I guess then it\'s time to do some report:
There are already threads going on that talk about issues like the pricing and timing, since those will be thoroughly discussed, I\'ll concentrate in pointing out some other things, as I\'m sure the organizers are pretty aware that, at some points the event went chaotic.
I\'ll start then for the name of the tournament itself. Being the \"Octarch tournament\" I expected some reasoning of why this one was taking place, and since it was the Octarch one, what was in it that, clearly, had to differentiate it from the rest of tournaments we had so far (although the combat system is, in this case, roleplayed, for my char, there should be no difference between seeing a fight that players roleplay the movements, than another when they use the game mechanics. I guess the difference is to the player, but hardly to the spectator char)
Since, here there has already poped out the pricing topic, I\'d say that, even if you didn\'t have the \"real\" money, you were allowed to roleplay you payed (it\'s certain that, if your character can\'t afford it, you shouldn\'t have rp the paying act, but, I guess that you could have done an exception and rp it anyway, specially now, when mostly spectators of this \"events\" are welcomed to share their thoughs, I don\'t really think anyone had cared if your char was poor but you chosed to rp to pay the fee, as long as your attitude during the event was correct)
Notes about the fights themselves, that I think are the important feedback that is required:
The first thing I\'d like to remark that all the contestants of this tournament, where supposed to be great fighters/warriors (despite what their \"official\" game statistics could say. That is, their roleplayed char is a great fighter or warrior) but one thing is being a warrior, and the other one, being a perfect warrior.
Although I was only able to \"see\" (and partially) one of the combats and part of another, I\'d like to point out some things that I think should be improved. I\'ll say in advance that I\'ve never roleplayed a fight, but still, I think I\'m able to remark the things that under my opinion where discordant.
The first thing to notice is that anyone wanted his/her char to be wounded. I fully understand that position, and, if it really turns a problem, I\'d suggest making those tournaments more like an exhibition of abilities, the referees giving even faked weapons, so each contestant shows his/her technique to any spectator that is watching the show. (That to prevent the players from falling in the rigid typing to where you\'re lead, if you make a movement, but at the same time you want to state clear that your char is attacking, but yet, fully prepared for its defense; since the priority is, after all, that one\'s own char ends the fighting with any significant wounds)
While being roleplayed fights, it\'s true that, there\'s required to give a lot of information, so the spectators know what movements are being made, to try to create a mental image of what is going on. Still, that detailed describing shouldn\'t be used to state about the perfection of the attack. More than a real fight, it seemed to me that, sometimes, both contendants where like great commanders, being in their camps, a long way between them, while each was preparing an assault to a fortress, thinking where they had to put their troops, how to cover their weakpoints while at the same time trying to harm the most the opponent. This, that could be the strategy, and it\'s nice before the real fighting takes place, dissapears when an individual fight takes place. Although when starting the combat, one could try to adopt a position that tries both to cover, and provide a nice chance of attack; once the battle has begun, the strategy and mental side leaves its place to more impulsive feelings, and thus should allow imperfections.
The fightings were, also, static. Seemed like both opponents where jailed, instead of being in a big place like the arena, because I never saw anyone running out, only to surprise the other one, or to have some breathing, or to tire the other because the other was too weight... (that resembled me the in game combat system, where the fighting anymation assumes that the char will be not moving from the place, but the fact is that players do move their chars while fighting, since complaints have been made about the \"sliding\" effect that happens when fighting with a combat stance and running at the same time)
Keeping with the environment remark, I was surprised that none of the competitors used the sand, for instance, to throw it to the opponent\'s eyes, and blind his sight (perhaps running towards him, and kicking the sand in front) that accentuated my feeling that the event could have been done anywhere else, although of course, for a fighting the Arena should be the place, but I thought its resources weren\'t fully explored at all.
I think I\'m already being too long, but I\'d like to point out still at least one more thing. While the gaming combat system has its flaws, I noticed also its influence on players on the fact that none of the fighters choosed to have a shield (weather or not the player has a shield in its inventory, for now they\'re useless, so commonly none of the participants had one, it could also be rp that the char indeed had one) while it\'s true that there can be fighters that choose not to have a shield, and rely in its agility and ability to \"dodge\" the opponents attacks, it shocked me a lot that absolutely none of the contestants had a shield.
Also, this now I don\'t remember at all clearly, although the game mechanics allow to handle a sword on each hand, and weild them with equal efficiency, those that chosed not to have a shield, but also another weapon on the other hand, and showed the same dexterity with both hands, should have, and that goes without saying, a roleplay reason that justifies why they\'re able to handle those weapons equally no matter wich hand is used.
