NAF World Headquarters

NAF World Cup - Fantastic Updates

KarlLagerbottom - Oct 20, 2007 - 10:01 AM
Post subject: Fantastic Updates

...I guess this must have been the "Whoever is Actually There Cup."

KarlLagerbottom - Oct 20, 2007 - 10:12 AM
Post subject: RE: Fantastic Updates

I figured I'd pass this along:

http://webcam.games-workshop.com/cam3/live.htm

Old_Man_Monkey - Oct 21, 2007 - 12:54 AM
Post subject: RE: Fantastic Updates

Ah, that is what I love about you so much, Robb..... quick wit, and an eye to what should be done.
So, while we are organizing food for 276 coaches, getting coaches up and down the hill from the pub to Games Workshop, and the
ten dozen or so other things to be done.... let me report that all has gone pretty well and that everyone including the staff appears to be having a good time....
The Spanish FUMBBL team and Team Les Azes played a brilliant first table in Round 6 and I believe the matches were evenly split....
The Spanish Team gave out a surprise special gift coin with the Spanish logo and a brilliant WC adaptation....

But for a slight hiccup at lunch, things have progressed smoothly and Bugmans was closed at 1:30am by more than 100 coaches!
I'll try and make another report after the first round starts.... thanks for the reminder!

OMM

KarlLagerbottom - Oct 21, 2007 - 04:17 AM
Post subject: Re: RE: Fantastic Updates

Old_Man_Monkey wrote:

...
So, while we are organizing food for 276 coaches, getting coaches up and down the hill from the pub to Games Workshop, and the
ten dozen or so other things to be done.... let me report...

I understand that all must be very busy running this innagural event. However, I know that I was not the only one left wondering. Just wanted to let you know that others were trying to stay tuned...and feeling frustrated by the silence.

Just something to accomodate for next time...maybe another volunteer to be be a roving side-line reporter?

EDIT: Yes...I am the nerd who woke up early to try to catch some of today's action. Sad

I hope Team Hawaii wins. Smile

hoomin_erra - Oct 21, 2007 - 08:31 AM
Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Fantastic Updates

Well it looks like the americans won't be walking away empty handed!! Wink

Uriel - Oct 21, 2007 - 10:25 AM
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Any other interesting information Hoomin?

Hudson - Oct 21, 2007 - 03:15 PM
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Just got back from the World cup and i'd like to offer up a big thanks to everyone involved. Jim and team did a fantastic job and i had 4 really great days (not so great mornings till the hangovers wore off) Was really go to see so many players. I had a great time down in the White Hart.

Cheers guys job well done and you can all go and sleep for a week now.

Thanks

Team Cornwall rocks.
Blow the feasting Horn

Darkson - Oct 23, 2007 - 12:43 AM
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Seeing as Rob wasn't there, I'd be surprised if he knows anything.
Though to be honest, I'd be surprised is Hoomin knows anything at any time!

I'm sure I speak for all the staff when I say thanks to the players who were all great when there was in inevitible hiccup, and were fantastic all the way through.

@Rob - I'm sure if you offered to pay for it, the NAF would be pleased to take a roving internet connection from you so we can give you updates. Otherwise you'll need to get wait tillpeople actually get home.

KarlLagerbottom - Oct 23, 2007 - 10:17 AM
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Darkson wrote:

I did pay for my part of that...my annual dues. Just asking for an occassional update on the largest NAF Event ever while it was happening shouldn't be too much to ask.

Anyone who had a part to play in organizing the event, which by all accounts was great, might want to get some feedback to consider for the next go-round.

Darkson - Oct 24, 2007 - 03:59 AM
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Like I said, pay for a anywhere-net connection, and we could have updated you in the 5-6 hours we had that didn't involve organising or socialising. Perhaps it's different in Canada, but finding free wireless access isn't always easy in the UK (not in the hotel, I tried, and I wasn't going to pay £10 for the hour I'd get to use it), and GW doesn't have wireless capability (yet!).

If you wanted to be kept in the loop, maybe you should have come over with a team, rather than sitting at home moaning because the staff would rather spend the time making sure the event worked for the coaches that attended than driving around Nottingham looking for an unsecured hotspot.
The fact that the staff AND coaches started posting as soon as they arrived home should have been enough for you.

But of course, I forgot the world revolves around you.

Old_Man_Monkey - Oct 24, 2007 - 04:14 AM
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Easy, Simon - I understand where Robb is coming from and the kernel of truth is that we should have developed a procedure to provide some basic information, and simply didn't. We will add this to the long list of improvements for the next large team event, whenever and wherever it should be.... Thanks again to everyone - please continue to add your thoughts and feedback....

OMM

Rune_Master - Oct 24, 2007 - 07:15 AM
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Darkson wrote:

Hopefully you'll forgive Rob for showing an interest in a Trans-Atlantic tournament. I myself would have liked to have gone, but a few THOUSAND dollars to fly to England for a BB tourney isn't in the cards for me. No sour grapes, more power to the people who can afford that, I'm just not one of them. But don't insult those of us not in attendance by questioning our spirit because we didn't stop "sitting at home moaning" and break the bank to attend a tournament. That reply was uncalled for...

