Okay guys and gals, I am as much a critic of TPfG as anyone and there is no doubt that this season; 2006-2007, things have been the worse we have seen since WotC lost the contract for OP.
However we do need to make sure we talk some sense on the boards and make sure we get our facts right.
With that in mind please remember:
1. Thats Pokemon forGotten are not the Local Distributor for the UK, that job is down to Esdevium Games at the moment and as far as any of us TOs can tell Esdevium then contract TPfG to run OP for them in the UK.
2. We all have no idea of why this season has been such a disaster in the UK and we can speculate, blame accuse and moan - heck I have done enough of that too. But I would still like to know why TPfG have sunk so low on delivery. There maybe problems we know nothing about?
That said communication is so bad that TPfG don't manage our expectations or take help from TOs when it is on offer. If they have a problem with delivery there are many of us who would help if only they would let us! And always blaming POP and the US for what seem to be their own shortcomings does not do TPfG any favours.
3. Nationals 2007 was already delayed because of other problems before Nigel pulled out the power lead. But even so players should have been pre-registered and then ticked off the player list as present and then any players not turning up could have been removed from the rosters prior to the tournament starting!
Like London TPfG could have had three laptops with three seperate stations for players to register, one for each age group and if High Wycombe is taken as a warning of what is to come at Nationals then TOs need to take their laptops because at High Wycombe had Ian F not turned up with his laptop TPfG would have been left with no working version of TOM - WHY? Because they had not tested their equipment beforehand!
4. LDs have been removed in the past and POP are bound to be taking an interest in what has happened here in the UK and especially this season where so much has not worked as it should have.
5. Your complaints would be best sent to POP they do listen even if they don't always answer - sometimes that is because they cannot tell you what is going on.
6. There are bound to be things happening that most of us do not yet know about that may impact on UK OP.
7. Keep playing, keep smiling and keep the faith! Your TOs have invested time and money into the game in the UK we are not going to walk away even if the going gets tough!
In the past we have run events without any Official Support - indeed we kept OP in the UK alive for over a year due to help from our friends in the US and donations from players and collectors - plus our own energies and eBay!
We would and will do so again if needed.
8. All of us TOs want to work with our distributors and Local OP Management - They have often refused to work with us, talk to us and especially communicate with us. Even so we still want to make UK OP work!
That's it for now guys and gals but I do think we should maybe put the firebrands and pitchforks away for a bit and concentrate on playing the game, enjoying the game and badgering TPfG for details of Battle Road! LOL
Keep playing and watch the skies!