Finally back after no power for a week, insanely busy work week, and my Android dying during the storm as well, so I was definitely set back quite a bit from the scene’s goings on. Again, congrats to all at MLG this weekend.
There is now less than a month until NEC which we in the Northeast have prided as the be able MK tournament every year since 2001. It marks my 11th year in the FGC and I’d really like to see some numbers for all MK games. I think MK9 can hit 100, I think UMK3 can hit 32, I think MKII can hit 24. Who wants to see this happen?
We have planned tournaments for MK1, MKT, MK4, at least one 3D game, 2 on 2 team tournament for MK9 and possibly UMK3 2 on 2 teams as well. We have Killer Instinct tentatively slated for Saturday.
Oh, did I neglect to mention, we’ll have two dedicated streams for MK at this event?That’s right @kombatnetwork will be running not just the MK9 stream, but a dedicated 2D stream both Saturday and Sunday for all classic games, including KI. The time frame for that will be decided closer to the event. Currently, MKII, UMK3 ($5 entry) and KI are slated again, for Saturday, and the bonus games for Sunday. If MK9 pools close early enough, we can run teams for MK9 Saturday night.
For Sunday, after the top 8 finishes on Team Spooky stream, I have plans to run a bonus exhibition “Survivor Series” style team tournament (1 on 1) which has been explained in full detail on TYM. More on that to come if there are details any changed, which quite possibly will be.
Friday night there should be full team vs team events to be streamed via Pig of the Hut. I need to confirm that with him and anything else he would like to run Friday night. This will really help with the setup process as I cannot guarantee Friday night player access to the ball room in this new venue for NEC, and we would like to have every single setup ready to go for all MK games being run Saturday. This may result in team vs teams being played in hotel rooms.
I am estimating 7 setups for MK9, this includes 6 for pools and 1 stream station Saturday. Any extra casual setups are welcome so long as there is room to use them, and I believe there will be. 8 setups = 1 for every 8 players at a 64 player turnout. Currently 7 is my head count based just on staff supply. Anyone who does decide to bring casual setups, please contact me, I will gauge necessity and feasibility of extra setups vs space ASAP.
If there is space, I would like to ensure those extra setups are used in the ballroom, and not in random players’ rooms, as I’ve seen happen before. This steals the thunder from the event, draws players from the event’s atmosphere itself, and results in unnecessary separation/hunting down players for matches. In essence, it makes our jobs harder and waters down the experience for others. I am in no way saying people are not allowed to run casuals in their rooms, especially if a bunch of players whose pools are not active are leveling up and don’t want to expose themselves to their pools. Just have some courtesy and take note if you have a dozen players in your room while tournament pools are being run, your setup might make the tournament event a better experience. There will likely be 2 setups for UMK3 and definitely one for MKII as well.
NEC is planning on hosting 1500+ players for at least a dozen games so we are sharing a room with so far as I know, one additional game, however that room itself is pretty enormous from what I’m told. I’ll be doing a walk through of the venue sometime this month with Big E. Situation permitting, there will be a projector screen for MK9 in the room and possibly for 2D, but I don’t want to push it.
If anyone has questions about staff, please personally contact me. Currently we have about 8 MK staff/potential staff members scheduled to be in attendance and I cannot add any more than that.
Players, PLEASE book rooms, coordinate travel arrangements, respect each others space, belongings and rooms. For every one player who books a room, that’s 3 other players who can comfortably share a room if there is some communication and compensation. Ask around, it works and I see players doing it more this time around.
If anyone has any way of getting bonuses, please contact me. I’m having trouble getting anything locked down. I’d like to build up a $1K bonus for MK9.
One last thing, any players in need of cable related goods, like HDMI, Ethernet, recording equipment, AV console gaming cables, Fiber Optic Cable, etc please visit UltraSpec.us (KN’s main sponsor) and anything you order there, please put “kombatnetwork” in the comments for the order. 100% percent of your purchase will go towards MK/FGC. A handful of purchases could result in a huge bonus for NEC for example, and you are fully compensated by a quality product at a discount price. Had about $100 in purchases last month.
Personal note, if ANYONE has any SERIOUS issues at the event, please come directly to me and I will sort them out for you.
OK, thanks players, Shock out.