Kumoricon
Convention Events and Programming => Panels & et cetera => Topic started by: FilkAeris on September 28, 2012, 04:45:30 pm
-
PRO-BENDING FANS of the Pacific Northwest, rejoice! Having gotten tentative Kumoricon staff approval for an event involving a dodgeball tournament, AND pending sufficient volunteer interest, I am officially considering trying to run an actual PRO-BENDING TOURNAMENT!
The Tournament would take the form of two panels, a Qualifying Panel and a Tournament Panel. Rules are below, and still way, way open for suggestions and changes, so read through and tell me what you think!
-----
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
Pro-bending teams consist of three players each. A 16 team elimination bracket would allow 48 players to participate, and would require 8+4+2+1 matches to decide on a champion team.
Signup for teams would be opened online before the con, but teams that failed to show up to the "qualifying" panel would be replaced on a first-come, first-serve basis by any prospective teams that /did/ show up.
We would also need several volunteers, to serve as referees (these people would have to be well-versed in the rules) and ringside attendants (returning "elements" to the arena and helping players enter, leave, and don/remove their headbands and wristbands). Audience members are totally welcome, of course. And a charismatic announcer (or two) would really make the "tournament" panel shine!
ATTIRE
Referees and ringside attendants will be issued white headbands. Referees will additionally receive a whistle and notebook for making calls and a red and yellow fan for announcing fouls.
Pro-bending teams may create and wear team uniforms if they choose, but this is not mandatory. Elaborate/fragile cosplay is not recommended and the panelists will accept no liability for costume damage sustained while playing. Each player will be issued a headband and wristbands in the color of their 'element' (red, blue, or green).
Audience members can wear whatever the crap they want! If they'd like to wear their favorite team's colors, they're more than welcome. Cheering is encouraged, but mean-spirited jeering could get you booted from the panel room.
RULES OF THE GAME
The rules of pro-bending are all covered in a comprehensive entry on the Avatar Wiki, here: http://avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Pro-bending (http://avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Pro-bending) Bryke also created a great rules video which you can view here: http://www.nick.com/videos/clip/legend-of-korra-pre-bending-rules-explained-clip.html (http://www.nick.com/videos/clip/legend-of-korra-pre-bending-rules-explained-clip.html) Our tournament would follow these rules as closely as possible, with a few obvious adjustments for our non-bending world.
EQUIPMENT
Instead of actual fire, water, and earth, we will be using color-coded dodgeballs as 'elements'. Ringside attendants will retrieve any 'elements' that roll or are thrown out of the reach of the players. Retrieved 'elements' will be rolled back into the arena along the current boundary line between the two teams, from the side where they flew out.
The arena will be marked out on the floor in carpet-safe colored tape. The 'ropes' along the sides of the arena will (probably) be strung from chairs.
BENDING AND DEFENDING
Each player must pick their 'element' upon registration, and wear a headband and wristbands in the colors of that 'element'. Players may pick up, hold, and throw balls only if they are of an 'element' bendable by the player. Each player enters the field carrying two balls of their 'element', and can pick up loose 'elements' of the correct type from the floor at any time. No player may "hoard" their 'element' by picking up more than two balls at the same time.
Catching an opponent's thrown 'element' without dropping it, IF it is the correct type, is a fair save and does not count as a hit. Players may also use an 'element' held in their hands as a shield to block other 'elements' from hitting them. Picking up, holding, or throwing a ball of the wrong 'element' is a foul and will result in a one-zone penalty (thanks to Korra, there's canon precedent for this rule)!
SCORING HITS AND LOSING ZONES
Headshots are illegal (yes, even for waterbenders!) and can result in a one-zone penalty, but any other part of the body is a fair target.
Three direct hits on the same player will "push" that player back one zone. Accidentally stepping back over the line also loses the player a zone. Players can also lose a zone by committing a foul, such as excessive roughness or stepping across a zone line when the right conditions have not been met.
If both a player's feet are touching the floor outside the arena at any time, this will count as a ring-out. That player is out ("in the water"). Players who sustain three hits and lose a zone while in Zone Three are also "in the water". These players must sit out the rest of the round. They may return for the next round.
All rules not mentioned in this section will be identical to the canon rules of pro-bending.
REFEREE CALLS
To avoid confusion, all referee calls should be phrased the same way: "(Red/Blue) ----bender, (call)!" Calls made for the whole team should be phrased as: "(Red/Blue) Team, (call)!" The Red and Blue teams in a match are decided by which half of the arena (red or blue) they start from.
Examples:
Blue waterbender, one hit!
Red firebender, three hits! Fall back to Zone Two!
Blue earthbender, out!
Red waterbender, foul! Excessive roughness!
Blue firebender, foul! You're over the zone line!
Red earthbender, foul! Wrong element!
Blue team, advance to Zone One!
Red team, advance to Zone Three!
The announcer(s) will, of course, use the teams' actual names as much as they like in their running commentary.
RULES OF THE TOURNAMENT
A pro-bending match takes about fifteen minutes (three 3-minute rounds, plus six minutes of leeway for setup/referee calls/etc.)
The first eight matches would fit into a 2.5 hour "qualifying" panel, consisting of two hours for the eight matches, plus an extra half hour to review the rules beforehand and cover any delays that might crop up. This panel would be run as a quick-and-dirty elimination round, with no team intros or awards.
The last seven matches would fit into another 2.5 hour "tournament" panel, consisting of quick team intros for the audience, followed by four preliminary matches, a two semi-final matches, and a final championship match, and finally an awards ceremony. This panel would be more audience-oriented and flamboyant, with teams encouraged to take a minute to mug for the crowd before starting their matches.
-----
Well? Have I left anything out? Anything you would add, or that you disagree with? Suggestions, thoughts, comments? Do any of you know where we could get a bunch of inexpensive dodgeballs?
And, most importantly, if these panels were approved, would you come to watch, or to referee...or even assemble a team and try for the CHAMPIONSHIP???
-----
POTENTIAL VOLUNTEER LIST
(This is NOT an official signup list, just a way to measure interest and help us get approved!)
