The Arrow's blog

This site has undergone some changes in the past 12 months - as a rule of thumb, for the better (layout, intuitive functionality; member verification). There are still some edges to smooth (the challenge feature could do with work, or removing; the irritant of a profile "bubble" to appear at the top of the screen, only to find it's a suspended - or even deleted - account, which happens more often that one might expect) and some features I'd be interested in seeing (some additional functionality with recommendations wouldn't hurt; possibly a match outcome mechanic as well, which would need to be handled like accepting past opponents is, i.e. mutual agreement in order to publish).

One thing I think the site lacks is interaction and connection. Don't get me wrong: it has both to a certain and actually, decent degree; but not at an advanced level. For example, I have been thinking about the idea of setting up a low-key tournament of sorts. It'd have to require minimal management, couldn't (likely) work in the traditional sense (i.e. a group of guys all together, in the same place, at the same time) and of course there are questions like, "Would anyone be interested? And if so, how would we pool them all together to make it feasible?"

One solution to much of this could be to organise a self-service, semi-autonomous "tournament", staggered across a timeframe. Huh? Bear with me. For brevity's sake, I'll number-point what I mean:

1) Interested parties sign up
2) Draws are taken and opponents notified
3) Each pair of opponents arrange a meet up within an agreed timeframe (e.g. 2 weeks perhaps)
4) The winners of each match notify the organiser of the outcome; this is substantiated by corresponding recommendations on each side's profile
5) Repeat steps 2 to 4, until the end of the final, when the winner is crowned tourney champ.

It need not be any more complicated than that. Again, for brevity's sake, what it wouldn't be, or wouldn't entail are things like:

A) The need for getting everyone together in a big old place (at the same time)
B) An audience (though if one is welcomed, that's down to the 2 opponents in each match)
C) Lots of chasing by the organiser (i.e. it's down to the 2 opponents to arrange the match's logistics - date, time, location; rules possibly)
D) Unreasonable delays in arranging and having a match on the part of the competitors

Thinking back to my school/uni days, regardless of the type of tournament or competition, the only thing you really need to get it off the ground is the right amount of interested parties. If you consider a draw table, you need an even number of competitors, usually in divisibles of 8 and 8 being the minimum). So that means, assuming 8 is the required minimum, if you have any more than that, you'd need 16 for the next tier. Of course, that number doubles, but walk before run and all that.

Of course, there's the issue of the rules - what are they? What should and shouldn't be included? Should locations only include mat rooms or a ring, etc. - but first things first.

With that mini brain-dump out there, what interest might there be in putting something fun like this together? I am happy to organise it (need not compete myself, though happy to do so) provided there is interest there - enough of it, and of the genuine kind.

Let me know, chaps.