My tale of woe with Nintendo (POP)

[Son of Leod]

I guess this could be posted in the tournament section, but it seems more like news than a tournament result. I'm not having good luck with my recent organized play experiences.

1) At the Ex Dragon prerelease, there was on odd number in the 15+ group and I drew a bye in one of the rounds. The organizer immediately told me the software would award me a loss. Sure enough, it did and my resulting 3-2 record wasn't enough the make the final round.

2) Everyone already knows about the debacle at Nationals/Origins last summer

3)Yesterday at the Scarborough, Ontario City Championship, my son and I arrived at 10:30 for the posted 10:00-10:45 registration. Turns out the tournament started at 10AM and the posted starting time on the POP website was incorrect. They let my son and I start with bye's for the first round but we received "delay of tournament" warnings, whatever that means. But my 3-1 record (with bye) didn't get me into the final round due to the way byes are handled in a tiebreaker situation. My son made final round in the 11-14 bracket but finished fourth.

Any thoughts?

 

[kiyuto-faze 1]

Hm... sounds like luck wasn't on your side. I have had days like that, once they accidently put me in the 15+ group when I was 12, so I had to face all 15+ opponents 4 out of 7 rounds of the tourny ! I knew something was weird so after the forth round I checked the stats and of course it listed me in the 15+ group, so I told them and they fixed the problem. Either way my record by then was 3-1 ( maybe 4-0 ) so I was automaticly put first in the 11-14 group becuase of my good record . Either way I have heard of problems like the one you have had about wrong time bein posted, so I always get there either one hour before the time says or when the store opens. As far as the warning don't pay much attention to it, all it means is that you made the tourny have to be delayed without "good" reasonings and that "could" have been avoided.

 

[Jay(72)]

ya the offical ruling is that a bye doesn't count as high as a real win. I got screwed over by it when I was at my CC. I would have rather faced someone and tried to win to move on to the finals instead of getting screwed over by it making me come in fourth. O well sucks to the rules but what can we do about it. Just get revenge next time

 

[GymLeaderPhil]

1) At the Ex Dragon prerelease, there was on odd number in the 15+ group and I drew a bye in one of the rounds. The organizer immediately told me the software would award me a loss. Sure enough, it did and my resulting 3-2 record wasn't enough the make the final round.

Should not have happened, but that was an early version of TMS. Not quite sure about how stable that program was about a year and a few months back.

2) Everyone already knows about the debacle at Nationals/Origins last summer

Yes, that was bad. But this year things will be much better, if the Stadiums and Worlds was any indication.

3)Yesterday at the Scarborough, Ontario City Championship, my son and I arrived at 10:30 for the posted 10:00-10:45 registration. Turns out the tournament started at 10AM and the posted starting time on the POP website was incorrect. They let my son and I start with bye's for the first round but we received "delay of tournament" warnings, whatever that means. But my 3-1 record (with bye) didn't get me into the final round due to the way byes are handled in a tiebreaker situation. My son made final round in the 11-14 bracket but finished fourth.

Actually... the page says the tournament started at 10:00 a.m.: http://op.pokemon-tcg.com/tournaments/tournaments_detail.asp?tournament_id=501000034

Not quite sure about what your complaining about regarding your inability to get into the final round. Was it your Win/Loss Percentage?

I'm also not quite sure how your son made the final round (assuming this was a single elimination cut) and finished fourth. Any details would help greatly.


But most importantly, this doesn't seem to be POP's fault (excluding last year's US Nationals at Origins). Perhaps you would like to share your thoughts with POP directly at [email protected]?

 

[Jay(72)]

no on the offical pokemon website is said the Scarborough, Ontario City Championship tourny started at 11am. This was a screw up by Nitendo.

 

[Orange Soda]

no on the offical pokemon website is said the Scarborough, Ontario City Championship tourny started at 11am. This was a screw up by Nitendo.

How soon before the tourney did you last check it? Stuff can come up, plans change, etc.

 

[Jay(72)]

I checked like 2 nights before however Nitendo even said that they screwed up with the tourny information. THats why they aloud ppl who came in late to play which was good

 

[ToysRUsKid]

no on the offical pokemon website is said the Scarborough, Ontario City Championship tourny started at 11am. This was a screw up by Nitendo.

no, it was the Organizers fault. not POP's... as they just put the info on the website as the Organizers say.

