er...thanks Glen.
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Do you enter competitions?
- Thread starter Wayne J
- Start date
Didn't reply in 2017, probably felt unqualified to comment at that time. I certainly swerved a comp at Play Expo in Manchester as I thought I was too crap for the ticket format - now I know I am, but enter anyway.
The number of comps had grown massively over the past couple of years, but I only started travelling to non-show comps ion 2022 - EC, Tilt, Swavesy & a couple of others. Really enjoy them, even if I don't do very well. WiIl have to make the effort to get to SWL, PBR. Pinhaus & many others.
The number of comps had grown massively over the past couple of years, but I only started travelling to non-show comps ion 2022 - EC, Tilt, Swavesy & a couple of others. Really enjoy them, even if I don't do very well. WiIl have to make the effort to get to SWL, PBR. Pinhaus & many others.
I've been lurking here recently rather than posting much, pinball has taken a bit of a back seat in my life in the last few years.
I'd forgotten that I had posted in this thread in 2017 until @Ryker commented on my post, but everything I said then still stands. I still do not like competing in pinball competitions.
I enjoyed the Daventry show earlier this year, spent a lot more time socialising there rather than playing the games as in previous years, but just not interested in entering any competitions.
I'd forgotten that I had posted in this thread in 2017 until @Ryker commented on my post, but everything I said then still stands. I still do not like competing in pinball competitions.
I enjoyed the Daventry show earlier this year, spent a lot more time socialising there rather than playing the games as in previous years, but just not interested in entering any competitions.
I enjoy entering the competitions. It's a good opportunity to catch up with people, and I believe it massively helps to improve my game. However, the most important thing for me is that it has to remain fun. If it stops being enjoyable, then I'll stop playing.
No
I still enjoy playing in tournaments and leagues when I get a chance. So i can see friends and catch up with everyone
Not overly fussed about the points anymore cause I don't play enough to keep up with everyone. But I'm playing better than I ever have so still hold my own when I do show up.
Not overly fussed about the points anymore cause I don't play enough to keep up with everyone. But I'm playing better than I ever have so still hold my own when I do show up.
No
Not sure, no current plans to attend any. So maybe next year
It's nice to tournaments becoming much more of a thing in the UK now.
Well I'm doing much better than I was when I posted this, from looking at my recent league and tounament results. I never expected to improve as much as I have!
Some things never change though
I am very interested to hear from people that are quite or slightly tempted to come to a tournament or league, but haven't yet done so.
What is holding you back/what could be done to encourage you to give it a go? Fully understand that distance, time, tournament length etc are big factors. A lot i believe also worry about if they are good enough - the standard at the comps actually vary greatly. Usually people surprise themselves. And it is almost impossible to lose every game
What is holding you back/what could be done to encourage you to give it a go? Fully understand that distance, time, tournament length etc are big factors. A lot i believe also worry about if they are good enough - the standard at the comps actually vary greatly. Usually people surprise themselves. And it is almost impossible to lose every game
I think what can be seen comparing some of the comments historically, is that people said they didn't enter because they didn't think they were good enough.
When they have bitten the bullet not only have they realised that they are probably better than they think, they have also improved themselves - and most importantly enjoy it.
When they have bitten the bullet not only have they realised that they are probably better than they think, they have also improved themselves - and most importantly enjoy it.
From my personal experience of only starting playing pinball in June this year I have now played in 2 tournaments and I would say to anyone just give it a go. I went into the last tournament (my first match play) with expectation of finishing in the top 36. That was my thinking based on the comp having 36 players. Only to find myself in 37th place after 5 games. Then outta nowhere I started winning games and started shooting up the table and ended up finish 1 or 2 points out of qualifying for the top 16. I over achieved massively but I was so so happy with the result. It was great experience playing different machines but mostly it was great chatting to new people. People will give you plenty of advice if playing a machine that you don't know so do not be afraid to ask.
Lickashot
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Great point Dean. Also worth looking at what games will be in a tournament and just finding a stream of a tournament on Twitch to try finding the game and learn the rules. Another thing is just watch your opponent/opponents to see what they are doing.
