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Meetings, Exhibition, Events... / Re: South Coast Slam, Worthing, UK
« on: April 18, 2012, 12:10:19 AM »
Hey everyone... As the video game organiser for the SCS12 Slam team, I feel its about time I said a few thoughts, comments and thanks to the whole slam - its been a MASSIVE undertaking for the last couple of months, and indeed the few weeks before the slam have been frenetic! Its also going to be a long post so sorry if its a slow read...
From a video point of view, I can only repeat my untold thanks and gratitude to Danny Pearson, Andy Welburn, Karl Doe, Steve Pagett, Lloyd Merchant, Simon Baker, Ade Purser and Oll for producing a stalwart collection of Vids that were unique, unusual, playable and downright fun for the slam. Indeed I have to repeatedly thank those ukvaccers and members who diligently and professionally kept the games running, attracting visitor participance and ultimately alleviating a huge overhead to my time and efforts over the weekend knowing that they "had the ball" and kept the videos by and large running for everyone to enjoy.
A special mention to Phil Eaton, Dave Langley and partners for putting on the video tournament: I know it’s been contentious to other visitors and regardless of any negative opinions, is a valuable opening for both awareness and community as it gave an opportunity to all video game aficionados a way to meet, greet and co-play with fellow gamers. It is a little wearing the amount of negative criticism this has been talked about, and I'm disheartened that people saw it as a flaw to their Slam experience and as it comes across as an unfair additional charge to play the premium titles on the Saturday basically- I will repeat again and again that the machines were picked for the uniqueness and toughness and is an unfortunate by-product that they were potentially unavailable to visitors and had hoped that contributors also appreciated their machines being tied up in this manner, yet, perhaps I should have confirmed they were OK with this before the event started... Regardless of that, Phil and crew did a sterling effort, the data they produce clearly demonstrates it’s a brilliant system and the commitment to spend half their own Slam experience trying to make a nice addition to the event a commendation!
I'd also like to add an additional thanks to Andy Welburn and Ade Purser for providing the bar stock tabletops that were heartedly enjoyed, appreciated and gave the old school (and new) vaccers an opportunity to ad-hoc their own competitions on the field goal and invaders - definitely nice to see a table in a bar like they were designed for and indeed allowance that beer and drinks could be put on their beauties!
Especially pleased to also see Steve Pagett on the takedown after his ambulance departure of which I was oblivious till the closure and can only repeat I'm sure everyone’s wishes for a speedy recovery from his severe chest infection. I've not had much time to talk to Steve before the slam and definitely consider him a closer friend and contributor to the scene!
Needless to say, Martin the Deliveryman needs a medal for his efforts, adapting his workload at the last minute to allow a complete lutonful of games to be available and definitely this added over a 3rd of extra vids to the Slam and definitely made the video presence to at least match the quantity of cabs appearing at the Replay/Northern Lights show a few months ago - and regardless of one disheartening opinion I've been made aware of - the SCS12 was ALL about involving the video collectors and all about expanding the experience to vidheads as they are obviously missing events like the pinheads have enjoyed for years!
I can't repeat how bowled over I was at the generosity of everyone who last minute brought video game material for the raffle and again, at no benefit to themselves definitely contributed to a worthy prize draw - I’m truly stoked up!
I'd also like to say a quick nod to our European friends who made the trip over (complete with an unknown vid for the slam!) and its inspiring me definitely to return the favour to Eurocade in a few months! I've definitely made a new chum in Peter Smets who made a magnificent trip from Belgium with pcbs, parts and a store which he tells me "didn’t leave me unsatisfied" that he made the trip. Awesomeness!
As ever I wish I could have had time to talk and meet new faces and those I haven’t previously had time to meet and greet such as Bensonrad, Vertvic, Setch etc! As learnt we'll have a meet zone, pin badges and means to make everyone available of whose who - I still managed to fail to meet many vaccers and am sorry if I was unobtainable (read too headless chicken fixing things over the slam) to find time to make proper acquaintance!
Thanks to Steve from Swallow Amusements for at least attempting with less than 12 hours to go a chance to get the Robotron going - Simply it failed to make appearance as I tried to fix current exhibits and it just ran out of time to basically have a monitor fitted!
If anyone didn’t see it - I did - seeing the video collectors buzz around the star wars cockpit and valiantly fight to make it a worker - you made me proud and smile to myself as it clearly demonstrated the commitments by even the visitors as well as the contributors!
It leaves me to say that our host Will (Elvis on here) did a tremendous job and whilst there’s talk that the Slam is history, its just taking a break for a year for him to start his new role in fatherhood and if it wasn’t for him we wouldn’t have had the experience this and previous years to behold - it was the previous slam that opened my eyes to the opportunity and solely through his efforts I was totally committed to bringing the Slam to use video guys too.
What’s more, we're already planning a SCS 2014 as a definite - so it'll only get bigger and better!!!
