Dublin Play: School of Magic

A_J

Hi folks.

Just trying to gauge a level of interest here.
I know there are a good few small groups of friends in Dublin that play amongst themselves and are occasioanlyl seen in tournaments.

There are regular questions with people popping up out of the blue asking about places to play in Dublin/Waterford/Limerick etc. etc. Mostly, they're pointed toward official DCI event that are scheduled (and there are a reasonable amount held here) but unfortauntely theres not much happening in Dublin apart from a monthy event or so, nothing regular any more.

I'm wondering if there is any intrest in a more frequent gathering. It doesn't neccessarily have to be tournament, just meet up and play/trade as many people seem to want.

I'm also half something for those who might want to try and get to a next level of magic play in Ireland and get into more competitive play. This could begin at Friday Night Magic and potentially expand.

What I'm thinking of is a kind of 'School of Magic' to try and generate some more interest/improve your own quality of play, kind of workshop style idea.

I've got credentials in Ireland as far as the game goes so would be reasonably qualified to do this. I'd like to see a simple show of hands of interest tho. Not neccessarily for a worksho[p style meet, but something just in Dublin.(or both...)

Regards,
AJ

MatthewVII

you can count me in Mr. Meaney, anything that might improve the standard and interest of and in the game of magic the gathering in dublin at the moment could only be a boon.

BadCharlie

A_J wrote:

Hi folks.

Just trying to gauge a level of interest here.
I know there are a good few small groups of friends in Dublin that play amongst themselves and are occasioanlyl seen in tournaments.

There are regular questions with people popping up out of the blue asking about places to play in Dublin/Waterford/Limerick etc. etc. Mostly, they're pointed toward official DCI event that are scheduled (and there are a reasonable amount held here) but unfortauntely theres not much happening in Dublin apart from a monthy event or so, nothing regular any more.

I'm wondering if there is any intrest in a more frequent gathering. It doesn't neccessarily have to be tournament, just meet up and play/trade as many people seem to want.

I'm also half something for those who might want to try and get to a next level of magic play in Ireland and get into more competitive play. This could begin at Friday Night Magic and potentially expand.

What I'm thinking of is a kind of 'School of Magic' to try and generate some more interest/improve your own quality of play, kind of workshop style idea.

I've got credentials in Ireland as far as the game goes so would be reasonably qualified to do this. I'd like to see a simple show of hands of interest tho. Not neccessarily for a worksho[p style meet, but something just in Dublin.(or both...)

Regards,
AJ

I think i played you in waterford last saturday if your the same guy i got in contact on yahoo. Im up for playing but i wont be going to dublin offten at all so thats a bummer .

Can play in waterford and sirounding area.

Stephen

sephirosis

i'd also very likely attend if it goes ahead. it sounds like a really good idea and i'd say that there should be a reasonably high level of interest. fair play too if your willing to organise it.

sionnach

i'd definitely be up for this

Tayto2000

Sounds great. Got a venue in mind?

Ivan

Colour me interested. I might be moving to Dublin shortly for a coupla months. Anyway, I'm intrigued.

Dragon Master

Sounds great, but I might not be able to come most times, depending.

Farcear

yeah...I've a vague interest in meeting up. I stay up in dublin during the college year, weeknights would suit me better than weekends and Sunday > Saturday but I might be able to adjust if needs be.

Venue: ?
How often we meet: weekly, biweekly, monthly, never?
What do we do: draft(?), constructed, trade...

kk AJ the pressure, nay the DUTY, is on you now to come through for us!

A_J

There seems to be a decent level of interest here. Well, a bit at least. I know there are a few groups of seperate friends I have seen around pre-releases etc, and I'm certina there is a hive of activity amongst more casual magic players who've just not been involved in any competitive play.

What I'm interested in is trying to get ppl interested in competitive tourey play. The questions are asked 'is there anywhere to play' and mostly the answers is yes, there are events. But not as often as there were. Nothing during the week. Nothing really regular. As well as that, a lot of people can be very cagey about playing in constructed events. With the usual magic rules (on the magicthegathering.com site) of type 2, extended formats etc, people shy away as it might mean not being allowed to use one or two of their favourite cards.

It can put people (esp. newer players) on more of a level playing ground tho, as 5 year old collections are as 'useful' as 1 year old ones for say, type 2. (i.e. ravnica block, kamigawa block, 9th ed). Running regular drafts is a bit more promising, as it gives people oppertunities to get more of a collection, and there is no major deck preparation involved.

I'd like to try and run a few drafts to begin with, and see if there can be interest generated to go from there to constructed.

I might try put some further info up during Gaelcon in the CCG area but I'm unsure I'll be able to attend.

If not, I'll put more info here. At the moment, I'll scout around for venues in the Dublin area, as central as possible.