Referees
Sorimatsu
mesaverde
Ringside Attendants
Blue Leader
Bunny_Jean's fiance
POTENTIAL PLAYERS
(This is NOT an official signup list, just a way to measure interest and help us get approved!)
AshleyMonMon
Shingami_lover
Cuddlefish
lilyrosa143
Suyorumi
baka-imouto
Tsukinya
Tsukinya's husband
bunny_jean
Hikari_Alice
RoriLei
nekovamp13
Raveen92
Pixie
luvan1me
-
I....
I....
I LOVE THIS PANEL
-
Can I play?!!!
-
I....
I....
I LOVE THIS PANEL
I'M SO GLAD ohmygosh will you help make it happen?! I know I asked programming permission earlier this year (I didn't want to spend hours sorting out the rules if it was an utterly lost cause), but I was still worried staff wouldn't be pleased, it's a rather athletic panel although I guess technically it's no more "dangerous" than Cosplay Chess. Would it be possible to get a big enough room? Could they be "events" or would it need to be "panels", technically speaking?
Oh, also, I found lovely rulesheets online that could be lightly photoshopped to reflect the Real Life Rules, then linked from the signup post/or/page and handed out in hardcopy form to players at the qualifying panel: http://avatarthelastairbenderonline.com/bumi-kya-revealed-pro-bending/
Can I play?!!!
If the panels get accepted, please play! Get a team together, mark out an arena in the backyard and practice, come up with a cool name, the whole shebang! ♥
-
This sounds like so much fun.... :D
-
This sounds AMAZING.
Also, I dunno what kind of balls you were going to get, but the kind we used at my middle and high schools were foam coated in a rubber/plastic skin, and they don't hurt when you get hit, unlike traditional rubber balls (like in the Dodgeball movie). So that might help with getting this panel approved.
-
This sounds epic, now to volunteer as ref or to play, this is the question.
-
Oh my pie! Sounds so epic.... I wants to play.
-
Yes!!! This panel is the coolest panel to enter the anime convention scene since...ever! If this is actually approved I would love to not only participate in the game, but help make it happen/set it up if necessary! :D
I agree with bunny_jean, the Nerf soccer balls used to work the best: they have a decent weight to them so you can get power behind your throws and have them actually go the distance, but don't hurt(as much) as rubber balls.
...I must train to prepare. >>
-
Eee! I'm so glad people are interested! If the response is this good at the sleepiest time of year for the Kumoricon forums, it should be phenomenal when the con is getting close! ;D
Soft, squishy foam balls were used in all the epic dodgeball games of my schoolgirl days, and I would never imagine using anything more dangerous/painful in our epic tournament. No fear of hard rubber here! I've been looking around online, trying to find affordable balls in the right colors. (The colors are the hardest part, actually, since we'll need red, green, and blue, but most balls seem to be sold in rainbow-colored selections, most of which we couldn't use.) Has anyone else found any good sellers?
-
Ohmygod. I..this..ohmygod. Can I just say that I love you? I WILL be doing this... Maybe I can get my taicou to too!!! (I heard he was good at soccer, and different is this really?)
-
All riiight, I found a site that sells soft foam dodgeballs in specific colors for $11.95 each. They're only 6.5 inches across, though. Would that be too small?
http://www.wintergreen.ca/productinfo.aspx?pc=wsp87286gr&cc=pe8
-
A 6.5 diameter ball should be fine(it might be a little small for those with large hands but will not be too big for those with smaller hands that may want to play). Also if its not too early i would like to sign up/volunteer as a ref.
One thing to note is that the price jumps from 11ish for a 6.5 inch ball to 14-15ish for a 8 inch ball.
-
It's probably too early for official signups (the panel isn't even approved yet!), but having solid numbers of interested refs/volunteers/players would definitely carry some weight when we do submit the panel forms! So I've created a "potential volunteers" and "potential players" listing up at the end of the original post. Just comment and let me know if you want to be on it!
It is NOT an official signup list, for the record, and it doesn't count as a "reserved" space for players or teams. It's just a way of gauging interest - I'll post actual signups if/when the panel gets approved, okay? ;)
(And yeah, I'd love to get the 8-inch foam balls, but that extra three or four dollars adds up fast when you're buying at least a dozen of the things. They're already going to be the biggest panel expense, since the remaining equipment is just tape for the arena lines, headbands, and referee fans. Maybe if somebody was willing to chip in and help pay for them...haha, maybe we should do a mini-Kickstarter or something once we've got panel approval...? I dunno, though, I feel pretty weird about asking for money like that. :-\ )
-
Ohmygod. I..this..ohmygod. Can I just say that I love you? I WILL be doing this... Maybe I can get my taicou to too!!! (I heard he was good at soccer, and different is this really?)
I'll do it, even though dodgeball and soccer are completely different.. But I am pretty good at both.
-
My husband and I are in! Sign us up as players :)
-
Oh yeah! Is there anyone doing this that will be (or could) cosplay either Karin or Hinamori for me and taicou's team?
-
Oh, I'm forming a team, btw. :)
-
I've updated the potential player list! I do want to remind people that it is not a signup list, though. This is really important, so we don't have misunderstandings and hurt feelings later if people who express interest now don't snag a spot on the signup list when it opens. (I'm getting a little nervous that we'll have too much interest in playing...!)
Also, we don't have anyone listed as potential ringside attendants yet! If you want to help run the tournament, but don't want to memorize all the rules or shoulder the stress of making referee calls, this is the position for you! ;D
-
May I please be a potential player? :D ;D
-
Absolutely! Sorry I missed you earlier. You're on the list. ;D
-
YAY THANK YOU!!
-
Would this be happening during KumoriCon?
I'm not entirely sure I'll be making it to the convention (again), but if I do, I wouldn't mind volunteering as an attendant.
-
Awesome! Yes, we're looking to put it on as a panel or an event at the convention. :) Shall I add you to the list of interested people?
-
My fiancee would potentially be a referee or ringside attendant if he doesn't go to PAX instead of Kcon.
-
YAY! Taichou and I have a Karin and a team uniform design! And we know what elements too! ('course thats pretty obvious, considering...)
Taichou gets Water/Ice, since, you know, it's kind of his thing.
