Event Registration / Player Accountability

[Steve]

I'd be a fan of replacing the blanket +1 with something like:

Steve
Guest 1: Rick Anderson, Age 29, Beaverton, OR
Guest 2: Joe Snuffy, Age 31, Portland, OR

If I ever get off my rear end and set up an event, I plan on bringing a whiteboard and a digital camera. I'd have players write their call sign, e-mail, and name on the whiteboard and take a photo of the player and their name / email / call sign as part of registration.

If they are douche-like on the field, I'd share their info with other event promoters.

[Catch22]

Pre-Pay, Fewls.

['Skyhawk']

Spirited debate.....

Lots more admins. Get cut-throat about rule enforcement. Kick people out for repeated serious violations. Cut off their chrono zip ties and send them on their way.

For this to work there MUST be an extensive and complete pre-game safety briefing and rule recap. Then there can be no arguments of ingnorance of the rules. Also a rules handout at registration with a warning "Follow the rules or you will be ejected from the game."

[Catch22]

I've seen far too many people show up to games, not even knowing what side they're on. Do you think "plus 1's" read any rules? By signing up yourself.. You agree to reading the rules and can't claim ignorance.

From what I've seen admining.. Most "Hax" really didn't know they were hit. They're quite shocked when you tell them they got shot. Usually telling them once is enough. Also at most games "the problem players" aren't just one guy. It's always someone different. It's hard to kick out someone for a first offense. Most straighten up after you say something to them.

If you have a problem at a game. Tell an admin. Don't just yell at the other guy, or phony pony about it on the boards, long after the game is over.

Finally try to find out who the problem player is. Telling us "some guy over there" really dosen't help us find the trouble maker.

[Nocte]

If I ever get off my rear end and set up an event, I plan on bringing a whiteboard and a digital camera. I'd have players write their call sign, e-mail, and name on the whiteboard and take a photo of the player and their name / email / call sign as part of registration.

If they are douche-like on the field, I'd share their info with other event promoters.

A version of this has crossed my mind as well, but I'm tinkering with something a little less tedious right now.

[Rogue Reaper]

Inject an RF chip into each players Buttox.

[Wombat Six]

The flaw I see in the calls to read all the rules at some sort of group briefing is that those of us who have read the rules are essentially being punished for doing what we're supposed to do, and these things get bound up in the Q&A when people start asking about really weird "What if" scenarios. Rulebooks for complex games are several pages, even in a bulletpointed form, and as a player who reads everything voraciously, I don't want to stand there and listen to someone explain how the sector controls work and who's qualified to flip them. My brief time in the military, I was taught the set of skills I needed to do my job, and everyone else's job was an unknown to me.

As for "hacking", I've had one player argue with me on a call, as an admin, in the games I've worked. Everyone else was ignorant of the violation and appreciative of the correction, or at least unwilling to debate the issue. I've not seen the same player do something against the rules twice in a game. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough, but it seems that first "You're doing it wrong" causes folks to reassess their play.

Alternatively, folks were engaged in behavior/tactics not explicitly addressed in the rules for the game, which generally meant a field ruling and they usually at least accepted the decision ("found" plywood panels as mobile cover, for example).

As for the +1s, I agree with Ivan: who cares if they're signed up on AP? We had 100+ people at the last game I admined. I had a hard enough time tracking the one or two people who'd skylined themselves to me during registration/chrono, let alone trying to keep track of all of your call signs and nicknames, especially since most folks don't wear it in some prominent position that can be seen from the rear.

EDIT: removed references to the safety regulations. A valid point on these has been made. There are only 10 or 11 key safety regulations, all of which can and should be covered. I will happily boil this down to a readable index card and print as many as are wanted.

['Skyhawk']

^ As I see it safetey is the most important aspect in a sport such as this. It is never an inconvenience and there is never a dumb question with regards to safety concerns.

Safety briefings should be well orginized and complete. They should be delivered with authority and be concise to hold the attention of the players. Working off a well prepared list is the best way to acheive this and to ensure nothing gets left out.

The rules can be put on a handout or posted at registration. I don't think a player should be kicked out on the first offense in most cases. If the player is counseled and then goes and does it again, clip their zip and send them on their way.