If the people here could pass this news onto friends etc, I'll let you know of any update. It'd be a few weeks before anything ahppened anyway.

I know some have said 'yes I'm interested' but with not obthering on the day, and only have 3 or 4 replies, it could be a case of just 2 ppl showing. There would really need to be 10-12 every week for this to work @ all.

AJ

shanethemofo

yes i c wat you are on to. my friends brother was in somehing like this... they called it "the hive"... in tramore, waterford it was. it worked very well is wat i have been told. they would put all their cards together and maky loads of decks and play eachother... well i dont think that would work here cause thos guys wer all good friends where as you guys dont even know eachother and wudnt trust eachother with "donating" cards to your group.... oh wel... it worked for them... id deffo be on for this gathering if i wasnt living in waterford..... bad charlie..... im soo gonna kick ur @$s if i play u... only messin....lol

BadCharlie

shanethemofo wrote:

yes i c wat you are on to. my friends brother was in somehing like this... they called it "the hive"... in tramore, waterford it was. it worked very well is wat i have been told. they would put all their cards together and maky loads of decks and play eachother... well i dont think that would work here cause thos guys wer all good friends where as you guys dont even know eachother and wudnt trust eachother with "donating" cards to your group.... oh wel... it worked for them... id deffo be on for this gathering if i wasnt living in waterford..... bad charlie..... im soo gonna kick ur @$s if i play u... only messin....lol

Dream on
Well maybe you will i have old card, And i played AJ the other week and his cards are just funny the things they do to you, kicked my ass in 2 of the games. But since then i have pulled apart my deck and i hope i have made it better.

Dublin is 2 far for me to travel upto i would be only willing to travel to carlow or even cork and thats about as far as i could go. Have to set something up in waterford

Tayto2000

How about just trying to get the Mercantile going again on Tuesdays? I'm just getting back into magic and I wouldn't mind the chance to get my ass kicked by some of the regular players.

Anyway, if anyone wants a game, I'll be there on Tuesday 8th next week at about seven. I'll see if I can round up a few more people who haven't shown their faces in a while.

A_J

It might be an idea to begin here again, just to see if a few faces show up.
Probs can come in that it is a pub, and some younger people might be put off.

I'm still trying to go about getting some area in the city center, small function room etc.

I'll post here/put some info on the irl_magic_list and have some extra info in the local shops when I have something a little more secure.

AJ

Tayto2000

The problem that has always stopped Dublin magic really getting off the ground has to be the lack of venue. The obstacles organisers have always hit are the same:

1. Dublin is a big place
A venue needs to be central, ie as close to the city centre as possible. I think that this is why places like Waterford and Galway find it easier to get a number of people together, they are a lot smaller.

2. The venue needs to be paid for
This has caused the collapse of a number of good places, right back to the cafe on Georges street. Rented venues failed because Magic players are simply not willing to pay to play, or those that are are too few in number. A rented venue also has to have a minimum number to survive, and that minimum must show up from day one to keep it going.

Promises of extra business to Cafes/Pubs etc never worked either, which is why players were chucked out of free venues like Mocha, for not buying enough (or any for that matter) coffee. Way back in Bewleys on Georges street, Magic was thrown out as players consistently left the venue to buy a McDonalds or similar, then brought it into the cafe in front of the manager!

On top of this, space is at an absolute premium in the city centre. Economically, it doesn't make sense for most places in the city to let magic players use their space when it could be making them money. Again, I think that this is a reason for a healthier magic scene outside the capital, an empty space isn't as hard to find.

Maybe the best method might be to go through Trinity College Games Society? They're able to book space in the college without having to pay for it and it's a central location. Trinity gamers have a long history in the dublin magic community, they might be amenable. I would say the same for UCD but the venue was used in the past and it is just not central enough for those coming from the north side.

Sorry for the semi-rant but the fact that Dublin alone of the cities hasn't been able to scrape up even a half decent FNM scene for some time has been annoying me!

Best of luck A_J, and I'll be in the Mercantile tonight anyway if anyone is about.

Farcear

Trinity sounds good. I'm at UCD so obv that would be better for me but if it's too much trouble for northsiders that's understandable.

Tayto2000

After talking a good fight I managed to come down with flu . BUT I am still going to try to be there next tuesday with a legal standard deck!

Skyclad

Getting Trinity Games soc to organise a room generally involves someone in the society actually being bothered to do this each and every week. Gamers are a notoriously lazy bunch, and the core of magic players that came from Trinity have long since graduated/been kicked out of college.

Dave

Indie Kidd

Hi my name is Jaime and I've just moved to Dublin from the UK, I live in Temple Bar and if anyone knows of any games that are going on or if anyone wants to play a couple of hands or trade cards give us a shout... my e-mail is henry_fool@hotmail.com