2010 European Mega Drive Championship

[Ravsieg]

I will now offer my apologies to Rottenbeard as part of my boiling blood was based on wrong premisses.

As for the tournament stuff, I think that getting into this state, something has to be done in order to have more competitors. We can't allow this to be little more than heavily-trained-cream-of-the-crop-Portuguese moping the floor with very-interested-Germans who mop the floor themselves with relax-fun-seeking-English. A lot of interest has been waning.
I am not against opening the door to various teams from a nation, or allowing people to represent nations they only have some kind of descendancy or double-nationality (Hungary, Ukraine, Angola, our Ferdinand having Spanish blood, Luís and Armando having Macanese nationalities aswell, etcetera)
I mean, it might look like it's not the most pure of ways to deal with things, but after all I am dead serious in that something must be done other than grabbing people. We can't just look for 3 people sharing their nationality, it's been 3 years and very little has been achieved that way so definitely a new door should be opened. Allowing some kind of Italo-Dutch-Estonian team to enter would be a way... but that'd open serious precedents when all the other teams were qualified national teams?

In a way I agree with Alberto. Why don't we turn this nation-based tournament into a team-based one? Using a footie analogy, out with the Euro, in with the Champions League! And opening the door to ANYONE who'd want to enter, not forcing them to miss out one of the 3 places for their nation or to miss out due to not finding 2 countrymen to side with.
Sure, I know it defeats the basic principle of the EUROPEAN championship but hey... it might be temporary. If we can attract one or two people from a nation, if they share their European experience around it's more likely they'll find new countrymen to side with and in the future there'll be an assured national team every year. In retrospect, it'd be awesome for the international growth. And I know this is the administration's number one priority.

Other than this kind of thing, I have one structure suggestion. A game where all 3 members had to play was introduced in the form of a tiebreak. What if that kind of play turned definite and part of the main tournament?

[N.Saibot]

Opening the tournament to everyone who wants to participate is a very good idea. Just set
a top limit for how many people a team has, and that's it. The tournament can still be a
European one, if we don't allow anyone outside Europe entering it. Or the tournament can
become the World Championship, if at least one team from outside Europe will enter.

If there has to be a vote of some sorts, I'm for a completely open championship, which is
team based, not nations based. This will mean the creation of a second team Germany and
Portugal I suppose, but that's still better than only four teams total.

On that note I would like to reserve a name for the team I'll be on, be it which nation ever:
The Blue Hedgehogs. Take that everyone, best name is gone : D

[Ravsieg]

The amount of people on each time would be unchanged at 3, I guess! It'd leave things as they are and make the transition easier. If it's gonna change, then at least all teams should have the same amount of players or else it's going to look too random and not too serious!

See! Naming non-national teams would be a fun part! The Blue Hedgehogs, Sonic Lives Forever, Ownz U, The MD Kings, whatever would come into each mind.

And indeed.. onto the analogy, the Champions League might be a teams rather than nations competition, but it's still an European Championship!

I'm glad this idea is having a nice reception! Let's hope the administration looks into it.

[Lord Dilks]

Alberto - just a quick note. Your uploaded photos from the Tournaments are unavailable for download. I was looking forward to seeing them.

[N.Saibot]

The amount of people on each time would be unchanged at 3, I guess! It'd leave things as they are and make the transition easier. If it's gonna change, then at least all teams should have the same amount of players or else it's going to look too random and not too serious!

See! Naming non-national teams would be a fun part! The Blue Hedgehogs, Sonic Lives Forever, Ownz U, The MD Kings, whatever would come into each mind.

And indeed.. onto the analogy, the Champions League might be a teams rather than nations competition, but it's still an European Championship!

I'm glad this idea is having a nice reception! Let's hope the administration looks into it.

I thought 3 people was the least amount of people on a team and more members were
allowed? Because it looked to me, like no team except Hungary really had only three
members.

[Ravsieg]

I thought 3 people was the least amount of people on a team and more members were
allowed? Because it looked to me, like no team except Hungary really had only three
members.

