Hey guys,
I just noticed that compared to last year, there are way less games being attended to, and I'm a bit surprised since we seem to have almost more people than before and that weather is nice again.
So I'm just trying to take the temperature/surveying: Are many people working on the weekends currently? What is the main reason you usually can't play more than once a month?
Again, I'm not blaming anyone, we all have our agendas, and even myself I couldn't attend a couple of games before. I'm just trying to understand the current mood
Looking forward for your input!
TKO used to be on a 3 week cycle, but at our most recent meeting (back in December I think it was) it was decided we would book a TKO once a month. Part of this is because of the growing popularity in the sport and the difficulty in booking fields. The common, popular fields are booked months in advance, and many are no longer allowing cancellation. We were worried that too many games would lead to less attendance, and possibly a situation where we would have to pay for fields that we ended up not using because of low numbers.
I am usually good with 2 or 3 games a month, but there are always things that pop up...I have a family and 3 kids, so between school events, family time, birthdays, holidays, etc, I feel my wife is EXTREMELY understanding to let me have 2 days a month to get out and play.
Would you prefer we go back to a 3 week rotation Ycare? Or are you more wondering why attendance is low?
Well both honestly, I was wondering and missing a higher pace. I mean I spent so much money on all my gear that it feels a waste to use it merely 10~12 times a year
But I understand the changes though, and it's true we don't want anyone having to pay a booking with no one attending.
So Airsoft is really becoming that much popular here? It's true I only joined a year ago, but it still feels like it's a bit of an "underground" hobby because of its military association.
I would say it is experiencing a boom!
I have only been booking games for a year, but I would bet Anarchy and Q could tell you if you had to book 2-4 months in advance when they started. Getting full fields these days is also becoming harder.
I am happy to book more games if I know that more people would attend...or guarantee attendance.
Maybe we should look at 2 types of games a month...general games with the common capture the flag and kill em all type games using a half field somewhere, as well as a more advanced game that is campaign based, real count etc.
Or we could go to more public games...but I don't enjoy them as much.
If you were keen Ycare, I think you could find as place to play every weekend.
If you go to a few public games and meet some Japanese teams you might be able to get in on their private games as well? We hope to start a team vs team series in the coming months as well. Stay tuned
FYI: there's nothing to stop anyone in booking private games & advertising & inviting others to the game. In fact I encourage others to do so.
But I only caution not to advertise it or set it up as a TKO game. This includes booking it with the field using the "TKO" name. Over the years most of the field operators & shops even know TKO by name therefore only TKOSOC can set up TKO games.
a VS game would be sick...hope we can get it going before i leave..always love a challenge
Public game: meh, I really don't enjoy them at all anymore, I'll most likely always decline them unless special circumstances.
Booking other private games: yeah, I think I'll try that soon, just one game in July ain't gonna be enough for me, need more action ^^
well... It's no only you that feel that way
I also want to play actively; especially since I just invested GREAT (for student with no income) amount of money on multicam gear, AND 2 days of practicing CQBs.
The problem is; I got a lot of stuff to do. I got Clubs (I joined 2 clubs and 2 circles), Krav Maga, Aikido, studying, writing reports, "field research" (the one on off topic forum
), hanging out with friends, buying new furnitures, doing the laundry,preparing for internship and so on.
And so...................... sometimes I have to choose (hardly and unwillingly T_T)between attending TKO event or attending another event/doing other stuff
Great post Ycare - I'm in the camp that wants to play at least twice a month - if not three or four!
That said, for the same reasons Ginga noted, I don't think TKO has the level of support to run private games more than once a month. Cimax had 20, and Seals had 37 - both were decent turnouts for games, but still a close call from a reservation perspective (especially taking into account that these were during two good weather months).
I guess we do have the option of running non-TKO private games, however if the 'official' TKO games are barely getting enough for safe registration, I don't think a non-TKO private game would have the necessary level of support. Also, do not want to run the risk of having people sign up for the non-official game, and not go to the official TKO game.
