Some Questions for the PM tournament organizers out there

[uCooL]

I'm going to be organizing and running a pm tourney in about a month. And I have a few questions:

1. Does the TO normally play in the tourney?

2. Do custom songs on the stages give off an unprofessional vibe? I plan to keeps stock stages.

I plan to use apex rules and build, but with a different logo, is there anything wrong with this?

Any general tips for running my first tourney?

Thanks.

 

[The_NZA]

TO's normally can and often do play. Custom songs is usually alright (and sometimes hype). Custom textures (no matter how obtrusive) are often banned but its up to you with how intense you want to be. Don't make rules you can't enforce/are unenforceable would be the big rule. And always assume you are running behind so that you get through things in a timely manner.

Also, Pokemon stadium 1 and 2 being legal on Apex was ****ing stupid and the only reason it was done was because it was easier to run a tourney of that size with both bottom rows legal for counterpicks. I don't think a sensible TO should have PKS1 legal.

 

[GMaster171]

1) depends on how busy the tournament is. In our montlies with around 20 people, the TO enters both games present and still manages to run the tourny (with a little help here or there)

2) this is more imo, but as long as its not loud/obnoxious, or offensive its fine. stage skins are another story and I personally keep them stock.

Suggestions on running? Be strict. if you need a TV for a tourny match, kick people off. tourny>friendly.
also dont feel obliged to answer everything everyone asks you, it can get annoying fast.

 

[uCooL]

TO's normally can and often do play. Custom songs is usually alright (and sometimes hype). Custom textures (no matter how obtrusive) are often banned but its up to you with how intense you want to be. Don't make rules you can't enforce/are unenforceable would be the big rule. And always assume you are running behind so that you get through things in a timely manner.

Also, Pokemon stadium 1 and 2 being legal on Apex was ****ing stupid and the only reason it was done was because it was easier to run a tourney of that size with both bottom rows legal for counterpicks. I don't think a sensible TO should have PKS1 legal.

I absolutely agree on wtf for Pokemon stadium 1 being legal at apex, and i have been heavily considering banning it for my tourney, I just wasn't sure why it was legal in the first place. What's wrong with pks2 though?

Thanks for the other tips as well!

 

[uCooL]

1) depends on how busy the tournament is. In our montlies with around 20 people, the TO enters both games present and still manages to run the tourny (with a little help here or there)

2) this is more imo, but as long as its not loud/obnoxious, or offensive its fine. stage skins are another story and I personally keep them stock.

Suggestions on running? Be strict. if you need a TV for a tourny match, kick people off. tourny>friendly.
also dont feel obliged to answer everything everyone asks you, it can get annoying fast.

Well looks like songs in, skins out. Which is fine by me.

I'll take your third paragraph to heart. If I'm planning to have approx 20 people for the tourney, how many set ups total should I have? Considering singles, doubles and friendlies.

 

[GMaster171]

Well looks like songs in, skins out. Which is fine by me.

I'll take your third paragraph to heart. If I'm planning to have approx 20 people for the tourney, how many set ups total should I have? Considering singles, doubles and friendlies.

We have 2 TVs for each event (so 4 in total, one of which switches to the other game later in the bracket), and it takes us around 5 hours to do both 20 man bracket. so... more TVs lol. of course of these 20 entrants, most of them enter both games, so we often get bracket clogged and have free TVs. Id say the minimum is 2 or 3 for each event, make sure you have enough to finish before you set one to friendlies.

 

[Tryst]

Where is the turnament going to be? Sorry if this is off topic, I am just interested. :3 Oh. Nevermind. Probably around Mid California? If only it was more north. Oh well. Hope you guys have fun! :D

 

[ShadowGanon]

Suggestions on running? Be strict. if you need a TV for a tourny match, kick people off. tourny>friendly.
also don't feel obliged to answer everything everyone asks you, it can get annoying fast.

This is true. I just organized a tournament with a friend of mine. When we got to the tournament I got hit with a VERY large amount of questions from the participants. I eventually just told them all to back off and ask one of the other TOs. It didn't help that we were a little behind schedule.

 

[The_NZA]

I absolutely agree on wtf for Pokemon stadium 1 being legal at apex, and i have been heavily considering banning it for my tourney, I just wasn't sure why it was legal in the first place. What's wrong with pks2 though?

Thanks for the other tips as well!

I meant both being legal at the same time.

 

[uCooL]

Where is the turnament going to be? Sorry if this is off topic, I am just interested. :3 Oh. Nevermind. Probably around Mid California? If only it was more north. Oh well. Hope you guys have fun! :D

Its going to be in Manteca, CA. you should come out!

 

[uCooL]

This is true. I just organized a tournament with a friend of mine. When we got to the tournament I got hit with a VERY large amount of questions from the participants. I eventually just told them all to back off and ask one of the other TOs. It didn't help that we were a little behind schedule.

What types of questions? Maybe i could set up a flyer with some basic answers to simple questions.

 

[ShadowGanon]

What types of questions? Maybe i could set up a flyer with some basic answers to simple questions.

