UK Smogon Tournaments?

Which location(s) would you prefer?


  • Total voters
    71

Havak

I'm the Best. You're a Towel.
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UK Smogon Meets / Tournaments?

UK Smogon Tournaments

Now, we all know that Smogon is huge and very well known these days, but there's always room for new things and expansion; bringing more to the UK is one of my main aims. Recently, I participated in a tournament hosted by a website called Pokecharms. They'd contacted a company called Gamerbase, who run weekly tournaments on various games at weekends in the UK. You can see the results and process of the Pokecharms tournament here and here. It'll also give you an idea of the turnout, interest, and how great the day actually was. It was a lot of fun just being able to meet lots of other Pokémon players, and as we know, Nintendo don't/can't host tournaments all the time - us in the UK are very aware of that. So this is our chance, for us, the fans, to do something about that, instead of just complaining.

Gamerbase - http://www.gamerbase.com/



Currently, they only have two locations in the United Kingdom, being in the two major cities - London and Manchester. However, there is a third location opening in July, which will be based in Glasgow, Scotland. Obviously, they host gaming tournaments each weekend, as well as providing consoles for you to game on for x amount of hours if you pay. There is usually a fee required to play, but you’ll be competing for prizes of a much greater value than that of the entrance fee. If I was able to run one of these for Smogon, we’d be able to hire out a section of the venue for x amount of time to conduct the tournament.

Tournaments

Obviously, battles would be conducted using Diamond / Pearl / Platinum, either through the use of Nintendo DS's themselves or connecting them to Pokémon Battle Revlution for a more interesting time.

Now, we’d most likely be able to rent out three large HD screens (at least, in Manchester anyway) for as long as we need (Pokecharms had three screens for what must’ve been around five hours). Pokecharms had two screens set up for the tournament, with another for players who either weren’t competing but had brought their DS, had already been eliminated, or were waiting for their next match between rounds. As far as I’m aware, Pokecharms had to provide their own Wii consoles and software, but I doubt that’d be much of a problem. I haven’t gotten in touch with Gamerbase just yet, so I don’t know how much it’d cost. But I’m going to have a word with the webmaster of Pokecharms first, and then drop Gamerbase an e-mail to see what we can arrange.

Now, the biggest (and perhaps only) worry is how much interest there would actually be. There wouldn’t be much point in running a tournament if we weren’t certain of at least 16-32 people turning up to compete. If we don’t get that many, I really can’t see much point and it’d probably cost more than the amount of money we’d make from it. I wouldn't want to rent out the venue and have very few people actually show up.. I don't have much money so it'd be a real strain on me if people say they'll come but don't.

Prizes

Prizes will simply become better and better depending on the turnout. I could speak to the admins about allowing for the likes of a Custom User Title for the winner, or perhaps a Trophy if at all possible (but that cannot be promised). Other things would include certificates, in-game Pokémon specially bred by Smogon members, Event Pokémon, cash or voucher prizes, or even Pokémon related merchandise or video games.

The future

Obviously, this type of thing wouldn't be restricted to just the UK. I'm sure there'd be even more potential for something like this in America as long as a venue can be acquired cheaply. But that's a discussion for another time between other staff members and people from America.

--------------------------

Myself and Toothache can vouch that this event was really good, and we'd be more than happy to host one in Manchester's Gamerbase if we can gain enough interest. Trust us, it's great fun, and the small entrance fee (£5~) is more than worth it, just for the sake of being there (you do not have to pay if you're not playing). Also, if any members from London or Scotland would be interested in trying to host one in those locations, go for it. It just depends if people have the funds to travel long distances.. but throughout the summer hopefully it'll be easier for people. So, what do you think?

As for now, this is just an interest thread to see if there would be enough players wanting to come along, so if you'd be up for it, let me know.



Quick mock-up of some advertisement (not official yet).
 
This would actually be pretty enjoyable. *Votes Yes on UK Tournaments*. To be honest I believe there are enough British people here (including myself), to have such a tournament.
 
I'll be at university in either Warwick or Manchester next year, so if I'm at Manchester, I'd probably come to one.
 
this is a fantastic idea and depending on where and when ( london be the best venue as easyer for people to get to then manchester imo) i would love to come and depending on the turnout be fun to have more then 1 tourni going eg 6v6 singles 4v4 doubles ect meaning everyone that came would get to battle(unlike the VGC going on atm) and would finerly be a good reason to breed/iv a team ( i have no wi fi so no point for me) and a good reason to get plaatnium for the move tutors :D
 
I'd jump at the chance to go to an event near me, be it a battle one or just one of those get-a-mew-from-a-tent ones. *Votes yes on UK Tournaments*.
 

gec

pharos
is a Forum Moderator Alumnus
Why would anyone say no to this? It's a great idea and I wouldn't mind paying a fee to go to such an event, so it's a yes.
 