I have Earth since Haineko IS ash.. which counts.
And Karin-chan gets Fire to match her personality and complement Taichou (and we all know how opposites attract...)
THIS IS GOING TO BE SOOO FUN!!!
-
Excellent! ;D The list is updated. (Again, it's not a commitment, just a way to measure general interest, so don't worry if you're not sure yet whether you can make it to the con.)
-
Awesome! Yes, we're looking to put it on as a panel or an event at the convention. :) Shall I add you to the list of interested people?
Sure. Go ahead. :)
-
Right~! Found the Forum~! Anyways~.... This is the Karin~!
-
Excellent! ;D I've updated the list to show your forum name. Thanks for your interest!
-
By the way, any progress on the "elements" (dodgeballs)?
and is sorigami me? :D
-
Whoops! Lemme go fix that. ;D Dunno what I was thinking!
And yeah, I've found a site that would supply them individually by color for about $11 each, but no better deals yet. If you've found one, please let me know!
-
I'd love to participate! And I'm sure every single one of my friends going will want to as well!
We won't have to cosplay LOK to participate, right? Cause I really really want to participate. I think that Viper, Blair and Fem Italy would make great probenders (maybe the last one significantly less so).
-
I would also be willing to be a referee.
-
Oh, you could definitely cosplay whoever you wanted! It would be awfully limiting to force people to wear only Korra outfits. ;D Shall I put you down for a ref or a player, for now? Mind-changing when actual signups go up is a-okay.
-
Hmmm how about a ref?
-
Done! ;D Glad to have you on board.
-
Hi! In case you still want more potential people to sign up, at least two, up to 5 of my friends are also interested.
-
Oh mai . . . Is it bad that I fangirled when I read this?
I would love to participate, but I'm not sure what I want to volunteer to do because none of my friends cosplay and/or watch LoK, so they have no idea what this would be if I asked them to form a team with me. So, if anyone is needing an extra member, I'll be willing to fill that spot(also willing to do a group from the same anime as anyone as long as I've seen it. I'll make room for it if it means participating in this.). But if not, the ringside attendant also sounds really fun. I'm not sure what I want to volunteer for! >3<
I think this is a marvelous idea. I hope this really gets accepted if it hasn't already~.
I'm still squealing like a little girl.
-
Mesaverde: Yup, I'm totally on board for adding anybody who's interested! ♥ The purpose of the list is to get an idea of the level of interest in an event like this, since it would require a lot of participants to make it work. Do they have board nicknames? If not, are there other online nicknames I could use to add them to the list, other than "Mesaverde's friend"?
Hikari-Alice: Aww! Thank you! I'm really glad that people are getting excited! And I bet there'll be a lot of individual people who want to form teams but don't have Korra-buddies of their own at home. Whatever I put you down for now, you can totally change your mind before the actual signups, so just let me know where you want your name for the time being, okay?
So! Question for everybody:
When it's time for signups, do you think it would be better to require people to sign up in teams of three, and ask individual people who want teams to post in the thread and get in touch over private messaging or email to form complete teams before they sign up? Or would it be better to allow people signing up to either specify a team or choose a "sort me" option, and just sort all the un-teamed applicants into random teams of three?
The first option would be less likely to result in teams of total strangers who might not get along, but the second would be less likely to result in individuals being unable to find a team at all and being left out (or forced to volunteer ringside when they'd rather be playing). Maybe we could do a combination of the two, where we'd recommend forming your own team (in person or online) before signing up, if possible, but still form teams out of individual applicants if there are any left over?
What do you all think?
-
I would love to join, but I suck at anything sport like, So if this panel is approve then I'll watch!
-
I think it would be best to suggest people form group, and give teams first dibs at joining, and then if there are any spots left form groups of random individuals.
-
Oooh~ I'm still not sure . . .
In response to the question, I would suggest combining the two, that way both teams and individuals can have a chance at applying before the slots are all filled. But getting to know the people on your team should also be pretty helpful because then you know their strengths and weaknesses and know when and where to aid your friends in the rounds, and help decide the element in the face-offs.
-
Notclosetoperfect: you can ref with me!
And they don't have board nicknames.
-
Okay, so. I told my friend about this panel and she says that she'd totally form a team with me IF we sign up as players. Her sister may or may not be joining us. My friend's sister is iffy a lot. So we don't have an official third member yet. We're getting there though~
-
I want to play! Zoro seems like an earth bender type of character. If he had to be a bender. But really, I don't care which one I am, cuz my favorite bending is air and that's not in pro-bending (*sob*).
-
OwO
Good thing I'm the Avatar or I wouldn't be able to do this XD
Totally will be Aang for this! And I'll steal Shinigami_Lover as my Toph~
Now just need a Zuko or Katara >w>
-
Yeah and I am pretty much blind with out my glasses so it works... :D
-
All right! ;D Hikari_Alice, RoriLei, nekovamp13, I've added you all as potential players. (No bending multiple elements, Avatar Nekovamp! The refs'll ding you for that. ;) )
-
XD
I'll be a good little boy~
-
This...
This.....
THIS IS PURE WIN.
I am so going to kick everyone's butt at this thing. You cannot stop me.
-
I hold Interest as well.
-
Stop you, nothing. I'll cheer you on, Pixie. ;D And you, Raveen! Where should I add you two?
-
As a participant please. I'll join who evers team
-
Done! (Remember, it's an interest poll, not a signups list.) :) Pixie, how about you?
-
I am waaaaaaaaaaaay late in my answer, but if this topic isn't dead I'd like it to be known that I want to be a participant. PRO BENDING IN REAL LIFE. I'm still geeking out.
-
It's definitely still alive and kicking! ;D And I'll add you right now. Thanks for letting me know!
-
I'm super interested in being a participant as well! Also I'm going to guess air bending is not allowed?
-
Well, for the sake of sticking to the official league rules, which don't make allowance for airbending...yeah, I think we'll be limiting it to the other three elements.
