Experts Invitational - Reactions/Feedback

[Alex Smiley]

Much like a lot of the deal with this show, I don't have a set format for feedback. Feel free to share your thoughts on the show here.

Once again, big thanks to everyone who contributed to the show in some way.

[Alex Smiley]

While I wrap up the epilogue to this show, here are the show credits:

Matches:
- Golden Ticket Laddet Match: Black Death
- Ramona vs Exile: Russ
- Fatal Four-Way: Me
- Desert Sex Reunion Tour and Stud Experience: Adam Wrong
- Mania vs Raven: Me
- Brand Loyalty Tag Match: James Raven
- MDK vs Legion: Me
- DiBiase vs Cedrone: Strike
- Main Event: Adam Wrong

Segments: Mostly done by me, except "The Next Step" by T-Bone

Thanks a million to those who stepped up and wrote matches in a bit of a pinch. I can't express just how much I appreciate it haha

[Doug E Fresh]

Alright bag of feed time!

The Good

First and foremost, a massive thanks to everyone involved in writing and making the show exist. It was an entertaining read from top to bottom. I honestly preferred the length of the matches with none being too overwhelming to read and appreciate the main event spotlight truly being a spectacle. The segments in between were well balanced and a great story about the future of the Experts was told throughout the show. More on that later.

Everyone deserves a kudos on their rps. This really brought back memories seeing all the writing and different characters and reminded me how much I enjoyed this game in the first place. Truly amazing seeing so many return for this show (and possibly others?) and just like the writers who put out the results, this doesn't happen without the rpers. Soooo good.

Congrats to all the winners of their matches and [spoiler]JACK YOU DID IT!!! YOU REALLY DID IT!!!! No seriously major congrats. You deserve it and definitely set the table for more of this to come[/spoiler].

The not so Good

I put myself in this list. I did nothing segment-wise and I'm sorry for that. Raising a kid and potentially changing jobs and excuses blah blah blah. Life ain't the same but I was still so happy to be a part and if there's a place for me in a possible next show, then I'll happily play along again.

To touch on the story being told from earlier. I think it was TOO spread out. Its not about segments being throughout the show...its that personally I think it overshadowed all the matches. There was a certain spotlight to be put on this being a return show of the Experts and I think some of the scenes could have been cut or combined into larger segments so the whole entire show wasn't littered with setting up what's next. Just my opinion.

This will surely come up. 8 days between first post and last post just kinda blows ya know? And its not a knock on anyone helping or anything. I'm in the Russ boat that I'd much rather wait even longer for the whole show than wait days for pieces. I think you'd get more excitement out of it being all there at once at a later date and definitely more interest in this feedback thread (note how its been 24 hours since the final match piece was up, 14 hours since the final segment and I'm the first to say anything). Just some advice for the future. Or at the least if its gonna be put up in pieces, just patiently wait for all the pieces to exist before posting. I can understand the excitement of getting results out because I was responsible for posting them for years in SCW (as I'm sure others here have done/appreciate).

The rest of the positive sandwich

Can't end on a sour note right? Again just a huge shout out and thanks to EVERYONE who was a part of this and I can't wait to see what's next!

[Alex Smiley]

To touch on the "posting in parts" bit...yeah, in hindsight that was not a good call on my part. I thought I was gonna have everything posted within 2-3 days tops, but things didn't work out that way. We're just gonna call it what it was, a bad judgement call that won't happen going forward. In fact, I'll just sum up a list of what I've learned for the next show:

- Ask for match writers when I've posted the card
- Start writing out the segments ahead of time
- Have everything ready by the time show's about to go up
- Constant, constant communication

So, on that note I've learned and will do better on that moving forward. Thanks for the feedback, Doug

[Snap]

I've already said this to Alex in private, but I'm really happy for a great send off. Even before I set to writing my RP, I knew I wanted this to be it for me. A number of years ago, I asked Jonny if he wouldn't mind being my opponent in my last match and, with this being "The Final Encounter" it just seemed like the right time. I'll make no secret that while I like writing the stories for the characters, I'm not particularly fond of the RP aspect and I think it shows in the end product. With recently starting a new job at the time the show was put together and the RP period began, there was very little energy available on my part to even think about RPing, let alone actually getting it done. I even legitimately thought the deadline was the day after the actual deadline, so when the deadline was extended I had to scramble to get my RP put together.

