[Discussion, General] So what's my excuse?

[Ufactor]

http://www.themanadrain.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=344201#344201

Steve's got a damn good point here: it's never been easier to attend a competitive Type 1 tournament.  The list of valid arguement for not getting off your ass is getting shorter and shorter.

Speaking about my own derriere, the problem is geography.  While I know that JP, Tussi, and a few others that live around NYC regularly attend the high profile events, it ain't easy.  Approximately, NYC is 5 Hours away from Syracuse and 6 plus change away from Richmond.
Manhattan is a two block walk and a twenty minute bus ride from my house.  There was a point in time where abundant time and money were not necessary to compete for Moxes.

Furthermore, anyone that remembers when (boy, I'm dating myself, here!) Wilkenson, Pustilnik, Ziegler, and D'Avanzo were still playing got spoiled by the fact that NGNY was The Type One Epicenter of the Free World, with medium-sized power tournaments every month.  There was also never a lack of IRL playtest partners.

Those days are long gone and I guess what I question is why there is no action in this area.  Did everyone move to NE or VA?  Is a middle states T1 scene still a viable idea?  Is it possible that New York can lead the trends in pretty much everything, yet drop the ball when it comes to this format?  discuss.

[Zherbus]

Well, it seemed that all at once the whole NGNY crew just dropped the hobby for the most part. Also, a lot also left for college and or were around a lot less. It seems that it just happened that a bunch of people just dropped off the planet at an inconveniently similiar time. From what I hear, NGNY didn't run a tight enough ship to attract new people. I've never been, but I hear it's basically a dump and from the effort it takes to navigate around NYC if you're an outsider, it was always easier to just go to Newark, NJ.

[Echoing Truth]

I live just outside of Detroit, MI.  It just isn't possible for me to make the drive to Syracuse for the tourny, as it would be a long, lonely drive.  The 4-5 hour drive to Chicago, on the other hand, is very manageable.  I've even talked one of my friends into playing T1 to make the drive easier.

[Bill Copes]

I live in Salem, MA.  Which is close enough to get to anything, but I don't own a car, and none of my friends play magic.  This unfortunate scenario even makes waterbury seem like a distant dream.

(here's where all the jerks say "Get a car, jackass!"  But not everybody in this econcomy can afford one.)

[Ufactor]

from the effort it takes to navigate around NYC if you're an outsider, it was always easier to just go to Newark, NJ.

whot?!?! there was a type one scene in NWK!?!?! when? how?


Transportation Problems:  For as many of us that don't have a car, there are (almost) equally as many people who need traveling companions, playtest dummies and ppl to contribute gas money.  Unless you live in the severe boondocks, it should be easy to hook up a carpool!

[Jacob Orlove]

I just want to pre-empt any smart-alecky "Oh, I'd go, but I live in Europe" type responses. If you have something to add to the discussion, by all means, go ahead and say what you have to say. If you just want to waste our time, don't.

Edit: thread cleaned + reopened.

[Mouth for War]

UFactor states :

Steve's got a damn good point here: it's never been easier to attend a competitive Type 1 tournament.

     Speak for yourself - something that the original poster should've done as well.  Whether or not it is now easier than it used to be to attend a Type I tournament depends entirely upon many different scenarios.

      First, I live in Iowa (for those of you who don't know, that's the state where we grow Potatoes, all live in Des Moines, and farm the rest of the state during the day).  When Magic first started getting big, it was relatively easy to find tournaments.  There were numerous card shops, Yu-Gi-Oh (I hate to even type the name) and irresponsible ownership hadn't closed down the majority of card shops in the state, and I was in college with disposable income, a decent vehicle, and a number of Magic-playing friends who went to college with me and lived in the main cities where the tournaments were held.

     Fast forward...2005...Economy takes a downswing, I, like many others, am laid off and working multiple jobs just to continue to keep my house, with next to no disposable income and very little actual spare time to play, let alone actually be able to set aside an entire weekend (4 work shifts with two jobs) to attend a Type I event anywhere (notably Chicago, Minneapolis, or St. Louis/Kansas City).

     Financial considerations, time considerations, travel considerations, employment considerations, relationship considerations...  Nobody can intelligently say "the list of excuses to not attend is getting smaller" if they're attempting to speak for everybody else.


     That said -

     I plan on attending the SCG tournaments in Chicago.  I've set aside tiny amounts of money from every paycheck, cut back on "luxuries" like Pepsi, never go to fast food restaurants, etc., in an effort to make it financially feasible.  Hopefully, I'll have the money for gas, a hotel, and food by the time each rolls around.

     Even if I do, however, there remain other issues including the mortgage ($975 a month), utilities (minimum of another $300 a month), vehicle insurance, house insurance, and so on and so forth.  It will all boil down to whether or not I can afford to lose a mimimum of four shifts of pay (likely 5 or 6 if you count Friday as drive time).


