Showdown 2006 - San Jose 500 Man LAN

[GotNoRice]

Originally Posted by vector

I agree with you 100%. The announcer was hired from an outside company to do the announcements and obviously he did not understand what gamers like. IMO they should not have bundled prizes so more people could win. Also, the guys on crutches, that was wrong, and if I were him I would have said something immediately – I am sure had NVIDIA known that were happening, they would have not liked it. Be vocal next time, get my attention; I will go to bat for you.

Thanks for clearing that up, knowing that guy isn’t part of your staff definitely bumps my opinion of you guys up a bit.

Well, first, good luck. Anyone who has really tried an event of this magnitude will understand it’s easier to say than do. If you want to break records, the Largest in California stands at 350 (GFLAN 2) The largest on The West Coast is PDXLAN (800 people, August 2005) – I guarantee you will not beat the West Coast record your first time out…which means you will lose loads of money, which sux, (been there). I think the biggest piece of advice I can give you with sincerity is: “The only true mistake is when you don’t learn from your previous mistakes”

To be fair, several members of the FLG community used to help out or be staff at LANtrocity years back. During LANtrocity’s peak around late 2001, we ran several 250+ man events, including a CPL qualifier event in October of 2001 where I believe we had 367 people in attendance. That is the event where the cheater video was made, if you’re familiar with that. So we’re not completely ignorant when it comes to these things.

[DeadLamb]

Originally Posted by vector

Anyone who has really tried an event of this magnitude will understand it’s easier to say than do.

oh we know, we also just really like to talk smack but we all know the issues that pop up on the larger events.

FLG's core group or at least the admins are more or less the last men standing from the LANtrocity days. So the whole push for bigger and bigger LAN's, it's been there, done that. So we know all about the risks with little to no rewards money wise etc, plus the costs, dealing with companies etc etc etc..

We rented out Cal Expo ($$$$$) for the larger CPL LAN years ago on the back of a guys house loan money and we also hired and paid to fly out some crappy play by play guys who did not work out and so and so on..

oh and never mind the HUGE over reach and fail of the so called million man lan that was going to be east vs west coast and failed big time on the LA side, mostly due to lack of the level of funds needed.

so as I said, been there, done that, no desire to every do it anymore..

Bottom line, it just sounds like your the event has grown so large that the cost issues are starting to drag it down. Not that the event can't still be an A+ level event or anything but many of the cost issues are due to scale and where the event is being held.

We had to pass on a ton of locations back in the day like Arco etc due to the same BS high costs. They don't really seem to watch to bother with "no name" sort of people doing events, they only like say Pepsi etc doing something.

As for the age limit, errrr ok that's just sort of a cop out to say it's just like a trade show. They have children events all the time, all over the place. So it's that location, or some REALLY high ins issue if there is under 18 or something like that but in no way can some place just say that for your event, you are paying for, that you have to do 18 only.

Not when it's your money on the table.

I don't really care what the issues is, I don't have kids and I don't like kids so meh but still, there is more to it then just saying one can't..

[Swagger]

Originally Posted by vector

PDXLAN and PDX-CLAN are two different groups.

First off......Gotta give you some credit for coming back and answering to the criticism.

Second....I gotta call Shens, Bullshit or collusion on that PDXLAN and PDX-Clan being 100% different, I watched a couple different Car Ball Tourney winners walking freely in and out of the PDX-LAN organizer computer area, talking with the people in it and using the computers....AND....myself and friends being the first car load to show up at the event and get in line....and then watching as members of that "winning team" walked out of the building only to then stand in line in front of us.

BTW....the chairs from that LAN...unacceptable....those were not made for the average gamers ass...let alone grown men. Folding metal chairs would have been more sturdy and comfortable....if you aren't letting people bring their own chairs.....you might want to warn about what will be provided....and seriously question the attending number in that space since most people's elbows extend out wider than the chairs they sit in.



I don't even wanna imagine the tonnage that that's gonna get herded into that place .

[vector]

Originally Posted by Swagger

First off......Gotta give you some credit for coming back and answering to the criticism.

Thanks, I just like the record to be clean.

Originally Posted by Swagger

Second....I gotta call Shens, Bullshit or collusion on that PDXLAN and PDX-Clan being 100% different

Sure, we know them they have been at our events before, but we don't have anything to do with them. I won't argue with you, I have no reason to lie, or try to decieve, and I can't force you to believe me. I know I am right, and I know you are wrong. You don't want to believe me, fine. Thats your vendetta, but know you are falsely accusing me of something you just don't know or understand. (Which is pretty crappy if you ask me) Do you believe in all conspiracy theroys

[Poncho]

This is going to get good I think.