 

[SLOW DECK]

Single of thought. (This doesn't excuse the listing the time wrong.)

Don't arrive for a tourney 15 minutes before it begins. Seriously target getting there when registration begins.

It is hard enough to get touraments started on time without people not getting there when registration begins. Our usual routine is to try arrive early, say hello to the judge/TO, then go get something to eat (not before we arrive.) It seems like every tournament starts late because of late arriving folks. TO try to accomadate, and it delay's the start for the rest of prompt arriving folks. Targeting to a Tourney early has a lot of perks, like meeting and talking to other players, like not worrying about not having a spot, and making sure you do find a place you might not have been to before. (this might have been why you were late)

I had been guilty of this in the past, and had problems because of this.

 

[P_A]

I wasn't there at this tournament, though I usually am at most premier tournaments held in Ontario. I would suggest that you give your email address to the organizer for next time. I got an email the day before stating that the start time was earlier. If you had been on his mailing list, you would have got it as well. I doubt this will ever happen again, but if it ever does, you'll be covered. If you'd like his email address, I can get it for you, or you can give it to me for when I organize some, and I can keep you informed.

 

[Son of Leod]

The 10-10:45 start time was posted as late as the day before. And when we got there the TO admitted to the incorrect posting and blamed Nintendo. He told us to check his web site next time and I will, but I had no wsy of knowing what his web site was until I met him. A TO's web site should be included in tournament postings. By the way we were the last arrivals to me admitted. There were at least another half dozen late arrivals who showed up before 11 who were turned away. They had a Duelmasters tournament scheduled in the same room later in the day and didn't way to delay any longer.

I didn't get into the final round because my 3-1 included a bye and the other 3-1's had played their fourth match and were ranked higher. I just wish I'd had the chance to compete in the fourth game.

We should've been there earlier, but I got lost and had to retrace my path for a bit.

The upside is that we got to play, talk to other players, trade, and get the CC card. Plus we did meet another player from Buffalo and talked about carpooling next time. There's no league within 3 hours of us.

 

[P_A]

I believe they are setting up or have already set up one in Mississauga Ontario. Not exactly close, but a little closer to you than that tournament was. Seeing that you are a professor, have you thought of opening one up in one of your nearby stores/library/community center etc? If you need assistance, I can help to a certain degree.

 

[Son of Leod]

I've thought about trying to establish a league here but I'm not sure I can make the time committment. Plus I think my wife would kill me. But I've thought about doing a posting in the Organized play section to see how many interested players there are in WNY or southern Ontario.

 

[P_A]

I hear you about the killing thing. I have been told I tend to be obsessed. In any case it's not the 2-4 hours necessary on the Saturday (or whenever you plan to have it), it's the other hours spent working on it, helping kids with decks, organizing, doing tournaments, calling people for special events etc. It's a bit of work, and if you don't think you could commit to that, it's better that you didn't try to start that. But one good thing, when you get it started, if you do start it, hopefully you'll get a good group of people that want to help out like I do.

 

[ukpokemonpro]

I hear you about the killing thing. I have been told I tend to be obsessed. In any case it's not the 2-4 hours necessary on the Saturday (or whenever you plan to have it), it's the other hours spent working on it, helping kids with decks, organizing, doing tournaments, calling people for special events etc. It's a bit of work, and if you don't think you could commit to that, it's better that you didn't try to start that. But one good thing, when you get it started, if you do start it, hopefully you'll get a good group of people that want to help out like I do.

Now then note to self .. there are other obsessed people out there I can use as examples when my partner goes off on one..

Other note to self, maybe the Pikachu outfit with realistic swinging tail was not the best Birthday present to buy her.

Other, other note to self a kick in the Snorlax hurts!

Other, other, other note.. don't forget to consider the life you have outside the Pokemon TCG ..

 

[P_A]

What, me OBSESSED?!! I get up, spend an hour on pokemon related email before I even get breakfast. Go to work spend a 1/2 hour before I work, then 3/4 of an hour at lunch, and sometimes up to 3 hours at night. I guess I gotta get a life. LOL.

 

[SteveP]

3)Yesterday at the Scarborough, Ontario City Championship, my son and I arrived at 10:30 for the posted 10:00-10:45 registration. Turns out the tournament started at 10AM and the posted starting time on the POP website was incorrect. They let my son and I start with bye's for the first round but we received "delay of tournament" warnings, whatever that means. But my 3-1 record (with bye) didn't get me into the final round due to the way byes are handled in a tiebreaker situation. My son made final round in the 11-14 bracket but finished fourth.