To finish - I thank you, the visitors for coming, spending money which equates to contributing to the charity, enjoying, reporting, facebooking, commenting and making the pain of near colapse and even a Hypo (I'm diabetic) worthwhile in the end!
To anyone I missed out - you know I’m thankful and grateful I'm sure
Thanks again, Rav
From a video point of view, I can only repeat my untold thanks and gratitude to Danny Pearson, Andy Welburn, Karl Doe, Steve Pagett, Lloyd Merchant, Simon Baker, Ade Purser and Oll for producing a stalwart collection of Vids that were unique, unusual, playable and downright fun for the slam. Indeed I have to repeatedly thank those ukvaccers and members who diligently and professionally kept the games running, attracting visitor participance and ultimately alleviating a huge overhead to my time and efforts over the weekend knowing that they "had the ball" and kept the videos by and large running for everyone to enjoy.
A special mention to Phil Eaton, Dave Langley and partners for putting on the video tournament: I know it’s been contentious to other visitors and regardless of any negative opinions, is a valuable opening for both awareness and community as it gave an opportunity to all video game aficionados a way to meet, greet and co-play with fellow gamers. It is a little wearing the amount of negative criticism this has been talked about, and I'm disheartened that people saw it as a flaw to their Slam experience and as it comes across as an unfair additional charge to play the premium titles on the Saturday basically- I will repeat again and again that the machines were picked for the uniqueness and toughness and is an unfortunate by-product that they were potentially unavailable to visitors and had hoped that contributors also appreciated their machines being tied up in this manner, yet, perhaps I should have confirmed they were OK with this before the event started... Regardless of that, Phil and crew did a sterling effort, the data they produce clearly demonstrates it’s a brilliant system and the commitment to spend half their own Slam experience trying to make a nice addition to the event a commendation!
I'd also like to add an additional thanks to Andy Welburn and Ade Purser for providing the bar stock tabletops that were heartedly enjoyed, appreciated and gave the old school (and new) vaccers an opportunity to ad-hoc their own competitions on the field goal and invaders - definitely nice to see a table in a bar like they were designed for and indeed allowance that beer and drinks could be put on their beauties!
Especially pleased to also see Steve Pagett on the takedown after his ambulance departure of which I was oblivious till the closure and can only repeat I'm sure everyone’s wishes for a speedy recovery from his severe chest infection. I've not had much time to talk to Steve before the slam and definitely consider him a closer friend and contributor to the scene!
Needless to say, Martin the Deliveryman needs a medal for his efforts, adapting his workload at the last minute to allow a complete lutonful of games to be available and definitely this added over a 3rd of extra vids to the Slam and definitely made the video presence to at least match the quantity of cabs appearing at the Replay/Northern Lights show a few months ago - and regardless of one disheartening opinion I've been made aware of - the SCS12 was ALL about involving the video collectors and all about expanding the experience to vidheads as they are obviously missing events like the pinheads have enjoyed for years!
I can't repeat how bowled over I was at the generosity of everyone who last minute brought video game material for the raffle and again, at no benefit to themselves definitely contributed to a worthy prize draw - I’m truly stoked up!
I'd also like to say a quick nod to our European friends who made the trip over (complete with an unknown vid for the slam!) and its inspiring me definitely to return the favour to Eurocade in a few months! I've definitely made a new chum in Peter Smets who made a magnificent trip from Belgium with pcbs, parts and a store which he tells me "didn’t leave me unsatisfied" that he made the trip. Awesomeness!
As ever I wish I could have had time to talk and meet new faces and those I haven’t previously had time to meet and greet such as Bensonrad, Vertvic, Setch etc! As learnt we'll have a meet zone, pin badges and means to make everyone available of whose who - I still managed to fail to meet many vaccers and am sorry if I was unobtainable (read too headless chicken fixing things over the slam) to find time to make proper acquaintance!
Thanks to Steve from Swallow Amusements for at least attempting with less than 12 hours to go a chance to get the Robotron going - Simply it failed to make appearance as I tried to fix current exhibits and it just ran out of time to basically have a monitor fitted!
If anyone didn’t see it - I did - seeing the video collectors buzz around the star wars cockpit and valiantly fight to make it a worker - you made me proud and smile to myself as it clearly demonstrated the commitments by even the visitors as well as the contributors!
It leaves me to say that our host Will (Elvis on here) did a tremendous job and whilst there’s talk that the Slam is history, its just taking a break for a year for him to start his new role in fatherhood and if it wasn’t for him we wouldn’t have had the experience this and previous years to behold - it was the previous slam that opened my eyes to the opportunity and solely through his efforts I was totally committed to bringing the Slam to use video guys too.
What’s more, we're already planning a SCS 2014 as a definite - so it'll only get bigger and better!!!
To finish - I thank you, the visitors for coming, spending money which equates to contributing to the charity, enjoying, reporting, facebooking, commenting and making the pain of near colapse and even a Hypo (I'm diabetic) worthwhile in the end!
To anyone I missed out - you know I’m thankful and grateful I'm sure
Thanks again, Rav
