Shatner: can scenario appeal more to Trekkers?

[leopardhead]

Hi,
I was in a meeting this week with William Shatner. He had so much fun at the scenario with Tom Kaye. He kept telling war stories. He was really impressed at the turn out and level of play from so many serious paintballers.

But he did wonder if Star Trek fans were underrepresented.

Any thoughts?
Could the event have been more newbie friendly?
What might have discourageed them?

[shartley]

But he did wonder if Star Trek fans were underrepresented.
If they were, it was because they did not represent themselves. Simple as that.

Could the event have been more newbie friendly?
For the price it cost to play, and what it took many to get there? Heck no. Also these events are not designed (nor should be) to hand hold newbies. I don't say this to be mean, but there is often enough confussion going on that Event Coordinators would never be able to pull them off without the participants first having some clue as to what they are doing... IE playing paintball at the least.

What I would suggest is that if folks are worried about newbies, take them to a walkon day first.


What might have discourageed them?
The same things that would discourage them from playing paintball at all. Misconceptions about the sport and lack of knowing the basics. And like I said, events like this are not designed to teach them that stuff, nor should they be. And I say this because scenario events are a beast unto themselves. It is not "classic" paintball.

Also this event was not "bring a newbie day", it was something all together different. Although they should have "bring a newbie day"s at fields.... but it might be hard to tell if they really ARE. ;)

All and all, from what I read, people did their best to help those who were new to the sport out anyway. The event coordinators dropped enough balls to have them also worry about how “newbie friendly” things were. ;)

[leopardhead]

yeah maybe next time (if there is a next time) we can preceed the big event with some small local inexpensive warm up event.

But it's hard to get the Star Trek theme on a small event and that's what those people would be most interested in.

[yeahthatsme]

one thing is that parents dont want to go and sit around as there kids play. maybe along with the advertising add in some places for parents. or even a parents area at the event. it would be greatly helpful for the parents i'm sure. i will probably be there next time( when is the next time. is there gonna be a next time?)


those are my thoughts. i dont know if you did that already or not as i was just starting in the sport when the first one was.

[chrisj]

Well, I've started watching Voyager and I'm gonna make the next one.

Chris

[hitech]

Originally posted by yeahthatsme
one thing is that parents dont want to go and sit around as there kids play.

You are right! If I'm going there is NO way I sitting around, I'm going to play! ;)

[SeeK]

I'm not a hard core Star Trek person but I've seen most episodes of every series. I only shot a 1/4 of my paint but still had a blast.

I think they should have had a party after the game. The war stories are the best part and would encourage people to talk to the other teams. After the stage everybody left to get cleaned up, eat and many even made it to the Empress Casino for Shatner's talk. You don't know what you missed if you didn't stick around. He's an amazing story teller. He spoke about what it took for him to fly in on the parafoil.

I also agree that they should have had something for the non paintball participants but other than a tent with chairs what would keep them busy?

[Shane-O-Mac]

they did try to help newbies out. on friday they had a sort of "scenario game class" where they explained the game and let them play a few games against each other to get a feel for paintball. they even popped some smoke canisters to give them a bit of feel for the big game/scenario style! so in cpx defense they tried to help out somewhat.
shane-o

[shartley]

I think the big thing that is being overlooked is what a Scenario game is about. This was not a Star Trek Convention, so there really does not need to be anything to keep non-players interested. The day was about PAINTBALL with a Star Trek theme, not Star Trek with a paintball theme.

When you run a scenario game about WWII or any of the other things commonly used as themes, do you worry about keeping Vet’s occupied if they are not playing, or not paintball players? Or anyone else? Not likely.

This would however, not be the case if your are running a theme park.. but like I said, this was not a theme park for Star Trek, it was a Paintball Park using a Star Trek theme for fun and to gain interest. After all, I too am a Star Trek Fan, and was LONG before paintball was even established. Folks seem to want to make a distinction between paintballers and Star Trek Fans…. But simply put there is not always a distinction… we are often one and the same.

