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Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 15:35:07


Post by: Beerfart


Right, I checked out this blogsite made by this disgruntled guy who seems to think everything he hates....sucks, without question. I dunno, he might've been a member here in the past or something I dunno.

Anyway, all he does is bash adepticon and talk about how its ruining the hobby. I've actually been to adepticon and think its a great event.

Anyway, with this blog doing all it can to smear Adepticon, I figured it would be an interesting subject to talk about here were if you make a post that makes Adepticon look good with a valid point that might prove naysayers wrong and ACTUALLY HAVE IT NOT BE MODERATED before it hits the masses.

What does dakka as a whole think of Adepticon, what are your observations/experiences and how do you feel after you get home from it?

...most importantly are you going this year? why?...do you expect it will be a fun filled weekend?


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 15:57:01


Post by: Kid_Kyoto


can you link to it? hard to judge this guy's compalints without seeing them.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 16:19:48


Post by: lifeafter


I too would like to read the blog.

This year will be the first year I'm attending and I'm really excited about it. My tickets, hotel, and pass are bought, so unless the blog has proof they murder babies at Adepticon, I'm going.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 16:20:12


Post by: Deadshane1


Better there is no link....since this is a jab at someone.

BF's got a good point however.

Speaking FOR adepticon....I've always HATED the gladiator since the first time I played in it. (forgeworld gaming just doenst send me) however, since they've since stuck the BFG tournement on friday, that allows me to play in IT instead of the Gladiator.

That AND I dont have to miss the RTT in order to play in the Gothic tournement. Win/win for me.

...also, basically I love tournements. Adepticon (and Yaks FAQ) does their collective best at making an actual tournement with some clarification of the rules that a competetive tournement would need. Thats my opinion. Its fun and loads of it.

Something that the naysayers of adepticon forget is that a weekend tournement isnt just for gaming and competing. Its also simply for nerding out with old friends that you see only once or twice a year along with meeting some new friends...to still nerd out with and drink beers. Whatever the hate is toward the FAQ's, how the game allegedly gets screwed up by this particular tournement situation, or how many A-holes you wind up playing at Adepticon (this is another of the alleged problems with adepticon), the fact remains, if you can simply take the game for what it is...do your best at competing...AND just try to have a good time with new and old friends...You're going to have a blast at Adepticon. Thats why its good for the hobby. It's good because it promotes us all getting together after building armies to enjoy our hobby.

If you're hardcore competetive and thats all you care about in this game and tournements....you probably arent that welcome anyway. Let the rest of us have our fun.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 16:47:31


Post by: Platuan4th


Beerfart wrote:Right, I checked out this blogsite made by this disgruntled guy who seems to think everything he hates....sucks, without question. I dunno, he might've been a member here in the past or something I dunno.

Anyway, all he does is bash adepticon and talk about how its ruining the hobby. I've actually been to adepticon and think its a great event.

Anyway, with this blog doing all it can to smear Adepticon, I figured it would be an interesting subject to talk about here were if you make a post that makes Adepticon look good with a valid point that might prove naysayers wrong and ACTUALLY HAVE IT NOT BE MODERATED before it hits the masses.

What does dakka as a whole think of Adepticon, what are your observations/experiences and how do you feel after you get home from it?

...most importantly are you going this year? why?...do you expect it will be a fun filled weekend?


I assume you mean Stelek's "Yes the truth hurts". Stelek's full of hot air and is one of those people that thinks his opinion is the only valid opinion and therefore anyone else is wrong, no matter what evidence they can bring forth.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 16:49:22


Post by: Deadshane1


No namecalling please, this is actually a worthwhile topic...especially if one wants to speak PRO-ADEPTICON. Better to ignore the jab at Stelek (really ignore Stelek altogether) and simply discuss the Pro's of Adepticon. (or con's if that's your thing)


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 16:50:54


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


So what is Adepticon?


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 16:51:29


Post by: Deadshane1


pretty much the biggest tournement in the U.S. right now.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 16:52:00


Post by: JD21290


ah, is this stelek we are talking about?
if so its pointless trying to argue with him, his oppinion is allways right
well, he think so.

best off ignoring him, he doesent have a good word to say about anyone or anything unless he likes it.

also, thanks to him being like this he got himself banned for life from dakka


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 16:58:41


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Fair enough. Non-GW run I assume?

Is there anything else to do at it? Going purely on the name, it strikes me it might be a sort of Tournament based Games Day?


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 17:00:08


Post by: IRPurple


id probubly make an effort to go to atepacon, but my generalvuew on convensions is alot of down to earth people, but there are allways the people taking things way too far and seriously.... i remember a card convension i went i ended up gettin shucked out and havin a fight with an obsesive cos i had a sugestion to better his deck....

i dono if theres anything that big in scotland, i think there is like 1 or 2, but thats it..... there IS warhammer world, but its way down in the land of ing.....(england) alot of travlin not a couple of
days and its not cheep being a student in the oil capital of the UK.... lol


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 17:03:11


Post by: Deadshane1


yes, its an Indy tournement(s)

40k/Fantasy RTT's
40k/Fantasy Team tournements
Gladiator
some other fantasy competition
Gothic RTT
Bloodbowl Competition
LOTR
seminars
painting competition
Tons of other stuff.....


In short...over the course of a 3 day weekend its Gaming overload with the possibility of participating in 3 full tournements (up to five games in one day!) over the course of the weekend.

Several retailers and GW staff has attended the last several for Q&A.



Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 17:03:25


Post by: Platuan4th


Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:Fair enough. Non-GW run I assume?

Is there anything else to do at it? Going purely on the name, it strikes me it might be a sort of Tournament based Games Day?


There's also Modeling, Sculpting, and Painting Seminars, Space Hulk, the more obscure GW games(Warhammer Histroicals of varying ages, including Western), Apocalypse, Blood Bowl, and Necromunda.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 17:05:28


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


And somebody wouldn't like that because?

Sure, I consider tournament gaming to be the spawn of satan, hence why I don't attend them (buggered if I'm paying to inflate some cheese monkies ego!). But Adepticon, with more to do sounds like a laugh.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 17:45:41


Post by: Polonius


Well, I've read some pretty scathing stuff about Adepticon in my day, and I've heard rave reviews of it. I think it's hard to objectively say it's good or bad, but it's a major hobby event that brings in hundreds of people and encourages some pretty incredible hobby work.

I've actually heard that Adepticon is too cutthroat and too casual, too hobby centric and too gaming centric, and both great for the community and the great satan that will devour tournament gaming in the US.

I've never been, and even if I did, I'd just be one more voice in the crowd. I do know that most of the rants about Adepticon (aside from people who simply didn't like it) tend to be either very vague in their critiques or spend most of the time focusing their ire on the FAQ. The FAQ does raise soem legititame issues, but even there I think it's only 10% of the beef, the other 90% is standard "nobody can tell me what to do" type anger.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 18:22:53


Post by: Blackmoor


Deadshane1 wrote:pretty much the biggest tournement in the U.S. right now.


First off, it is the largest GW event in the world. The 40k team tournament on Saturday has over 300 players.

What “he who shall not be named” does not like is the Adepticon FAQ. He has hated it for over a year now. I suspect because if you are not playing the game his way, you are playing it wrong. The funny thing is that the Adepticon FAQ is meant it get rid of having a judge come over to make a ruling, because both players know what the rules are ahead of time. He had a fit on his blog after the ‘Ardboyz tournament because of a bad ruling from a judge. That is exactly what the FAQ tries to get rid of.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 18:35:35


Post by: Hulksmash


Can't speak for Adepticon, but i've got friends going this year who are probably gonna have a good time

My problem with the FAQ is the "rule changes". I don't mind clarifications or RAW rulings on certain subjects. I think that part of it is a great idea for a tournement. But any Rule Change is wrong. They didn't write the game and they don't have the right to re-write the rules. That and there are more than a few contradicting rulings on clarifications/RAW decisions makes me majorly inclined to not want to use the document. Plus the document to me seems to encourage rules lawyering. Just my opinion.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 18:39:38


Post by: Platuan4th


Hulksmash wrote:They didn't write the game and they don't have the right to re-write the rules.


Actually, according to GW, we do. They blantantly state in the DA FAQ that if we don't like a rule, change it or don't use it. GW says their rules are a "guideline", not a hard line set of rules. That's the problem with any tournament using their rules and why Rules Changes may be needed for a smoother competitive game.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 19:43:32


Post by: Bookwrack


Hulksmash wrote:They didn't write the game and they don't have the right to re-write the rules.

Of course they do. It's their event, and they can do whatever you want. And you can do whatever you want in response to that.

Anyways, you've seen what large it's supposed to be. The purpose of the FAQ is to take all the points of contention that have arisen within the GW ruleset and have them addressed before the event starts. That cuts down on the number of judges that have to be offhand in order to keep the game rolling smoothly, and eliminates the problem of different judges giving different rulings on the same issue.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 20:20:31


Post by: skyth


Hulksmash wrote: Plus the document to me seems to encourage rules lawyering. Just my opinion.


'Rules-lawyering' (Also known as 'arguing for an interpretation that I don't want to play by') isn't a bad thing as long as it is done before someone even makes a list. In fact, making sure that everyone is playing by the same rules before anyone makes a list is a good thing.

When it is bad is, at a crucial point of a game, someone gets told that 'That's not the way I play the game'. That leaves a sour taste in both player's mouth and accusations of the other person being a bad person because they don't play the game 'correctly'


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 20:25:30


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


How does it encourage Rules Lawyering?

Strictly speaking, it should pretty well prevent the worst excesses of the Rules Lawyer. How? The Rules Lawyer will argue for which ever point he feels benefits him the most in that moment. The FAQ, which is open to comment, critiscism and content from the online community (NOT just someone sat in a basement on their jack jones) clears up as many ambiguities in the rules, no matter how tenuous they might be (for example, the rules mention he a lot, but rarely she. One could argue that said rules do not affect a female opponent...) so that all players can write their list with a single interpretation in mind.

I think he shall not be named got pissy because a ruling went against him one time and he blamed a major loss on that. Could understand it if money was at stake, but it's not.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 20:29:45


Post by: malfred


Going to Adepticon (I live in Chicago, after all) makes me slightly interested in playing
40k. However, then I wander over to the Fantasy tables and get some sense knocked
into me

It's a really fun event. It's not GW run, but GW seems to like their style since
Jervis and others have come to do late night talks. I think he even showed yakface
some drawings of the Eldar models back before the 4th edition codex was
released.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 21:14:59


Post by: legoburner


In additional defense of the FAQs, yak and the FAQ team have been publicly thanked and had their changes merged into mainline 40k rules before, so they must be doing something right


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 21:20:14


Post by: Hollismason


link the adepticon faq I want to see rule changes.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 21:25:07


Post by: malfred


Hollismason wrote:link the adepticon faq I want to see rule changes.


http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/227779.page

It's right there stickied at the top of News and Rumors.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/08 23:31:57


Post by: Lorek


It's a large event run by people who do it just because they want to. I can't think of a better background for something like this. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I think they give you fair warning beforehand.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 00:00:37


Post by: Black Blow Fly


The thing about the FAQ is threefold:

1) both players know the rules and how they are played at Adepticon ahead of time. It saves a lot of time at the table.

