[gal=56099]Reprinted by written permission of the author also see original post on Nugget Bridge.[/gal]
2015 is nearly here and with a new year and new game comes a new format for Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire. The official rules are still a couple weeks from being released - please be patient. Similar to a post last year, I'd like to take a moment to remind everyone of a few things so that the Pokémon community can continue to be a awesome and friendly environment for players. The new game and the recent growth of the video game tournaments will bring many new faces to events and those that may be considered veterans should try to remember what it is like to be new!
Be Awesome
2015 is nearly here and with a new year and new game comes a new format for Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire. The official rules are still a couple weeks from being released - please be patient. Similar to a post last year, I'd like to take a moment to remind everyone of a few things so that the Pokémon community can continue to be a awesome and friendly environment for players. The new game and the recent growth of the video game tournaments will bring many new faces to events and those that may be considered veterans should try to remember what it is like to be new!
Be Awesome
- During registration, please pay special attention to any new player, or any Junior or Senior division player who may be struggling to put together their team in accordance with the rules and format - many will not be familiar with Pokédex regions, banned Pokémon, held items, double battles, etc. and registration is a good chance to make a great first impression
- Please be positive and friendly with new trainers (and old!), remember to be welcoming, and remember that your actions reflect on both yourself and on the Pokémon community as a whole
- Respect your opponents, win or lose, regardless of factors (such as that either perfectly-timed or couldn't-be-worse critical hit), shake hands and compliment each other on a good game
- Be patient: there are many new organizers for the video game and they are excited to be involved with the community. Sometimes though things won't run smoothly, delays will occur, pairings may have mistakes, etc. Tournaments are live events and they have a lot of moving parts that can cause stress for judges, organizers, volunteers, and players. Be mindful and remember that honest mistakes can occur and that everyone is doing their best for their community and event.
- Don't forget the spirit of the game
- Remember your Player ID and remember to use the same Player ID at every event - if someone is new let them know how important the Player ID is (it is the unique identifier for each player so results can be tracked)
- Confirm an event is officially sanctioned and a Premier Event via the Pokémon event locator
- Remember to bring a fully charged 3DS unit and a charger to the tournaments
- During a match make sure the IR connection is lined up for 3DS units and let new players understand how the IR functions using line of sight (mainly for Regionals and Nationals, Premier Challenges operate slightly differently)
- Pay attention during the event for announcements and understand the flow of the tournament
- Be helpful in answering questions about [why insert attack caused insert effect, how something was possible, etc.]
- At events where you download the "regulations" or the "Digital Player ID" (Wi-Fi, Regionals, Nationals): never "cancel participation" until you have finished with the event as it will unlock your battle box and this is treated as dropping from the tournament. You can shut off your 3DS unit, or even play other games, without causing an issue and your battle box will remain locked.