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Alabama Thread! (10/26/2016 update)

Mahgnittoc

Mahgnittoc

Smash Ace
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Messages
668
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That can work for Dallas where the turnout would make it tolerable. Alabama's playerbase isn't strong enough to have a tourney daily because we're so spreadout. I like having a monthly every weekend but I do think it ends up burning people out. For example, I'm not hating on Sweaters, but because his tournies are so good too, there's no point in more casual members to travel to Huntsville now since the service is provided to them locally. But like Keet and others are saying, some business' are popping up and are trying to get on this hype train and just run a tournament. Yeah it might attract some locals but overall it will be a low turnout and could it takes away from the competition for that week.

Now this is all for like the more Northern part of Alabama too. If we have two tournies that are like 4 hours apart that's fine. but having like two tournies a week in Birmingham that's really pushing it and breaking down attendance. I agree with the compromise of like a bi-weekly on sunday or even more weeklies during the week (um press start pls? just take away that stupid door fee or something).

Also I'm going to update the first post sometime soon. I'm thinking about deleting the old player list. How's that sound? I can start working on a new one if ya'll want me too. Also I miss the silly gifs we used to have. Would anyone be opposed to having like some of them in a spoiler tag? I'd take submissions.
 
BeastRay

BeastRay

Smash Cadet
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Messages
42
Location
Birmingham, Alabama
NNID
pray75
Mahgnittoc said:
That can work for Dallas where the turnout would make it tolerable. Alabama's playerbase isn't strong enough to have a tourney daily because we're so spreadout. I like having a monthly every weekend but I do think it ends up burning people out. For example, I'm not hating on Sweaters, but because his tournies are so good too, there's no point in more casual members to travel to Huntsville now since the service is provided to them locally. But like Keet and others are saying, some business' are popping up and are trying to get on this hype train and just run a tournament. Yeah it might attract some locals but overall it will be a low turnout and could it takes away from the competition for that week.

Now this is all for like the more Northern part of Alabama too. If we have two tournies that are like 4 hours apart that's fine. but having like two tournies a week in Birmingham that's really pushing it and breaking down attendance. I agree with the compromise of like a bi-weekly on sunday or even more weeklies during the week (um press start pls? just take away that stupid door fee or something).

Also I'm going to update the first post sometime soon. I'm thinking about deleting the old player list. How's that sound? I can start working on a new one if ya'll want me too. Also I miss the silly gifs we used to have. Would anyone be opposed to having like some of them in a spoiler tag? I'd take submissions.
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I don't disagree with the Press Start door fee because home boy running a business... however, that's why I can't really go anymore. My wife and I are attacking debt, and it's tough to even go out to a $5 tourney when it's taking up a slot where I could make money at work. But that's beside the point.

True about the Dallas base, but we at least have the summer to look forward to. I like the idea of the Sunday bi-weekly a lot, though it might not be something I can regularly attend. And there is the one guy holding a tournament on Fridays, rotating between a variety of games. Also not terrible. But the Saturday time slot is the difficult beast, and it's looking betweem Bham Brawl, BIO, vsHuntsville and the new one at the game store (the one with the winner take all, ya boy got the first win, holla), it could end up working out if all parties coordinate. Of course, it could also be that some don't and then you just have to decide on which to go to based on proximity and time, as well as competitive value and other factors.

More options are definitely good for the scene in the long run, I feel, because the most viable tournaments will win out, but the smaller ones that dont survive will at least be learning lessons for all involved. On top of that, there will be a chance someone who doesn't normally win could make a nice run and have a taste of victory. AND these game stores might do a Press Start and develop teams of their own, which I think would be cool.

All that said, we should be happy that Smash is growing, and though there might be growing pains at first, it'll sort itself out over time and we will be better for it.

Edit: also swap to monitors yall.
 
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sound

sound

Banned via Warnings
Joined
Oct 13, 2014
Messages
17
What game store tournament are you talking about?
From what I understood, the four saturdays would be reserved to host a monthly at each of the major Alabama smash cities (ie, Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, Auburn, Mobile) with Mobile and Huntsville overlapping due to distance.

Most people probably don't know about the Auburn monthlies yet, but we're having our first one this Saturday.
Come and beat us: https://www.facebook.com/events/906107842836025/
 
Mahgnittoc

Mahgnittoc

Smash Ace
Joined
Nov 11, 2008
Messages
668
Location
Zimbweabwea
powergamer said:
Is press start that place that charges $10 to play friendlies?

lmao
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It's a business. It's understandable but it could also work in their favor if they run some promotions. You don't always sell full price. Sometimes you sell at a discount so people buy full price later. Plus for a place like that where let's say for example they need $100 a day to stay afloat, why would they not run an event at a price cut that will attract more people that would balance out so they can still make the operating cost.
 
