Cat Peeler, they were trying to make it something that carried more weight than it did last year. I don't think they needed to trim it back as drastically as they did but I understand what they are trying to do.

To make the World Champion title mean more, you add another step to filter out the chaff (i.e., Region / State / National / World). Using geographical distance / logistical difficulty as a filter makes the title significantly less meaningful.

In other words, last year's champion was the best of the best. This year's champion will be the best... of the pool of players that were physically able to attend.

And if you're a minor, good luck convincing Mom or Dad to drive you 6 hours or more (plus hotel!) to play a game.

The Regional schedule does seem a bit lighter than it needed to be but I don't think it's that far off the mark.

Remember, they added another layer of events this year with the GSC's essentially replacing last year's Regionals. They prize support for the GSC's alone are solid.

The Regionals are clearly more exclusive with great prize support again. It does not appear as if it will be easy for everyone to get to them which is unfortunate. But again, the GSC's alone should be often well attended.

Umm, no. In fact, I would argue that this years Worlds will be a better representation of player skill. There is only going to be a handful of buys at Worlds, unlike last year with the glut of Regionals. The same restrictions on people physically making it to Worlds is the same as last year. Just, more people have to play in the first round.

That is another set up issue, not a player issue.

Last year you could be the best player in the world and get hosed by byes...set up problem.

This year you might not even be able to attend to try to win a spot.

You can correct set up and logistical problems but by increasing the COST to even qualify you just left out a good deal of your player base. We're not playing for $$$ like MTG.

It would appear that my regional is at a Con and that I'll likely have to pay/register to attend the Con just to participate. I've messaged the Con, but if I have to pay to get into the Con I hope there isn't also another entrance fee to the Regional event.

:/

Ha!

Probably still cheaper than driving or flying some of these distances.

There is a 2.5 hour drive to get there as well.

Given that it's the only event in CA I'm at least glad it's in Northern California.

It would appear that my regional is at a Con and that I'll likely have to pay/register to attend the Con just to participate. I've messaged the Con, but if I have to pay to get into the Con I hope there isn't also another entrance fee to the Regional event.

:/

Ha!

Probably still cheaper than driving or flying some of these distances.

If you're talking about the CA Regional, then I'd have to pay 1) plane ticket to SF, 2) hotel for 2 nights in SF, 3) ticket to Con, and 4) entrance fee (if not a store champion). That's easily $500 right there... Might as well save up and buy-in at Nationals and skip Regionals all together.

I'm in So Cal btw

Spokane is literally out in the middle of nothing in Eastern Washington. No, thanks.

I wonder whether FFG wasn't just looking at the geography of the Northwest without knowing what's around Spokane, i.e. not much. This is disappointing - I was expecting Seattle and Portland or maybe Spokane and Portland, but if Spokane is to be the only venue, I can't imagine a lot of players from outside Spokane driving 5+ hours to get there. The gas alone would run around $100, so unless you're a Worlds hopeful, you'll likely be able to buy the prizes on eBay for that money. Lame.

No matter where or when they hold Worlds, there is someone who will complain about how that date and time cannot fully represent the best of the world.

It would appear that my regional is at a Con and that I'll likely have to pay/register to attend the Con just to participate. I've messaged the Con, but if I have to pay to get into the Con I hope there isn't also another entrance fee to the Regional event.

:/

Ha!

Probably still cheaper than driving or flying some of these distances.

If you're talking about the CA Regional, then I'd have to pay 1) plane ticket to SF, 2) hotel for 2 nights in SF, 3) ticket to Con, and 4) entrance fee (if not a store champion). That's easily $500 right there... Might as well save up and buy-in at Nationals and skip Regionals all together.

I'm in So Cal btw

That's what we're talking about for Spokane... Plane tickets there and back would cost more than that and then you'd still have to find a place to stay and rent a car because there isn't a way to get around easily in Spokane! At least in Portland or Seattle you could train/plane/bus there and take public transit (and if you're near the reason you probably know someone in those cities).

Nationals grinder is the only way a lot of people can get in now...and that's not cheap and that's not guaranteed or easily located either.

Seems to me they over-corrected the problem somewhat. The regional for Northwest is in Spokane which is a 5 hour drive at least from the major metropolitan areas. No offense, but that effectively means at least one night in a hotel and probably two unless you're some masochist who wants to turn that into a day trip. They should have put it in one of the big cities (Seattle, Portland, Boise, sorry MT but you don't qualify) not only because that's likely to give a larger player base, but people have friends/family they can stay with and/or visit to ease the burden on the trip. Spokane is literally out in the middle of nothing in Eastern Washington. No, thanks.

I'm right there with you. I'm 2+ hours south of Portland so this is an absolute no go. Absolute worst place they could have put the NW regional at for anyone who doesn't live in that area. 4-5 hours away from Seattle? 5-6 away from Portland?

Eugene or Bend Oregon is closer to Seattle than SPOKANE and at least you'd be on I-5 most of the time (not that either of those locations makes more sense than any of the Seattle(ish) stores or the 2 Portland Locations.

Even if I can make it to Guardian games now for the store championships I might as well not bother. Or I could try to win it and then know that NO ONE is going to Spokane and try to qualify there. Easiest qualifier to make it= Spokane. 5-6 hours away from any major airport on a good day.

I'm in Portland. You should try to make it to Guardian at least. It sounds like it will be our defacto "regional championship" given that Spokane is such a challenge. If it were in Seattle, I'd make the trip. Spokane, even with a carpool and some buddies to share some hotel rooms? Unlikely unless I can get my hands on an RV or something and make a saucy roadtrip out of it. WOOHOO!! Roadtrip, Eagle 5!