In the end, though, I think putting over Jonny was definitely the best way the match could have ended and especially with Scott tapping to the One Arm Bandit.  It had actually been a point through his career where Scott wouldn't tap out and I've always felt that there was nobody better for Scott to actually tap out to than his biggest rival. It also doesn't hurt that, a number of years ago, Jonny did the honours for Scott do it is only right for Scott to reciprocate. It was a wonderful end to the story and I'm happy to have taken part.

I'm not going to criticise Alex for the delays in getting the show up or how it was ultimately presented. E-fedding is, and should always be, a hobby and we all have real life priorities which should always come before a hobby. When the last Extreme Tournament was cut short because of Russ's responsibility with medical school, we didn't give him any grief for having his priorities straight. It may have been disappointing for us that the tournament was cut short and we would never know what could have happened in the various stories, but Russ did what he had to do and I don't think any of us can blame him for that. I think Alex should be shown the same respect. It may not have been the most ideal to post in a piecemeal manner, but it got done and the future is wide open.

Congrats to everybody who took part, it doesn't matter if you came out of the show with a "W" or not, you are all winners.

[Quadzilla]

Great work Alex, and delay aside - We're all grown ups nowadays and have genuine real-life bullshit to deal with. I think as has already been mentioned some more advanced planning will mitigate the risk in future and most importantly, it's just a hobby and is completely voluntary!!

It was awesome to dust off the imaginary spandex and go round again with some amazing roleplayers. Thoroughly enjoyed everything I read and if this is something that continues I may be intrigued to participate from time to time.

Also mad props to Ross for keeping the lols going whilst there was a delay, kept me amused.

I'm off back to the dungeon to work on the next album

[T-Bonizzle]

I'm coming for you Jack

[Doug E Fresh]

My objective was to say that since real life is a thing, wait longer and post the show altogether. I wasn't upset at all whatsoever waiting for results. I wasn't giving him grief or anything or at least didn't want that to be the impression.

[Alex Smiley]

My objective was to say that since real life is a thing, wait longer and post the show altogether. I wasn't upset at all whatsoever waiting for results. I wasn't giving him grief or anything or at least didn't want that to be the impression.

Just to be clear, I don't think Snap was really telling you (or anyone else) specifically, I think it was more a general statement. That said, I'm not upset over being told "you should've waited," because like I said, I accept that I made a bad call and it won't happen next time haha.

Thanks for the feedback, guys.

[Snap]

Yeah, it's pretty much what Alex said. We can all use constructive criticism to improve our efforts in the future and while the piecemeal posting of the show may not have bothered me as much as it may have others, I see both points of view and I know Alex will take it to heart and make the next show even better. However, I'm not going to get on his back for the delay in actually getting the show out, for the reasons I mentioned before and, well... I've been through VWF where there were comparable delays and, on numerous occasions, shows were outright cancelled.

If anybody felt I was personally targeting them, I offer my apologies, it was certainly not my intention.

[Russ]

Apologies that it's taken some time to get this feedback in. Overall a good show, thoroughly enjoyed it, with some excellent RPs. On a personal note thank you to Cindy, Kenny, and Aaron for a great contest and thanks to Adam for writing an absolutely hilarious and fitting match. A thank you and well done has to go to Alex for putting it together; sure it had delays and I was probably the most vocal about my disapleasure at them but if anyone knows how much work goes into organising an Experts event it's me, so I know Alex has had a lot to do and it came off well. There's things to change in the mangement of it for the next one for sure, but that's something we can work on in the down time. Right now take a break and enjoy what you put together.

Story wise it was fun and gripping throughout. Jack positioned as a leader is a great move, he's been a pivotal character for the last few years of the Experts and it makes sense. Well done to Jack and Doug on a stellar main event as well! One thing I will say about the stories is this; it felt like an uncomfortable marriage of 2013 corporate power struggle (Russ era) Experts with mythical fantasy drama (Jesse era) Experts. I don't think dragon blade and Black Death's mysterious mistress belong side by side with contract signings and board meetings. When I took over the Experts I consciously chose to make it more realistic; there's a reason Draeden Darksky was the big bad that was eventually removed! Alex I think you've got to go one way or the other, or make your own narrative that isn't a mash-up of the previous two. Personally I'd pitch for the board and contract side of things over mysterious blades and powers but the decision is yours to make. However I'm also gonna pitch for less of the Azula-Kahrs family mythos. I was around when they were a thing and I still couldn't tell you who was who and what their deal is!

Overall a satisfying return to efedding for many and a fun show. I looo forward to the next one and hope to help out wherever I can

PS: Fuck off Level-One you show-stealing bastard.