Tomorrow, we hit the one-month anniversary of the opening of The Score of Cool Springs.
It's clear we have a winner on our hands, which only increases the pressure. There's something now that can be fumbled away or screwed up through mismanagement.
We've brought the business online in pieces so far. First was the tournaments and leagues for our core gaming constituency. Next was our school groups during the day, thanks to a key business relationship we have. Over the next couple weeks, we'll get birthday parties and corporate teambuilding online as well.
Something new is learned every day.
Time is precious...I have to carve out a block tomorrow morning so I can go see Lori's Harpeth Hall girls participate in their mock trial competition before heading in to open The Score later in the morning. I'm already running behind in all sorts of things that need to get done for the business.
The good news is we're not sitting around wondering how in the world we're going to make it all work out. We're instead figuring out how to maximize this great opportunity we've been given.
Now to get back at it...
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Out here in sunny, fairly warm California with Hetesh getting ready to visit some game publishers. We've been fortunate that these developers and big publishers understand the uniqueness and the wide-open potential of our business with The Score.
Titans lost a heartbreaker against the Ravens, and now all those promises of a Super Bowl for Nashville seem like distant memories. Titans did have a great year though. Now comes a very difficult personnel decision: Kerry Collins, or back to VY, in 2009?
Headed back home on Tuesday - the same day The Score is to be written up in the Tennessean. Hope it's a good article for us. Certainly nice of them to feature us this early into the project.
Titans lost a heartbreaker against the Ravens, and now all those promises of a Super Bowl for Nashville seem like distant memories. Titans did have a great year though. Now comes a very difficult personnel decision: Kerry Collins, or back to VY, in 2009?
Headed back home on Tuesday - the same day The Score is to be written up in the Tennessean. Hope it's a good article for us. Certainly nice of them to feature us this early into the project.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
This roller coaster of a year comes to a conclusion in the next couple of days. What a life-changing, perspective-altering, transformational year it's been.
Let's start with the work picture, which I've been asked about many times but have been reluctant to address. There is no doubt that the things that happened this year for me professionally have altered my perspective tremendously on a number of fronts.
I worked for a real estate development company here in Nashville since 2005. This company gave me a number of great opportunities to learn and gain valuable experience. However, this company did not give me an opportunity to rise up through the organizational chart, and certainly did not give me the compensation increase or the new position I felt like I deserved in the aftermath of playing a critical role in saving a red-lining company project.
There are many great people who still work at my previous employer. I can't bring myself to say a lot of bad things about the organization which gave me my first job out of school, and a lot of valuable experience.
Needless to say, I was shaped by many things that happened during my time at this company, especially the things that happened at the end.
I came to the realization very early this year that my time at this organization had run out, and that I had no hope of moving up through the ranks no matter how hard I worked. Once I realized that, my notice to resign came quickly thereafter, in March. Well, I failed to recognize the danger this put my immediate boss in, since he had already had another key member of his team leave just months earlier. I had agreed to stay around til May to help my other boss with a final project, but that was not to be...
My main boss engineered a way to turn a minor mistake of mine into a vast conspiracy theory where I gave a contract away in return for a job offer, and boom! I was fired on April 1, 2009...April Fool's Day, no less.
No celebratory going-away dinner. No chance to wrap up loose ends. No chance to finally be recognized for all those things I had accomplished for my company over the years.
Instead, the company considered me such an outcast that I got physically escorted out of the building. I mean, I still can't wrap my head around that.
I felt sorry for myself for a while, until I heard the news that the organization had fired a good friend of mine there who I knew was one of the most loyal employees the company ever had. I knew then that the company was destined for complete and unmitigated disaster.
Sure enough, just over a month later, there were mass layoffs, and to this day the company has not fixed some of their most glaring problems.
This year's sequence of events involving my previous company made me realize I need to stop making excuses and start living the life I imagined for myself.
I always knew I wanted to start my own business. In fact, I had already done that years ago, by starting the iTest...but I had not fully embraced the entrepreneurial life yet and started any for-profit company. That changed in July when I started The Score.
