 200?). 45 are from Brawl alone (40 HOBOs and 5 WHOBOs) and I honestly lost count of how many Melee events I did back in the day. Hell, nearly every city and/or state I traveled to in the past 10 years I've ended up TOing or co-TOing. I truly enjoy it. Much more than playing.
Espy: I didn't realize you had done so many events. I've only known you from Brawl, so that's impressive.
Xyro: I've been around the block a few times [laughs].
WHOBO: MLG is Xyro's 6th in the WHOBO series. It's one of several tournaments in MLG's Grassroots events.
Problem Solving
Espy: Of the plethora of events you've done in your decade of tournament hosting, what do you feel, personally, to be the most important thing to know as a TO? Is there any kind of "Golden Rule" to being a host that you stick to for every event?
Xyro: If I may, I feel there are 2 golden rules... if that's even possible.
- Set-ups. This is so mega super crazy pivotal. 100 people and 10 set-ups make for a experience that most people will complain about. They won't be able to play casuals with others and they won't be able to do those all important money matches that determine manhood.. More importantly, the event will most likely run late. When a event is promised to end at 12 and you end up leaving around 3... yeah not good.
- To be fair to all walks of life. In my Melee days it wasn't such a big deal but in brawl it is. In Brawl, I've noticed that there is a rather large amount of characters (20-30) that simply cannot compete at the highest level of play. This auto-tells a large user base to get ready to be destroyed regardless of how much they practice. This hurts attendance and thus the growth of the game. So how do I combat this? I hold tiered events. Low tier 1 vs. 1 or mid tier 2 vs. 2... ect. This allows all walks of life to be able to compete in an event where they have a higher chance at fame and fortune.
Xyro: No matter the size of the event, yes, sometimes things can just go wrong and the event can be super slow. To reduce the chances of your event going slow, you must do ONE thing. It's called putting 110% focus into running your event. I know it's tough to put down the controller when you favorite player asks you to play. I know it's hard to wanna go sit down and practice for a event you know you will make money in. But at the end of the day, this event is more important than ALL of that.
So again, focus on getting people to play their matches, report their matches, turn on Wii/TV if they are shut off or restarted, kick people off of TVs if they are doing friendlies on a tournament TV... ect. Tournament first, the rest can wait. This can help counter low amounts of set-ups.
Espy: Sounds like a good universal to keep in mind. Sometimes you have to assert the importance of the events over friendlies, crews, money matches, etc. if it means getting the events themselves done. Plenty of your tournaments that I've attended have fared far better because of how effective you've been. I imagine that, on top of that, having a dedicated staff would help a lot as well?
Xyro: I feel the only staff a TO needs is maybe a person of two to help deal with sign ups and maybe watch over the money/computer while you go eat/use the bathroom. Other than that, I want to be in charge 110% of the time. I say this because I would prefer to take responsibility of any issues the event has rather than the staff taking it.
Espy: Having hosted events for pretty much every Smash game, would you say that you've had to switch up your typical TOing habits between the games? Is there anything you emphasize on one game over the other? Like more setups, or start times, or friendlies?
Essentially, what is the difference between hosting 64, Melee, Brawl, or P:M?
Xyro: There really isn't anything major. We all know that Melee, 64 and P:M will finish faster than Brawl so if they have a few set-ups less, it's not that big of a deal. Other than that, I try to treat all games the same. Gotta be as fair as possible.
Espy: How do you feel about WHOBO: MLG? Did you ever expect to see yourself working alongside them 10 years ago?
Xyro: Dude, it's incredible. MLG Smash has not been to Houston since 2004 or 2005. That's 9-10 years of no MLG sponsored events. I had no idea @Solid Jake (blessed be his name) would push my MLG application to the the desk of the man who gives permission to allow an event to boast the MLG name. It is an honor. Whether WHOBO: MLG breaks records or not, people need to support this event and ALL the MLG supported events even if you don't support the rulesets. It's not only making Brawl/Melee/P:M look good but it has a direct relation to how well Smash 4 will be looked at in the future. Think ahead, people. Please!
Xyro has been a driving force behind the development of Smash in Texas for the last ten years.
Final Thoughts
Espy: What is it that you look for in being a TO? What's your reason for stepping up to support Texas and the Smash community at large? What do you get out of all of it?
Xyro: My first Smash tournament was in early 2004 at "The V Games." 69 people showed up to that event and I saw the TO walk from station to station to station talking to players, announcing matches and taking notes of stage/character picks. Once I Ieft the event I thought to myself "that was so cool. I want to do this" and so I did.
I guess my reason for being a TO is broken down into 3 sections:
- I like being in control. In life, you are very rarely in control of anything. But at an event, you are in control of everything from A to Z. You can announce hot matches. You have the honor of meeting every single player that attends your event. You get to hand out money/trophies/medals to top players. Oh and most of all, you get to disqualify people for breaking the rules. I cant tell you how fun it is to drop the hammer on people who are 2 hours late to an event. It feels so good punishing those who think they are untouchable.
- I get to provide an opportunity for all genders, all ethnicities and all skill levels of people who come and compete/hang out and make friends. It's like I am responsible for creating friendships and happy times. It's a far more healthier opportunity than having kids going out to parties or running the streets doing stupid stuff.
- I get to be directly related to how the game evolves. My events get recorded and studied and looked at for years to come. It's a great ego boost.
Xyro: Do not be afraid to ask for help. It's a fact, you will not know everything. I recommend asking @
Xyro77
(me), @Keitaro, @Alex Strife and/or refs from EVO/MLG. We all have had multiyear experience and we all would be more than happy to help you.Don't jump to the status quo without research. If you look at Brawl as it is now, you will see our ship is sinking. More and more people are dropping this game because of the lack of stages and over abundance of Meta Knight and this is causing people to ignore Brawl. Instead of following the herd, maybe try Meta Knight banned + extra stages like Brinstar, Jungle Japes, Frigate Orpheon, Pokemon Stadium 2, Pictochat? Maybe try tiered events like low tier 2 vs. 2 or mid tier singles. Maybe try duelist as a side event? Do stuff that sets you apart from the norm/failing status quo.
Please, please, please put the controller down and focus on your event/the players. Talk to your players. Help them find housing/rides. Show them ways to connect to other players through social media and Smashboards. Make them feel like your event is a safe house.
Espy: Was there anything you wanted to say/elaborate on from before?
Xyro: In closing, I think we all know by now that Smash 4 is the future. It is already looking better than Brawl and we haven't even had demos yet. Let's please learn from the mistakes we made. Don't give any character like Meta Knight a benefit of a doubt for 6 years. Don't be afraid to ban him. People WILL move on and WILL pick a new character. The game will last longer/feel more fresh if you do this. Do your own thing. Please don't rush to join the status quo. Experiment with Smash. Try lots of stages, try different ideas even in the face of adversity. If you are ever confused about anything or need guidance... ask me. I am always right.
==========
A big thanks goes out to Xyro for making this interview possible. For more tips from talented event organizers, feel free to check out The ABC's of Tournament Hosting by @nealdt and A Guide for Helping out your Community as a TO by @Xiivi.
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