[vector]

Originally Posted by DeadLamb

oh we know, we also just really like to talk smack but we all know the issues that pop up on the larger events.

Talking smack is cool, I just like the record to be truthful. Most people assume they know something they don't. It's their lack of intelligence to believe in rumors without questioning them.

About the kids thing. If I were a businessman and I wanted a 500 (er 480...lol) lan to work, why on earth would I want to eliminate a large part of my audience which could be ticket sales? (The 17 and belows) By eliminating that audience I am making it harder on myself and stand to loose even more money... doesn't make sense does it. I wish we could have the minors, itd help the numbers.

About CPL / MML -- Heh, I grew up in Merced (Mer-dead) so I am from Cali originally. CPL is a joke IMO - its too "corpratized". (if thats even a word) I hate going to lans where it is all about the pros and you dont stand a chance. While the PCGAMER event is put on by a corporation, my intentions are to run it alot more like PDXLAN and not GeForceLAN. (I have more latitude here) Theres a reason PDXLAN consistantly sells out 500 person lans 1-2 months in advance... and it aint because it isn't worth it.

Million Man LAN has been done (by different organizers) at least 4-5 times in different cities. Portland had one back in 2001 or 2000. Sorry it didn't work out for you.



All:
Take care, fun chatting with you. I appreciate the feedback ~ its how I learn to do better. Hit me up on xfire "pdxvector" if you'd like to chat w/me.

Have Fun, Frag Hard.

Vector.

[xenophile]

As long as Dima won't be there, I will most definitely go.

[DeadLamb]

Originally Posted by vector

Heh, I grew up in Merced[/b]

ugggg I feel your pain in only the way a person who had grandparent's there and KNOWS first hand how bad Merced can be.. Also had an Aunt in Tracy, not all that much better..

at least now both cities have some stuff but lot of good that did me back in the mid 80's..

[Sex Fruit]

http://www.modestolan.com/vb/showthr...7883#post47883

Check out this thread over at MOLAN guys, this guy Vector just cuts and pastes his answers. Yur not gonna get alot out of people Vector with the antagonistic attitude you seem to like to display. good luck with your overpriced, overpopulated crapfest lol

[Boss99]

This dude got off easy. Stupid hit and run poster.

[nickmarine]

If you want a good LAN go to this event, I have been to 4 events of Vectors, the most recent being PDXLAN 7 which I drove 9 hours to be at. If the event had sucked at PDXLAN 5 I would not have returned again. I know you all know how to run a large LAN better and I encourage you all to run one and I will consider coming and paying my own way. I had a lot of FUN at Geforce 1 and 2 and PDXLAN 5 and 7, the only LAN that I had issues with was the World Cyber Games when the corporate types decided that the BYOC folks should not get anything and piss off basically, it was Vector that lead the charge to management that changed the deal for all of the BYOC players, if you think he is not a gamer then you are wrong. I will say it again, you want to have fun at a LAN then go to showdown, if you don't want to have fun then we don't want you and I really don't want to sit next to you. Have a great day

Nick

[Moddy]

First of all, it is not a question of having fun. It's a question of having to pay outrageous entry fees to be able to play games with 500 other gamers. Why in the hell would anyone want to do that? It's cheaper to play on the intarweb - and quite frankly, more fun IMO.

Big lans = the suck.

/thread

[Bunnyslayer]

Originally Posted by nickmarine

if you don't want to have fun then we don't want you and I really don't want to sit next to you.

That is very disconcerting

[nickmarine]

Possibly, I have never walked away from a big LAN with less swag in value than I paid and on one occasion I walked with a $500 video card. I agree that a small cozy group is cool and costs almost nothing but thats not what it is all about, there is so much more at a big LAN than playing the same friends over and over. If you like the social aspect (some gamers can actually talk to people) and enjoy the many new systems and the tech talk that follows meeting new people. I like a small LAN but I love the experiance of a big one even more.

2 cents

Nick

[nickmarine]

Originally Posted by Bunnyslayer

That is very disconcerting

I just mean come to a LAN with an open mind and the will to have fun, nobody wants to sit next to a nagative person, that's all.

Nick