All the ways I was wronged, both by individuals at my previous employer as well as the entire company itself, were quickly overshadowed by the joy of pursuing my dream. I have worked tirelessly to develop the business that is soon to open here in Cool Springs, the largest suburban commercial district here in Nashville.
Some of the things I observed at my previous employer have had a direct impact on how I run my own business. For me to go into those things would reveal a little too much. But certainly, I have learned many things about what NOT to do, as well as plenty of great pieces of advice from those people who were a positive influence in my life at my previous employer.
Some people wonder why I'm not angrier about what happened. How can I be angry, when I'm sitting where I am now? My previous employer has paid a king's ransom for its sins, and is likely going to continue to pay in 2009. I have no need to sit in judgment of them, when the free market is doing it for me.
Personally, Lori and I have big plans for this year. We've talked about having a child, and God willing, we'll do that in 2009. I'm sure I will chronicle plenty about that in this space in the coming months.
The iTest is about to expand to its next big subject, launching the iTest Debate in February 2009. The nonprofit may be close to another big deal to add some additional human resources to the mix as well, but we'l have to see. Big changes are in store for this amazing academic organization as we retool for the future and get ready to serve a much wider audience than we ever have before.
It's going to be a phenomenal 2009, and the only reason it will be so good is because 2008 was so challenging.
Time to move forward...not time to look back...as 2009 begins.
Let's start with the work picture, which I've been asked about many times but have been reluctant to address. There is no doubt that the things that happened this year for me professionally have altered my perspective tremendously on a number of fronts.
I worked for a real estate development company here in Nashville since 2005. This company gave me a number of great opportunities to learn and gain valuable experience. However, this company did not give me an opportunity to rise up through the organizational chart, and certainly did not give me the compensation increase or the new position I felt like I deserved in the aftermath of playing a critical role in saving a red-lining company project.
There are many great people who still work at my previous employer. I can't bring myself to say a lot of bad things about the organization which gave me my first job out of school, and a lot of valuable experience.
Needless to say, I was shaped by many things that happened during my time at this company, especially the things that happened at the end.
I came to the realization very early this year that my time at this organization had run out, and that I had no hope of moving up through the ranks no matter how hard I worked. Once I realized that, my notice to resign came quickly thereafter, in March. Well, I failed to recognize the danger this put my immediate boss in, since he had already had another key member of his team leave just months earlier. I had agreed to stay around til May to help my other boss with a final project, but that was not to be...
My main boss engineered a way to turn a minor mistake of mine into a vast conspiracy theory where I gave a contract away in return for a job offer, and boom! I was fired on April 1, 2009...April Fool's Day, no less.
No celebratory going-away dinner. No chance to wrap up loose ends. No chance to finally be recognized for all those things I had accomplished for my company over the years.
Instead, the company considered me such an outcast that I got physically escorted out of the building. I mean, I still can't wrap my head around that.
I felt sorry for myself for a while, until I heard the news that the organization had fired a good friend of mine there who I knew was one of the most loyal employees the company ever had. I knew then that the company was destined for complete and unmitigated disaster.
Sure enough, just over a month later, there were mass layoffs, and to this day the company has not fixed some of their most glaring problems.
This year's sequence of events involving my previous company made me realize I need to stop making excuses and start living the life I imagined for myself.
I always knew I wanted to start my own business. In fact, I had already done that years ago, by starting the iTest...but I had not fully embraced the entrepreneurial life yet and started any for-profit company. That changed in July when I started The Score.
All the ways I was wronged, both by individuals at my previous employer as well as the entire company itself, were quickly overshadowed by the joy of pursuing my dream. I have worked tirelessly to develop the business that is soon to open here in Cool Springs, the largest suburban commercial district here in Nashville.
Some of the things I observed at my previous employer have had a direct impact on how I run my own business. For me to go into those things would reveal a little too much. But certainly, I have learned many things about what NOT to do, as well as plenty of great pieces of advice from those people who were a positive influence in my life at my previous employer.