I really love the UK scene for how friendly it is, so many people are happy to help and often go out of their way to help.
This carries over to the comp scene which is also friendly and welcoming. I've moved more to enjoying planning and running events than playing. I still enjoy going to comps but mainly for the social side and the overall vibe rather than for my own playing.
We're lucky to have a vibrant scene around here in the recent years compared to when Claire and I started attending pinball events or comps. I think it's really difficult to bring new people into the scene but that's usually how you'll find new comp players.
I've noticed this forum is only a tiny part of the UK pinball scene but representative of it as a whole just scaled down, for example of all the users here only a very very small number attend or care about the competition or league scene.
Some people just don't have an interest in competitive play and never will. Every case will be different but I think most just have no interest, why? I don't know.
I understand what Yuen is getting at here, it's positive. But I don't think there's many new comp players hiding in the wings of this forum. I think anyone who's been on this forum a year or more has already found their niche and what they enjoy about the hobby.
Getting new players into the scene is difficult. I really don't know why East Anglia has been different with so many new players entering the comp scene in the past two years. Events in other areas seem to maintain the same playerbase with only a few newbies every so often.
I suppose asking those new people what got them into the comp scene seemingly out of nowhere would be a start?
This carries over to the comp scene which is also friendly and welcoming. I've moved more to enjoying planning and running events than playing. I still enjoy going to comps but mainly for the social side and the overall vibe rather than for my own playing.
We're lucky to have a vibrant scene around here in the recent years compared to when Claire and I started attending pinball events or comps. I think it's really difficult to bring new people into the scene but that's usually how you'll find new comp players.
I've noticed this forum is only a tiny part of the UK pinball scene but representative of it as a whole just scaled down, for example of all the users here only a very very small number attend or care about the competition or league scene.
Some people just don't have an interest in competitive play and never will. Every case will be different but I think most just have no interest, why? I don't know.
I am very interested to hear from people that are quite or slightly tempted to come to a tournament or league, but haven't yet done so.
What is holding you back/what could be done to encourage you to give it a go? Fully understand that distance, time, tournament length etc are big factors. A lot i believe also worry about if they are good enough - the standard at the comps actually vary greatly. Usually people surprise themselves. And it is almost impossible to lose every game
I understand what Yuen is getting at here, it's positive. But I don't think there's many new comp players hiding in the wings of this forum. I think anyone who's been on this forum a year or more has already found their niche and what they enjoy about the hobby.
Getting new players into the scene is difficult. I really don't know why East Anglia has been different with so many new players entering the comp scene in the past two years. Events in other areas seem to maintain the same playerbase with only a few newbies every so often.
I suppose asking those new people what got them into the comp scene seemingly out of nowhere would be a start?
@David_Vi I do think pinball is an unusually difficult hobby to get into. If you’ve never played before, you come across a machine in the wild (which frankly is still quite rare in the grand scheme of things), put a pound in it, probably have little to no idea of what’s happening, and then drain within 2 mins. Not that interesting. So you probably need some kind of “in” like a friend or family member with pins, or otherwise a misspent youth in arcades with pins (which is less and less common for the younger generations who grew up in console times / the 2000s pinball dearth, like me).
Then if somehow you get into it and want to buy your own machine, you’re either spending the cost of a used car or small house deposit, or getting an old or beaten up machine whereby you need to quickly acquire tools and learn how to repair electronics to keep it alive.
Or, you don’t buy a machine and instead go to clubs and/or comps - which many would find daunting at first or struggle to find at all.
I don’t think there are any particularly easy “ins” - the easiest probably being going to a club like PBR, PBO, SWL etc on a casual basis, if you come across them.
Then if somehow you get into it and want to buy your own machine, you’re either spending the cost of a used car or small house deposit, or getting an old or beaten up machine whereby you need to quickly acquire tools and learn how to repair electronics to keep it alive.
Or, you don’t buy a machine and instead go to clubs and/or comps - which many would find daunting at first or struggle to find at all.
I don’t think there are any particularly easy “ins” - the easiest probably being going to a club like PBR, PBO, SWL etc on a casual basis, if you come across them.