Regarding Other Issues with DoM in General

[Misty]

Moving some of my other thoughts to a different subject to prevent me from derailing the Tuesdays thread ...

Looking at trends over the course of the past couple of years, it seems to me that a great deal of the interest in DoF (and subsequent waning of interest in DoM) has had to do with advertising and opinion.

DoF has gotten a lot of positive advertising, while the attitude of quite a few characters is, DoM sucks. I, myself, am guilty of this to a degree, having some characters uncomfortable with the idea of magic duels and expressing said opinion.

Now, I'm not saying that everyone needs to censor their opinions, because free speech. Character doesn't like magic, that's their right to speak up, just like it is for players to speak for/against the whole thing.

So, maybe, just maybe, there needs to be more positive reinforcement for DoM, along the same lines. Not just the occasional (or frequent, as the case may be) tournament, but out-of-setting advertising as well.

The question that remains is, how?

[Spell]

Using the public ad space. It's easy to make an ad and upload it to the site.

Writing interesting stories based around Twilight Isle. The board is mostly a ghost town.

Running community-based events. It doesn't even need to be dueling related, it can just use the setting and promote it. I recall an idea of having a carnival popping up in another thread about activity. It never went off the ground but it could possibly be used for Twilight Isle. Or could easily be done over on RDI side for an event based in the marketplace, much like what Candy did a year or so ago with ( I believe ) DoF.

The setting is a magical place, you can pretty much do anything as long as it doesn't upset the slumbering Lem. Really, there's a lot the community can do without the aid of Coordinators. All it takes is a tiny bit of effort.

Also, DoM doesn't suck. It's for nerds. Nerds aren't exactly a bad thing. A nerd made my computer and I love it.

Signed by a...

Three time Ring of Klytus Holder
Three time Keeper of Fire
Three time Keeper of Air
Three time Keeper of Earth
Two time Keeper of Water
One time Archmage with two defenses and then lost to the true king of Twilight Isle, Lem

Aka, a proud DoM nerd

[Jaycy Ashleana]

One way to not promote/give positive advertising for DoM is to start a 3-day tournament where it appears you're going to need 5 duels to be competitive for prizes to start on the same night as WLT, an event that normally keeps Fight Night empty.

It's a great idea to effectively give people 2 days to get those duels in.

[Harris]

Utilization of the RDI.

Both DoS and DoF, when they're running special events, increase awareness of those events by posting playables over on the RDI side. Be it DoS Madness, Star's End dueling, tag team, whatever, it tends to show up. Not every tournament mind you, because that would probably be obnoxious, but special ones tend to get some notice in the RDI playables. DoM related events do not see much promotion over there. Outside of the original announcement of the Tuesday merger I'm hard pressed to think of anything else announced over there.

The second method of using the RDI is simply advertising the sport through regular play. I've seen characters that enjoy DoF go to the RDI, chat up a storm about the sport, and get people to show up to the Outback with them. RoH characters that make connections with RDI characters are one of the easiest ways to draw new folks over to a sport. People are more keen to show up to a new environment if they know someone there. And that's the first step. Getting someone into a room. Then, maybe from that point they try it and get interested. There are a number of players over the years, like Seirichi for example, that I met over on the RDI first. And even now I see other players promoting DoF by having their characters more or less sell the sport over on the RDI through regular, casual play.

Having a challenge? Invite your RDI pals.
Entered in a tournament? Invite your RDI pals to cheer you on.
Planning a special RoH event? Try to include an RDI group/faction.
Have a title on RoH? Mention it in your RDI profile.
Just defended your title? Treat it like it's a big deal and buy everyone a round to celebrate.
Trying to make rank? Talk about your struggles (or successes) in recent matches.

All of that falls under the umbrella of advertising. It can be as subtle or as bombastic as your character wants it to be. Every individual player has the ability to promote their favorite sport.

[JewellRavenlock]

I don't think I can emphasize how important Harris' suggestions are.

My first real exposure to the duels (the encounter that made me want to try them) was Lot bringing an Opal in after winning it in a megabit we I believe.

Kruger and Jewellery went for a drink at the Inn after losing the Talon the other night.

I think little IC scenes can generate more interest than any other avenue.

[Lem DeAngelo]

One way to not promote/give positive advertising for DoM is to start a 3-day tournament where it appears you're going to need 5 duels to be competitive for prizes to start on the same night as WLT, an event that normally keeps Fight Night empty.

