Bad Idea

Bad idea.

Let's look at a demonstration of this idea where there is a big buy in and the winner walks away with half of the entries paid.

Turnout could easily be higher but let's just say 16 people pony up to play. By my math that would be $480 in entry and a winner's pot of $240. Now what's happening with the rest of it? I'd hope second place is considered half as good as 1st which would still mean a whooping $120. Now I'd hope the organizers get a cut to potentially pay for good judges and $60 of the remainder may not really be enough. What's this leave? $60 to somehow get split up between the remaining 14 players and if you say 3rd and 4th get $30 back which covers their entry that leave nothing for 75% of the people who showed up.

This model will certainly enrich the winner but I believe it's likely to leave a bad taste in the mouth of many players.

Money brings out the worst in people

Cool thanks so much for the input. We really want to do something big as this store has 3 locations within 2 hrs of each other. We chatted today a bit and thought maybe a paid trip to Worlds as a grand prize for a giant tournament would be a better idea. With plenty of swag for those that didn't win big. Thoughts?

I think it's a good idea!

I would just recommend that additional TOs be on site. Someone walking around the tables during game play is NOT a bad idea. I would actually recommend this for all Store Champ, Regional, National events, etc.

Honestly, cash prize, store credit prize, sell-able OP kit prize, I honestly don't see the current "competitive" X Wing players playing any different for different prizes.

Just think about it, we're all coming their to win, and will be doing everything in our power to win.

Here's the thing. When you add significant cash prizes, you bring in new players. The "pro" player, who is more interested in winning cash than the game.

Cool thanks so much for the input. We really want to do something big as this store has 3 locations within 2 hrs of each other. We chatted today a bit and thought maybe a paid trip to Worlds as a grand prize for a giant tournament would be a better idea. With plenty of swag for those that didn't win big. Thoughts?

Stick with the cash and see how it goes. These people who will have the worst brought out and have a bad taste in there mouth will be the same no matter the prize.

A local store wants my help with running tournaments but they have it in their head to run a big cash payout tournament with a sizable entry fee, like 30 bucks with the winner claiming close to half of the money paid in.

I haven't seen any other X Wing tournaments run this way and was wondering if any of you have? And if so how did they go over?

Best bet is something different: Store credit. Make the entry fee and prizes such that the winner comes out ahead by a good margin, the second place about breaks even, and some other top finishers get something but over all the store still makes a profit. This kinda depends on how many people you have, if you've got a lot of people then First and Second can come out ahead, while 3rd breaks even. Maybe it's store credit or maybe it's their choice of small base ships or something. That's what our place does when there are no tourney kits to be had.

My store gives prizes in the form of a gift basket witn store credits and coupons of other stores in the area:

First prize wins a gift certificate to go paintballing, a discount coupon for the local bookshop, some delicious treats and a bottle of wine from the local foodstore and a 20% discount on ships for the next wave ( in this case wave 8).

This way local people come to the championship and you support the other stores in your community

IMO X wing is not accurate enough for true 'pro', major prizes on the table play.

IMO X wing is not accurate enough for true 'pro', major prizes on the table play.

Imagine if X-Wing would get serious enough and people would start dressing like this to play:

''Now did you decided to go left or straight?... left or straight?.... Alright, all-in, I boost left''

And the crowd goes wild!!!

I'm going to throw my hat in with the minority here and say yes to cash prizes. I don't quite get the negative stigma with competing for cash but then again I'm used to it with martial arts and kickboxing. Why does 2nd, 3rd, and 4th all need to win money or break even? 2nd-4th would still get the prizes from the kit. In the sport karate world it's 1st place or bust. Whether the prize is 100 bucks or 5,000 bucks it all goes to first and if yards got second well sorry about your luck train harder. That's also with terrible judging and not always have precise winners.

I'd love to see it tried. I don't think there will be enough people who that now with money on the line will turn into scum bags that it warrants not doing it at all.

You also should factor in if there are gambling laws in your area. We were talking to our store about adding cash prizes for anything in excess of the store kit and they said that there's some laws on the books that prevent cash prizes and they've been burned on them before. All it takes is one guy who gets trounced and tells someone who can fine them for gambling without a license.

Bad it'll attract the cut throat type of WaaC players that put people off attending.

store credit sucks if its not a local store and they dont have what you want in stock...

store credit sucks if its not a local store and they dont have what you want in stock...

There's usually some local gamer who can use it. Trade him for cash.

store credit sucks if its not a local store and they dont have what you want in stock...

There's usually some local gamer who can use it. Trade him for cash.

I think they tried trading people for cash a long while ago, eventually they came to the conclusion it was unethical.

*No no, that's okay, I'll show myself out.

I don't think the ruleset and infractions are solid enough for a higher stakes game. Like, what happens when a player accidentally nudges a piece? Or what happens if that player repeatedly nudges a piece? Or don't square their bases up against the edge of their templates. Or weight their dice? Or take too long setting a dial? Or take too long figuring out where to decloak?

All these time constraints, etc, just make it not really a great game for ultimate-rules-lawyering.

Basically this - the game is honestly too "fuzzy" to play for really SERIOUS amounts of money. Ships bumping all over the place, judgement calls on what is/isn't in arc by the slice through the corner of another ship's base. Was someone really measuring for a target lock there (legal), or were they pre-measuring for their next pilot's maneuver to see if they need to change it or use Adv Sensors first (totally illegal)? etc.

You start putting REAL money on the line, then you absolutely get the "pro" gamers who are unabashedly win-at-all-cost and not interested in the game/theme/"fly casual"/whatever. And this game crumples under those kind of players and becomes a horrible experience for everyone. It's just not the kind of game that can work in that environment.