You're kidding!

You showed up late, get a free 3 points (bye), and you're complaining? You're lucky the HJ let you play. Furthermore, you're lucky the HJ gave you a bye instead of just adding you to the tournament without a first round game (0 points). Either way, you got the better end of the deal.

Regarding the correct time for the start of the tournament, I suppose that's something you'll have to discuss with the TO. But, complaining about how you got screwed by the bye-tiebreaker at this CC is soooo wacked!

 

[Son of Leod]

As I said above, I've been hosed by byes twice. I'd rather take my changes playing the round.

 

[mysterioustrainer]

My tale of woe with Nintendo (POP)

Just to clarify, Nintendo of America is not responcible for Pokemon Organized Play, Pokemon USA, Inc is.

]1) At the Ex Dragon prerelease, there was on odd number in the 15+ group and I drew a bye in one of the rounds. The organizer immediately told me the software would award me a loss. Sure enough, it did and my resulting 3-2 record wasn't enough the make the final round.

First off the TMS back in the day was stupid and this is rather irrelivant these days since the problem in the TMS has been fixed and that tournament season is long done.

2) Everyone already knows about the debacle at Nationals/Origins last summer

"OW! What was that for?"
"It doesn't matter! It's in the past!"
"Yeah but it still hurts."
"Oh yes the past does hurt, however the way I see it you can either run away from it... or learn from it."
*swings stick*
"AH! YOU SEE! Now what are you going to do?"

Yesterday at the Scarborough, Ontario City Championship, my son and I arrived at 10:30 for the posted 10:00-10:45 registration. Turns out the tournament started at 10AM and the posted starting time on the POP website was incorrect. They let my son and I start with bye's for the first round but we received "delay of tournament" warnings, whatever that means. But my 3-1 record (with bye) didn't get me into the final round due to the way byes are handled in a tiebreaker situation. My son made final round in the 11-14 bracket but finished fourth.

First as a player you should contact via phone or email with the TO in advance to confirm times before an event. Even the POP website says this. Things can change or sometimes incorrect. You have to be just as responcible as a player just as TO has to be responcible. Remember work together!

Any thoughts?

You just got them.

The 10-10:45 start time was posted as late as the day before. And when we got there the TO admitted to the incorrect posting and blamed Nintendo. He told us to check his web site next time and I will, but I had no wsy of knowing what his web site was until I met him. A TO's web site should be included in tournament postings. By the way we were the last arrivals to me admitted. There were at least another half dozen late arrivals who showed up before 11 who were turned away. They had a Duelmasters tournament scheduled in the same room later in the day and didn't way to delay any longer.

Sounds like a pretty poor planning by the TO as he is responcible for his own event. Again PUI not NOA! He filled out the order form and should have been respocible to check the time on the tournament listing on the POP Site. The TO puts in any details including his website into the details section of a tournament listing so only he can be responcible for that. So get on his back about these things. Remember work together peacefully though.

Another thing is that you have the power to tell POP what times you have had by submitting feedback. With a My Pokemon account which you should have since you are listed as a professor, check your My Stats page and there should be a link for feedback which gives you the change to express your thoughts directly to PUI. They listen to these too!

So lets recap. There are things you as a professor should do to improve OP in your area, things as a player you should do to help which includes talking to PUI and talking to the TOs for these events. Remember when doing anything with a POP ID number you have to be responcible for it. If everyone can do this I'd think PUI's job would be a heck alot easier.

 

[SteveP]

As I said above, I've been hosed by byes twice. I'd rather take my changes playing the round.

I suppose you can ask your PTO to NOT give you a random first round bye (repair if you do get the bye).

However, in your last case, the bye was a result of you being late, so there wasn't much your TO could do about that, unless you would've rather had a no-game, or loss. :/

Hey, I can understand your frustrations with the TMS tiebreaker and the impact that byes have on it. Personally, I prefer to NOT use the tiebreakers when cutting to the playoffs (but only use the W-L record). At our last CC, I expanded the playoffs from the top 4 to the top 5 in order to avoid using the tiebreakers (1st-3rd had byes and 4th played 5th in the first playoff round). But that's just me.

If it were in my power, I'd remove the strength-of-schedule and last-loss tiebreakers and only use the points and head-to-head tiebreakers. JMO.