(When you think about it, a sufficiently powerful airbender could win in a heartbeat by simply blowing everybody off the arena and into the drink with a giant whirlwind, so. It's not a very fair game to invite an airbender into, really. If airbenders do make a comeback in the Avatar world, they'll have to come up with a totally different sport that's more evenly weighted, I think. XD)
-
I think my heart and stomach just did the tango lol XD oh GOSH! I didn't think this even EXISTED! haha you can count me in as a team person bender... girl... XD I'll be there participating! I sure hope you get this panel! Hope it's earlier in the day too! Or else I'll be sad T__T
-
I hope it's not over the Smash Bros. Brawl Finals bracket. I can join any of the preliminary heats, but there is only one finals bracket.
-
HELLO EVERYBODY! ;D We're in the official process of finalizing our plans before submitting the panel forms!
At the moment, we have TWO people interested in referee-ing, TWO people interested in serving as ringside attendants, and FIFTEEN people interested in forming teams - that's FIVE teams' worth of players.
The original plan was to have a SIXTEEN-team (FORTY-EIGHT player) elimination bracket. Does that still sound sufficient to you guys? Also, are there any other forumites at this time who would like to work as referees or attendants? Two is a good minimum, but four or more would allow us to keep a better eye on the game, and give breaks to our hard workers.
Also, provided we could find the space, would any of you like to come to a Friday night practice session to play a few rounds, get used to working as teams, and help our referees and attendants practice their jobs?
-
I actually might be pulling out from this, if I get my 2 panels >.< but I'll let you know as soon as I know! If I don't get the panels, I will love to help referee! :)
-
I am willing be a referee or a player...
-
I think 16 teams is sufficient. If it gets accepted I would ask the Kcon staff to put it in the contest section, maybe award Kumori points to the winners? idk. Then the signups could be more formal?
I would totally be down for a practice session, that way if there aren't enough teams (I don't know why they wouldn't fill up though) then we could recruit more people.
-
I was thinking that the original bracket size will be really huge. I think the we should keep it at a smaller team number because this is the first time this is being held. It'll be much easier to coordinate things with less people.
-
Yeah, I've been considering a smaller bracket too, but the trouble is finding a number that eliminates neatly. An eight-team bracket would, but that only lets twenty-four players in...
-
There is the possibility of a 12 team bracket, but selecting the four teams that wouldn't have to play the first round could be difficult. I don't know if it's possible to make this a two day event, but if it is, one day could be a sort of "round robin" but teams would only play three games each (three groups of four teams playing round robin), then ranks would be made from those and the teams with the best ranks would get the advantage of sitting the first round out.
Kind of complicated, but it might work.
-
I also agree with everything.
I would love to be a player, but right now I'm having pains in my legs and if that keeps up, I wont be able to do this. But I can be a ref instead if needed.
It would be cool to have announcers as well, and I could probably help with that ^^
-
I'd like to be a player, but if needed I could be a ringside attendant.
I may be able to do a practice, depending on where, when, and if I can get a friend to come with, but it's no certain guarantee.
-
If we can get 16 teams that would be great! I already have a team, I am trying to get them to post here to make their interest official. A practice night would be fantastic!
-
SUBMITTED! ;D Now we get to sit back, cross our fingers, hope really hard...and wait.
Regarding the number of teams, I think I have a compromise. I requested the time necessary for a 16-team bracket. If the tournament gets approved by staff, I'll open the OFFICIAL signups immediately and see how many teams we get before the convention.
If interest is strong and the bracket is filling up fast, we'll stick to the maximum of 16 teams. If it's more lukewarm, I'll reduce the bracket a bit and use the freed-up time to give teams a chance to warm up and practice before the games start. How does that sound?
(We're bound to have at least a few no-shows for the actual panel even if the bracket fills up completely before the con, so there should be at least a few spots for spur-of-the-moment and/or waiting-list teams to fill at the convention.)
-
Sounds like a plan!
-
Ladies and gentlemen, we are APPROVED! ;D
Signups for teams will be made available in advance, and a signed waiver will be required. Players under 18 who won't be attending with a parent, make sure you get yours signed before you come! I'll post a link here to the signups as soon as they're set up.
Those interested in being referees or ring attendants, please contact me with a private message! Only four referee spots and six attendant spots will be open, so don't delay!
-
WOOOOOOO!
-
so I saw that we got approved lol and since both of my panels and other events I'm in don't conflict with this, I am able to help out and participate in anyway possible :)
-
Count me in as a player. ^^ I call Fire, even though I'm not sure how I'll be dressed for this. SO EXCITED FOR THIS PANEL! I really love the idea of geeky sports. <3
-
Awesomeness~ I just need a team now . . . This is going to be so much fun~
-
The current plan is to have participants sign up individually for the forty-eight player slots. Teams will be officially formed and elements chosen at the check-in, before the preliminaries.
Obviously the players will get to pick their teammates...and nothing is stopping you from practicing together beforehand or coming up with a team name in advance! You'll be a team in every way except on paper, and once you've all three checked in and formed your team on the day-of, you'll be a team in every way, period.
This is just to keep things as simple as possible, so we don't end up crossing out and rewriting the team compositions and names several times in the days leading up to the con. Some people always end up needing to drop in and out of availability. It also makes sure that players who can't/haven't formed a team in advance feel welcome! : )
-
I heard that the prelims for this are going to be on Sunday? I'm concerned it will cut into costume contest judging (I am competing), and I'm concerned I won't have time to change into my costume in time. Is that day locked in?
-
I heard that the prelims for this are going to be on Sunday? I'm concerned it will cut into costume contest judging (I am competing), and I'm concerned I won't have time to change into my costume in time. Is that day locked in?
Yes, the times are locked in. The prelims for the pro-bending tournament are at the same time as costume judging for cosplay. If this is going to be problem, email panels@kumoricon.org and we can see if we can work it out so you can do both.
-
I heard that the prelims for this are going to be on Sunday? I'm concerned it will cut into costume contest judging (I am competing), and I'm concerned I won't have time to change into my costume in time. Is that day locked in?
Yes, the times are locked in. The prelims for the pro-bending tournament are at the same time as costume judging for cosplay. If this is going to be problem, email panels@kumoricon.org and we can see if we can work it out so you can do both.
After reading this and knowing that I just want to focus on the cosplay contest on Sunday, I'm going to back out from this, but will watch part of it! Hopefully this will be back next year!