It's a great idea to effectively give people 2 days to get those duels in.

I think the italic implies a suggestion to decrease the number of duels for the new tourney? We're always open to suggestions and constructive criticism. We were thinking of running a longer tourney last night, then remembered Harris's tourney starts next Friday. We've got the AMT the 24th since that's the start of DoM week 9 (AMT kicks off week 9 for the past 2 years). So we felt it best to squeeze the tourney in this week before Harris's tourney. I forgot about the WLT, so we can definitely work with revising the number of required duels. Thanks for pointing it out to us.

[Lem DeAngelo]

To add on to what Harris and Jewell said, I've always thought the RDI would be a good setting for some of our main events. OL challenges, DQs, AMT, etc. Those events bring spectators, and I find it's easier to talk with new characters/players about the duels when I'm spectating instead of actually dueling. We can look into the possibility of holding the next AMT on RDI.

[Spell]

To add on to what Harris and Jewell said, I've always thought the RDI would be a good setting for some of our main events. OL challenges, DQs, AMT, etc. Those events bring spectators, and I find it's easier to talk with new characters/players about the duels when I'm spectating instead of actually dueling. We can look into the possibility of holding the next AMT on RDI.

Marketplace Street Festival AMT.

Another idea Claire and I had in the past was one of purely RP related for Twilight Isle to both, possibly, promote interest/rolaplay in the setting and also practice/teach DoM. It was going to be a Magic School sort of setting that would be on Twilight Isle itself. Think Hogwarts, just without the giant squid. It could have expanded into possible class rivalries / teams keeping a duel count to see which class/house/etc had been the champs of a cycle.

I'd just have to stop being lazy and attempt to put it into play.

[Lem DeAngelo]

Another idea Claire and I had in the past was one of purely RP related for Twilight Isle to both, possibly, promote interest/rolaplay in the setting and also practice/teach DoM. It was going to be a Magic School sort of setting that would be on Twilight Isle itself. Think Hogwarts, just without the giant squid. It could have expanded into possible class rivalries / teams keeping a duel count to see which class/house/etc had been the champs of a cycle.

I'd just have to stop being lazy and attempt to put it into play.

Lem wants to teach the Art of Power Napping while Power Dueling.

Nappy could teach Advanced Raiding and Looting Techniques.

[Morgan le Fay]

I would prefer to keep big dueling events on ROH for the most part. Advertise them at RDI as playables, yes. Talk them up in the Inn and environs for sure.

But *here* is the Rings of Honor and where the Big Important Stuff should happen. It's what the site was built for.

Amal and Xeno have made it easy for people from the RDI to clone their profiles over here so they can hop in to watch/RP during an event.

Would love if the clone tool worked both ways!

[PrlUnicorn]

One way to not promote/give positive advertising for DoM is to start a 3-day tournament where it appears you're going to need 5 duels to be competitive for prizes to start on the same night as WLT, an event that normally keeps Fight Night empty.

Major events really shouldn't be scheduled at the same time. It makes the organizers look inattentive to what's already on the table. In the Combo thread, I suggested a possible Monday combo night just for this week and run the tournament M-W.

To add on to what Harris and Jewell said, I've always thought the RDI would be a good setting for some of our main events. OL challenges, DQs, AMT, etc. Those events bring spectators, and I find it's easier to talk with new characters/players about the duels when I'm spectating instead of actually dueling. We can look into the possibility of holding the next AMT on RDI.

Marketplace Street Festival AMT.

Another idea Claire and I had in the past was one of purely RP related for Twilight Isle to both, possibly, promote interest/rolaplay in the setting and also practice/teach DoM. It was going to be a Magic School sort of setting that would be on Twilight Isle itself. Think Hogwarts, just without the giant squid. It could have expanded into possible class rivalries / teams keeping a duel count to see which class/house/etc had been the champs of a cycle.

I'd just have to stop being lazy and attempt to put it into play.

The current Baroness of Old Market would fully support a Marketplace Street Festival AMT! It would be a good opportunity to include players involved with the Marketplace Chamber of Commerce. Brian Ravenlock's player is heading that and he's generally easy to work with. For future reference, I suggest making an event outline in Community Events and an announcement at least six weeks out in the RDI playables to allow players time to get booth ideas in order. Cardinal Inn could offer lodging for AMT participants.

