Game Event Planning

for our group we mainly can only do 1 day , Saturdays better than Sundays but we fairly easy

One day, preferably a Saturday is best for our lot... However, Sunday's are better than whole weekends!

One day events always seem the better deal as by the second day many are flagging and waiting to go home..
Working retail Saturdays can be a struggle but Sundays would be my preferred day.

the same for me one day games , wall the way

Genuine questions:

Is there a specific reason why you prefer one-day games?

Also, would you plan to arrive early and leave late, or stay over for the night?

If the latter, would you be averse to doing a midday start/midday end over a Saturday and Sunday?

The reason I ask is because many struggle to get to a site in good time, and then leaving after a day-long game and driving for several hours can be very tiring or even dangerous.

We've toyed with having a later start, then running until dusk, having a light social, then an early start on the Sunday and home in time for tea. Are there any specific reasons why anyone would be averse to that?

It would really help to know the answer to that for future planning.

Personally for health reasons im in bits by day two and struggling to keep it together enough to actually enjoy it.

I also feel the general sportsmanship goes downshilll on day two as people are hung over and if day one went very badly for a side its really hard to motivate people for day two.

Another reason is that my missus doesnt mind me being away weekends but when the sunday usually feels like a bit of an afterthought i wonder why *i'm* away rather than out having a nice sunday with her.

Few sites are so far away you really need to be there the whole weekend, most can be reached for a 9pm start if you leave early.

Its also good when you've had a one day saturday game to be able to relax on the Sunday before going back into the monday-friday routine.

Interesting concept/idea about an optional friday evening start for a few hours, then full day saturday, and the social on the sat. night, driving back on the sunday.

It'd work best in summer, but it could work quite well.

Personally for health reasons im in bits by day two and struggling to keep it together enough to actually enjoy it.

I also feel the general sportsmanship goes downshilll on day two as people are hung over and if day one went very badly for a side its really hard to motivate people for day two.

Another reason is that my missus doesnt mind me being away weekends but when the sunday usually feels like a bit of an afterthought i wonder why *i'm* away rather than out having a nice sunday with her.

Few sites are so far away you really need to be there the whole weekend, most can be reached for a 9pm start if you leave early.

Its also good when you've had a one day Saturday game to be able to relax on the Sunday before going back into the monday-friday routine.

This sums up exactly my feelings and that of our group. I am not adverse to going to a Weekend event but it has to be good, weather permitting and be the correct price and be an event which we actually want to participate in.

As a group we either arrive Friday night (If a long way off) Game Social and then leave early Sunday, back for late breakfast with the family. That seems to go down well on the home front with all of us.

Personally the Starting an event half way through Saturday and finishing it off Sunday is a two day event and seems a bit of a waste of Saturday and as Gadge points out drinking sessions and motivation take over for some on the Sunday.

Just MY point of view

I think the idea with a lunch-lunch game is that you don;t do the regular social, but 'camp in period' at your location. It can be real good fun - sat around our little fire eating cheese and rich tea biscuits was the good bit as Bastogne.

Ediy: but I agree for 'normal' games, the Sunday morning is rarely worth it really.

Sunday games for me, but only because I cannot get to Saturday games currently (don't ask, it makes me angry). For preference I would go for Saturday start Sunday finish games as I like the idea of camping out 'in character' to get a feel for the living conditions, but I appear to be in the minority with that (and possibly mentally deficient).

For me i don't have a choice as i am my wife's full time carer so i have to be back , but then again even if i could i would still be the same i found on weekend games the second day goes down hill fast due to people over doing the social , staying up late , not sleeping etc and then they drop out fast , stop following orders or get grumpy and all the hit taking calls etc start (talking general airsoft here)

and i know a lot of my friends within the team etc struggle due to work / wife / kids and maybe the above as well.

only weekend games i do is when its so close we can drive get back early and do the same the next day (also i do like my bed )

but yes we tend to always drive down early play then drive back we all midlands based so normally we tend to stay withing a 2 hour drive radius

was thinking if you did sat only game could still camp have the social then folks drive back when they get up lol

you still get the game / social / hangover

I think the idea with a lunch-lunch game is that you don;t do the regular social, but 'camp in period' at your location. It can be real good fun - sat around our little fire eating cheese and rich tea biscuits was the good bit as Bastogne.

Ediy: but I agree for 'normal' games, the Sunday morning is rarely worth it really.

great in theory but lets say you're friends with a lot of people who do WWII airsoft, it means you might not get to speak to a mate on the german side until packing up time if you're playing an ally.

But then you dont get that with playing a friday 'night op' and a full day sat either.

Wouldnt bother me overly but i realise that for a lot of people catching up with the guys and discussing the days play is almost as important as the shooty bits.

well not for every event, but for the odd one then you just cut down the 'social circle' by half and catch up with them next time.

Saturday is prefered it then gives you sunday to recover

First of all family commitments, second cost, third my knees cant with stand a weekend

Last of all everybody,s adrenaline has run out on sunday and tempers are very short

I am not adverse to going to a Weekend event but it has to be good, weather permitting ....

Weather permitting? Do you mean in the summer months or do you mean the weather on the weekend in question?

For the record, some of the most satisfying games I've attended have had absolutely atrocious weather. Churchill's in particular was deeply satisfying to get through, even though about 60% of the US side dropped out overnight!

but yes we tend to always drive down early play then drive back we all midlands based so normally we tend to stay withing a 2 hour drive radius

There's quite a lot within 2 hours of the Midlands, but if you were prepared to go a little bit further there are some astonishingly good sites on offer.

well its not fixed it just a rough guide and as i dont drive at all depends on the driver also longer there means longer back and that effects my time due to wife again

and 2hours with our drivers is still quite far looool

i'm actually quite surprised at how many people want one day events.

As organisers you assume people want a weekender and it makes more sense for yourselves as you've often got a lot of set up and break down to do, you also assume that people having travelled 'x' hundred miles want to be at that site for as long as possible.

Perhaps thats not the case then?

Must admit, i'm easy as to the length.

I also larp and so used to a mix/match approach and festival events. Spearhead (my most regular system) does a mix of 1 dayers and at least 2 set piece weekender events a year (where plot threads get resolved, or new threads started). Most other events I go to are also more the style of what is called "fest events" based specifically around several weekenders in the year.

that said, with those who have families, yes, the 1 dayer can be justified, a whole weekender may cause a deficit of brownie points with the missus!