Nope! It was fixed at 3. Or else you'd have seen me at Nuremberg for damn sure! I was all hyped up to go and finished 4th on the national qualifying thing... for 2 years straight now. Meh.

[Phantar]

I thought 3 people was the least amount of people on a team and more members were
allowed? Because it looked to me, like no team except Hungary really had only three
members.

Well, there were five englishmen, but Chris and Daniel were on the administrative side and didn't represent Team England; and I didn't represent Team Germany either (couldn't really, since I had placed fourth in the tournament; that's why I didn't play, see). Just because there were supporters doesn't mean they were members of the Team.

[Rottenbeard]

I will now offer my apologies to Rottenbeard as part of my boiling blood was based on wrong premisses.

And I apologise to you. Our roads may have been way off each other's map, but our destination was the same. European Greatness.

In a way I agree with Alberto. Why don't we turn this nation-based tournament into a team-based one? Using a footie analogy, out with the Euro, in with the Champions League! And opening the door to ANYONE who'd want to enter, not forcing them to miss out one of the 3 places for their nation or to miss out due to not finding 2 countrymen to side with.

Rottenbeard loves this idea. It could also prompt others at further reaches of our respective countries who don't want to travel just for the "audition" (technically) that is our National tournaments and want to skip it for a stab at European Glory. Taking your football analogy, the winners of one league don't necessarilly win another.

Sure, I know it defeats the basic principle of the EUROPEAN championship but hey... it might be temporary. If we can attract one or two people from a nation, if they share their European experience around it's more likely they'll find new countrymen to side with and in the future there'll be an assured national team every year. In retrospect, it'd be awesome for the international growth. And I know this is the administration's number one priority.

Yeah! Like some sort of taster session or a promotion?

Other than this kind of thing, I have one structure suggestion. A game where all 3 members had to play was introduced in the form of a tiebreak. What if that kind of play turned definite and part of the main tournament?

Are there any decent six player Mega Drive games? The only one I've seen have more than four was the Micro Machine games.

Opening the tournament to everyone who wants to participate is a very good idea. Just set a top limit for how many people a team has, and that's it. The tournament can still be a European one, if we don't allow anyone outside Europe entering it. Or the tournament can become the World Championship, if at least one team from outside Europe will enter.

Surely a 3 wo/men a team would be the best way to go. This naturally depending on how many people will be interested.

If there has to be a vote of some sorts, I'm for a completely open championship, which is team based, not nations based. This will mean the creation of a second team Germany and Portugal I suppose, but that's still better than only four teams total.

Fight the power. We would need more Mega Drives and TV's. Good as it was this year with just one. Even having 6-7 teams total would take more than a day... Maybe a weekend... Fuck this is getting big.

On that note I would like to reserve a name for the team I'll be on, be it which nation ever:
The Blue Hedgehogs. Take that everyone, best name is gone : D

Hell no. Sonic's Massive Ring. Much better.

[Ravsieg]

And I apologise to you. Our roads may have been way off each other's map, but our destination was the same. European Greatness.

That does seem true.

Rottenbeard loves this idea. It could also prompt others at further reaches of our respective countries who don't want to travel just for the "audition" (technically) that is our National tournaments and want to skip it for a stab at European Glory. Taking your football analogy, the winners of one league don't necessarilly win another.

That is my main point there! The European competition needs more competitors. People not qualifying + people not finding countrymen are being let out and this way they'd be brought in.

Yeah! Like some sort of taster session or a promotion?

My apologies but I didn't get what you meant here!

Are there any decent six player Mega Drive games? The only one I've seen have more than four was the Micro Machine games.

It wouldn't have to be everyone at the same time! Like the SSF2 tiebreak.

Hell no. Sonic's Massive Ring. Much better.

Looks like you won't be able to be on the same team. XD

[Rottenbeard]

My apologies but I didn't get what you meant here!

Like how you said it could be temporary, I should've said like a trial period rather.

Looks like you won't be able to be on the same team. XD

GOOD! Then everyone will see the teams and say "Man... Sonic's Massive Ring is a much better team name than The Blue Hedgehogs."

[Mr Smith]

What exactly is being proposed with this "champions legaue" format? That instead of a team game, the structure changes to allow a maximum representation from a certain nation, abadoning the notion of team games in favour of an individual competition?