In the meantime, I'm trying out the public games, but where possible, will be sticking to the less popular fields (i.e. further away / harder to get to) that don't have the crazy crowds or crazy people.
Regarding the team on team - I am trying to set one up for August, but judging by the August poll, doesn't look like we have enough support for a private reservation during August either. I might post a thread on this soon.
I'm also trying to infiltrate into other teams, but many of the other teams with information on the web are the otaku type, which I'm not too interested in joining. Will let you know how this goes.
Sooo.... Ycare - if you want to try and run some private games in between the TKO games, I'm definitely game and am willing to co-organize / help out / etc.
Thanks Psycho!
Last year I merely organized a group reservation to a public game for some TKO members, but never a full on private game, still, we could give it a try. I'll start looking at places tomorrow afternoon and see where is still open in early July for some games.
Ycare - I just posted a thread with field calendar links - we can use this as a starter:
http://www.tkoverkill.com/showthread.php?tid=1041
Unfortunately, I'm going to be quite busy in the coming month and can't make games June 19th through July 10th, inclusive.
I find it interesting that we have only heard from 5 people in this post.
As we see TKO game participation numbers declining I wonder if we have the dedicated player base to support a more frequent pace.
As an example, we only have 11 signed up for the June 26th TKO game, and only 2 for the July 24th game. There is a private game that Psycho is organizing in the middle of those 2 games, and the initial sign-up group seems to be the same group of frequent players.
I wonder if more games pulls attendance away from games? 3 games in 4 week period forces members to make decisions about which games they can make it to, if they can afford them all, and relieves the pressure of "if I don't attend this game I have to wait a month until the next one."
I think it is cool to have a busy game schedule if we have the numbers to support the games. I just don't want people stuck paying huge fees to fields, or members having to pay double fees because we don't get the numbers.
Like Q, I am happy to see others set-up and admin games. I guess we see how the 3 games in a month schedule goes and if doesn't work out we might need to look at game co-ordination for the future?
You meant 26th June and 24th July, right?
While yes it's true, it seems to be mostly the same players attending regular games, I do wonder about what changed since last year. Well it's true some got new job, much more busy (MikeT), some got a baby (Tobo), and some others a new hobby (... Anarchy?
), I do wonder what happened to the rest of us, or how come we didn't gather a more steady and avid playing group (don't worry Psycho, you're the exception ^^).
Maybe TKO needs to be a little more advertised? But on the other hand we don't want to become an "all gaijin" team, with "not-so-honorable" players.
There is a thin line between a close group of friends (well that's how I consider a lot of you), and a large half anonymous team.
Ycare - thanks for giving me the exception status!
I just joined TKO recently, so don't know the history and details of past participation, but perhaps one theory is that now that the economy is starting to pick up (well, sort of), people are spending their time and money on bigger things - e.g. vacations outside Tokyo / Japan, etc. and don't have time or energy to spend on airsoft.
Also, if the economy is picking up and people are feeling "better" about things in general, perhaps they don't feel the need to run around shooting at each other to burn off their stress.
Just a theory.
Guess we'll see how the three games in June and July goes and have to adjust going forward if needed.
Weird...I thought I had made that edit. Thanks for pointing it out Ycare.
Weird also...I thought that a better economy meant I could buy even more guns! Isn't that how it works for everyone?
I was thinking also that maybe we should take the core group of 5 or 6 that seem really regular, and develop a 5 man team. I think if we went to public games as a team and focussed on tactical play and used it as a practice/training opportunity we might look at public games in a different light. I know that I would be into having a 5 man core team with Ycare, Q, Anarchy, Psycho, Tesla, Rooboy, ThundeMidget, Tifast, Chuckles, etc... wow, feel like I am writing an award speech and feel like I should include EVERYONE so I don't offend anyone
I know that some of these players can't play all the time, but we could use the public games as a testing ground for better tactical play. This would also increase our skill level, and might help us recruit teams and other players to TKO games. If we meet a cool group of guys/gals we should get them to come out to TKO!
Just throwing it out there. I know public games aren't as fun as TKO, but maybe if we changed our focus they would be?