Maybe (probably) I’m wrong about this, but I don’t see that many TPKs (or even lower DDKs- apart from the usual suspects) involved in the tournaments. I think it would be nice to help them socialize and get more involved in OGS, and of course more sustainably interested in the OGS Forum companion game (that thing with the stones).
I don’t know if most of them are parts of groups, actually take part in tournaments and I just don’t sync with them or how to approach the new ones with an invitation (obviously looking into all players one by one isn’t an option).
If this is indeed an issue, does anyone have ideas? I’d guess the covid influx is slowing down, but it would be nice to retain some of that new blood.
Disclaimer: This is absolutely not inspired by me being used as a mop for OGS tournament floors by regularly being the only non-SDK in the tournament. No, really, it’s not because my back hurts from the lashes and my stab wounds are dripping blood. I’m just concerned about the greater good.
If we talk about correspondence tournaments, that’s easy. Make a tournament with 20k+ restriction. Find a bunch of correspondence TPKs and invite them. With enough invitations some will stick around.
I’m more interested in luring new players (people with alts and/ or 100+ ongoing games probably don’t need convincing at this point ).
Also, for my personal enjoyment in the tournaments, I’d rather play some new people, who haven’t already acquired established pause/vacation/timeout patterns. In the few DDK tournaments I’ve played, most players got DQ’d or just straight up vanished.
It would be great to have a regular stream of new players eased into OGS through timely, even tournaments, no?
This is the nub of the problem right. Often (I guess) fresh new players join (maybe even a tournament), get thrashed a few times a think “this game is clearly not for me” and just give up the whole thing.
You dont have to get trashed Even if this surely dont help.
I would say simply:no we cant get them more involved in tournament as they just come to discover with a volatile interest, especially for competition
Looks like it’s working, isn’t it? In our respective tournaments a bunch of TPKs stuck around and even playing some moves.
I guess this could be a nice initiative not only for TPKs but in general new players. My guess is that some portion of players never try to figure out OGS tournament system and they need a little nudge.
Yes, the results make me cautiously optimistic. I wish I could invite players within their first month of registration, some tournament involvement might help to keep them around.
There are frequently DDK players in the ASTs, but often they don’t show up when the tournament starts. I can imagine that seeing that you have to play someone who is 10k stronger than you, you drop out. Apart from 20-25k tournaments, also handicap tournaments might be a solution to get DDK players involved in tournaments. @Gia: maybe adding handicap to your tournaments?
I made the last one with automatic handicap, and I started with 9 stones against my much stronger opponent. To be honest it doesn’t seem that fun and I’d prefer it if the handicap was komi and not stones (which I know opens up a different discussion).
It was very confusing for me when I started to have stones already placed on the board, and I guess it’s as confusing to new TPKs now.
These tournaments are great because you get a record that these players were beginners at this time. And after some time has passed you can see where they ended up. Did they quit OGS? How strong they got?
In my kitten tournament Play Go at online-go.com! | OGS we had 30 players at the beginning, 8 survived to the end, half of them are already out of TPK range.
Most of original 30 seem to be active on OGS still, though “active” is a little hard to judge.
).
In the few DDK tournaments I’ve played, most players got DQ’d or just straight up vanished.