BeastRay

BeastRay

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pray75
Mahgnittoc said:
It's a business. It's understandable but it could also work in their favor if they run some promotions. You don't always sell full price. Sometimes you sell at a discount so people buy full price later. Plus for a place like that where let's say for example they need $100 a day to stay afloat, why would they not run an event at a price cut that will attract more people that would balance out so they can still make the operating cost.
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Because he's in business to earn money, not just to stay afloat. You can be sure $100 a day is probably a low balled estimate, considering he has to pay at least one employee for 11 hours up to 15 in a day, and even at minimim wage that's already close or above $100. Then factor in equipment, the new games coming in, DLC for existing games, etc. And sure, he could pick a more profitable venture, and he already has a few, but even running small business like that on the side, you're not looking into going in the red.

And besides, they don't host much at all, so asking a $10 fee isn't unreasonable. At least he matches the price of the entry to the venue fee he has. Which reminds me I need to sign up for LTC4 before the price goes up.

I'm not trying to be all "no ur dum," because I understand it sucks. I mean, what kept me from trying to get on the team is the fee to get in the building. But I'm also understanding and supportive of whatever he chooses to charge because I'm a free market conservative and I know that stuff normally regulates itself, given time.

Lol politics.

Also get monitors. They are life changing.
 
sound

sound

Banned via Warnings
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Oct 13, 2014
Messages
17
I don't think it's our responsibility to consider whatever bs the Press Start guy has to deal with in order to maintain his business. If he wants to run a successful game store, then all the luck to him.

However, it's not like they're doing us a favor by running a smash tournament. If he wants to run a small tournament with a $10 venue fee for just spectating, then regardless of whatever hardships he has to deal with on the business side, we can just say **** that tournament. Going off their FB page, it's clear that they are trying to cater to console gaming in general. Unless they're doing something special for SMASH , I don't see a reason to support Press Start's $10 venue fee tournaments.

We're playing smash here, not trying to help business owners succeed. If a business can't handle having a lower venue fee, then maybe don't run smash tournaments until they're ready.
 
Mahgnittoc

Mahgnittoc

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Joined
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Messages
668
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Actually I would love to help the business. But I'm not down to pay $10 to play a game I own. It's been stated to me that I can play whatever I want when I pay the $10 but at the same point I'm not going to play another game. And then they have dedicated smash nights where hey can have increased attendence on that day.

I think if he wants the business to increase he should have special days where you can do things like run the tourney and decrease the venue fee for the people entering and limit them just to playing smash. Getting people in the door is the first step to getting a customer base.

That's where my example was. I know I low-balled the estimate but I've talked with the owner before and from what I heard, I could be misinterpreting or things might have changed, but this isn't even his big business. It's more of a passion project. He's making money elsewhere and has this open to us because he thinks it's cool for people to have a place to chill and play games. I really like that idea. But I also don't see he point where if his goal is to have $100 revenue a day to not run promotions on tourney days where you discount the price because you know you will have increased revenue.

You know why we're willing to pay extra money to go to these bigger Tournies? Becaus we know it's all dedicated to the cost. I know most places aren't really making money off the big Tournies. You know why we're fine with paying money for HASL and BB? That's because they are showing us that the money is being directly reinvested in our community. Nick bought a PA system and Justin bought better streaming equipment. All of these things increase our experience and keeps us coming back. Instead the few PS Tournies I went to I had to help TO. No problem with that but at $10 I'd really like for someone to be able to run the tourney themselves or give back to our community. But I love the PS owner. I'll support him when my bank account ain't in he double digits.
 
BeastRay

BeastRay

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Mahgnittoc Mahgnittoc , I feel ya on that. Being broke sucks. Don't get married any time soon. And definitely don't have a child.

sound sound You're operating on the premise that he's hosting the tournament to do you a favor. Or that anyone owes the Smash scene anything at all. That's simply not the case. He wants to run a smash tourney at $10? Let him. You don't like it? Don't go. That's the beauty of economics. If it isn't working, he's either going to stop or he's going to make changes. You're doing yourself a disservice be saying that it isn't your responsibility to consider these things, though, because you're closing your mind to the reality of something, in this case operating a business, and coming across as entitled. Don't fall into that trap, friend.
 
sound

sound

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BeastRay BeastRay No, I specifically said that he's not doing us a favor by running tournaments. And I agree, like I said, if we don't like a $10 venue fee, then "we can just say **** that tournament" and not go. I understand how the economics of it works, and I understand that he has stuff that he needs to deal with as a business owner. I'm not saying to close your mind or that I've closed my mind on that. I'm just saying that the business side of a tournament is irrelevant when deciding on which tournaments to go to. I don't care that the guy has employees to pay (not to say that that's not relevant to the owner), or that he's running a business and wants to profit rather than stay afloat. If the cost of going to a tournament seems unreasonable (e.g. $10 venue fee to spectate), then I won't go, regardless if they are "home boy running a business".