Some people wonder why I'm not angrier about what happened. How can I be angry, when I'm sitting where I am now? My previous employer has paid a king's ransom for its sins, and is likely going to continue to pay in 2009. I have no need to sit in judgment of them, when the free market is doing it for me.
Personally, Lori and I have big plans for this year. We've talked about having a child, and God willing, we'll do that in 2009. I'm sure I will chronicle plenty about that in this space in the coming months.
The iTest is about to expand to its next big subject, launching the iTest Debate in February 2009. The nonprofit may be close to another big deal to add some additional human resources to the mix as well, but we'l have to see. Big changes are in store for this amazing academic organization as we retool for the future and get ready to serve a much wider audience than we ever have before.
It's going to be a phenomenal 2009, and the only reason it will be so good is because 2008 was so challenging.
Time to move forward...not time to look back...as 2009 begins.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Just posted the first of a recurring series of columns regarding the business of video games over on The Score of Cool Springs' blog. Check it out!
Construction is well underway and our "beta test" period begins in late December and runs through January, leading up to our Grand Opening the weekend of the Super Bowl.
Construction is well underway and our "beta test" period begins in late December and runs through January, leading up to our Grand Opening the weekend of the Super Bowl.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
2008 iTest over. Whew. What a roller coaster.
Huge numbers in terms of our competition's reach, which I'll release later in the week. Advertising on Facebook worked very well for us.
Feedback starting to come in. The noise of students mad about missing this or misinterpreting that will start to fade in the next 24 hours, and we should have a better idea of where the iTest stands in mathematics (not that that is determined by feedback, but we always like to get criticism, both good and bad).
My feeling is that the iTest is now very close to fulfilling the original vision of a worldly, diverse, robust team-based mathematics experience. I am very happy with the content of this year's exam and the overall flow of the competition, and am interested to hear the response.
Huge numbers in terms of our competition's reach, which I'll release later in the week. Advertising on Facebook worked very well for us.
Feedback starting to come in. The noise of students mad about missing this or misinterpreting that will start to fade in the next 24 hours, and we should have a better idea of where the iTest stands in mathematics (not that that is determined by feedback, but we always like to get criticism, both good and bad).
My feeling is that the iTest is now very close to fulfilling the original vision of a worldly, diverse, robust team-based mathematics experience. I am very happy with the content of this year's exam and the overall flow of the competition, and am interested to hear the response.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
The 2008 iTest begins in right at an hour, at 7 PM Central.
This exam is the iTest's best academic product, ever, by far. And we've released some excellent product over the years.
Congratulations to Mathew Crawford and Ivy League undergrads Adam Hesterberg and Zach Abel for a job well done in getting this thing written and edited. And thanks again to Southern Company for sponsoring the iTest organization this year.
It's such a strange dichotomy being involved in a video game startup as well as an academic non-profit. Good balance I guess.
Sometime soon, take a look over at www.theitest.com at the 2008 iTest exam. It is definitely worth checking out.
This exam is the iTest's best academic product, ever, by far. And we've released some excellent product over the years.
Congratulations to Mathew Crawford and Ivy League undergrads Adam Hesterberg and Zach Abel for a job well done in getting this thing written and edited. And thanks again to Southern Company for sponsoring the iTest organization this year.
It's such a strange dichotomy being involved in a video game startup as well as an academic non-profit. Good balance I guess.
Sometime soon, take a look over at www.theitest.com at the 2008 iTest exam. It is definitely worth checking out.
Sunday, August 03, 2008
This probably isn't worthy of a blog post, but some people may find it of use:
Google Docs is awesome.
You can create documents, spreadsheets, presentations, etc. for free, share them with anyone, collaborate on them over the internet, and probably a lot more that I don't even know about yet. Great productivity software for business and probably Google's next big home run.
Google Docs is awesome.