Entries to Worlds/Nationals aside, I still want to know why the PNW (Region 1 on the map) is getting screwed? We get ONE Regional event when all the other Regions get TWO?

Thanks for totally dicking us over FFG.

Jim

so where does Canada fit ?

Regionals should be held at a hub for the region, period.

Regionals should all be on the same day so there is no region jumping.

I don't know the logistics (and let me state for the record, I think overall FFG does a great job for tournament support, so this isn't about being some ingrate), but I think you would START with having them in the, say, 15-20 largest metro areas across the country, remove a few that maybe don't make sense or attract this sort of gaming crowd, then add a few more to fill obvious territorial gaps (such as large areas without significant metro areas such as Montana, the Dakotas, etc.), maybe doubling down really large areas (NYC, LA, Chicago, DC, etc.), and then rounding it to a clean number like 24 or 32. I realize I make it sound easy/over-simplified, but I would think that would at least get you closer than the somewhat strange piecemeal you currently have.

That being said, I wasn't planning on attending regionals unless it was convenient anyway, so this is mostly devil's advocate stuff here.

Holy cow! I'm amazed at how many people feel screwed by the locations for regionals. Man up, buy a ticket for MN, FFG's HQ regional and let them know face to face.

We should start a Petition to add tournaments to populated cities (even though it's most likely to late), for instance i live about 45 minutes out side of Los Angeles and the closest tournament is in Mesa AZ, which is almost 6 hours away with a 740 mile round trip! If there was one within 2 hours i could make it almost for sure, but 6 hours? Another thing is that Region 2 should have more regionals compared to Region 4 or 3, who deserve 2, but 4 cities with a combined population of over 6 million within a hour of each other all have to drive 5 hours + for a region and another thing is that most populated city in the US (NYC) closest regional is over 3 and a half hours away! Who ever decided on the venues really needs to think it over again, and at least 1 extra regional per region in a populated city that got ripped off (some of are Chicago, LA, NYC)

The Petition starts here!

1. Imperial Rebel

2.

3.

Please reply to this post saying you sign this, i know it most likely won't work but we can only try.

Some points about Spokane to clear up some of the FUD. Note that I lived in Northwest for decades so I know my facts.

They should have put it in one of the big cities (Seattle, Portland, Boise, sorry MT but you don't qualify) not only because that's likely to give a larger player base, but people have friends/family they can stay with and/or visit to ease the burden on the trip.

Eugene or Bend Oregon is closer to Seattle than SPOKANE and at least you'd be on I-5 most of the time...

Spokane. 5-6 hours away from any major airport on a good day.

Plane tickets there and back would cost more than that and then you'd still have to find a place to stay and rent a car because there isn't a way to get around easily in Spokane! At least in Portland or Seattle you could train/plane/bus there and take public transit...

Ok, having cleared up some of this... let me just say that I think Seattle would have been the best place to hold the event due to the size of the population there. Ironic too, since Uncle's is there in Bellevue too. I'm guessing someone at FFG saw a large population center sitting there with good freeway access, a good airport, and a good game store and decided that they could serve the N ID and MT "crowd" using Spokane.

Centerville, OH? Really? Why there and not Columbus or Cincinnati?

Just did some city searching, and here is what I have, for a little clarification:

Mesa AZ is near Phoenix
Burlingame, CA is near San Francisco

Broomfield CO is near Denver

Kissimmee FL is Orlando area

Duluth GA is near Atlanta

Chicago, IL is near Lake Michigan

Cambridge, MA is near Boston

Roseville MN is near Minneapolis

Bellevue, NE is near Omaha

Centerville, OH is nearest to Dayton, but not far from Cincinnati

Monroeville PA is near Pittsburgh

Plano TX is near Dallas

Pearland TX is near Houston

Spokane WA is eastern WA (valid complaints, IMO Portland should have gotten one, too)

Greenfield Wi is near Milwaukee.

I hope to attend 2 of them this year, but we'll see what fate has in mind.

Spokane WA is eastern WA (valid complaints, IMO Portland should have gotten one, too)

Is it possible that no other venues that cold meet FFG's requirements for a Regional applied?

Is it possible that no other venues that cold meet FFG's requirements for a Regional applied?

I know for a fact that the Vancouver, WA location that held a Regional last year and meets all the requirements applied and were turned down. I'm sure some stores in the Seattle area applied too and should have met the requirements with no issue. There is no reason for the Region to be getting only 1 X-Wing event but it gets two GoT card game regionals? Again, total crap.

Jim

The NE regional should be in NY since its a good mid point in the NE. Not MA..

It would appear that my regional is at a Con and that I'll likely have to pay/register to attend the Con just to participate. I've messaged the Con, but if I have to pay to get into the Con I hope there isn't also another entrance fee to the Regional event.

:/

I got the following reply from the Con:

Yes... You'll need to be a registered attendee. But, there are no

additional charges after that.

It'll take us a couple days to get it posted here:

Www.kublacon.info

Once we have that posted and know more info on where/when/exactly it's

happening, we'll post more info on our FB page, twitter, etc.

At least there isn't a second entry fee for the Regional event.

Mid-Atlantic area like the PNW got hosed. Nothing between Atlanta and Boston? Total garbage.

Worlds or nothing it seems, for those of us in the DC area.

You failed miserably with this, FFG.

That's good to know since I'm planning on attending!