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@Phazael

The only issue with this is that someone can intentionally tank you out of the running. It's a thin line.

Granted I've run into exactly 1 person at a GT level event I'd never want to play again in the last 4 years. And maybe one or two people at the RTT level who I just don't enjoy playing with in the same time frame. I will say though I tend to run into them more in the middle to the bottom tables rather than at the top tables so my perspective is a bit skewed.

Back on topic:

For RTT type events I find the group that attends is an important part. The same person bringing the same list and winning can quickly kill the fun and the small tournament scene. Having groups that's top players regularly play around with things, try new lists, and generally be upstanding gentlemen can keep a tournament scene going even if the same group is generally taking home the prizes (that said, donating prize support to someone is also a good way). Just some additional thought. A lot of the RTT scene comes down to the local group.

It doesn't surprise me at all, but it still makes me sad to see the answer to this question as "the type of player that attends."

I go to more tournaments by a long shot that most people and I can honestly say I can count on one hand the amount of bad games I have had.

Tournaments are super fun, and 99% of the people are really nice, fun people to game with. A lot of folks don't actually go to the big events because of a preconceived notion of what it will be like and miss out on the fun. It's a shame.

@Reece

I can understand it. You don't spend much time in the middle to bottom either so you're opinion is skewed. That being said you're in the same boat as me that it would take someone of truly epic a-hole proportions to get us bent out of shape

Overall though I share the same thoughts as Reece. Tournaments are a blast and they are mostly full of great people.

 kronk wrote:
If it was at a convention with scantily clad booth babes I would not attend the tournament.

I'd be in the dealer's hall...

You have it wrong Kronk. You follow Reecius's sterling example, and get them into the gaming area!

 Reecius wrote:
It doesn't surprise me at all, but it still makes me sad to see the answer to this question as "the type of player that attends."

I go to more tournaments by a long shot that most people and I can honestly say I can count on one hand the amount of bad games I have had.

Tournaments are super fun, and 99% of the people are really nice, fun people to game with. A lot of folks don't actually go to the big events because of a preconceived notion of what it will be like and miss out on the fun. It's a shame.

This has always been a reason why some people stay away from tournaments, and I go back to the first GW US GT. But I also think trends in the competitive scene such as no soft scores, no painting requirements, etc. are helping keep more middle-of-the-road hobbyists away than ever. Those trends just reinforce some people's stereotypes about tournament and tournament gamers, whether that's an accurate assessment or not.

Reece, I love attending tournaments, and I still voted for the last option.

It's a real concern, and while I love playing against the vast majority of my opponents, it only takes a few bad apples to give people a bad impression.

Also, as gorgon says, current trends are leaning towards a more competitive style (not saying that's a bad thing) rather than a "hobbyist" type of event, so that can also be intimidating to new players.

The dominant fantasy players in my area being... not all that much fun... to play is the reason I moved into other games. The warmahordes players have been, for the most part, an absolute blast to play with. And there's no soft scores there

So, really I think that last one is the most important factor in any game- enjoying playing against your opponent. So, it makes sense that that would be folks' primary concern in attending a tournament, too.

And I say this having had a fantastic time at almost every tournament I've been to, especially the GT-level events. But, I can definitely see where people are coming from, and even share the opinion, that the only thing that could keep me from an event is the type of player attending. Playing you or Hulk or pretty much anyone posting here would be a no-brainer but we've all run into the type of player that people are worried about when they choose that option, and unfortunately they tend to show up to tournaments, too.

 sharkticon wrote:


You have it wrong Kronk. You follow Reecius's sterling example, and get them into the gaming area!

Good old Reece! That's thinking with your noggin!

I might go to a local tournament here in Houston some time and see what all the hubbub is about. Or that large one in San Antonio.

@Kronk and Sharkticon

Haha, we did actually get some hottie cosplay girls to come hang out at Comikaze both years!

@Hulk

That's true. I think a lot of it depends on the person. I find that if you come into a game with a good attitude, the other person will reciprocate.

@RiTides

I am sorry to hear that, but I have experienced unpleasant gamers. Not the norm at all, but it does happen. Like you said though, the bigger GT level events are so much fun, and for some reason you get less of the lame brains that can make an event not fun. A lot of it is the organizers, too. You set the tone for an event and the way you handle situations during the game make a big impact on player attitudes, too.

@Gorgon

Funny, I always felt removing the strict "must be painted rules" would open things up to newer gamers and people that don't have their armies painted. I guess it also opens things up to power gamer lists, too. We are old school in that regard and require people bring painted stuff, but that is because we feel a big part of the tournament experience is coming to see all the cool, fully painted armies!

