We are Bread and Butter Game Reviews(BNBGR) and we are looking to connect with local gamers in the Central Valley area. So cities such as Tracy, Manteca, Stockton, Lathrop, etc.
Our goal is host fighting game tournaments in this area and possibly expand and participate in tournaments in the Bay Area or in the Sacramento area. But before we can start doing any of that, we want to connect with gamers and figure out how big of a fighting game community we have here. We believe the community is large in this area, but because of the communities in the bay area and Sacramento area, gamers here in the central valley are “pushed to the shadows” or considered part of the larger communities. With the participation of everyone, we can build a solid community in this area and build a community that people from all over will recognize.
Even though our main target audience is Central Valley gamers, we encourage gamers from all over to participate. The more the better. We are always looking for opportunities to expand our business and reach out to gamers who share the same interest as us.
Go ahead and visit our website to learn more about us, www.bnbgr.com.
So first step is to connect with gamers in this area and from there we will move forward.
This area has some good players but nothing on a regular basis. I can only speak from my own experiences living in Stockton. There were sessions at the coffee shop for a bit, but that’s on hiatus. We’re all splintered regionally, game-wise, crew-wise. I think that evreryone around here wants to have casuals and tournaments, but not sure if people have the time or motivation to do so. I’m fairly new to this FGC so I’m probably not the best to speak on this. Perhaps some of the killers out there will throw in some input. I know I’m very intrigued by this thread, that’s for sure.
More input would be very helpful. In order for us to expand our business, we need to know what people in this area have to say about the FGC or the gaming community in general in the Central Valley area.
Bi-weekly or monthly tournaments would be so nice, but I want to see more games than just Street Fighter, and Marvel being played. We need tournaments for other games such as Blazblue, KOFXIII, Virtua Fighter, the upcoming games Persona 4 Arena, Tekken Tag 2, and DOA5. Maybe even Capcom VS SNK 2 and Guilty Gear on the side, the more games the better. Time, date, and location for tournaments would also need to be consistent and convenient for everyone who participates. Personally I think this would result in more people showing up to play in tournaments, although it will more than likely start off small it may continue to grow as long as tournaments are ran regularly.
I see. I heard about a LAN center type place in Modesto called “The Gamer’s Network.” I was thinking about contacting them to see if they can working something out with us. Ideally, I would like to host the event in rented space, that way we don’t have to worry about following a shops rules, such as taking pictures and streaming.
Most likely any event we hold will be in Tracy. We are working on finding space to use that is cheap and allows us to hold tournaments like we want.
I appreciate all the input. Please help spread the word about what we are trying to do. The more people who participate in this thread the better. You all know what you want, and the more I know the better events will turn out.
“The Gamer’s Network” had 1 tournament that I went to, which had a decent turn out. I gave them my number for future tourney’s, but I never heard back from them.
Ideally, I would like the events to be held in Tracy. Being the city right after the Altamont may lure bay area gamers to attend. I’m thinking the first few events will be small so space is not too much of an issue. Possibly the local arcade is an option, or if possible, we will rent space for a day. Eventually I would like to rent commercial space and set up shop, but that is later down the road.
If not Tracy, I have heard of a few places in Modesto and Stockton, but I have no looked too much into them yet. I prefer spots that are individually owned, unlike a GameStop or Tilt. They are more likely to be less strict about things like pictures and streaming set ups.
Any other ideas of good locations we would be able to hold events?
For more information, please visit our website at www.bnbgr.com and like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter: @bnbgr. When we begin the actual planning process, all updates will be posted on our website and social network accounts.
Thank you for your input. I agree that a regularly scheduled event/tournament would be ideal and I’m guessing if we can attract regulars we will be recognized as legitimate and more people would show up. I think right now would be the ideal time to start something like this due to summer break and most people’s schedules are free.
Definitely keep up on this thread or follow our website (www.bnbgr.com) for information regarding this topic. If you have any other information you would like to share don’t hesitate.
I definitely agree that we need to be more diverse in the the games we use for tournaments. I am sure a lot of gamers who play Street Fighter play other fighting games as well. So I am sure players will enter to play multiple games, increasing their chances of winning, and increasing their time spent playing games rather than getting bored watching. At first, we may be relying on just a few games, just because games cost money, and we would need to purchase about 9 copies of each game, possibly more for back up. So I think in the beginning we will just focus on one or two games and expand when funds become available, which I believe won’t take too long assuming we attract a regular good sized crowd.
I think a lot of people in this area have concerns regarding consistency of events. My goal at first is to establish events with a regular crowd. After some time, I would like to open up a shop where we can hold events on a regular basis. That way people don’t have to keep guessing or looking for the information. It will be consistent every week, making it easier to remember. That all depends though on the consistency of a crowd and the ability to generate revenue through different sectors of this business (tournaments, meet and greet/practice sessions, lessons, etc.).
If you have any other comments don’t hesitate to post it here. You can follow our website at www.bnbgr.com. And if it is more convenient for you, like us on facebook at facebook.com/bnbgr01 or on Twitter @bnbgr. When we begin to move forward with these plans we will be posting information on our website and our social network accounts. Look out for updates.
I meant it was descent for a first tourney… There was about 10 - 15 competitors total. I think they were just kinda testing the waters & it wasn’t what they were expecting, but they didn’t stick around long enough to actually create a community
Oh okay, that seems like a pretty good size for a first tournament. I’m guessing if we throw an event, I would expect around 10-15 people. I am pretty much shooting for a lower turnout at first, just so I can establish the event as a regular event. I figure if I can do that, more people will be inclined to come and attendance will increase over time.
For the more up to date information, either follow our website, like our Facebook page, or follow us on Twitter because it will be on those three sites we will post most of our information. If you have any friends who would be interested in this as well, let them know and tell them to follow us as well. The more the better!
I would think there is definitely some potential for a community around the area. I just moved to the area (Manteca), and I’m starving for something to do. There has got to be more people out there like me, new to the area, looking to get connected.
I had thrown a tournament series called the Norcal Downtown Throwdown for about 4 years. We had great turnouts every time. I would say between 40-60 entrants total. That is split between both Marvel and Street Fighter IV. The problem is that I couldnt throw them as much as I wanted because of resources and I have two kids and go to school full time. I wanted to create something huge and I felt that if I could have given it more attention and a little luck. ( I had some great ideas ) it could have really gotten big.
Send me an email and ill give you my phone number so we can talk. I can share a lot with you. = )
I feel a lot of people think that way. I believe people in this area are anxious for something to happen. Especially because the nearest regular events are either in the bay area or Sacramento area, which is really far.
And yes, I would love to attract those new to the area looking for a fighting game scene. I know a lot of people in the central valley have been here for a while and have seen things come up and then disappear due to inactivity. That is why I believe I can make a significant impact in this area and learn from what didn’t work with past events and shape my company into something that will last and be known by more than just Central Valley Gamers.
Definitely keep up with our website and social network accounts. It will be there we post new information when it becomes available, which I believe won’t be too long from now. I am learning a lot from various sources and I believe we are close to actually putting an event together.
