These are the standard phases of any event that has failed miserably. (BOTH from on the part of the organizers AND the participants, SIMULTANEOUSLY.) Keep reading and you'll see what I mean.
PHASE # 1. INITIAL EXCITEMENT.
The organizers come up with some really cool ideas for a major event. It's different, it's new, it's exciting. When the players hear about it, they are eager to travel the lengths of the earth to participate.
PHASE # 2. INADEQUATE PREPARATION.
Organizers don't hire enough reffing staff. Score keepers quickly get overwhelmed. There's not enough paint. Dealer booths don't get filled. Players forget to bring stuff they normally wouldn't forget to bring on regular playing days.
PHASE # 3. HALF HEARTED PARTICIPATION.
After all the preparation, after talking to sponsors for HOURS on the phone, after making sure every detail was covered, the organizers are now tired as all get out. They now could care less if the thing goes off or not. Players, who were all revved up to play only do so for half the event. Many preregistered groups don't even show up.
PHASE # 4. FAILURE OF EVENT TO MEET UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS.
The organizers thought there would be more people. They thought their staff could handle this event. They thought the game would start at eight o'clock sharp. Players thought they would be more missions. They thought there would be cool props. Neither party found their expectations to be realized.
PHASE # 5. ABJECT DISAPPOINTMENT.
Things didn't go well. The organizers lost money, and a few field sponsors in the process. Players travelled all this way for what amounted to a big game of capture the flag. The weather sucked, the paint sucked, the reffing sucked, the trade show sucked, the game sucked and the whole day SUCKED.
PHASE # 6. ATTEMPT TO PLACE BLAME.
Organizers see the lack of player participation to be the problem. Players see the word "organizer" as somewhat of a joke. Nothing was organized.
PHASE # 7. DENIAL OF RESPONSIBILITY.
The organizers did their part, so there. Hey the players showed up, so there. Who is to blame? The sponsors? Heck no, they showed up too.
PHASE # 8. MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF SPONSORS.
At the end of it all, there are no sponsor banners, no open booths at the trade show. There is no evidence of the sponsors ever having been there. Were there sponsors for this event? Where'd they go?
PHASE # 9. SEARCH FOR THE GUILTY.
Well, SOMEONE is at fault. Neither the organizers nor the players are willing to take the blame. The sponsors deny even have a representative there. We don't care if that IS our banner in the picture, we WEREN'T there.
PHASE # 10. PUNISHMENT OF THE INNOCENT.
Staff members get fired. They worked like dogs all day, but it's really their fault, isn't it? Players get kicked off teams. They were the ones who brought the event to the team's attention. Go play as a walk-on, you moron.
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