2) There will be some rule changes you like and some you don't like. Read the FAQ ahead of time and design your armies accordingly to deal constructively with the rule changes you don't like.

3) You just use this FAQ at Adepticon. If you really don't like it then save your time/money and don't attend. In my area where I game no one is planning to use the FAQ for local events/leagues.

Yakface conducts a lot of research and I think this is where most of the rule changes stem. Personally I would like to see less rule changes in the future but it is not a big deal to me. The FAQ is a great tool for Adepticon and helps to make the games flow a lot smoother overall.

G


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 00:06:58


Post by: IRPurple


Blackmoor wrote:
First off, it is the largest GW event in the world. The 40k team tournament on Saturday has over 300 players.


isnt games day the biggest? im not 100% sure, but the GWs take games day to heart, and its pretty damn big....



Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 00:49:38


Post by: frgsinwntr


I had fun and would probably do it again.. but... there seemed to be some favoritism towards people/teams that have been there before... would love to know why our theme/painting scores were so low... We had some quality stuff there.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 00:50:16


Post by: Janthkin


IRPurple wrote:
Blackmoor wrote:
First off, it is the largest GW event in the world. The 40k team tournament on Saturday has over 300 players.


isnt games day the biggest? im not 100% sure, but the GWs take games day to heart, and its pretty damn big....

Not sure about largest "event." Largest TOURNAMENT, however, is without question: 96 teams @ 4 people each = 384 40k players, with a 100 player WHFB event going on simultaneously. And that's JUST Saturday.



Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 01:07:12


Post by: dogma


frgsinwntr wrote:I had fun and would probably do it again.. but... there seemed to be some favoritism towards people/teams that have been there before... would love to know why our theme/painting scores were so low... We had some quality stuff there.


That's going to be inevitable in any area of subjective critique. In the end a hobby is game built around friendship, so friendship is bound to affect any perception of it.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 01:12:36


Post by: Hand of Dume


This will be my second year participating in the team tourney on saturday and the individual on sunday. Its'a fantastic time! With everything in one hotel, you don't have to leave for anything. Full of booths from GW to Forgeworld. Also with a full range of seminars from modeling to basing to painting.

If you're a 40k enthusiast that loves smooth running tourneys, this is definately for you.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 10:12:20


Post by: JohnHwangDD


Beerfart wrote:Right, I checked out this blogsite made by this disgruntled guy who seems to think everything he hates....sucks, without question. I dunno, he might've been a member here in the past or something I dunno.

As others have noted, this is probably Stelek, who was permabanned from Dakka.

Adepticon is great for some, not for others. If you had fun, then by all means, keep at it.

I won't be attending, as Tournaments aren't something that interests me any more.

OTOH, I don't follow Stelek, either, as his attitude is just too negative for me.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 12:13:43


Post by: whitedragon


Adepticon is awesome. An entire weekend of gaming, with all sorts of extra stuff going on all the time. You get to game, talk with other fellow gamers, and see cool stuff related to gaming. And game. The 40k Team Tournament is also one of the coolest events ever. The level of dedication some teams put into their armies and displays puts anything you see at Games Day to shame, including the Golden Demons.

That said, some feel that the theme and painting scores, especially for the Team Tourney, can be a little subjective. The gladiator has none of this, however, and the 40k Championship is always a more relaxed atmosphere, mainly because everyone is worn out from the gladiator.

Don't forget the fantasy, LOTR, Gothic, Space Hulk, and any other event going on.

It is well worth the price of admission.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 12:42:05


Post by: Kallbrand


The FAQ is filled with changing the rules in favor for some and doing a number on others, thats why some hate it without even going there ever. Many without any real reasoning or justification. At least it is known for everyone before they enter.

Some feel that they are getting the "holier than thou" vibes from the organizers.

And some feel they been the victims of favouritism in the tournaments.

Like everyone said before tho, if you like to play it by the rules made up it might be a great time. Its not really "real" 40k though..


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 13:42:49


Post by: malfred


Kallbrand wrote:The FAQ is filled with changing the rules in favor for some and doing a number on others, thats why some hate it without even going there ever. Many without any real reasoning or justification. At least it is known for everyone before they enter.

Some feel that they are getting the "holier than thou" vibes from the organizers.

And some feel they been the victims of favouritism in the tournaments.

Like everyone said before tho, if you like to play it by the rules made up it might be a great time. Its not really "real" 40k though..


By that definition, any game of 40k isn't "real" as GW even won't support any
kind of ruling not governed by dice. Then you get into the problem of d6ing rules
at a tournament where people travel. Sure enough you're going to get that guy
who knows which rules he's always going to argue for a d6 over knowing that
he'll get a 50% chance of the ruling going in his favor.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 13:57:12


Post by: davetaylor


Here's my two cents:

I've been lucky enough to attend Adepticon four the last four events and had a great time at all of them (even though last year I was so sick I had to bow out of one tournament and find a sub for two of my four 40K Team Tournament games). I've played in three of Marty Gaska's Warhammer Escalation tournaments and three of the 40K Team Tournaments. I've attended hobby seminars (and run a couple).