-
I heard that the prelims for this are going to be on Sunday? I'm concerned it will cut into costume contest judging (I am competing), and I'm concerned I won't have time to change into my costume in time. Is that day locked in?
Yes, the times are locked in. The prelims for the pro-bending tournament are at the same time as costume judging for cosplay. If this is going to be problem, email panels@kumoricon.org and we can see if we can work it out so you can do both.
I will do that, because I would LOVE to do both, and I don't want to play in my costume. XD
-
We have our official times!
Check-in: Sunday, 11 am - 12 noon
Prelims: Sunday, 12 noon - 2 pm
Finals: Monday, 11 am - 1 pm
I want to emphasize that you can't be late for Check-in! Pre-registered players who are more than fifteen minutes late will lose their reserved slots, which will be filled by the next player on the waiting list.
That said, we should be ready to start sign-ups for the tournament very soon, so keep an eye on this thread! I'll make an announcement here as soon as you can sign up. :)
-
We have our official times!
Check-in: Sunday, 11 am - 12 noon
Prelims: Sunday, 12 noon - 2 pm
Finals: Monday, 11 am - 1 pm
I want to emphasize that you can't be late for Check-in! Pre-registered players who are more than fifteen minutes late will lose their reserved slots, which will be filled by the next player on the waiting list.
That said, we should be ready to start sign-ups for the tournament very soon, so keep an eye on this thread! I'll make an announcement here as soon as you can sign up. :)
Cool! Question, do all team members have to be present at check in, or just some? I'm in communication with Jaki and Andie about cosplay contest judging, and I will most likely be doing that, changing, then running down to this.
-
I can not actually participate in the tournament due to my knee disorder. I can however referee :)
-
@ bunny_jean: I'm pretty sure we need to have everybody present at Check-in? Both to make sure all players are present and accounted for, and (just as importantly) to go over the rules before the tournament begins. You can be up to fifteen minutes late, though, if that helps?
@ luvan1me: Awesome! We definitely need plenty of referees. Ideally we'd like to have four ranged around the ring, to keep an eye on everything, but if we get more we can swap out and let people take rests. :D Would you like me to send you a referee packet?
-
@ bunny_jean: I'm pretty sure we need to have everybody present at Check-in? Both to make sure all players are present and accounted for, and (just as importantly) to go over the rules before the tournament begins. You can be up to fifteen minutes late, though, if that helps?
@ luvan1me: Awesome! We definitely need plenty of referees. Ideally we'd like to have four ranged around the ring, to keep an eye on everything, but if we get more we can swap out and let people take rests. :D Would you like me to send you a referee packet?
I'm hoping not to be late at all, but I'm partly at the mercy of the cosplay contest judges.
-
Yes I would love to get the referee packet ^_^
-
I would love to be part of this but my dodgeball skills are supremely rusty. So I suppose I'll volunteer as a ref, though depending on scheduling I might not be able to do the finals.
-
still in for being a referee, the question is, waterbender referee or dai li referee...........
-
I got a team together!
Earthbender- me. Most likely as Ino, possibly as Zoro.
Waterbender- my friend, notclose2perfect. Most likely as Sakura, possibly as Harley Quinn or a Lolita.
Firebender- notclose2perfect's boyfriend. Most likely as himself, possibly as the Joker or a Lolita.
We've decided to call our team the "Pink Daffodils". We thought that was suitable for Ino and Sakura :) The boyfriend might not be too happy about it though...
-
I don't have a team. :'( Please Help!
-
^ I don't either.. Are we to arrange teams prior to the preliminaries? I was under the impression it would be more of a free-for-all/arrange-it-when-we-get-there type thing....
-
Hey, all! Signups for players, referees, and attendants are OFFICIALLY OPEN! You can find them RIGHT HERE AT THIS LINK (https://www.kumoricon.org/forums/index.php?topic=18095.0)! Let's do this thing! ;D
luvan1me, majinekochan, Sorimatsu, go ahead and send in your signup emails and I'll get those referee packets out to you ASAP. It's fine if you can only make the preliminaries or the finals; I'm not putting limits on the number of referees and attendants. Only four refs and six attendees will be working the ring at one time, but extra participants will allow our hard-working refs and attendants to take breaks!
RoriLei, that's great news! Make sure both your teammates send in their individual signup emails, and remember that you won't be forming an official team until the check-in panel.
AshleyMonMon, Tsukinya, don't worry - teams will be formed officially at the check-in panel.
-
alrighty! just sent in my information :) hope my first and last name and email is okay for the content of the email and the subject line as PRO-BENDING REFEREE ^_^
-
Hey, guys - I misspelled the submissions email in the signups post. I'm really sorry. XD;; If you haven't gotten your confirmation email yet, please try resending your message to [korpokkuru@gmail.com], okay? I'll get your confirmations out ASAP.
-
Hey, all! ;D Thanks for sending in so many signups! Just so you know, we're doing great on player and referee signups, but we could use some more ring attendants.
These brave souls will be protecting the audience, returning elements to the ring, and helping the players get their gear on and off as they enter and exit the ring - basically, they'll be the ones keeping the tournament running smoothly, and we can always use more!
-
Hey I would totally be down for some pro bending! Where do I sign up?
-
Signups are right here! https://www.kumoricon.org/forums/index.php?topic=18095.0
-
So this was an epic success. Sure, we had some uh, hiccups, but that was to be expected for a first time, after all. I especially loved Azula's Agni Kai for a finale!
Here's me and my awesome team!
(https://www.kumoricon.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi19.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fb199%2FWizardHowl%2FTeamGhostSharkss.jpg&hash=2f7825716512b1e6d94d498fe9144055a43c9b11)
Go Ghost Sharks!
Hahaha. Anyway, I definitely want to play some more sometime soon. I'm totally geeking out.
-
This was totally awesome! If possible we should try to do this year round and make it a big deal!
My only suggestion would be a bigger playing area. It was hard to move without stepping on a line. XD Also extra balls, and balls that don't sting as much on non-clothed skin, like the foam ones that are covered in rubber.