Topper - Oct 24, 2007 - 08:03 AM
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And now for something completely different Wink

Okay feedback:
I believe it was the best tournament I have played in yet.

Good stuff:
Food was good (at the least compared to English standards).
Beer was allowed.
The swissdraw was used both for teams and individuals within the teams (most important league feature I reckon).
30 pts for a win, 14 for a draw. Making a win and a loss better than 2 draws.
The event was fluent.

Things I believe can be improved:
One thing in particular bothered me.
The fact that both casualties and touchdowns were added/reduced from the result.
When using the swiss draw system most games will be very close - this means that few games will be won by more than 1-2 td´s.
However a bashy team might get 5-6 casualties in such a match.
This means that the system heavily favors bashing teams.

Also usually scoring is the end of a string of tactically considered events - often many turns.
A casualty is usually pure luck on a set of dice.

Finally I know I personally played at least two opponents who wasn´t aware that only casualties from blocks counted.
And I am also aware of one game that had a wrong casualty score given because they simply forgot in the end that only block casualties counted.
This means it can - and does lead to mistakes.

Apart from that it was a great tounament and all in all it´s a small issue.
I believe I´ll give you a 95% success rate on this one Smile

KarlLagerbottom - Oct 24, 2007 - 03:30 PM
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Old_Man_Monkey wrote:

Jim-
Thanks you for taking this in the spirit it was intended...constructive criticism. The fact is, not every NAF member or Blood Bowl player will be able to make it to these events...however, the fun should not be limited to those fortunate enough to attend.

For whatever it's worth...I am sure that there were some of the tournaments attendees were local. (Or at least relatively so.) Maybe just recruit one of those folks next time to leave a quick daily post so that the rest of the Blood Bowl community can enjoy the festivities.

Thanks. ???Rob

GalakStarscraper - Oct 24, 2007 - 11:00 PM
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I'll have to tell you from running the two largest touranments in North America now .... doing what Rob is asking is close to asking for the moon to come down so you can play basketball with it. The organizer has zero energy left at the end of each day and is just happy to get home. The folks playing in the tournament are normally out all night with their friends that they see rarely (or perhaps the first time) and normally arrive home/hotel to immediately pass out.

I totally understand Rob's request ... but I honestly believe that unless there was a connection available in the bunker (which I think is what Simon was referring to) ... such an update is really beyond the realm of what I would ever agree to do for any event that I ran (or request that a member of such a tournament take time away from the social time with friends to do).

I'm not trying to beat on Rob more here ... but I am agreeing with Simon in much less harsh words that I don't think this was a request that would work. I know it would not for any event I ran. I come home/hotel each day of the 3 tournaments I work on and the only thing on my mind is sleep.

Galak

KarlLagerbottom - Oct 25, 2007 - 03:52 PM
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GalakStarscraper wrote:

Tom-
First...thanks for the reasonable response. Even if you don't agree with me, it's nicer to have a differing opinion given in an even-keel/thoughtful post.

Now, they had to have had an internet connection there given that there was a web cam covering the event. Would GW let NAF make use of that? Who knows. Would JJ have or use his leverage to get that done? I don't know. Is it reasonable to ask...I think so. Is it reasonable to ask the co-host of the event to dedicate space on their World Wide Retail and Hobby site for this? I think so...they have done so for events in the past...if they made space for pictures and a webcam...I believe that they would post some form of update on that same space.

Furthermore, in all due respect to your events Tom...none of them is the gathering of the Blood Bowl "world" in a single event. As I have said before, this can't be a physical gathering of every interested party...but to keep the feeling of community...and to let those that can't be there join in on the fun...a paragraph or two with pertinant results would have been a nice touch.

Another difference between a typical Blood Bowl tourney was that there was a team of support for the event...it did not all rest on one or two people. (And if it did...I'd say that's the #1 item for the "What to do better" adgenda.) If there were not quite enough people there...add one or two more...let them attend for free....hook them up with some sort of inducement besides the blast that they'll have. (I can tell you this...if I had the time off available from work...I would have been there to either cover the event videos/reporting whatever...or ensureing that the Wooden Spoon would have come West. Smile

)

Anyway...that's enough out of me.
-Rob

Darkson - Oct 25, 2007 - 04:55 PM
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Rob, I answer your points.

1. GW do not make "space" for the webcam for the WC, the webcam is up all the time.
2. Having spoken to Andy of the Events team, there would have been no point in asking any GW staff present at the time, as they don't deal with the computer side of things, that's the web-teams domain, and the depts. within GW have to arrange things a month or more in advance to get on the website, let alone external people (yeah, I can't believe they take a month to update the site either, though it does explain a lot! Confused

)
3. We had more staff, but for one reason or another, they couldn't attned, to close to the event to get others in. As it was, 4 of the ref team played 6 games each.

