what next?

Guys. I feel we have to focus. We all put our names forward to support niche games, that give a little more than the average. This shouldn't need further debate. We've already said yes, I want this.
What we need to do is establish an approach that improves the liklihood of such games succeeding. A method of getting optimum boots on the ground. If we can focus on developing our next steps in this regard, then we will be on our way the poll for when has shown Feb, Mar and Apr aren't good times. Likewise July and August. We have discussed distance and all know the general region games are most likely to be attended. But we're skirting around the issues of how we organise the who puts a game on and to what frequency?
Perhaps it is worth finding out who intends putting on a game next year?

Not patronising at all, Tim. You make a very valid point.

I'm maybe just more worried about a situation arising where these games are going to drop off to zero. Do we have enough people interested and willing to attend the something more game? Not to mention what are we defining the something more game as?

So we have thirty or fourty signed up here at the moment. That's great, but it doesn't get them to games, it just helps to plan ones that a majority are more willing to attend.

I do share your willingness to make an event as 'immersive' as possible, to push the boundaries. That's why we all signed up to this, after all. What I will say is the borderline squabbling we've been experiencing regarding attending games, at what sites, is extremely divisive and needs to be knocked on the head. I like to think we're all mates, with a shared interest, WW2 airsoft.

Let's approach everything from that basis.

Whilst Gordon has made some very good points I dont know if they can be taken as our commandments, after all looking at commandment 4 "hiding in a ditch all day or all night evading the enemy" is some peoples idea of what an immersive game should be, otherwise we are just creating a formular for succsesful normal games?

This.

We know what is popular, surely the point is to (in some as yet undefined way) find a wway for what is NOT popular to survive?

Everyone is going on about niche games, immersive experience blah blah but what Wladek says is the most sensible thing said on any thread about this topic for a long time. It is simple problem solving

Please don`t fall into the trap lets support niche rah rah Huzzaah as unless you want 10 a side it will slowly dwindle. I am all in favour of supporting events but I won`t attend something which doesn`t float my boat. Have to drive 4 hours each way , No camping if i do have to drive a long way to sit in a ditch selling winterhilfswerk badges. I have branched out and have tried different experiences some I like and some I don`t , that's what makes us all different.

It would seem that the consensus is too many games if I read this right? Watering down of the gene pool. Someone or group of people then has to make a decision perhaps to limit the advertising on this forum of amount of games if you want people to travel to get their fix. (This will be a hot potato 3 2 1 run) The problem is if you limit the games it might not solve your problem? Each organiser group has different styles and long may it live but for devils advocate "Disclaimer" if you put on 4 games a year you are not guaranteed they will all survive. 1 game free for all Gunman style, 1 hardcore 36 hour living rough in the forest, 1 middle ground immersive game and 1 niche kit ammo restrictive event. Factors already pointed out by some like date price and location will, by Murphy`s law rule you out of the one event you want to go to. So what then do you support an event just because it is on but not your thing and spend and arm and a leg. I am not sure

I just think IMHO you need to target your customer base. Who will attend What it would be a start.

The people taking part in all these threads making valid points for and against certain things are NOT the people you need to be getting on side. We all know the regulars who attend, it is the people not so vocal on here you need to win over.

Ok I'm going to toss in my twp pence worth ,i think we have boiled down to finding accessible locations,price and marketing as helpful.i feel that there is a place for the minority interest games and they have the most to offer in my eyes but.... there's only room for two or three per year max and maybe five or six more broad interest games .i'm not in any way in favor of an artificial limit to game number's , if we limit the number of games then some will still get cancelled ,unfortunate but true.
Location , one of the thing's that really help's is not knowing the site ,as mentioned earlier is that it leaves everyone on an level field , is there any scope for a game not held on an airsoft site ? could this be explored or are there insurance issues and such that prohibit this .is there a list of sites and a description of their terrain ,could we compile such a list ? this could be a useful tool in helping organize games ,i know only about half a dozen near to me but there must be far more .

All good sound thought out opinion. the important thing is to translate all of this into a workable action plan. Perhaps we need evolution and not revolution!? A few changes here and there. A better system to support logistics. Concessions for people who travel greater distances or for group bookings?

I'll try to summaries some of the information we have tonight. An over sight if you will. Perhaps something will jump out at us then?

In the mean time, keep it going, keep it positive! Let's look how we can improve not reflect on why it's gone wrong!

Last note CW wrote a description re immersive games which I felt was bang on! Check it out in the general discussion thread