Quick disclaimer; This is my personal opinion. I'm writing this as a player and as an event team member. I'm making this thread as a way to state my opinion and create a place for you all to give your opinions on the current state of events and the matters surrounding that. This thread is not intended to be flame zone. Please keep it polite and civil.
Hello there Freestylers,
First of all, I would like to give a genuine thank you to all of the players who, despite the decline in popularity, still play and enjoy the events that are being hosted. I would also like to thank all of you who keep trying to improve the events in many ways, like giving your feedback on test events and posting new event suggestions. You guys are the reason I enjoy hosting and playing events so much and why this game is so much fun for me.
That being said, I'd like to make some statements about the current state of the Events. As most of us know, there has been quite some negative tension and influence in and surrounding the events. I, like many of you, have grown up playing this game. I have very fond memories of playing it, especially the events. That's why it pains me to see how the once so exciting events have turned into quite the disarray. I believe this is happening because of a couple reasons.
Reason one: A decline in players playing the events.
Unfortunately, we've seen a decline in players who play the events. I remember there being a 2nd room a couple years back, because there were ~70 players wanting to participate. Nowadays, it's rare to see a full room. For me, it's more fun when there are a lot of players in the events. As Michi stated in Bunny's thread, having less players makes it easier to focus on a the players who DO join the event. There comes the second reason into play.
Reason two: Conflicts between Event Team Members and Players.
I feel like this is a big one. I'm not sure how it happened, but there has been a big increase in conflicts between ETs and players. This has caused countless arguments, threads and reports. I feel like it will only increase in intensity the longer it goes on. What I think some people are forgetting is that there is a symbiotic relationship between the hosts and players. Without players, the event team is pretty much worthless. Without hosts, there would be no events. That's why it's very important to have a good balance and mutual understanding between the two parties. I know it's not going to be easy, but I would ask my fellow event team members and all of the players to forget their grudges and start over. It might be too optimistic, but I really think giving each other a second chance without falling back on the past will add a more positive vibe to the overall situation.
Reason three: A lack of diversity in the events.
Let's be honest here, it's clear that there are popular and unpopular events. The popular events like Lms, Hns, Rocketman and dodgeball are hosted far more often than less popular events like Attributes Touchdown, Bumper cars, Red Light Green Light and PvP events. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, because there is a reason why they're popular; a lot of people find them fun to play. However, the events that are hosted less often won't be understood as well by the players, and sometimes even the staff. When I applied for ET, I'd never even played events like Basketball or Musical Chairs. However, due to my experience with the other events, I quickly learned how they worked and even how to host them. I'm sure some of my fellow event team members are in the same boat as me. What I'm trying to say with this is, don't bash the staff members for making a mistake in their events. Tell them what they did wrong and how to do it better next time. Of course, the staff members will have to listen to the feedback and make their decision accordingly. They are spending their time to make the playing experience more enjoyable for you guys, so a little patience goes a long way.
In the end, it's a sensitive subject, but should not be ignored. I would like all of you to think about it and give your opinions on the matter. Thank you for spending your time reading this and I hope this will shine a new light onto the matter.
- Bram