-
Aaaaand that's a wrap on the KumoriLeague 2013 pro-bending season! ;D
The winners were as follows:
THIRD PLACE (2 TEAMS): Team Ashoka and Team Team Team
SECOND PLACE: Team Sexy Sailors
FIRST PLACE: Team Illuminati
Thank you so much, everyone who participated in making the tournament such a great success - the phenomenal players who gave it their all out on the court, the forumites who helped us hammer out the shape of the thing in advance, the attendants who repeatedly rescued our elements from being lost forever, the referees who went above and beyond to keep things fair and reasonably sane, and of course Kristina and Jaki (the Programming staffers who went heroically to bat for us from the beginning) and Dane and Zach (our fantastic announcer and color man).
These panels were a bigger hit than I ever dreamed, especially considering the last-minute decision by the Red Lion Hotel to not allow the games to be held indoors. We had to make do with a smaller-than-planned arena in an obscure corner of the conspace, a "scenic" riverside location with a low railing that barely kept the elements from going in the drink, and sunny weather that got us all sweating hard - and still, every participant came through beautifully when it counted. <3
It was a first-time attempt at a very complicated panel, and we learned a lot that we can use to improve on the formula for next year (foam dodgeballs with extras-just-in-case are definitely on the shopping list - the rubber inflatable ones were a purchasing error we caught too late to fix - and I'm eager to read more advice and feedback in your comments to this thread), but I'm so happy with how it all turned out. Watching a Firebender leaping right over a flying element in a perfect dodge, a Waterbender catching a water attack just in time to use her element for a smooth double block, or an Earthbender regaining his balance on the very brink of falling back a zone, with pounding Korra soundtrack music and Dane and Zach's commentary, is a Kumoricon memory that will always make me grin.
At the risk of sounding utterly cheesy, you guys are all champions. Thank you for playing, and here's hoping for another even better tournament next year!
-
Congrats to the winning team! I really loved the pro-bending. I think it was great fun to be in and to watch. I just wish some of the rules had been better enforced. My teammate has a massive burn on her leg from getting hit by a ball and can't bend her knee. It was blistering this morning. Plus her pants were ripped. So foam balls might be better next year. And better enforcement of the "no extreme aggression" rule.
-
Yup, I ended up with a ball-burn on my leg, too, and I was refereeing - not even playing. These balls are definitely out for next year, and we apologize for the trouble enforcing excessive roughness fouls. (We had fewer referees sign up than we hoped for, and it was all we could do to keep track of the basic points and the most blatant foot faults - we did make a point of telling the opposing team to back off whenever a complaint was made, though.)
There was a purchasing error with the dodgeballs - we honestly planned for foam balls from the beginning, but bought the rubber ones by mistake - and didn't have the time or resources to buy all new balls with the con coming up fast. We did our best to reduce the problem by deflating them slightly, but it clearly was not enough. Next year, we're going with a gentler option for sure. Nobody should be getting hurt playing this game, even superficially.
-
PLEASE have this next year!! it looked great! My friends and I cosplayed as the Fire Ferrets, (with Mako switched for Iroh 2.0) and were SO exited to participate but didn't make it in. we're so excited for next year hoping they'll have this again so we can get in. Planning to be the Fire Ferrets in their probending armor :D
-
I wanted to participate in this so badly, we had a fun team idea ready to go too, but our staffing schedules prevented us from playing. Next year! I heard the people watching really enjoyed it too. I could definitely see this becoming a big yearly event!
-
I'm going to be putting together a highlight reel of the tournament. There's a couple of things I need.
Does anyone have pictures or footage of the preliminaries? I'd love to supplement the stuff I already have.
Does anyone have pictures of footage of the finals? (I had to film Cosplay Chess)
Does anyone have cool team logos like the Ghost Sharks (see above)? I wanna give you the Sports Center treatment.
I'm going to wait until I've finished archiving my other footage to DVD before I start this project so I have plenty of room for drafts and edits. I will definitely post a link here once its done!
-
Tom, you get cooler every year. This sounds amazing! :) If any teams don't have logos or the resources to make one, I'd be happy to come up with some in Photoshop!
I'm not sure if anyone was filming the finals, though. Guys? Did anybody get the finals on camera? I was trying to focus on eight things at once out by the ring, so I wasn't paying much attention to the stands...
-
Are these the rules that you started with?
http://thebestofkorra.tumblr.com/post/54787168429/the-rules-of-pro-bending-official-pro-bending (http://thebestofkorra.tumblr.com/post/54787168429/the-rules-of-pro-bending-official-pro-bending)
I've whipped up a rough index page ready for links from other photographers.
http://tomthefanboy.com/kumoricon/2013/probending/bendingindex.html (http://tomthefanboy.com/kumoricon/2013/aaabending.html)
Here's the roster, in case you guys lost track.
](https://www.kumoricon.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftomthefanboy.com%2Fkumoricon%2F2013%2Fday2%2FIMG_7760.JPG&hash=99984d09dbd9be41fa031496e29e10cba32d6b78)
-
Those are the rules, yes! But we edited them to take out elemental content that wasn't relevant, and put in our own rules about the dodgeball bending. : )
Oh, and if I remember correctly, we had to switch up part of the roster because team members had gone for a drink of water, so the Wolfbats, the Hermits, and the Fighting Spirit ended up in a different order. I don't remember the exact order that they were in, though. I thiiink it was Turtleducks vs. Hermits, Ghost Sharks vs. Wolfbats, Illuminati vs. Fighting Spirit. Can anybody confirm me on that?
-
[size=78%]Oh, and if I remember correctly, we had to switch up part of the roster because team members had gone for a drink of water, so the Wolfbats, the Hermits, and the Fighting Spirit ended up in a different order. I don't remember the exact order that they were in, though. I thiiink it was Turtleducks vs. Hermits, Ghost Sharks vs. Wolfbats, Illuminati vs. Fighting Spirit. Can anybody confirm me on that?[/size]
I caught the revised line up in the footage, so I'll go find a screenshot. I just posted this so that everyone could remember their names. ;)
Here's the roster from the last video of the preliminaries. I think that it is clear which side has the advantage, the side not facing the sun! The only team that beat the sun had to dislocate an ankle to do so!