Perhaps you should find out how much work was put in, before you critise people for not doing more?

Morpheous - Oct 25, 2007 - 08:13 PM
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Hmm... Hey KLB, I can see you point totally about being informed. I wanted to update people back home too on some of the local BB Boards I frequent. Internet access there in England is expensive. To put it into perspective.. they wanted roughly $25 for a 24hr pass at my hotel alone.

As far as the staff having time for anything else? I dont even see how that could have been possible. Poor Deathwing and Darkson, IMMEDIATELY after games were finished, hopped in a car to rush results back to WHW. THEN.. once the results were entered, rushed back to Whitehall to post new assignments then direct people to where they needed to go. Oh did I forget to mention that in between games, they answered questions, passed out tally sheets, ensured that food was going to be on time, ensured planned festivities were on time? While we were all having a good time drinking and carrying on, they spent numerous hours each day ensuring the next day would be flawless. I think the staff did an awesome job with the event. I just dont see how they could have added anything else to their already heaping plates.

The day I got home, I posted pics to share with those friends who couldnt make it and share the excitement with them. I agree it would have been mucho cool for everyone to get updates, however with alot of tourneys, you dont hear about them until they are over.

I really like your suggestion about having someone do coverage for the community during such an event. Great idea, thanks for proposing it. Maybe the next WC, you will be able to come and be part of the staff with a primary responsibility of just writing some articles to post at night about the days events. Include pics and whatnot. I really hope you don't take this as me bashing, but rather giving you props for the great suggestion for next time. But being there first hand to see the incredible job the staff did, for mine and all of the other players benefit, you'd have seen that there was no way that this could have been a real possibility for this last one.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Hope to see you at Zlurpee Bowl or maybe even Gencon, would be great to put a face to a name.

Darkson... we make plans for a beer next time we meet.

-Schawn

KarlLagerbottom - Oct 25, 2007 - 09:18 PM
Post subject:

Darkson wrote:

Perhaps you should find out how much work was put in, before you critise people for not doing more?

I guess that based on the Title of the post, you do have a right to think that my comments were purely critisism. Fair enough. At the moment I left the initial comments I was feeling frustrated about not knowing what was going on during an event that I really wanted to be at.
I saw posts on other forums that expressed the same, so I just thought I would bring mine to a spot that may have reached someone who could possibly provide the updates.

Morpheous wrote:

I really like your suggestion about having someone do coverage for the community during such an event. -Schawn

Schawn...that is really all I am saying...I think that this should just be something considered for the next time. Hopefully I can make it next time...either as a player or as just an onlooker who might be able to provide those at home some scoop.

And just to clarify...I am not saying that the webcam could be used in any other way. I was just using that as proof-positive that there was some form of internet connectivity at the location.

What I was suggesting, and I will try to state it in a less convoluted way this time, is that whoever was posting team photos and posting them during the event...might have also been interested to post some form of update during the event. Maybe even just passing those same tally sheets to the person posting the pics.

(This statement is without knowledge of what is on the tally sheets...but even if it detailed results and announced the next rounds Team Match-ups...that would have sufficed.)

Given that this event is more or less a testament to Jervis's game...I don't think that asking him to try and get this done would be an issue. (And given that ANdy has been sending tourney support to various events around the world, this bit of free event exposure couldn't be that big a deal.

Well for whatever it's worth these last couple of posts have been me just defending myself...and there is no real point in that. So long as the people planning this event heard my suggestion...that's what matters. I'll just leave it alone.

Thanks. -Rob

P.S. Schawn...I look forward to meeting you at one of the tournies here. Maybe you can swing out to the East Coast for the Philly Phrakus or The Massacre..and I will try to return Gen Con next year. (I bet Galak is reallyexcited now.) Smile

Morpheous - Oct 26, 2007 - 05:46 AM
Post subject:

Thanks Rob.

I am planning to do one tourney out of the Midwest. I am only in Wisconsin, but I travel to NYC quite often. Phlly is only about what 1.5 hr train ride?

There is a possibility I will be in NYC in May. Will take me a little bit of begging to get that trip. Usually I am there Nov, Feb, Aug. The May trip someonelse usually takes. Maybe I can make a switch, and hope the tourney is either before... or after the week I am there. Either way I can take a vacation day or too to try to may the Pharkus one Smile

We'll have to wait and see. At any rate, if nothing else... GenCon Smile

-Schawn

GalakStarscraper - Oct 28, 2007 - 08:50 PM
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KarlLagerbottom wrote:

and I will try to return Gen Con next year. (I bet Galak is reallyexcited now.) Smile

Glad to have you come. But I don't do any more than get the thing started and ended now. I hired Gortex to run it this year ... and he did such a great job that if he is willing I'll gladly hire him to run it again for 2008. So yeah I am excited to have you come .... Wink

Galak