While expansion is one the primary thrusts of the tournament, and I believe it is largely accepted everybody wants to see more countries in the European Tournaments, expansion is also desired on a domestic level. Germany themselves are a brilliant example of what the European Tournaments aspire to do; inspire representatives from nations to establish their own successful domestic leagues. While I accpet the arguements of lowering the numbers in a team (originally it was 5 and reduced to 3 for 2008) or the theory of abandoning the team games would increase the number of participants internationally, one person attending the European Tournaments is unlikely to lead to a domestic competition being created to encourage qualification.

Having teams (like they do in the United States Tournaments) based on no criteria at all, is certainly not the direction I believe the European Mega Drive Championships should go, in spite of the opportunity for humerous names.

I think it is wrong to consider domestic events as "audition" tournaments. While the opportunity of European qualification is an additional insentive to perform well, domestic leagues are fantastic events in their own rights. If there is a domestic league then there should be no way to circumnavigate it to participate in Europe, except in AEther's case, or necessity.

Adapting the all-team play games from the tiebreaks and finals is certainly something we hadn't considered regarding the admin picks and is definately another option we can explore for the next tournament.

The plan of having multiple hardware is also one that has been considered since 2008. Should we get six-teams (two leagues of three) then doubling up the hardware becomes very necessary.

The International Tournaments are not exlusive to Europe. Had our colleagues in Brazil or the United States been able to send participants then the competition would indeed change to a World Championship, however, costs prevented both Brazil and the USA from taking part in the 2010 Championship.

Just out of curiosity, are we talking about a Team Ukraine or a Team "Ukraine" and likewise with Team Wales?

Also, there is a woman opposite me who looks almost identical to Katharina, not relevant at all, but quite interesting non-the-less.

[AEther]

Alberto - just a quick note. Your uploaded photos from the Tournaments are unavailable for download. I was looking forward to seeing them.

strange for me works fine!!

That instead of a team game, the structure changes to allow a maximum representation from a certain nation, abadoning the notion of team games in favour of an individual competition?

No. Exactly the same as the previous 3 years. But leave the national label out. Just give a team of 3 persons any fancy name and allow them to participate.
As I said before not even the national anthems have been sing this year, so...

[Lord Dilks]

The National Anthems are something which can be brought back into future European MDC's with minimal effort and minimal fuss. The national identity in the European tournament is a great source of pride for some and a great talking point, both of which lead to a more interesting tournament.
Let us not dumb down the role Team Hungary played in Nürnberg. I know some people insist on referring to them as Germany 'B' but ultimately, they all hold Hungarian heritage and they all travelled to represent Hungaru, which is surely something to admire. They added an extra dimension to the event, and if we can keep doing that with every European that goes by, we can soon have something brilliant and pure.

[AEther]

Sorry but I don't agree!
Even more after I read that Igor for example plans to participate for team Germany, it could also be in the Ukraine team, Kat and Clau can be in German and Dutch!
That's don't make sense, for me at least! Is like next year I'm playing for Brasil or Cabo Verde!
It's better go for a teams tournament, honestly!

PS: nothing against Igor, Kat or Clau! Only against the actual paradigm!

[Ravsieg]

No. Exactly the same as the previous 3 years. But leave the national label out. Just give a team of 3 persons any fancy name and allow them to participate.
As I said before not even the national anthems have been sing this year, so...

Fully agreed, this is what I meant.

The national identity in the European tournament is a great source of pride for some and a great talking point, both of which lead to a more interesting tournament.

Which brings the amount of competitors and the competition itself down a lot. Which leads to a very uninteresting tournament.

I'll be straight to the point here. The administration is getting increasingly isolated on their ultra-conservative approach, and it's quickly leading to a general break-up between the 3 nations. Big measures are needed to save the championships, and most people aren't willing to go over the same as always another year. I really hope you take our opinions about the general formula in higher consideration, because the constant shunning of anything substantial is having a seriously negative effect which is what no-one wants, as it compromises the future of OUR competitions. Let me reforce it: OUR.