Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

VGC OP section - Admin input needed

ultimatedra

ultimatedra

New Member
I know it has been slow in many areas of the Pokegym as of late. Articles strangely looking the same.

With TCG and VGC regionals being a single event now, and to those who plan ahead, have a second chance at winning a trip to nationals - i would have thought that this action would have driven TONS of traffic into the EG for people asking for advice on how to do well at VGC.

Unfortunately, this has not really happened. TCG and VGC players are still pretty distant and aren't mixing like i hoped. This was a harsh realization when i read this topic and i had to make a blunt reply:
http://pokegym.net/forums/showthread.php?t=156344

So with that in mind, i am looking for ideas to drive up the traffic into the EG - more so for VGC support, but anything will do. It would be awesome to hear from anybody here, more so RGB, on any ideas on how to increase the numbers around here.

~Rob
 
I think a separate, more visible forum would be a good idea. Maybe one of the reasons the VGC forums get less traffic is because they are buried in Electronic Games, which is classed under 'Other Forums' below the TFG Forum (lol), Rumble Forum (also lol . . . are these things even needed anymore?), and the Anime Realm (not quite so lol, but even so . . . ).

VGC is only going to grow and become more important. It will also attract more and more interest from TCG players now the events are held alongside each other. Most TCG players at least play the VG, and it will appeal to their competitive instincts and love of Pokemon. Even though I'm not a VG player, I went to the UK championship this year for the fun experience and enjoyed myself (even won a round without really knowing what I was doing).

I think that the 'traditional' areas of the Gym (like written articles) WILL slow down in future, and maybe the Gym needs to get in with some of the new trends (YT channels, TCGO) a bit more than it does right now. Not criticising the great site and resources we have here, just wondering if it was time to modernise a bit.
 
THANK YOU for your thoughts on this. I was hoping that more of the staff would put in their two cents, but with 11 views and you are the only reply - i will take it.

I wholeheartedly agree - VGC IS NOW ORGANIZED PLAY and we should be reflecting that.

I am trying to drum up interest with the EG members who want to help contribute to VGC posts to start typing some articles/analysis but that may take some time.

PLEASE MORE STAFF REPLY WITH THOUGHTS AND IDEAS!

EDIT: the thread in the EG discussing a VGC section is starting to get the members excited and they are gearing up to help contribute. 270+ views and almost on it's 2nd page in 4 days. The members are showing what they want:
http://pokegym.net/forums/showthread.php?t=156344
 
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Perhaps we could garner more attention if the Pokemon TCG section of forums was changed to "Pokemon Organized Play" and VGC forum was added in the mix.EG can still exist separately, since it would have a different focus as a whole. Having official tournaments on the forums like the TCG people do would help as well.

And I'm not sure how much this should be mentioned in said subforum, but 99% of people's testing is done on simulators, and I'm not sure what TPCi's stance on them is.
 
RB Golbat said:
And I'm not sure how much this should be mentioned in said subforum, but 99% of people's testing is done on simulators, and I'm not sure what TPCi's stance on them is.
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Same is true of the TCG. I think most of the 1337 players use simulators at least as much as anything else, and the TCG simulators would be more objectionable than the VG ones, since PTCGO exists, and player-designed simulators could well be costing TPCi some tiny fraction of sales.

Just sayin'.
 
LEX/RBG - The general rule in the EG has always been you play with your DS system for those same reasons - not helping sales of the game, deters those who play the actual game, and encourages people to cheat/hack their pokemon to match their "simulated" version.

So far the current suggestions require Admin rights - can we please get Admin input please?
 
RB Golbat said:
Perhaps we could garner more attention if the Pokemon TCG section of forums was changed to "Pokemon Organized Play" and VGC forum was added in the mix.EG can still exist separately, since it would have a different focus as a whole. Having official tournaments on the forums like the TCG people do would help as well.

And I'm not sure how much this should be mentioned in said subforum, but 99% of people's testing is done on simulators, and I'm not sure what TPCi's stance on them is.
Click to expand...

That's a great idea, but would it create the same type of issue as the font for 'PokeGym' did a couple of years back by using the copyrighted phrase, "Pokemon Organized Play"?
 
Video Game Organized Play - VGC (and what it stands for) could could be copyrighted, but VGOP I don't see an issue with. Sounds professional, and it is the obvious direction to VGC's.

Alright - looks like everything is pointing to a dedicated VGC section. Obviously something that us forums mods have no control over. Changed the thread title to match.

SD Pokemom, Bulbasnore, Pokepop, BDS - what are your thoughts. Is having a dedicated VCG section an option?
65+ Views and no responses from the higher ups.
 
Here is my $.02 on the subject.

Years ago, when TPCi (then PUSA) decided to market the TFG and Rumble sub games, the PokeGym was one of the first sites to throw our site into the full support of those products.

Since that time, those products have been discontinued. However, we still maintain forums for the random discussion regarding those products.

Since 1996 (or so) the Pokemon VG series has been the main driving force to the brand, the VG started it all.

To have the PVG series buried into the EG forum has always seemed odd to me, but at this time, with all that is being done to promote the VGC and bring it in line with the other Premier series - namely the TCG - I think it is time that we make that move as well.

I have read through the discussion in the EG Forum about this and I think there is some serious merit in having the discussions here.

I think the first hurdle the Sr Staff will face is a lack of any serious knowledge in the VG realm. However, we have some current Staff with tons of knowledge and ideas, as well as quite a few members that have really carried the PVG discussions for a long time.

Bottom line is this, the members want this, it will be good for the game, it will be good for the events that we run, it will be good for this site.