I only brought it up because it seemed like we were trying to justify PS by claiming "oh but they're a business and need money".
 
BeastRay

BeastRay

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sound said:
BeastRay BeastRay No, I specifically said that he's not doing us a favor by running tournaments. And I agree, like I said, if we don't like a $10 venue fee, then "we can just say **** that tournament" and not go. I understand how the economics of it works, and I understand that he has stuff that he needs to deal with as a business owner. I'm not saying to close your mind or that I've closed my mind on that. I'm just saying that the business side of a tournament is irrelevant when deciding on which tournaments to go to. I don't care that the guy has employees to pay (not to say that that's not relevant to the owner), or that he's running a business and wants to profit rather than stay afloat. If the cost of going to a tournament seems unreasonable (e.g. $10 venue fee to spectate), then I won't go, regardless if they are "home boy running a business".

I only brought it up because it seemed like we were trying to justify PS by claiming "oh but they're a business and need money".
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I feel ya. Nah, the justification is more like "it's his business, he wants money and he is gonna charge what he wants." And that's okay.

On that note i do need to give a shoutout to the game store in Ensley that swapped the venue fee with the entry fee. I told them that as a general rule, charging a higher venue fee than entry fee is a discouragement to smash players. It is actually one of the main reasons I went there instead of to UAB, because he was willing to change on that. Big events might be an exception to the rule, but I definitely don't want to go to a tourney where I'm paying more in venue than I am for the entry fee. More power to them if they choose that route, but count me out.

EDIT i said that about the tourney and i just paid $27 venue for LTC4, vs $25 total entry lol. But they have a lot of cool stuff so that's okay.
 
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BeastRay

BeastRay

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Keet said:
BeastRay BeastRay

Oh you mean the tourney that only paid out to the winner? Yeah not a fan.
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I was a fan because I was the winner. LOL

I like the idea because it's different, more high stakes, but I told him that if he does that, he should alternate between traditional payout and the high stakes one for the sake of having people come out. But as a whole, I'm a fan of when people break the norm in some form or fashion with their tourneys, even if I don't participate or personally like the rules myself. It's why, despite my inability to go, I liked the HASL tourneys. I'm a fan of the Miis and 3 stock.

Of course, when it comes to Power Rankings and whatnot, some of the outlier tourneys should not be included. What Dallas did with that before their PR broke down was invite tourneys that wanted to be scored with their PR to talk to the guy doing the scoring and basically get accepted to it. Not sure about the criteria, but I can ask.
 
SSBMagy

SSBMagy

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Gonna be at Versus Huntsville on the 21st. Bring a 64 controller if you wanna get rekt.
 
BornABrawler

BornABrawler

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Wundermittens said:
Melee results for Magic City Smash 2!

http://smashboards.com/rankings/mcs-2-melee-singles.13405/event

http://smashboards.com/rankings/mcs-2-melee-doubles.13404/event
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I was watching the stream. Did the venue close earlier than expected and were you just kinda rushed out? Not that it was entirely your fault, but be sure to clear everything up next tournament.

Also are there any tournaments going on this weekend? I wanted to go to UAB to compete but some complications rose and I had to cancel my plans.
 
Keet

Keet

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We booked the venue months ago. We were told then that we had until 11. Lady came in today at 8:30 and told us we had to be out by 9, we negotiated 9:30 then rushed through the end of the smash 4 bracket to finish on time. It was a pain having to worry about finishing on time, and I hate to deflect the blame, but honestly we were very careful to schedule things so they would end on time and the venue owners kind of threw a wrench in our plans. Luckily we know now and can schedule with that in mind in the future.

That being said, really happy with how everything went. We had a couple of hick-ups throughout, and we will definitely make sure we have the equipment to stream melee in the future. But it was a huge learning experience for all of us working to improve this series. Really glad that so many people got to come out, hope you guys had a good time!
 
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Sweaters

Sweaters

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315
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Birmingham, Alabama
I just read all the discussion on tourneys, I'd be down to take like a few months off if other people want to do tournament stuff, unless people don't want me to. Is there a way to do a poll on smashboards?
 
Wundermittens

Wundermittens

UAB Smash Club VP
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Sweaters said:
I just read all the discussion on tourneys, I'd be down to take like a few months off if other people want to do tournament stuff, unless people don't want me to. Is there a way to do a poll on smashboards?
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Please don't stop! People will keep going to QUALITY tournaments and Birmingham Brawl is one of the highest quality in Alabama.
 
LilBigham

LilBigham

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Mar 14, 2015
Messages
56
Location
Fayette, AL
Sweaters said:
I just read all the discussion on tourneys, I'd be down to take like a few months off if other people want to do tournament stuff, unless people don't want me to. Is there a way to do a poll on smashboards?
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Birmingham Brawl is actually one of my favorite tournaments in Alabama. i remember my first one like it was only 7 months ago probably.
 
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