     Steve (if I'm correct as to the original poster?) may be blessed enough to have the kind of job where he can afford to do whatever he wishes when he wishes - some of us do not.  Rather than be insulting and demean others by saying they have no reason to not attend tournaments and aren't supporting Type I, he should be thankful that he has the opportunity while others do not.

     Soapbox speech ended....

[Mouth for War]

Okay, I lied.  I'm going to throw one more thing out there before I step down from my soapbox...


     I think that there is far more than attending the SCG tournaments to supporting Type I, and here is one example.


     Those of us who don't live in the major metro areas (or have easy access to said areas), fully realize how much of a priviledge and blessing it is to have a good cardshop in your local area.  Prior to this year, my hometown has not had that sort of shop.

     At the beginning of this year / end of last year, a new cardshop opened up locally.  This shop has owners that give a damn, employees that enjoy the game, a decent card selection (no Power, obviously, but pretty much anything under $100, which is very good for Iowa), good prices (at or below internet lows), and responsible management.

     The owners and employees have committed themselves to making sure that they have a steadily-rotating stock (assuring economical prices, steady income for the store, and the bringing back of customers regularly to see "what they've got today").  

     The owners, having seen the failure of so many cardshops in the recent past (we've lost no fewer than 6 shops in the past few years) aren't expanding just to expand - they stick to a few basic games (Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh, and Warhammer), all of which sell extremely well in the area, and they don't over-extend themselves financially.

     They hold tournaments (next one is for a Mana Drain - largest prize I've ever seen offered in this state), and they're starting artist signings (Ron Spencer will be here next month).

     That is what the new shop is doing for Magic.  

     As I said above, those of us who have been without realize how much of a blessing it is to have a good local cardshop, and we've done everything we can to promote the shop (and, ahem...thereby support Type I).

- We spend as much free time there as we can afford, which helps keep other players coming in who might be bored and looking for a game (and are then there to possibly spend money to help the shop).

- Anytime we meet other players, we talk up the new shop and try to make sure that the shop is assured another customer.

- We make the time to attend tournaments there (much easier to do when it only encompasses 1 work shift due to not having the need to travel).

- And yes, we spend our money there, too (when we have any), rather than going over the internet.

     Magic (and Type I) has survived not because of SCG and giant tournaments, but because of individuals who love the game and local card shops that are dedicated to the game.

     Not trying to preach or boast, but I thought I'd point out that there are more ways to "support Type I" than by simply attending the big tournaments.

[Crazy Pierre]

I play in monthly events here in Ottawa...but I am getting seriously disinterested in Vintage.

There is a lot of Oath/Trinisphere going on around here, and it doesn't seem worth my time to jet down to tourney location, then sit down and see my opponent go turn 1 Mishra's Workshop Trinisphere, go...and see all the Moxes in my hand and wonder if I'll draw enough fetchlands to be able to do anything.

Or to drop a creature turn 1 or so, then have Oath come out, Force of Will war to see if I can actually get 2 more turns.

I have T8d a lot in the past and that stopped at the last tourney, so I am looking at another deck at the moment (Mono Blue if you must know, no one will see it coming in our metagame). Mono Blue is a good choice for me because with 4 Force of Will and 2+ Shoals, I can ACC counter a Trinisphere or Oath early.

As for Star City Games, I love them and I love Pete and Ferrett and the gang, they let me write for them but I can't justify travelling down to Virginia or New York to play in a Vintage event right now...I do have the income but lack the patience of driving down there, then playing 8-10 rounds in a poorly ventilated area with players that are just crazy good. It would be an AWESOME learning experience and one I hope to do at some point, but not now.

I am anxiously awaiting March 1st to see if R&D clamps down on one of Goblin Welder, Trinisphere or Workshop.

Post is all over the place, but basically:

Type 1 is very non-interactive at the moment, and that's what is keeping me away.

[Tetre]

Big events are about the people and the fun...flipping cards is a bonus.

I won't be at the next SCG P9, only because I will be on vacation (A suntan > mising a Yawg's win.)

Last year, Ottawa --> Origins (Flying works for me with free tickets)
This year, Ottawa --> Gencon (Again, free flights make it more practical)

As a side note: My clients end up giving me the free tickets as a result of flying all over the damm place to make them happy. Trading in europe is kinda cool too! (so I'm a lucky son-of-a-bitch, not a spoiled little rich boy)

I, as well as my friends, pick the events we wish to attend the most, and I add in either Origins or gencon to the mix. With Toronto being just down the long highway, the larger events will start to me me as a regular particpant.  

Syracuse is equally as feasable to travel to, but sometimes work gets in the way.  I really don't mind a couple of hundred bucks for 4-5 days of fun, but I know that it is not within the realm of possibility for everyone.  When possible I try to load up the car and go.  When I fly, I try to make it possible for others to go as cheaply as possible.

Do what you can, and don't sweat what you can't. Going broke or not eating for a month does in no way outweigh playing a cardgame.

Cheers,
Tetre

p.s. Pierre, Ottawa will be ready for you