In my opinion, Adepticon is a great concept, run well, by a great team of passionate hobbyists. It is also my opinion that the best way to approach Adepticon is, just like Deadshane said, as a chance to talk about toy soldiers, play some games, and drink a few beers with mates (old and new). Going in with any other agenda may lead to disappointment or confusion or concern, through little or no fault of the organizers.

Adepticon is a great example of a fan-run event. Not only does the team put on events that they themselves would like to attend, you get to walk into it all with your eyes open thanks to their website packed with info.

As for the much maligned 40K FAQ, you'll also find it is heralded just as often (if not more). As for me, I've never read the FAQ before going to the show, I've played my games of 40K the way I thought I should play them and NEVER come across a situation where an FAQ was required. I've come across a situation where an opponent moved a template on me to reduce the number models it would cover. That was because he was a douche (his team mates apologized after the game for his doucheiness) and had nothing whatsoever to do with an FAQ.

Having said that, I say "kudos" to the guys who put the 40K FAQ together each year. They feel it is an important document to have and have done something about making sure they have it. If you are still worried about a single clarifying document for an awesome convention please remember there are only four events at Adepticon that use the 40K INAT FAQ, four out of dozens of events and activities put on by a team of enthusiastic, dedicated, and passionate hobbyists.

I wish Hank, Matt, Dave, Chris, Marty, Bill, Jamie, Brent, Tim, Dean, Greg, and everyone else involved in putting on the show all the best for 2009 and the future!

Cheers
Dave


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 14:02:26


Post by: Grot 6


Kallbrand wrote:The FAQ is filled with changing the rules in favor for some and doing a number on others, thats why some hate it without even going there ever. Many without any real reasoning or justification. At least it is known for everyone before they enter.

Some feel that they are getting the "holier than thou" vibes from the organizers.

And some feel they been the victims of favouritism in the tournaments.

Like everyone said before tho, if you like to play it by the rules made up it might be a great time. Its not really "real" 40k though..


Back before the need for FAQ's, GW once had a game that had more rules then you can shake a snotling at. This particular one did a service. Did you really read it or did you just look over it to squabble? It wasn't a holier the thou vibe, it was a streamline of a event for over 300 players, all at the same time, without stopping each and every one, pausing the game for a rules debate over the game every 5 minutes over a rule that some play one way and others play different.

If you have seen the scale of this event, you would not be having this conversation. Granted, some people DO feel left out of the cool kids clubhouse, but thats what it takes to get this many players in one place, the game playing smoothly, and the players on a semi even keel.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 16:57:03


Post by: Flagg07


davetaylor wrote:I've come across a situation where an opponent moved a template on me to reduce the number models it would cover. That was because he was a douche (his team mates apologized after the game for his doucheiness) and had nothing whatsoever to do with an FAQ.


Quoted for posterity, but I'll refrain from sigging it.

Adepticon is the only tourney I'd travel to. Don't knock it till you've tried it, something Douche blogger has yet to do...


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 18:02:42


Post by: Lorek


OK, there's been a bit of Stelek-bashing going on here. I'm no apologist, but talking trash about him in a forum where he can't respond isn't cool.

Please refrain from talking about people who cannot respond. Thank you.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 18:16:12


Post by: skkipper


adepticon is great if you don't expect to win.

gladiator=fun funky stuff that can kill you in one turn or die horribly. the winner of this event is just the luckiest good player there that day.

team tournament= the teams that win overall invest large parts of their lives to build up their army. this is again a fun quirky list event.

championship = it is a rouge trader but with a country full of good players.

If i lived in the east side of the country. I would go to this ever year. For no other reason then to see friends and eat the best food in the world, Chicago food.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 18:22:33


Post by: dietrich


2009 will be my fifth Adepticon. We won Best Sports our first (go Team CAGO!), which still amazes us (and with a perfect score).

I find that most of the players are very competitive but very classy. Yes, there are power builds, but there are in everything. Each year, we generally run into one team that seems to have 1 or 2 of TFG. Out of 4 games, 16 opponents total, that's to be expected. Some years, I've played in the Sunday tourney, some years I haven't. I've had a worse ratio of TFG to great gamer at RTTs and GTs.

The convention is great. The seminars are wonderful and a real bonus. I have recommended people go to just take some of the seminars.

I think a fair complaint is the use of Forgeworld items. I know the guys that have the cool toys want to use them, but some of the FW items are wayyyyy to effective for their point cost.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 18:25:27


Post by: 40kenthusiast


I'll take a shot at complaining, this is dakka after all, I don't think we are allowed to approve of things.

I don't like that the Gladiator has Apocalypse things in it. They aren't well balanced. Even if you buy that Apocalypse is balanced (which I'm fairly sure it explicitly isn't), it would still be true that pulling just the super-heavies out and putting them in a game with different rules would be a great way to imbalance them.

This isn't a problem in Apocalypse, which is about getting together with your mates and chucking plastic. It's a big problem in a no-sportsmanship tournament, which is as close as the Indy GT scene gets to a 'Ardboyz style competative event without the bad missions.

Further, there isn't a 40k alternative on Friday. If you don't want to spend your time watching your tac squads get run over by a Stompa, but 40k is your game, there's no other tournament. And before anyone says to buy super heavies of our own and get with the program, let me just say that that doesn't work for everyone. We don't all have the hobbying chops to put together those kind of things, nor the inclination to do so.

