Let's devise the perfect big $$$ tournament

[msufan]

I want to run a $25K+ skill game tourney and want to know the best possible way to do so. Help me think this through...

1. What game should I choose? I want a game that is already very well known, obviously, but also one that's not totally based on speed because some people are just lightning quick and others will immediately give up in the light of their unbeatable scores. (I'm thinking we want as much luck as possible to be involved while still making it officially a game of skill.) Or would it be wisest to have it be a couple of games combined so a one-game master can't dominate?

2. I want to make enough in entry fees to cover the prize fund. To do so, what should I charge people? $1 an entry? More? How should I distribute the prize money to generate the most plays? Should I also run ads to try to recoup some $$$, or will that drive people away?

3. Should there be multiple rounds of this game -- qualifying rounds and then a final round? Should it be a qualifier and then head-to-head, like W3 games?

4. How long should the qualifying round last? A month or two?

5. How do I avoid cheating? Force players to record themselves? Make the finalists tape themselves?

6. Are there other thoughts about how to make this work? Legality issues?

[Flignats]

Wait - 1st question - how is this taking place? A website I am unaware of?

[dpaull414]

Are there any skill gaming conventions? I see regular video game conventions exist, but what about a skill gaming one? Maybe you could combine some big tournament with a convention. If you do something in person, you do limit the number of people who can participate, but you should eliminate any concerns about cheating....

[msufan]

Wait - 1st question - how is this taking place? A website I am unaware of?

you tell me -- how should it take place??

[All4SciFi]

There have been skill game conventions, but rather localized and of the board game variety, not online or computer-related skill gaming (as yet, you'd think WWW or King could afford to pull one off). We had annual Spades tournaments, back-in-the-day, where folks who could ... would fly or drive in from all over the planet.

The video/consule game world have already gotten into this, and if you were to follow that model, you'd have sponsored teams of players and a set of 3-4 different games to be played.

So, it can be done LIVE ... but talking mega-bucks, mega-sponsors, etc. Probably the only way to get beyond the cheating aspect, as it would be kinda hard to cheat with cameras and a live audience behind ya, lol.

[Flignats]

As was just wondering if you intended to create a new skill gaming site or wanted to do a live performance. I was sort of confused when you proposed it, because I don't know of an outlet you have at your disposal to host the tournament

[msufan]

As was just wondering if you intended to create a new skill gaming site or wanted to do a live performance. I was sort of confused when you proposed it, because I don't know of an outlet you have at your disposal to host the tournament

are you offering?!

[Flignats]

Well, I had mainly wondered where you were planning on hosting such an event.

Of course, SA has the capability to handle such a tournament - but we'd need to get into the logistics of it to make sure its a fit. The biggest question (after where the tournament is actually hosted), is how to drive the traffic to it. If we get some solid answers about how it would work we might be able to do something.

[All4SciFi]

HAHAHA ... if it sounds like I wanna build a skill gaming site, or host a mega pay-per-view event .................................................. ..... Phuck Yeah!

LOL, but I wouldn't know where to start with either, not to mention drumming up the cash/investors/sponsors ... but yeah, i would definately put it together, if I had the tools to do so. I don't have the $25+ a week I would need to get writers in to seed articles and forums for my websites, but I know exactly where to get them when I can pay them.

No, the mega live event is a nice idea, but not realistic ...

Back to the question at-hand ... msufan, you brought it up, so what would you like to do?

I think (and forgive any assumtion here) what is being proposed here is ... some sort of sponsored event on a willing gaming site, or a created site for the occasion. And, if so, what does a person need to do, and cover all the bases, to pull off said event.

I think ... however attractive this is ... the problem ultimately comes down to the initial investment, and desperately trying to insure some sort of profit, by the end of it.

The rest of those questions are far more easy to solve, once you square away the $$$.

Now then ... the real question should be ... who is willing to give me enough $$$ to start my own gaming website, and attract mega sponsors for a full-blown international annual LIVE Skill Gaming event in Vegas, with $39.99 pay-per-view revenues on DirecTV???

Hmmm??? Anyone???

[msufan]

I think the money itself is a big enough draw that it will help get people there... and I can just front the money easily myself.

The key is how to arrange the tournament so that one outrageously high score doesn't ruin the game play for everyone... i.e. have a couple of qualifying rounds, scores get erased after qualifying and you play again, etc.