They were all questions about where they were in the bracket, or if they could play their match now, or about different rules, or asking where they could find some extra controllers. This was a tournament with a lot of people that don't play smash that often. So a lot of them really weren't that experienced. We had 3 hours to do a 32 man bracket with four TVs. We were able to every round except the Grand Final, which was kind of anti-hype.

Just so you know, this was a Brawl tournament. But the only difference between organizing a Brawl tournament and organizing a PM tournament is rules.

 

[uCooL]

They were all questions about where they were in the bracket, or if they could play their match now, or about different rules, or asking where they could find some extra controllers. This was a tournament with a lot of people that don't play smash that often. So a lot of them really weren't that experienced. We had 3 hours to do a 32 man bracket with four TVs. We were able to every round except the Grand Final, which was kind of anti-hype.

Just so you know, this was a Brawl tournament. But the only difference between organizing a Brawl tournament and organizing a PM tournament is rules.

Ill hopefully have a screen set up connected to our laptop showing the current bracket using some tournament manger software (Anyone have any recommendations)?

so i should have a sign set up saying rules are final, you'll play when its your turn, and that they should have their own controller.

Thanks for the tips!

 

[Brim]

http://challonge.com/tournament/bracket_generator
I have no idea if this is any good, but it's evidently recommended.

 

[Rizner]

Challonge and tio are good. Just be careful that while you expect 20 you might get more, so be prepared. Then make sure your available during registration and that goes through smoothly.

Stage lists are still up for debate, but generally starters are bottom row, then others on page 1 up to the to are used as counter picks. Things like drac castle are sometimes legal, so that's something you can keep in mind.
Playing in out usually depends on the size. If you have like 50 people in it, that would be difficult to pull off without some help.

I'd say just make sure you keep things moving forward throughout the day and possibly have a second person there for questions and calling matches in case you're in a match.

Good luck

 

[uCooL]

http://challonge.com/tournament/bracket_generator
I have no idea if this is any good, but it's evidently recommended.

This is awesome, thanks man!

 

[uCooL]

Challonge and tio are good. Just be careful that while you expect 20 you might get more, so be prepared. Then make sure your available during registration and that goes through smoothly.

Stage lists are still up for debate, but generally starters are bottom row, then others on page 1 up to the to are used as counter picks. Things like drac castle are sometimes legal, so that's something you can keep in mind.
Playing in out usually depends on the size. If you have like 50 people in it, that would be difficult to pull off without some help.

I'd say just make sure you keep things moving forward throughout the day and possibly have a second person there for questions and calling matches in case you're in a match.

Good luck

This is good advice, it makes sense...but I'm not sure i would have considered everything you said without actually reading it. thanks!

Does anyone stream smaller tourneys? we're for sure going to record the semi finals and up to post them on youtube though.

 

[Thane of Blue Flames]

Videos are my lifeblood. The more you upload to Youtube, the longer I survive.

 

[Rizner]

This is good advice, it makes sense...but I'm not sure i would have considered everything you said without actually reading it. thanks!

Does anyone stream smaller tourneys? we're for sure going to record the semi finals and up to post them on youtube though.

Definitely, if nothing more than for your own sake to look back at and learn from. If you can I would say stream as much as possible while not holding the bracket back too much, and upload everything you have to youtube after.

 

[uCooL]

Definitely, if nothing more than for your own sake to look back at and learn from. If you can I would say stream as much as possible while not holding the bracket back too much, and upload everything you have to youtube after.

Even the first rounds? Theres at least a few people who won't be that great, i don't want people to lose interest in watching the rest.

 

[Daftatt]

Don't ban norfair, there ain't nothin wrong with that poor stage. same with dracula's castle (except maybe the camera).

 

[Rizner]

Even the first rounds? Theres at least a few people who won't be that great, i don't want people to lose interest in watching the rest.

Yeah, you likely wont have people watching the stream right at the start anyways. Just see what firstround match seem most interesting and put them there. No need to set up the stream later, gets kinks worked out early and if nothing else its a setup to use

 

[uCooL]

Yeah, you likely wont have people watching the stream right at the start anyways. Just see what firstround match seem most interesting and put them there. No need to set up the stream later, gets kinks worked out early and if nothing else its a setup to use

TO's normally can and often do play. Custom songs is usually alright (and sometimes hype). Custom textures (no matter how obtrusive) are often banned but its up to you with how intense you want to be. Don't make rules you can't enforce/are unenforceable would be the big rule. And always assume you are running behind so that you get through things in a timely manner.

Also, Pokemon stadium 1 and 2 being legal on Apex was ****ing stupid and the only reason it was done was because it was easier to run a tourney of that size with both bottom rows legal for counterpicks. I don't think a sensible TO should have PKS1 legal.

Are there any legal issues with screen capping matches with custom songs on the stages? As far as posting to youtube is concerned

 

[Daftatt]

Are there any legal issues with screen capping matches with custom songs on the stages? As far as youtube is concerned

not as long as you aren't trying to make ad revenue off the video. Which would be pointless for a smash tourney anyway unless you are CT or VGBC

 

[uCooL]

not as long as you aren't trying to make ad revenue off the video. Which would be pointless for a smash tourney anyway unless you are CT or VGBC

ok good, i just wouldn't want our footage to be pulled for something stupid like copyright problems with the stage song.