If you want to do a street festival for this AMT, it's doable, but it might not draw as big a crowd as one with more notice. I'm willing to help with that. I seem to specialize in tossing things together at the last minute things. Let me know ASAP, time is wasting!

Some players go all out with Polyvore sets and other displays for things like this. Most people love parties and festivals, there are lots of Rhydin merchants that come out to set up food tents. Maybe Red Orc Brewery could be one of the major sponsors?

If you follow through on the school idea, I'd love to do a tri-wizard cup kind of thing if enough dueling schools could be involved or combine into teams. Bristle Crios used to have several active duelists, but Arthour is the only one I recall have seen of late in active play. Not sure how many are involved with Arcanum Academy. Harker's has a handful of active players, but all but one are currently involved in dueling.

[Spell]

Some players go all out with Polyvore sets and other displays for things like this. Most people love parties and festivals, there are lots of Rhydin merchants that come out to set up food tents. Maybe Red Orc Brewery could be one of the major sponsors?

The People's Republic will donate / sponsor with gifts of punch and pie. Non-Plagued, of course.

If you follow through on the school idea, I'd love to do a tri-wizard cup kind of thing if enough dueling schools could be involved or combine into teams. Bristle Crios used to have several active duelists, but Arthour is the only one I recall have seen of late in active play. Not sure how many are involved with Arcanum Academy. Harker's has a handful of active players, but all but one are currently involved in dueling.

I had planned a more inner-school tournament base but a Tri-Wizard style vs other schools? That sounds WAY better to me in all honesty. I'd be 100% for this.

[Lem DeAngelo]

The current Baroness of Old Market would fully support a Marketplace Street Festival AMT! It would be a good opportunity to include players involved with the Marketplace Chamber of Commerce. Brian Ravenlock's player is heading that and he's generally easy to work with. For future reference, I suggest making an event outline in Community Events and an announcement at least six weeks out in the RDI playables to allow players time to get booth ideas in order. Cardinal Inn could offer lodging for AMT participants.

If you want to do a street festival for this AMT, it's doable, but it might not draw as big a crowd as one with more notice. I'm willing to help with that. I seem to specialize in tossing things together at the last minute things. Let me know ASAP, time is wasting!

Let's give the Marketplace AMT a shot. The AMT is the end of Week 8/beginning of Week 9, so Sunday the 24th. I can run the tourney, but I'm not skilled at RDI events. Can you and Claire head this up? Anyone else want to join in and contribute?

As far as a start time of dueling, I'd like to go with 9pm.

The People's Republic will donate / sponsor with gifts of punch and pie. Non-Plagued, of course.

non-plagued is probably best I think.

[Delahada]

I don't think I can emphasize how important Harris' suggestions are.

My first real exposure to the duels (the encounter that made me want to try them) was Lot bringing an Opal in after winning it in a megabit we I believe.

Kruger and Jewellery went for a drink at the Inn after losing the Talon the other night.

I think little IC scenes can generate more interest than any other avenue.

Late to the party, but I'm going to second this by saying it was a conversation that happened in the RDI once upon a time that got Sal to check out the duels thanks to Tormay.

I do have Sal talk about dueling. He got his boyfriend to do it. Think I might have convinced another friend to give it a go, but we'll see. Sometimes, though, I've noticed that when dueling gets brought up other characters kind of do a tune out and duck out of the conversation, and that's kind of frustrating.

But overall, yeah. I think Harris has the right of it. More play everywhere and talking about it as much ICly as OOCly helps a lot. I don't see a lot of people talking about Magic dueling, though, so much as Fists and sometimes Swords.

[Arthour]

If you follow through on the school idea, I'd love to do a tri-wizard cup kind of thing if enough dueling schools could be involved or combine into teams. Bristle Crios used to have several active duelists, but Arthour is the only one I recall have seen of late in active play. Not sure how many are involved with Arcanum Academy. Harker's has a handful of active players, but all but one are currently involved in dueling.

I had planned a more inner-school tournament base but a Tri-Wizard style vs other schools? That sounds WAY better to me in all honesty. I'd be 100% for this.

I will speak to Fi and Miranda about that when I remember to sign into YIM or send them a PM, Miranda might be harder to get ahold of what with school and so on, but Fi's great at checking her PMs and getting back to people. I'm also pretty damn sure she'd love to get involved in increasing awareness for DoM, even in a small way, if someone asks her nicely.