Gathering of the Clans

Oct. 1st

Friday Night- Free
Casual play at jerod’s
318 N. Gilbert St.
Iowa City, IA 52245

Saturday 1pm- $10
Joust tournament at Marriott Hotel
300 E. 9th St
Coralville, IA 52241

http://maps.google.com/maps?pq=marriott+coralville&hl=en&sugexp=gsis,i18n%3Dtrue&cp=13&gs_id=h&xhr=t&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1280&bih=650&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=coralville+hotels&fb=1&gl=us&hq=hotels&hnear=0x87e443ed1ae602ff:0x9f6a62b2e915a56c,Coralville,+IA&ei=SyBqTuyRH-_CsQKx6tmnBg&sa=X&oi=local_group&ct=image&sqi=2&ved=0CBsQtgM

1st, 2nd, and Sansa receive 20 custom printed clay gold poker chips with the Knights of the Corn logo and name. Also, unending bragging rights.

Please let me know how many we have coming!

I should note, this is NOT an official tournament which means FFG employees are allowed to play and marks the end of the Maester Cycle. The money goes towards renting the conference room. If there is big enough demand we can do a melee tournament on Sunday at Critical Hit Games in Iowa City.

clu said:

~What, Sansa receives unending bragging rights? Now I'm tempted.

I'll try and make it, but I need to find a place to crash

I'm sure we can figure something out! I have meetings for most of the day but, I should get something hammered out by tomorrow.

Sweet I can't wait!!

Dobbler I think I can make some room for you. Need to check with my wife first but I will let you know.

clu said:

As you know I'll be there but I needed to give everyone else that knowledge. That way they can decide for themselves if they would now prefer to stay away.

I will also be there, hoping to avoid another 2 hour game with goshdarn

ShivesMcShivers said:

+1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Thanks for the info. I should be able to make it.

Papa

I intend to be there--should be fun!

Papa Khann said:

indeed papa kahn, nate and myself will make it.

The Nick-ler said:

Have I met Papa Khann before? And you should drag Lukas... I need to avenge my loss to him at ChiCon 3.

I don't believe so, Maester_LUke, though it's possible we crossed trails at GenCon if you were there this year.

I'm kind of a new kid on the block with AGoT. Been playing a few months now. Nick and Nate take turns abusing me at the local Meta. ; )

Papa

Great to hear! Also, sounds like we'll get some FFG prize support too! I'm also suggesting we load up some coolers for all types of beverages for the conference room as well.

Just to reiterate, this is not an FFG tournament.
That being said, we will be adhering to all of the FFG sanctioned tournament rules except the following:

• FFG employees may play in the event
• "magic the gathering" software will be used, later wins are weighed more then early wins, you won't notice a difference
• Magic rules enforement will be applied; if a game state is not being met, both players get a warning, 3 warnings=game loss
• Judges are responsible to maintain current game state
• We will use the 3 judge system

If the chapter pack "Here to Serve" is available on or before September 30th it will be legal for the tournament.

I'll not be able to make it to the tourney, but, having never played M:tG, this has gotten me curious:

clu said:

Magic rules enforcement? Game state? What does that mean?

Ratatoskr said:

I haven't really played Magic myself, but my understanding is that the "game state" is kind of what the timing structure is to Game of Thrones. Players need to make sure nobody is acting "out of turn" and all actions take place at the appropriate time. Magic tournament play is heavily regulated and wrong actions may be penalized (rules enforcement). They have ridiculously comprehensive rules documents, but as some Magic tournaments involve significant prizes, I can see why tournament play needs to be so strictly codified.

Game State

Game State is making sure all of the rules on the table are being followed.

For example:

1. Goldentooth Mine trigger forgotten about in Plot phase
2. Attachment on a No Attachments character
3. 2nd card not discarded during a 2 claim plot
4. Strength 1 character living through Threat from the North

Both players will be assigned a warning because the state of game was not maintained. This encourages equality of play while removing the temptation of cheating. These are not skill based judgements. Notice, most of these affects are passives. If a response trigger is forgotten, the effect doesn't take place, this is the responsibility of the player who owns the cards to know what their cards do.

In the above scenarios this is how the judge will procede if they either A) witness the infractions or B) the infraction is brought before them:

1. If no other effect has caused a change in hand size before challenges the player will be allowed to draw their card
2. The attachment will be discarded from play
3. If no other effect has caused a change in hand size before draw phase a card will be discarded
4. If it still in the same turn the character will be discarded

Each one of these is attempting to restore the correct state of the game during the turn. Notice, if the infraction isn't noticed until later the game continues as is because a new game state has been established.

Judge Intervention

The other difference in the IA judging from most tournaments is the involvement of the judges. If a judge witnesses an infraction taking place it is the judges responsibility to intercede to maintain the correct game state and assess warnings.

We have run tournaments like this in the past and it's not as nitpicky as it sounds. We're just trying to promote correct play. Honestly the warnings are pretty rare, what usually happens is the players fix the game state as soon as they notice it without notifying a judge. Which is fine! Self policing encourages better informed and friendlier environment. However, if an incorrect game state that has been persisting for more then one full turn is noticed, warnings will be assigned. We're looking at big things, players flipping a plot that was pinned in the seventh turn, someone not drawing cards for the King of Summer agenda, and the like.

It is up to the judges discretion how severe punishments will be. Immediate game loses can be assigned if a game state is so egregiously abused there isn't a way to restore correct game state. This is indeed a rarity, however, in a local tournament I drew extra cards for King of Summer for several turns and used Inn of the Kneeling man twice because I forgot my raven had been discarded on TURN TWO. That would be an example of immediate game loss for myself.

Whew! That's that in a nutshell. Odds are you won't even notice the differences.

clu said:

Did I understand correctly? If I forgot about Golden tooth mines (and opponent doesn't remind me) then I get a warning?! I would not play in such tournament then.

Yes, this is correct. Most of the time warnings are only handed out in offences that players can't fix themselves. Also, if a game is having infractions early and often it is a signal one of the players will need to have a judge near by the rest of the day to help them play correctly.

I've run magic tournaments like this for six years and have only handed out a dozen or so game loses and two bannings. That's 2 tournaments a week 52 weeks a year. 636 tournaments (about). average 32 people a tournament=4 rounds cut to top 8. 71 games a tournament. That's 45,1556 games that I have presided over.

The reason and goal to have enforcable rules is to eliminate sketchy play and enhance the playing experience. I have witnessed some pretty terrible things at AGOT tournaments and I want them removed from my tournaments. These could have been stopped if the judges had a guideline to go by. They happen very rarely but I want a system in place in case it comes up.

But, I understand there will be some folks that don't care for this system. That is why I wanted to post it before anyone traveled to Coralville/Iowa City!

Kriss Kross makes you bump, bump!

Also, ordered the power counters for the prize support yesterday. Should be here by next Wednesday...

If folks have other ideas for stuff to do, let me know!

I should be able to make it. I'm trying to get LoB to come as well. I'll make sure to bring some good Madison lager with me.

Clu, I've got to say that I totally support the Game State rules. I think it's best to have a codified system where it is all player's responsibility to make certain that things happen correctly.

Great to hear complord! And thanks Kennon, the game state rules just take a little bit of time to get used to before you start thinking how we played before them!