You can create documents, spreadsheets, presentations, etc. for free, share them with anyone, collaborate on them over the internet, and probably a lot more that I don't even know about yet. Great productivity software for business and probably Google's next big home run.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
The Score - Cool Springs (and the larger The Score Holdings LLC) now has a blog. Check it out. Most news regarding The Score will, from now on, be posted there.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Traveled back to Birmingham yesterday to speak to the Vestavia Hills Rotary Club. The topic was the iTest. I thanked the Rotary Club for their years of support of Vestavia Hills academic teams, and the incredible dedication they've shown by hosting the Rotary Roast (and other fundraising events) year after year. The talk went great, lots of questions about the iTest, and several folks volunteering to help out in various ways.
Pondering heading out to Titans training camp this afternoon...either way, nice to have a brief moment to relax before a grueling week next week.
Pondering heading out to Titans training camp this afternoon...either way, nice to have a brief moment to relax before a grueling week next week.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
From my 7/23 email regarding creation of The Score Holdings LLC and the start of a new business:
Friends and family,
Lori and I are happy to announce the formation of a new business venture - "The Score." Also, this week we have closed with an investor, who has purchased a significant portion of the business, providing seed capital to move forward.
What follows is a description of the business and a little of the strategy behind it. Also included after my letter is a sample list of The Score launch events, which I think most would find interesting. I am sending this to people I think will be interested in this news, as starting a business is the fulfilling of a dream for me, but please feel free to forward to others as necessary.
The Score (formally organized as The Score Holdings LLC and to be formally recognized along with location, e.g. "The Score - Nashville") is an entertainment and recreation-based retail concept. The Score will use video games in a variety of formats to create structured, highly organized activities and experiences for all ages within a retail location in a strip mall or retail center, the first of which will open in the Cool Springs/Franklin area of Nashville, Tennessee, by the end of the calendar year. Fortunately, there is no business like this within (at minimum) a 50-mile radius of the Cool Springs Galleria and the fast-growing Cool Springs commercial district, although that can't be said for more major metropolitan areas in the US.
I intend on seeking out key sponsors to partner with us on some of our events, e.g. Nissan or Saturn (Nissan's $100M US headquarters just opened in Cool Springs this week, while Saturn has a large presence in the area) about sponsoring our Mario Kart tournament, or talking with Gibson (another big Nashville company) about sponsoring our Guitar Hero or Rock Band events.
Tournaments will be held daily, and scheduled like movies to occur at set times. Potential customers can pick up a calendar of events (or find it online), much in the way someone might browse the newspaper for movie times, and instead of showing up to buy tickets ahead of time, people come and buy their ticket to a tournament to secure their place in the event before it sells out.
These tournaments will be held in "The Arena," a circular space centrally located within The Score to facilitate video game competition like never before. Also located within The Score are various Game Stations where patrons can try out the latest games, attempt to beat a high score in one of our monthly Challenges (which are documented on posted "Scoreboards" within each location), or accumulate "Scorepoints" (similar to the ever-popular 'Achievements' in various games) all in an effort to claim video game supremacy and bragging rights within the entire city of Nashville...or perhaps just within the family.
Our tournaments will be priced similarly to movies in the theater – anywhere between $10 and $15 per person on average for a tournament that will last approximately 2-2.5 hours. "Free play" on our gaming stations will carry an hourly fee, and party packages will be available, but the main revenue stream will be from our tournaments and other events. Snacks and drinks will be for sale (cheaper than a movie theater), and merchandise will also be available for purchase. A membership program will allow frequent customers to pay a monthly fee in exchange for discounts as well as access to members-only events. Additionally, current video game consoles and software titles, which are available for play in The Score, will also be available for purchase by our customers. We don't want to do the work of introducing new people to the latest videogame, only to have them walk out the door and fork over $$ to GameStop or Best Buy to purchase software for home use.
The economy is in recession, but in recession, there is still opportunity. Video games have proven themselves to be "recession-proof," as demonstrated by booming profits and growing sales volumes, and the success of the Nintendo Wii has muted the stigmas that used to exist for playing video games. No longer "child's play," video games now reach deep into demographics that were previously unfathomable, such as senior citizens in retirement communities.