My final thought on this: I support this suggestion.
 
Thank you so much for your thoughts Wayne. It could not have been put any better than that.

Here is a question that needs to be answered QUICKLY, today preferred:
Where are we going to have the VGC tournament reports? - in the EG, Regional Sub-forum, or both?. Same goes for the "What won regionals" in the VGC sense. TCG & VGC are now the same event, and should be held in the same regard.

The users that have been asking for a VGC section are dedicated to making it a success and will be making VGC torunament reports, so if we can get a clear answer as to where they will be going.

From what i have seen here, the VGC's are not being taken seriously by most of the staff - based on the lack of responses. Wayne is the only one of the Senior staff to even reply (and i am very grateful for it). I don't know what is going on behind closed doors, but I am needing information/direction on this matter.
 
Something like what you folks are discussing and proposing good ideas for needs to happen, in good order, but soon. Wayne and I are putting together a proposal, then it willl be TC > SrStaff > VR > Publicity > Launch.

You guys are great and thanks for putting this out there with the good ideas.

Target for launch should be before December holidate break for schools.
 
Kim - thanks for keeping us in the loop for this.
Wayne - Thank you for chiming in the thread. Now it is no longer just me talking, but a higher-up as well.

As i said in the thread, having just one Pkmn VG forum and utilizing the TAG/Prefix feature would cater to to the entire audience. Using TAGs like *Trade*, *Report*, *VGC*, and *RMT* (Rate my team, for those who do not know).
 
I disagree that just one VG forum would be enough. There is the possibility that one day, the VG community could equal the TCG community (if it isn't already -- honestly, i have no clue). For this reason, I feel the VG should get just as much respect and allocated space as the TCG. This isn't Rumble or Trading Figures; neither of those games ever saw organized play. I don't see the VG dimming down or going away anytime soon, and I think it's community lacks a strong base on this forum and on the internet in general. ****** is the closest I would say to a strong base for VG discussion but it's a bit elitist, in my opinion, and doesn't have massive appeal to the general VG player demographic. PokeGym would be a great home for a strong VG community, and as long as there are clear boundaries between the two licenses (no trading of VG pokemon in the TCG trade area, for example), I think both communities could live, grow, and prosper in harmony.
 
So, my reaction to RMT is FMT. Is that what is really is Fix My Team? or Evaluate My Team.

Not to excited about another numerical rating forum. What do I know (or care) if ZOmitz gives my team a 9/10?
 
bulbasnore said:
So, my reaction to RMT is FMT. Is that what is really is Fix My Team? or Evaluate My Team.

Not to excited about another numerical rating forum. What do I know (or care) if ZOmitz gives my team a 9/10?
Click to expand...

RMT is exactly that, a team fix. Posts in these threads very rarely post a 1-10 scale. If they do, it is like "<insert suggestion here> - other than that 10/10"
 
Why not have the VG forums set up like the TCG ones?

  • VG News and Gossip
  • Team help and strategy (like RMT but avoiding purely rating posts - similar to the Deck Help forum)
  • Tournaments and Organized Play (tourney details and reports)
  • Pokemon strategy (discussion on individual Pokemon)
 
http://pokegym.net/forums/showpost.php?p=2159769&postcount=91

This post in my mind has merit. With so few people on staff who have more-than-basic knowledge about the video game, I would think that choosing people is going to be difficult.
Is it going to be based solely on EG activity, quality posts, and infraction points?

Regis Neo & Vaporeon are in my opinion the best two in the area, and know how the rules on the 'gym work. Just making a suggestion. That's it.
 
ultimatedra said:
Yes - there is THAT much separation. There are only a few people that come here on the 'gym that dabble in both TCG and VG. The Zhengs for example do both.

If this is a discussion JUST about the players playing with crap, I am not going to go into that.

If you try talking about the VG in anywhere but the EG or RTC you will be ignored or immediately flamed.

Sm0gon (german KOFFING fyi :thumb:) has their user base stream/tweet/post all the results in real time. The users all enjoy watching live streams of the games at home. Something we haven't done.

to quote Prime:

SixPrizes and other sites have popped up within the last year that are mainly about articles. People go to those sites JUST for the articles, those sites are known mainly for their articles.

The PokeGym was never know for their articles, but having the biggest Pokemon TCG community in the world. Perhaps PokeGym isn't cut out for articles anymore.

In my opinion, it'd be wise for the PokeGym to take what it's good at, perhaps things that haven't been critiqued/attacked constantly (like articles) and work towards strengthening those qualities.

I liked the PokeGym podcasts, but with JWittz and such popping up within the last year, I think they've filled that need just like SixPrizes and such have filled the need for articles.

What does the PokeGym fill the need for?
Click to expand...

I hate to say it, but the Pokegym isn't catering to the audience like it used to. I personally have been trying to drum up VG interest in my section of the gym, hence why ALL the recent articles are about the VG. It is hard for a mod to try to compete with sm0gon, but at least I am trying.
Click to expand...

Although I do feel that the PokeGym shouldn't try to compete with SixPrizes with producing constant high-quality articles and probably wouldn't compete with Smog-n with high-caliber VG strategies, I do think it is important for the PokeGym to provide ample outlets for that discussion to occur on the forum (if it is going to happen).

Right now, the Electronic Games area isn't adequate in my opinion.

VG events occur at Nationals and other TCG events, and now those events are not even TCG, they are Pokemon (the brand) based events for those reasons.

VG deserves it's own forum on the main forum page. It needs a general discussion, a strategy/team discussion, perhaps even a trading area, and a tournaments section (or subsection in the tcg tournaments section).
 
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