Ok, so complaint over I'll just end with a disclaimer that I went to Adepticon last year, I'm going this year, and I'll probably go for the forseeable. I'm playing Fantasy on friday, but I just wish I could play 40k.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 18:28:14


Post by: Deadshane1


Gladiator....yuk.

Friday? Dont wanna play in the Gladiator?

...Come play Gothic!


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 18:32:14


Post by: asugradinwa


I think Adapticon is a great idea and that a lot of people can have a good time. Not too many places to play Space Hulk, have a BFG tournament, and team up tourny style.

That being said, I don't agree with changing core rules in the FAQ. I'd rather play at tournaments that try to follow the GW rules myself. I guess I'm just a little old school that way.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 18:34:01


Post by: Centurian99


40kenthusiast wrote:Further, there isn't a 40k alternative on Friday. If you don't want to spend your time watching your tac squads get run over by a Stompa, but 40k is your game, there's no other tournament. And before anyone says to buy super heavies of our own and get with the program, let me just say that that doesn't work for everyone. We don't all have the hobbying chops to put together those kind of things, nor the inclination to do so.


Actually, there is the 40K Combat Patrol Tournament.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 18:34:07


Post by: dietrich


I keep saying people complaining about changing the core rules. I think the 2009 version does a lot less than 2008. Throw out some specific examples, but any 'change' that I remember was due more to ambiguous writing than anything else.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 18:35:31


Post by: Platuan4th


Edit: C99 beat me to it.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 18:56:32


Post by: Warmaster


I haven't been as many times as some but I went the last two years. And I think like any big event like that there were things I thought were good and things I thought were bad.

I have some serious issues with how they've been judging theme, what they were saying and what they actually judged you on didn't seem to match up. That being said I heard that they completely revamped it this year after receiving that feedback last year.

I think they do an excellent job coming up with the scenario's. They are some of the funnest I have ever played.

The judges have never been anything but nice and polite. You run into your share of TFG's, but something I didn't really expect to run into was a lot of players that didn't know the rules. This of course isn't the tournament organisers fault but it tended to detract from the team tournament especially when you point something out and your opponent tells you to chill and not worry about it because it's all for fun (and then zero's your sportsmanship scores).

There is a high amount of forgeworld, both in the team tournament and in the gladiator, and you most definitely will run into all kinds of list, from cool and fluffy to beardy and mean.

It's impressive to take in the hall with all the boards set up for the team tournament, some people really do go all out.

I think overall the tournament is very well run, and they do their best to make sure you know everything up front and it's a good time.

I'm not going this year because I'm still a bit disgruntled about the theme from last year. And I will say this I will never put that amount of time in converting a 1000pt army for the team tournament again after what happened but my angst will fade and I'll probably go back next year.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 20:03:38


Post by: Centurian99


Theme judging is something that I've always had problems with (although I'm part of the AdeptiCon Council, I've never run any of the 40K events before (I ran the BFG Championships for two years, and this year I'm running the Gladiator, which has no theme), but my team (Dakka Detachment 1) has always run into problems with theme and paint judging.

In retrospect, though, a lot of the theme/paint judging really only applies for the Team Tourney, and the real difficulty comes in that there are so many well-painted, well-themed armies that its tough to do the paint/theme judging. It's also so large that it's impossible to have a single person doing the paint/theme judging, which is a problem that the GT's have as well.

They've tried to minimize the subjective elements by presenting the judges with a checklist, but the fact remains that a large amount of theme and painting judging is going to be subjective, which means that to really excel in the paint and theme categories at AdeptiCon (or at any other large event, like the GT's) it's not enough to have a well-done theme and good painting. You really have to make your army "pop" and stand out from other armies present.

From a painting standpoint, its extremely tough to make your army stand out, and not just stand out, but stand out in a obvious, blatant way, so that a judge not only immediately recognizes the work done, but also remembers that army. If you can do that, your chances of picking up the subjective points (which, IIRC, are awarded based on a second review by the paint/theme judges) becomes much greater.

The same thing from a thematic standpoint. You not only have to have a coherent theme, but it's got to be immediately obvious. In my experience, if you have to explain your theme to the judges, then you've failed, even if your theme is consistent and makes sense.

Again, a lot of this stems from the sheer size of events.

It's one of the reasons I like the Gladiator (and am running it this year along with Greg Sparks/Inq. Malice). No theme/paint judging. As an aside, the Gladiator can actually be one of the most fun events to play in, because since the chances of actually winning are so long, even the most competitive players can relax and simply enjoy playing games against some wacked-out armies, with some wacked-out gear. I've played in 6 gladiators, and while I've won 2 (and had a good time doing that), I've placed anywhere from the top to the bottom third.

Having said that, I know that the various organizers are always trying to improve the paint/theme judging. For example, a few year ago, they began allowing teams to get there paint/theme scores judged the night before the TT, to help alleviate the workload.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 21:37:15


Post by: skyth


Kallbrand wrote:The FAQ is filled with changing the rules in favor for some and doing a number on others, thats why some hate it without even going there ever. Many without any real reasoning or justification. At least it is known for everyone before they enter.


Right there is the important part. EVERY place changes the rules and that creates favoritism. The thing is, Adepticon is open and honest about what rules they changed so there isn't the bad blood where two people play differently and discover this at a crucial junction and each considers the other person to be a 'rules-lawyer' and a 'bad person'


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 22:26:39


Post by: Augustus


Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:So what is Adepticon?