I may not live in the UK, but I think this is a stellar idea. Of course, if no one arrives at first you could start it out on wi-fi.
 
UK, YES.

I live in Northern Ireland, though. :|

I travel to London about once a year, and sometimes go via London to Paris.

& I went to Manchester for a concert, but. D:

However, after all of that Glasgow would probably be most accessible. X__x;
(I went there for Darkrai event...)


I wish there were more Northern Irish/Irish members. ):


Anyway, great idea, I hope you can hold events at all three locations. :)
 
I'd be very interested in this, especially since I live in London. I could bring a few friends with me. I know there are a lot of battlers in London from my TCG tournaments. So yeah, it sounds like a great idea. I'd help with the tournament in London if needed, to make this happen, so let me know if there's anything needed.
 

B-Lulz

Now Rusty and Old
is a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
Great, Birmingham gets nothing lol. Still this is pretty sweet for people who can gain access.
 
Manchester is only an hour and a half's train ride from York, my university, and London is only an hours train ride away from home and an hour and half from york. I will be up for this if such a thing were to occur.
 

B-Lulz

Now Rusty and Old
is a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
On second thoughts, a Manchester one might not be too bad to get into. I can't guarantee I will make an appearance (I more than likely won't go by myself, i'll bring a friend to participate also, just depends whether he's up for it or not lol) but I am in full support of this.
 
Are they holding any more of these? I would have gone had I known about it, I'm back down here from Uni atm
 
i still feel as a genral rule that london would be the better venue due to easyer for more people to get to due to more direct train/coach links ( for eample i live in bristol now and to get to manchester and back by train would cost me £60 last time i looked about a year ago >.> but to get to london on coach and back would cost me £10, and im soon moving to norwich meaning to get to manchester would cost idk how much and again to london on train and back would noly be about £10) due to easyer access into london as ou can see prices are alot cheaper meaning more likely to entice people to come to london as im not paying +£20 in travel alone
 
I like the idea. I doubt i'd be able to get to London that often to compete (it's gonna cost me a good £25 to get to the VGC tornament next Saturday) but I do like the idea.

Ideally I think Nintendo or whoever's incharge (I can't keep up :p) should have a system like the TCG has, where anyone can set up a legitimate tornament with points going towards getting into the world championships. It woudl solve the currently random signing up procedure they currently have. But that's wishful thinking on my behalf, it probably won't happen...
 

Havak

I'm the Best. You're a Towel.
is a Top Tutor Alumnusis a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
Well, if London does become popular in demand, a member from London should be the one to host it. I've recently got my tickets for London, to go to the VGC on Saturday, that's cost me over £50 - so I wouldn't be willing to have to pay £50 for a train, a possible Hotel fee of £40~ if I had to stay over there, and the money to hire the venue / buy prizes as there's no guarentee enough players would show up to cover costs. If you want one in London, try and organise it.

I'll gladly do Manchester as it'll cost me £4 on the bus to get there, and it's just as easily accessable as London IMO.
 
I might be interested in this. I live 30 minutes away from London (by train), so that would be the best location for me. If Pokécharms could pull it off, I'm sure Smogon could, too.
 

Havak

I'm the Best. You're a Towel.
is a Top Tutor Alumnusis a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
maybe the best option would be to put a vote on this thread and see which is more popular and work it out from there
We'd need a volunteer to contact London's Gamerbase on behalf of Smogon and be willing to host the tournament there first.

I know I can contact a lot of friends who aren't Smogon members and ask them to compete, but they're all more likely to go to the Manchester one obviously. I can also advertise this on many a Pokémon site if we actually have confirmation of a tournament happening. I know I can get a lot of non-Smogon members to play, and this will hopefully advertise Smogon more in the UK.
 
Chris I can probably do that if you want, just MSN me the stuff later on this evening and I'll see if I can get it done. We should probably get a rough estimate on how many we'd expect to turn up though.
 
I'd love to do this, for London, seeing as I live there. Would be better than going to the 1 tournament a year that we got half-way through a busy time for most of the fan-base (public exams, Come on Nintendo of Europe!). Also, There's a near-enough guarantee that you'll get a kid with a level 15 Shinx or summing =D

However, I'm hopeless at running things, so I'd probably be a liability for the organisational side of it. :3
 
Thanks Havak for getting the ball rolling!
Finally a chance for people in the UK to meet up up. I currently live in Edinburgh so I dont mind helping out to host in Glasgow. I would definately be up to coming Manchester, as for London I will be at the VGC this Saturday, but it cost me a packet - so would have to know way in advance to get cheap tickets - I dont mind the travel as I travel alot with my breaking anyway.

So far looks good - making it happen
 

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