Don't be sorry, I've moved on to 40k and Hordes and am enjoying both of them more, anyway

The main reason I don't get to go is my 3 young children. I love them dearly, but the do limit me to lurking on forums and painting.

My 8 month pregnant wife came in for a couple of minutes with her sister to see how I was doing at a RTT I was in a few years back and started getting hit on by one of the attendees.
What more needs saying?

Well I guess they figured if she is preggers she probably puts out!

my only reason that i dont attend is when I have to work. I love my local tourneys! My TO is pretty well versed in the rules (may not always know every little part, but will make a fair judgement) and most of the guys have been fun to be around.

I have yet to be in a tournament (even ard boyz or other nat'l qualifiers) where people threw dice or were too much of a jerk. We do have a few that try to skim the rules a bit.

Overall I enjoy the experience, and even if i cant make the beginning, I do hang out if the tourney is still going when I get out. Guess I'm lucky.

I don't really have the army to actually play in a tournament. Maybe if i would if I improved my army i would go, because its really a mixed bag with key pieces missing.

I hear so many stories of games being called due to time restrictions. Not sure how true they are, but I really like to relax and take my time while playing. (Not wasting time, butnot feeling constantly rushed) .

HAH! Got a new truck over the weekend... cutting my gas to travel to tournaments in the LA area in half... watch out punks!

Combine that with a new job and now no one in Cali is safe from my mediocre tournament play!

I will also echo the sentiment that time constraints and the people at tournaments have never been a problem for me and I hope no one bases their opinion on what the interwebs says before giving it a try themselves.

Strippers. That is why you should come to events. Because we have strippers in our room...

I have to concur with the type of people in the tournament being a real kill joy. I played in a teams tournament a few months back where I play specifically for the hang out fun of it all, until we came up against team douchery (the name was changed to protect the douchebags involved). We knew we were in for a go when the first words out of the one guys mouth was " I am not really a rules lawyer a$$hole" and then proceded to prove how much he really was for the next 1 1/2 hours. Btw, last time I checked, unbased D&D models really shouldn't be allowed as "counts as" =I= henchmen. Ya, it really was that bad.

I do attend tournaments but the ones I really want to attend are far out of my reach because they are clear across the country. I'd love to try to win Adepticon or Nova but those events seem to always happen on the east coast so it will always be a no go.

Roadkill Zombie wrote:
I do attend tournaments but the ones I really want to attend are far out of my reach because they are clear across the country. I'd love to try to win Adepticon or Nova but those events seem to always happen on the east coast so it will always be a no go.

The Bay Area Open is a fantastic, and large, West Coast event. I suggest checking it out, it is going to be in the 3rd year and I have attended the first 2 and they were excellent.

Definately the people. I'm a pretty easy going person, but it kinda irks me when someone wants to nitpick every little rule. Like a crouching tau fire warrior not being able to see over a defense line, just to make someone have one less shot. Technically he would be correct about it, but its just that type of character that drives me away. Good poll!!!

rbacus wrote:
Definately the people. I'm a pretty easy going person, but it kinda irks me when someone wants to nitpick every little rule. Like a crouching tau fire warrior not being able to see over a defense line, just to make someone have one less shot. Technically he would be correct about it, but its just that type of character that drives me away. Good poll!!!

Why would playing by the rules irk you? If you have a crouching figure and know it is TLoS then why not position that figure so it is crouching behind the eye slit in the ADL so it can see? Then you are following the rules and your opponent doesn't have the opportunity to call you out for not following the rules.

That said I agree about the nitpicky opponent, and probably wouldn't call you out on the crouching fire warrior thing anyway. Then again the only time I have run into true WAAC, rules lawyering, nitpickers is in non-competitive non-tournament events and games. I have only had 1 bad experience in a tournament but 10+ in non-tournament play.

WYSIWYG is what keeps me from tournys because I would rather paint and model my guys in awesome poses then use magnets, or get stuck with one list.

Scorpiodragon wrote:
WYSIWYG is what keeps me from tournys because I would rather paint and model my guys in awesome poses then use magnets, or get stuck with one list.

That's fair. Usually I try to model each squad so I can represent whatever I want. For example I try to model my tactical squads of 10 with 12-14 models with the same squad marking. The extra 2-4 models will have the other Special and Heavy Weapons options I may want to run. That way my army is both WYSIWYG and I keep my painting and modelling time requirements at a minimum.