It is THE best spectacle for GW fans in the United States.

I have been to GD/RTT and many other great Cons
L.A.
Chicago
Baltimore
Atlanta

Adepticon has the best formats ever for a (GW) wargames convention: classes, lectures, auctions, painting competitions, (gaming) celeb appearances, interviews, panels, 40k Radio, tournaments, vendors, bit swap. It is without rival for GW fans in the US.

Please, for the casual reader, do not think Adepticon is all about tournaments. It's not.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 22:41:22


Post by: Black Blow Fly


Here is a rules change I do not like:

When a transport is destroyed the squad must be placed where the vehicle was. So basically if you have a full squad of Marines in a rhino and the transported is destroyed in close combat you are going to also lose five Marines.

That is a huge ding to mech armies in general.

G


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 23:02:11


Post by: Bookwrack


I'm not following, how does that work?


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 23:18:54


Post by: Black Blow Fly


rhinos are tiny... you can't even fit 10 Marines on top of one. If the enemy unit is surrounding one side that is basically one half of your unit dead.

G


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 23:21:07


Post by: Centurian99


Green Blow Fly wrote:Here is a rules change I do not like:

When a transport is destroyed the squad must be placed where the vehicle was. So basically if you have a full squad of Marines in a rhino and the transported is destroyed in close combat you are going to also lose five Marines.

That is a huge ding to mech armies in general.

G


Actually, that's pretty strict RAW. If a transport is destroyed with a vehicle destroyed result, the rules say, "The surviving passengers are placed where the vehicle used to be and then take a pinning test.


It's just something that mech players are stuck in a 4th edition mentality.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/09 23:47:33


Post by: Black Blow Fly


Yes but I can easily see letting the player maintain base contact with the edge of where the transport used to be. As you said very strict RAW. If you cannot place the entire squad on top of their transport it comes across as too strict. It's okay as I am not going to use any transports that weekend.

G


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/10 00:02:18


Post by: H.B.M.C.


I don't see why people are against the Gladiator, and against the use of Super-Heavies? I mean... where else would you get a chance to use them? The Gladiator is about making super dangerous lists, and that can (and, really, should) involve things like SHV's.

Really what is the problem with people bringing out the big toys for a single event?


Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:So what is Adepticon?


A flashpoint for many, many arguments.

BYE


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/10 00:14:35


Post by: Black Blow Fly


Agreed HMBC. The gladiator is one of the BIG events at Adepticon. Many people who have played in this event at previous Adepticons have stated that no army featuring a super heavy has ever won the event. I am going with attitude advocated here to just have a good time.

G


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/10 00:17:43


Post by: Centurian99


Green Blow Fly wrote:Agreed HMBC. The gladiator is one of the BIG events at Adepticon. Many people who have played in this event at previous Adepticons have stated that no army featuring a super heavy has ever won the event. I am going with attitude advocated here to just have a good time.

G


Gargantuan creatures have been part of two winning armies: Hank Edley (in 2004, with Angrath) and me (in 2008, with a Trygon). No superheavies or flyers have ever been used by a winner. I used some forgeworld in 2003 to win (3 cyclopses). The other three winners had fairly balanced, if tooled out armies w/o any Forgeworld. (Eldar, SM, and CSM).



Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/10 00:30:14


Post by: JohnHwangDD


IMO, the new Reaver Titan could be just the thing put the "Superheavy can't win" adage to the test.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/10 00:33:18


Post by: H.B.M.C.


And if it does... so what?

BYE


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/10 00:35:30


Post by: Ozymandias


I think it would be awesome to play against a Reaver, even knowing that I would really have no chance of winning.

Frankly, I'd rather play in the Warhammer Escalation on Friday night though.

That's what makes Adepticon pretty cool (though I still haven't attended one...), you have a ton of gaming options!

Ozymandias, King of Kings


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/10 00:37:11


Post by: AgeOfEgos


Green Blow Fly wrote:Agreed HMBC. The gladiator is one of the BIG events at Adepticon. Many people who have played in this event at previous Adepticons have stated that no army featuring a super heavy has ever won the event. I am going with attitude advocated here to just have a good time.

G


Hi. I'm new around here



Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/10 00:39:09


Post by: H.B.M.C.


If I had a Reaver painted, I'd show up with it. It's too cool not to use.

Anyway, the Team Tourney interests me more.

[EDIT]: Ahh! I lost my 'Hammer of the Witches' user title. I really should become a DCM just so I can have 'Commissar Calgar' written up there. *checks through all options* Heroic Senior Officer will do...

BYE


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/10 02:23:24


Post by: Black Blow Fly


Thanks for the clarification Cent.

: )

I am wondering if this is the year for a super heavy to win the top spot. Who knows... anything is possible. Hee.

G


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/10 02:47:39


Post by: chaplaingrabthar


It's gonna be Orks w/Stompas winning the Gladiator just to start another round of Orkses is overpowered whining on the forums, and it shall be glorious.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/10 02:54:47


Post by: Platuan4th


H.B.M.C. wrote:
[EDIT]: Ahh! I lost my 'Hammer of the Witches' user title. I really should become a DCM just so I can have 'Commissar Calgar' written up there. *checks through all options* Heroic Senior Officer will do...

BYE


You should become a DCM and join us in the insanity that is the Mosh Pit(and 200+ pages of FAIL).