[Mini-Marine]

Saftey briefings are a must, but what Wombat is talking about is the game details having to be repeated time and time again because some idiots decided they had no need to read the handbook.

It's the gameplay confusion due to people not paying attention the specific event rules that causes a lot of problems and confusion.

[Jester316]

WHat is one way to combat people not reading the handbook? Make them sign up for a free account and sign up for the event themselves. That way they have access to the handbook they should read. If people aren't on the forums, then they can't read the rules. If you can't read the rules, they can't play in the games.

[Fred]

At many big paintball events every participant is issued a Player's Card. Usually these cards contain the player's name (verified by official state photo ID), their roster number and any other pertinent info. You have to flash your card as you enter the field to a ref. There are places for marks such as passed chrono safely, completed objectives, etc. Any infractions such as caught wiping, flagrant disregard of rules, unsportsmanlike conduct, chronoing hot on the field, etc get a hole punch from a ref. Three punches is ejection from the game with no refund. Different promoters have different ways to deal with a lost Player Card (genuinely lost or intentional), the most effective is a $20 replacement fee or no more gameplay for you. Getting caught with another player's card is instant ejection.

This system does a pretty good job of keeping everyone in check.

This actually sound like a good idea.
But who's willing to go through all the trouble setting th cards up?
A strange approach is get a photo of each person when they entire the field. If a person is hacking, unsafe, or committing some violation. A photo of that person can easily be used to identify the offender(s) in future use.

[Riddick]

At many big paintball events every participant is issued a Player's Card. Usually these cards contain the player's name (verified by official state photo ID), their roster number and any other pertinent info. You have to flash your card as you enter the field to a ref. There are places for marks such as passed chrono safely, completed objectives, etc. Any infractions such as caught wiping, flagrant disregard of rules, unsportsmanlike conduct, chronoing hot on the field, etc get a hole punch from a ref. Three punches is ejection from the game with no refund. Different promoters have different ways to deal with a lost Player Card (genuinely lost or intentional), the most effective is a $20 replacement fee or no more gameplay for you. Getting caught with another player's card is instant ejection.

This system does a pretty good job of keeping everyone in check.

This actually sound like a good idea.
But who's willing to go through all the trouble setting th cards up?

I just did. Just purchased a heavy duty laminator and pouches.

I will be a guinea pig on this one. I take event hosting seriously and I want to try to make this a better system. Initially it will be a pain in the a$$ but hell if I have a ton of admins now that means more help.

I will come up with my own rule set since if we do all this as a community it will never get anywhere. someone just needs to do it and modify it from there. if other event hosts want to accept these they can.

['Skyhawk']

Saftey briefings are a must, but what Wombat is talking about is the game details having to be repeated time and time again because some idiots decided they had no need to read the handbook.

It's the gameplay confusion due to people not paying attention the specific event rules that causes a lot of problems and confusion.

I understand what he wrote but there are parts to it that I don't agree with in regards to safety, thus my comments.

Wombat Six Wrote:

"The flaw I see in the calls to read all the rules and safety regulations at some sort of group briefing is that those of us who have read the rules and understand the safety regulations are essentially being punished for doing what we're supposed to do..."

It is a dangerous assumption to make that people know safety and it does not need to be fully adressed. Most of the safety briefings I have witnessed have been woefully incomplete and, for the most part, done off the top of the head. I am not advocating an hour long reading of the players handbook (A sign posting or handout with just the things that will get you kicked out in a hurry is sufficient) What I am doing is challenging future originizers to give more complete briefings.

If the post was not about safety, leave the word safety out of the post. We need to be even more dilligent in these times with legislation against airsoft. We need to demonstrate that safety is one of our primary concerns. Not just know that it is because "it's obvious."

I'm done. I'm going out to enjoy the weather....

[Ivan Daylovich™]

Having an account and signing up for a game doesn't mean a person will read the handbook. Hell, most of the time I don't read the handbook. It's too long and full of stuff I already know. I also just skim over the initial post in Rick's games 'cause they again are so long and full of things I A: already know, or B: don't care about.

[Wisenheimer]

I will come up with my own rule set since if we do all this as a community it will never get anywhere. someone just needs to do it and modify it from there.

This is the most realistic approach.