Video games have succeeded in a down market by winning the "dollars per entertainment hour" ratio over other substitutes, such as movies or music. For The Score to be successful, our tournaments and events will have to compare favorably in this regard as well.
The Score will have predictable traffic of high school and college-aged males playing the latest games, sure, but will cast a wider net through corporate teambuilding events, business vs. business competition, and events specifically targeted to non-traditional gaming groups (e.g. women's groups, senior citizens). This will ensure a wide swath of both "casual gamers" and "hardcore gamers" as customers and should help the business achieve favorable utilization rates even during days while kids are in school.
The Score will reach out to the community, offering a monthly free class to parents called "Videogames 101: How to Protect Your Child." This class will educate parents on the strengths and weaknesses of video game use in terms of child development. The content for this class will cover various topics such as online interactivity within video games, the ESRB ratings board (and what the ratings mean), problem solving within video games, and suggestions for games based on age. This class will either be conducted on-site at The Score or at a nearby community center.
As the popularity of online 'multiplayer' video game play has swelled, so has the collective understanding that parents can't protect children online from racial slurs, inappropriate conduct, and even child predators. In addition, from a typical gamer's point of view, online interaction can become tiresome and does not grant you the ability to enjoy, in person, the thrill of victory. These factors and more indicate that online video game play, while growing in popularity, does not stand in the way of a venture like this.
Music and movies both have venues for the enjoyment of "live" entertainment - why not video games, which is a bigger industry than music and movies combined?
As we embark on what will certainly be an adventure, your support and your prayers are important to us. If you have any suggestions, questions, or comments, feel free to fire me an email.
Thanks,
Bradley
The Score: Launch Tournaments and Events
(Member discount extends to teams with 50% or more members than non-members; trophies may be exchanged as necessary with free merchandise received from vendors or free games received from iGames.org alliance as necessary to support sales.)
You Can't Make Mii!(tm) Mii Design Competition (ages 6-12)
Cost: $10; free for members
Slots Available: 8
GamerScale: 2/10
Facilities: Two Game Stations
Description: 8 contestants compete to design the most accurate-looking Mii by using the Nintendo Wii's Mii design software. Contestants receive a list of three possible Mii design choices (e.g. Abraham Lincoln, Mario, or George Clooney) and must design one in 10 minutes. The Mii is judged by The Score staff using the criteria of Accuracy, Creativity, and Fun to assign point scores out of 10 (1 being bad, 10 being great). Each contestant receives a different list of three Mii choices, in order to prevent any contestant from copying another. The top two contestants face off against one another, designing the same Mii (as determined by The Score staff) simultaneously during a 10-minute final round. The best Mii (as judged by the same criteria as the previous round) wins the tournament.
Levels: n/a
Settings: default Mii design settings
Total Tournament Time: 90 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to the runner-up; trophy to the winner
Wii Love Geographii! Geography Competition (ages 6-12)
Cost: $10; free for members
Slots Available: 8
GamerScale: 1/10
Facilities: Two Game Stations
Description: 8 contestants compete in a head-to-head geography bee using the Nintendo Wii's built-in globe software (under the "Forecast Channel"). Four one-on-one matchups comprise the first round, where each contestant squares off against another to move the map from The Score's location (e.g. Nashville, Tennessee) to a given geographic location. First contestant to locate five geographic locations faster than his or her opponent wins each round. Winners of each round advance to the next head-to-head round until only one winner remains.
Levels: n/a
Settings: default Wii Forecast Channel settings; start city of Nashville
Total Tournament Time: 60 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to the runner up; trophy to the winner
Halo 3 - Not-Free-For-All Free-For-All (tm)
Cost: $10; free for members
Age Restriction: 17 and up (without parental consent)
Slots Available: 32
GamerScale: 8/10
Facilities: The Arena
Description: Every man for himself in Halo 3. Four 8-person free-for-all 10-minute matches comprise the qualifying round, where the top two point-scoring contestants advance to Round 2 (for a total of 8 contestants advancing). Round 2 involves four one-on-one matches of 10 minutes apiece, with the winner (by points) advancing to the semifinals. The remaining four contestants will battle head-to-head in 10-minute matches, and the two winners will face off in the final round in one final 10-minute match.