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/10 03:02:07


Post by: Le Grognard


Best. Indy. Con. Ever.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/11 19:23:56


Post by: Blackbone


Always had a great time. Depending on what you play in, you will almost certainly run into some competitors who are a little bit too serious for a toy game, but overall I have had some great experiences.

My favorite part of AdeptiCon is actually just the process of preparing for the 40K Team Tournament over the course of the year!

This year's venue is going to be GREAT compared to past ones. Free parking, Chicago Bunker is like 5 mins away, cheap food and shopping all around the area.

In terms of non-Gladiator 40K on Friday night, I think they also have open gaming?

- Blackbone


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/12 07:11:35


Post by: Deadshane1


Every year I'm less and less thrilled with the team tournement.

...I may actually drop it next year to play in the Fantasy Championship.

THAT would be one awesome weekend.

Gothic Championship
Fantasy Championship
40k Championship

no more of the "jeez I'm sick of playing 40k!" that you normally feel during the last game of the tournement.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/12 07:26:10


Post by: Janthkin


Deadshane1 wrote:Every year I'm less and less thrilled with the team tournement.

...I may actually drop it next year to play in the Fantasy Championship.

THAT would be one awesome weekend.

Gothic Championship
Fantasy Championship
40k Championship

no more of the "jeez I'm sick of playing 40k!" that you normally feel during the last game of the tournement.

Until this year, I was enjoying Fantasy -> 40k Team Tournament -> Gothic Tournament. Then someone moved the Gothic tournament. :(


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/12 07:28:00


Post by: Deadshane1


That sucks for you.

However, I dont have to play in the Gladiator now Yahoo!


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/12 07:32:09


Post by: H.B.M.C.


Having now read through (or should I say swam-through-and-tried-not-drown-in) Stelek's rants against Adepticon I am just... almost at a loss for words as to how one could hold that opinion.

Ok, so the INAT FAQ rubs some people up the wrong way. You can't make all the people happy all the time, and a ruling on one army's favour is always going to disadvantage someone else - that's cool. I can even sort of see the 'What right do they have to blah blah blah' argument, but then again I've always been of the opinion that a tournament organiser has final say on what gets played.

But to actually say that Adepticon is hurting the hobby? Come on now. Every year this has been happening I've seen report after happy report from the various teams that show up, endless threads full of great photos, and read battle report after battle report. It sounds like a blast. And for someone like me who can't attend because I live on the other side of the planet, I look forward to Cent99's wrap-ups and the funny BatReps that Janthkin always puts together.

How can this do anything but beneift the hobby?

Really, whatever respect I had for young Stelly went out the window when he began those rants. It's off base, needlessly offensive and reeks of a kind of elitism that I thought even he was above (but clearly I was wrong there). And not to rag on him any further (lest I incur the Wrath of Yak), while the INAT FAQ might get in some people's craw because of all the rules changes, the notion that GW 'hates' it because GW doesn't like people changing ther rules is just nonsense. GW has always said for the longest time that they encourage people to experiment with their rules, even going so far as to make their own FAQ's non-official so that people can change and play with whatever works for them.

Anyway, I wish I could go. It'd be great to play in the team tourney as I like the idea of team games with mini-lists (my last game of 40K was one of those, Marines/Eldar/GKs vs Orks/Chaos - great fun!).

BYE

-=Edited by Iorek - Restored post. Just remember, it's not kosher to rag on someone who can't respond, and you're coming close.=-


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/12 08:10:51


Post by: Blackmoor


I like Adepticon and my favorite part is the Team Tournament.

What I am not fond of is the Gladiator. I know Forge World is popular in the mid-west, but almost everywhere else it is not played much. Also there is a certain prestige of winning the Gladiator, but I wish there was another viable option on Friday (Yes, I have an Eldar BFG fleet; no I am not going to play it). Maybe next year they can go back to the Invitational as a mini-Gladiator and have it on Friday.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/12 08:17:38


Post by: Flachzange


H.B.M.C. wrote:
Come on now. Every year this has been happening I've seen report after happy report from the various teams that show up, endless threads full of great photos, and read battle report after battle report. It sounds like a blast. And for someone like me who can't attend because I live on the other side of the planet, I look forward to Cent99's wrap-ups and the funny BatReps that Janthkin always puts together.


Excellent point. Probably the "happy-season" for me here at dakka. Gotta love the reports and some of the guys here put a massive amount of effort into the description of every single game and the tournament as a whole.

Id go, even tho I dont play anymore. All the seminars, booths and such. That has so much to offer for any hobbyist.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/12 18:23:51


Post by: GMMStudios


Im going Saturday evening/Sunday, even if I have to walk.

I just hope I'm not too late to meet a lot of people. Its the main reason I am going. Surely people who come for Fridays 40k events will stay for Sundays tourney.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/12 18:30:16


Post by: Platuan4th


I'm going to attend next year for the first time. I think I'm planning BFG Tourney Friday, 40K Team Tourney Saturday and Fantasy Team Tourney Sunday.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/12 18:40:57


Post by: FearPeteySodes


I dont know that much about Adepticon but it seems a few of my friends are thinking of going this year instead of GD Chicago. My question is how does the Rogue Demon comp stack up against the Golden Demon? As far as you guys know are there more/less competitors? Thoughts on the prestige of the award? Being that i dont know much about the Con my thoughts are still that winning a GD is a bigger accomplishment than a Rogue Demon.

Thoughts?