This thread is like holding a Beanie Baby Charity event held in conjunction with the NHRA… and then asking if you can find other ways to make Beanie Baby folks who do not like Drag Racing more comfortable, or to occupy their time. LOL ;)

(Added, because someone posted while I was typing.)
Shane-O-Mac-

Thanks for pointing that out. I did not know they did that, but that is a good idea.... but as you stated, it was separate and not really part of the actual game day.

[Marchborne]

Well, I hate to disagree with so illustrious an AO'er as Shartley (and in only my second post in AO), but...

I'm not so sure the WWII scenario analogy holds up. a vet's perspective is much different from a Star Trek fan's. But I know what you meant.

Part of the purpose of these big events is to attract positive media attention to paintball [I know, I know, the primary purpose is to let us all have a good time (hmm, the "prime directive?"]. Big games and scenarios are a good way to draw attention to non-tournement events. Witness the extent to which everybody (organizers, "key" figures and even us grunt players) goes to to make these games memorable. All that spectacle isn't just for us, its for the cameras and the public.

To the extent that we use the events to gather attention, and attract new players, in order to help spread the word, efforts should be made to make these events friendly for newbies and "side-liners" as well. Side-liners to include parents, other family, etc. So, why not a tent with Star Trek episodes running, or something of that kind? That would be a good place to get out of the sun, and rest for a while, as well as to keep idle side-liners happy, and positive about the sport. More parents might be willing to take their player kids, if they knew there would be something for them to do.

Now, recognising that this was a paintball event first, with a Star Trek theme second, I agree the game comes first. But, side-events help complete the theme, and maybe add new players we wouldn't otherwise get.

p.s.: imagine, all those notoriously obsessive Trekkies unleashed on the paintball retail world. Man, then you'd see some sales. Heh.

[shartley]

Well.. actually I thought this event was to raise money for Charity. I didn't realize it was to draw attention to Paintball as a Sport. ;) (Yes, one will come from the other, but that does not mean it was its INTENT.) I thought it was a way to use Paintball Players as the demographic for fund raising. And I thought that Star Trek was the theme used because it is so easily recognized, has a wide fan base, and Shatner was willing to DO it. LOL

Again, separating the Star Trek fan base FROM Paintball Players is where I have the problem. They don't have to be, and many times are not, totally different groups.

People go to Paintball Scenario Games for the Paintball aspect of them, added with the fun of a scenario. People don't go to them thinking it is a gathering or convention for what the scenario is based on... and that was my point (when using WWII Vets as an example). Also scenario games have been around a heck of a long time and they are NOT for what I feel you are thinking they are for. They are not primarily for promoting the sport to non-paintball playing people (after all, like I said, these events are FAR from what you will see on normal paintball days), but targeted specifically for paintball players themselves.

Can they be a good way to reach the general non-paintball playing public? SURE! But this event (ShatnerBall) was about raising funds for Charity, not getting more Trekkies into the sport of paintball. I think we are confusing issues here. If you want more Star Trek fans to play paintball, why not simply bring them to normal walk-on days? And like I said, if you want to make a theme park where Star Trek as the Year Round Theme, and Paintball is one of many things going on (heck you can even add a Laser Tag section for those more timid), FINE, but that was not the purpose that I thought ShatnerBall was about.

I think some folks would like the side effects of an event to be the main reason FOR the event… and clearly in this case it was not.

Oh... and welcome to AO. :)

[MagDog68]

Originally posted by leopardhead


But he did wonder if Star Trek fans were underrepresented.

Any thoughts?
Could the event have been more newbie friendly?
What might have discourageed them?

This was about the least serious scenario game I have been part of and people were definately here to soak up the Star Trek atmosphere as much as they were here to play paintball.

The game honestly let me down as a paintballer (the scenario was weak and the missions non-existent...also it is just too short), but I was thrilled as a Star Trek fan to be able to play in a game so intimitley tied to the Star Trek theme - cast included!