(https://www.kumoricon.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftomthefanboy.com%2Fkumoricon%2F2013%2Fday2%2Froster2.png&hash=d266695370698db2e218660d0f438f9a3b892e49)
-
Potential team logos I have found online.
(https://www.kumoricon.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftomthefanboy.com%2Fkumoricon%2F2013%2Fprobending%2Fwolfbatslogo.png&hash=f6f0f2ce7b272b982956dbc07b791e18bf3c83ec)
(https://www.kumoricon.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftomthefanboy.com%2Fkumoricon%2F2013%2Fprobending%2Ffighting-spirit-logo.png&hash=7ca33c1fa3e891dd86d0e7bd9866f3ca3faa17ac)
[size=78%](https://www.kumoricon.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftomthefanboy.com%2Fkumoricon%2F2013%2Fprobending%2Ffighting_spirit_team_logo_by_baronblack-d5jilr7.png&hash=0d49f33d54a85fc194d3572dd5780892b3980a3b)[/size]
-
One more reason to push for the panel to be moved indoors next year! It isn't really fair to make people push back against the sun.
(https://www.kumoricon.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdonthatethegeek.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2011%2F01%2FLethalWeapon_PBig.png&hash=aca995d251708099ed7b1ebfbecb2b3279f26eb7)
(https://www.kumoricon.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iamkylenewton.com%2Fimages%2Fsoggy_logo_large.png&hash=4aa9228413914a0f7451a3dbc56815af4a922bf7)
(https://www.kumoricon.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fgoodlogo.com%2Fimages%2Flogos%2Filluminati_logo_3317.gif&hash=ef47e316d57c052e0673b64015ba201db19f3083)
-
There's also this tool for creating custom team logos (http://www.flamingtext.com/logo/Design-Sports)!
-
I made some custom ones too!
(https://www.kumoricon.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftomthefanboy.com%2Fkumoricon%2F2013%2Fprobending%2Fteamcabbage_logo.png&hash=36494d7a2e4c941f651228ba97ad2cc97e1a42f1)(https://www.kumoricon.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftomthefanboy.com%2Fkumoricon%2F2013%2Fprobending%2Fashoka_logo.png&hash=afb5e5dbb9f660943d90771fd2be26cd7ab1d593)
-
Tom,
Photography Coordinator here... I got full photo coverage of both preliminaries and the finals. I did not see anyone filming the finals. I'd be happy to share my personal photos with you; I have 220 edited across both. What would be the best way to get them to you?
I also agree about the balls, though I understand the circumstances. Regarding the sun, would it be possible to have the teams switch sides between rounds? Few had more than one or two, so I think it would balance out anyway.
I had a blast participating in this event, and I think it was a great idea. It was pretty popular, though it did overlap Cosplay Chess. I'm even pleased it was outside and ended up where it did - aside from the heat and the Avatar crashing our party during the finals, it was a good setup. I was disappointed winners weren't announced during Closing Ceremonies :\
Lots of fun - please do this again next year!
(https://www.kumoricon.org/forums/proxy.php?request=https%3A%2F%2Flh4.googleusercontent.com%2F-ZrEZLsetFFE%2FUiiHj2gxxZI%2FAAAAAAAAB6A%2FsPPcdaC9RO8%2Fw425-h638-no%2F_MG_1747.jpg&hash=a220735faf7342deda9d0382c16280af778fab22)
-
Thanks for the revised lineup, Tsukinya! The winners of the last two rounds were Team Team Team and the Catowls.
We can't make any promises yet, but we have strong hopes (if the panel is approved for a second year) of integrating it more fully into the convention - which would ideally mean an announcement of winners at the closing ceremonies. If the hotels are comfortable with the use of Gator Skin foam balls, we're going to gun for an indoor location, too, to beat the heat, get a better sound system setup, avoid the rough concrete and wind and the sun-in-the-eyes issue, and relax about possibly losing elements into the river. :)
-
The second picture didn't come through :p
(https://www.kumoricon.org/forums/proxy.php?request=https%3A%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2F-mKPFgp45Zi8%2FUiiHcZ_QK2I%2FAAAAAAAAB5o%2FnzAj75mRwbY%2Fw957-h638-no%2F_MG_2565.jpg&hash=6f8e0b9a25b01803939cdd73fa989cb84060d4ae)
Sexy Sailors played the Illuminati, with the latter reigning victorious :)
-
Another thing I was thinking was that with the con being four days next year, we could possibly have more teams competing, or do a round robin, then tournament sort of thing, and have it be over three days instead of two. I'm not sure if that would work out or not though.
-
Another thing I was thinking was that with the con being four days next year, we could possibly have more teams competing, or do a round robin, then tournament sort of thing, and have it be over three days instead of two. I'm not sure if that would work out or not though.
I think that would depend mostly on the hotel space and the schedule. Having more time to recover between rounds would be good for the players. The priority for next year though is to be indoors, with softer balls, and a sound system for the announcers. If they (she, FilkAeris really) can get that then it will be a good enough step to move forward with the event.
The main benefit of a 4 day schedule will be more flexibility to hold the tournament in the Live/Main events rooms.
-
Working on some more logos. I'm actually missing team names though! My video of the check-in got corrupted so I can't go back and see which team is which. can you guys help me identify these teams?
http://tomthefanboy.com/kumoricon/2013/probending/team_7747.png (http://tomthefanboy.com/kumoricon/2013/probending/team_7754.png)
http://tomthefanboy.com/kumoricon/2013/probending/team_7748.png (http://tomthefanboy.com/kumoricon/2013/probending/team_7754.png)
http://tomthefanboy.com/kumoricon/2013/probending/team_7749.png (http://tomthefanboy.com/kumoricon/2013/probending/team_7754.png)
http://tomthefanboy.com/kumoricon/2013/probending/team_7754.png (http://tomthefanboy.com/kumoricon/2013/probending/team_7754.png)
http://tomthefanboy.com/kumoricon/2013/probending/team_7757.png (http://tomthefanboy.com/kumoricon/2013/probending/team_7754.png)
I've organised the teams and their logos/names on the following page;
http://tomthefanboy.com/kumoricon/2013/probending/teamindex.html (http://tomthefanboy.com/kumoricon/2013/probending/teamindex.html)
I've also updated some of the team logos. I'm very happy with these two.