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/12 18:45:23


Post by: dietrich


Like a lot of things in life, you get out of it what you expect. If you expect a bunch of cheesy, angry players with over the top displays - that is what you'll see. If you go looking for a bunch of cool new guys to play, you'll see them.

I'm not crazy about the over the top displays that people come up with. I don't think that 'helps' the hobby, although some are cool and oh-wow-amazing. Maybe if I didn't have kids, I'd be doing the same thing though.

As I've said before, most years we've run into 1-2 TFGs at the tourney, and most of the rest of the players and teams were great fun and great sports.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/12 19:26:27


Post by: Krak_kirby


I went to one of the early Adepticons when Hobbytown USA was sponsoring and running it. They held it in a local venue close to their store, and the 40K tournament had maybe 32 players? I got to play against a Blood Angel by the name of Jeff Chua, who was polite and easy going, while at the same time being one of the hardest opponents I have ever faced. I missed the next year, but I remembered what a great time I had, and I've tried to get to every Adepticon since.

I won the 40K event overall and either best painted or sportsmanship that first year, I forget which (old age and dementia), even though I told them one player can't win multiple prizes! Obviously when Jeff took over they tightened up the rules and standards for the events, which is a big part of the appeal for me. "Fences make good neighbors" is an adage that applies.

I like to win things, but in the several Adepticons I have been too since the first, the closest I've come is the "let the dice fall where they may" prize in last years team event with our Necrons. I cherish this prize more than some of the overall wins I have, because of the level of dedicated and competitive players at this event. I've never come away from Adepticon without a lot of great stories and new friends.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/12 19:26:42


Post by: H.B.M.C.


Oh FFS. We can't even mention his name? That's absurd.

BYE


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/12 19:40:46


Post by: dietrich


It's like Beetlejuice, if you say it too many times, he reappears.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/12 20:14:09


Post by: JohnHwangDD


Ste-
S-


Ach du meine Güte, gar nichts klappt mehr, so'ne Scheiße!



Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/13 02:54:59


Post by: Black Blow Fly


Those grapes are sour said the little red fox. Hee!

G


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/13 03:11:09


Post by: Deadshane1


dietrich wrote:It's like Beetlejuice, if you say it too many times, he reappears.


So from now on we just refer to him as Beetlejuice? Sounds good to me.

Beetlejuice's Blog is always good for a laugh. You go there, he rants and raves, then if you come back with something to make him look stoopid, it doesnt get posted up. (despite how he says he doesnt silence people, I've had two of my posts not make it public) Anonymous posting is frowned upon and used as a way to deviate from the main topic to make the anonymous person look like a coward despite any valid points they may make. Beetlejuice seems to have garnered a following of fanboi's that ALSO have the freedom to berate anyone who disagree's with him, so the blog is either "agree with Beetlejuice or be crushed under a bunch of teenyboppers that are able to give attitude just like Beetlejuice and not be moderated."

Basically, any serious discussion there is a joke. If I was to go and preach the wonderful weekend that is Adepticon there, I'd be smashed by Beetlejuice and his mindless followers. Instead, I go occasionally to read the "rudeness" that he spouts...when I'm bored.

Beetlejuices opinion on whether or not you should go to Adepticon?.....file 13 that garbage. He's an angry little man...his blog shows just how much of one.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/13 03:26:25


Post by: Lorek


Nothing to see here, folks. Move along.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/13 03:57:49


Post by: H.B.M.C.


So my post was re-re-edited to put his name back in. And reporting my reaction to what someone said on a different site is hardly 'ragging' on someone. And if I really was 'ragging' on him, you wouldn't've have restored my post to the original wording, now would you?

BYE


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/13 04:28:05


Post by: Blackmoor


FearPeteySodes wrote: My question is how does the Rogue Demon comp stack up against the Golden Demon?


The competition will not be as good as the golden demon (generally), but there will be past golden demon winners you will be competing with.

As far as you guys know are there more/less competitors?


There are a less entries at the Rogue Demon.

Thoughts on the prestige of the award?


The Golden Demon is the standard as far as the award of excellence to mini painters. The Rogue Demon is a lot less prestigious.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/13 13:56:32


Post by: muwhe



In defense of the Rogue Demon. There is a lot of talent involved ( and over the years it has gotten better and better ) and we always give away some great swag to the winners. While not as prestigious as the Goldem Demon awards ... it's more of a every man sort of competition.

I will drop a little bit of future knowledge...AdeptiCon is now it our 7th year of operation and I think it is pretty safe to say that we have exceed our own expectations and vision of what we wanted to make AdeptiCon. ( Thanks to countless volunteers and attendees !!) There is definitely a desire to bring the same sort of passion and commitment that we have on the tourney event side to other aspects of the convention. It is not going to happen over night, it will be a building process but I look for the painting competition at AdeptiCon to definitely kick it up a notch not only this year but in years to come.

-Hank



Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/13 14:19:17


Post by: dietrich


Any group that wants to run a fun tourney once or twice a year can aspire to Adepticon. Now, not everyone wants to manage 1,000 screaming gamers (most have hair, so it doesn't get confused as a Space Marine LARP). It shows with a lot of determination and work what a bunch of gamers can pull together and do - whether its the largest single event in the US (if not the world), the 40k Team Tourney, or you're just setting up a 3-round tourney for 20 people.


Adepticon? Good/Bad? @ 2009/02/13 16:58:08


Post by: FearPeteySodes


Thanks for the info Blackmoor.