And as far as the Trekker representation...weren't you there leopardhead? I don't think Trek Fans were underrepresented - more likely they were just Trek/Paintball fans who saw a way to meld to passions!

If you want to really draw in the average non-paintball playing Trek fan - I would talk to Paramount about a "SPPLAT ATTACK" trailer at the showing of "Nemesis". Tell me that wouldn't get the attention of a few hundred thousand Trekkers! :D

~Fred

[MagDog68]

Originally posted by shartley
Well.. actually I thought this event was to raise money for Charity. I didn't realize it was to draw attention to Paintball as a Sport. ;) (Yes, one will come from the other, but that does not mean it was its INTENT.) I thought it was a way to use Paintball Players as the demographic for fund raising.


I think the Horse Charity was JJ's trump card to get Shatner to participate. SPPLAT is not a charity - it is an organization dedicated to the proliferation of paintball - and as you pointed out it used the Paintball Player demographic for fund raising - just as JJ likes to use the Paintball Player demographic for EVERYTHING. He is trying to prove a point that we are an economically viable portion of society that should be catered to.

Anyway - the event was for Charity, but I don't think that was SPPLAT's main criteria for having organized it.

~Fred

[ogre55]

Trekkers do play paintball. I have heard of at least one Star Trek themes Live Action Role Playing Paintball game out in NJ.

I don't understand how they play it or organize it, but they do.

Ogre

[shartley]

Originally posted by MagDog68


I think the Horse Charity was JJ's trump card to get Shatner to participate. SPPLAT is not a charity - it is an organization dedicated to the proliferation of paintball - and as you pointed out it used the Paintball Player demographic for fund raising - just as JJ likes to use the Paintball Player demographic for EVERYTHING. He is trying to prove a point that we are an economically viable portion of society that should be catered to.

Anyway - the event was for Charity, but I don't think that was SPPLAT's main criteria for having organized it.

~Fred
LOL And you hit the nail on the head with a lot of that.... although it was argued quite the opposite (and vigorously at that) by some members when I said the exact same things. ;) Although I don't consider it to have been for the.. how did you put it?, proliferation of paintball... more the proliferation of business.... that business just happened to be in the paintball industry (subtle differences I hope folks can see that).

Your post works on many levels, and makes me smile at each one. :D My comments were actually in direct relationship with what JJ and all others pushing the Charity aspect of the event… they seemed to want to make that THE reason, so I was simply obliging. ;)

[MagDog68]

Originally posted by shartley

Although I don't consider it to have been for the.. how did you put it?, proliferation of paintball... more the proliferation of business.... that business just happened to be in the paintball industry (subtle differences I hope folks can see that).

Well of course it is advancing business, but you don't have to sound so cynical about it. Everyone whines that paintball isn't "mainstream" or "respected" - but when someone like JJ tries to pursue that acceptance he is lambasted with accusations that he is trying to line his pockets with our desires.

SPPLAT is about the only large scale open-format (i.e. not dedicated specifically to Rec or Tournament ball) paintball organization I know of that is activley attempting to legitimize paintball in the media. And I don't ever remember an event with as much press coverage as Shatnerball. Christ they had a TV commercial!

Anyway - I think we are getting away from our original topic. I would love to see a "SPPLAT ATTACK" trailer at the begining of the next Star Trek movie. I think that will get a lot of Trekkers interested in the event and will make the next one bigger and better.

~Fred

[leopardhead]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by MagDog68
[B]
And as far as the Trekker representation...weren't you there leopardhead? I don't think Trek Fans were underrepresented - more likely they were just Trek/Paintball fans who saw a way to meld to passions!

No I wasn't there. I wish I could have been. I was just posting Shatner's thought that he hoped more Trek fans would use the event to try out the sport.

Re: some other posts about the main focus of the event. I think there were MANY (complimetary) agendas at work. Among them:
- try to create the event with the highest attendance ever
- raise money for charity
- raise media awareness of the sport
- raise interest in potential new players

and more