(https://www.kumoricon.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftomthefanboy.com%2Fkumoricon%2F2013%2Fprobending%2Flogo_sexysailors.png&hash=d9b15b230107a745e15f0daaa998d28e4d52e5d2)
(https://www.kumoricon.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftomthefanboy.com%2Fkumoricon%2F2013%2Fprobending%2Flogo_waterweasels.png&hash=96974976a2d3c555f6c8989b7703ca85778e8c07)
-
For those interested, I have posted a few pictures on my personal FB page, mostly of the Pro-Bending tournaments, as these are what I covered. Feel free to peruse and tag yourself :)
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10101169461396973.1073741830.19224784&type=1&l=1bb4abacdf
We hope to have full albums up on the Kumoricon website within the next month or so (LOTS to process!).
~Brianna, Photography Coordinator
-
OK, so I seriously need to ID the last four teams...
(https://www.kumoricon.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftomthefanboy.com%2Fkumoricon%2F2013%2Fprobending%2Flogo_roster.png&hash=ee4ff90a263154bc596bb9950ddba82472bc01c6)
-
For those interested, I have posted a few pictures on my personal FB page, mostly of the Pro-Bending tournaments, as these are what I covered. Feel free to peruse and tag yourself :)
Time to review the player matches and see if I can put the clues together to identify the last four teams.
OK, so I seriously need to ID these remaining teams; Team Team Team, the Wolfbats, and Riff Raff.
Team Team Team made it to the finals so somebody has got to recognize them!
-
Thanks to tumblr I was able to find Team Team Team!
http://tomthefanboy.com/kumoricon/2013/probending/t_teamteamteam.png (http://tomthefanboy.com/kumoricon/2013/probending/t_teamteamteam.png)
-
From what I'm able to determine based on my pictures, Riff Raff was the team with this gentleman:
(https://www.kumoricon.org/forums/proxy.php?request=https%3A%2F%2Flh6.googleusercontent.com%2F-nTDnEAJBZ6E%2FUizwfsBYKkI%2FAAAAAAAAB7s%2FgrALenZbnSo%2Fw425-h638-no%2F_MG_1743.jpg&hash=edd94e704dc0cf79aed75c519610474a15848ef7)
The Wolfbats didn't make it into the finals, so I don't have many pictures of them. However, I know they played the Ghost Sharks, so they would be this team:
(https://www.kumoricon.org/forums/proxy.php?request=https%3A%2F%2Flh3.googleusercontent.com%2F-aeMORx0XLmg%2FUizwflc1XzI%2FAAAAAAAAB7o%2FR0GmuUYTNok%2Fw425-h638-no%2F_MG_1671.jpg&hash=4fd4237002ccd23895da954e1c198f01ed8228db)
and
(https://www.kumoricon.org/forums/proxy.php?request=https%3A%2F%2Flh4.googleusercontent.com%2F-ps4zHOr2jts%2FUizwflVinvI%2FAAAAAAAAB74%2FQORR0MH7-Cw%2Fw425-h638-no%2F_MG_1672.jpg&hash=22e2b8ff36e25dc0eb7befe4d943ab14e6a12bad)
Hope that helps!
-
Yes! Excellent! Thank you! Now there's only one mystery team left. At least I can block out the art now!
Now the only problems I have to worry about is the controls in Premiere.
-
There was a request for a finals bracket with Team Wendell.
(https://www.kumoricon.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftomthefanboy.com%2Fkumoricon%2F2013%2Fprobending%2Ffinals_bracket.png&hash=22142f60d75057afeb3de51e479eae4b7043d191)
-
Any chance we might see Pro-Bending make an appearance at Sakuracon as well? I just might have to start practicing now for the next outing, is was great fun to watch!
-
OK, so I need suggestions on what music clips to put in the background of the photos from the finals.
-
Survival by Muse (aka: the song from the Olympics)
-
Survival by Muse (aka: the song from the Olympics)
Right on.
-
OK, I got the bulk of the videos trimmed down, now I've just gotta get a nice montage of the team art and the photos from the finals.
SOON.
-
Tom,
I posted a bunch of photos from the finals (and preliminaries) on my FB page, publicly visible via a post on Kumo's FB page. LMK if you need the link, more photos, or higher res. I can hook you up with my Dropbox if need be :)
-
Tsukinya, do you have a link for those of us who aren't on FaceBook? The photos sound awesome!
Tom, can't wait to see how this turns out! Thank you so much for putting all this time and effort into the project! <3
-
I've finished editing already but the rendering won't complete. :(
I've spent the last 3 days trying different settings and none of them are working.
If I could get it to save I might go back and flesh out video with the latest sets of pictures but at this point I just want to get it pushed out.
If anyone has any ideas about Premiere CS2 rendering issues, let me know. :-\
-
Tsukinya, do you have a link for those of us who aren't on FaceBook? The photos sound awesome!
So if Kumoricon's pictures are here....
https://www.facebook.com/Kumoricon/photos_stream (https://www.facebook.com/Kumoricon/photos_stream)
This link works for me and I don't have a facebook.
I had my wife log in and check the facebook profile...
https://www.facebook.com/brianna.shade.31/
She found this
https://www.facebook.com/brianna.shade.31/media_set?set=a.10101169461396973.1073741830.19224784&type=3
But it only works if you're logged in. :(
-
OK, so I've finished uploading the video! Because of rendering errors I had to break it in two.
Part 1 http://youtu.be/3XZ1wJ11tgM
Part 2 http://youtu.be/8LebyTRkqmQ
Credits are at the end of part 2.
-
^^^^^^^^^^^THESE ARE GREAT
-
Sorry.. been away from the forums for a bit (moving!) Sorry the album wasn't easily found outside of a FB login! Kumoricon is publicly visible, but you'd have to sift through the posts to find mine. For those not on FB, this is the public link to the album (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10101169461396973.1073741830.19224784&type=1&l=1bb4abacdf). Please let me know if you're still having trouble seeing them! :)