Levels: Last Resort (Round 1), Snowbound (Rounds 2 and 3), The Pit (Round 4)
Settings: Default Halo 3 settings
Total Tournament Time: 110 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to a random non-winning participant; $25 ScoreCard and trophy to the winner
Halo 3 - Off To The Races! (tm)
Cost: $20 per team (of 2); $10 per team (for members)
Age Restriction: 17 and up (without parental consent)
Slots Available: 32 teams
GamerScale: 6/10
Facilities: The Arena
Description: Halo 3 "Rocket Race" tournament. Eight qualifying matches (4 teams per match) last 7 minutes apiece, with the top two teams (as determined by points) advancing to Round 2. Round 2 features four matches (4 teams per match) of 7 minutes apiece, with only the top team advancing to Round 3. Round 3, the final round, features all four remaining teams vying for the championship, with the top points scorer in a round of 15 minutes emerging victorious.
Levels: Sandtrap (Round 1), Valhalla (Round 2), High Ground (Round 3)
Settings: Default Halo 3 settings
Total Tournament Time: 99 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to a random non-winning team; $25 ScoreCards and trophies to the winning team
Halo 3 - 4x4 Mass Warfare (tm)
Cost: $50 per team (of 4); $40 per team (for members)
Age Restriction: 17 and up (without parental consent)
Slots Available: 32
GamerScale: 10/10
Facilities: The Arena
Description: Halo 3 "Team Slayer" single-elimination tournament. 10-minute rounds.
Levels: Epitaph (Rounds 1 and 2), Isolation (Round 3), Guardian (Round 4), Narrows (Round 5)
Settings: Default Halo 3 settings
Total Tournament Time: 310 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to a random participant on a non-winning team; $25 ScoreCards and trophies to the winning team
Living In The Past (tm): Old School Olympics
Cost: $10; $5 (for members)
Slots Available: 8
GamerScale: 5/10
Facilities: Game Station
Description: Fight for old-school gaming bragging rights across three classic titles. First, how many points can you score in the original Super Mario Bros. (NES) with just one life? Second, how many points can you score in a game of Tecmo Bowl (NES)? Finally, how many points can you score in Donkey Kong (NES) without losing a life? Each player is ranked, from 1st through 8th, in each event, and the winner is determined by taking the average rank across all three games. Any ties will be broken by using Super Mario Bros. game performance, then Tecmo Bowl performance, then Donkey Kong performance, in order until a winner is determined. In the event that a player has not lost a life in Super Mario Bros. or Donkey Kong after 10 minutes of active participation in the game, a 1st place finish in that game will be awarded.
Levels: As listed in description
Settings: Default game settings
Total Tournament Time: 120 minutes
Prizes: NES cartridge of Super Mario Bros., Tecmo Bowl, or Donkey Kong, along with commemorative trophy, for the winner
Living In The Past (tm): Pac-Man
Cost: $10; $5 (for members)
Slots Available: 16
GamerScale: 2/10
Facilities: Game Station
Description: Live in the past by competing for dominance in Pac-Man. The player with the highest score wins.
Levels: n/a
Settings: Default game settings; "Championship Mode" on Pac-Man Championship Edition (Xbox Live Arcade) to be used
Total Tournament Time: 80 minutes
Prizes: Pac-Man-themed merchandise for a random non-winning participant; Pac-Man-themed merchandise along with trophy for winner
Strikes, Spares, but No Shoes: The Score's Wii Sports Bowling Tournament (tm)
Cost: $10; $5 (for members)
Slots Available: 64
GamerScale: 2/10
Facilities: Four Game Stations
Description: Wii Sports bowling tournament. Groups of 16 are assembled at four different Gaming Stations and take turns playing (in groups of 4). The winner of each 4-person game will advance to the next round, and in the event of a tie, both participants will advance. The remaining 16 (or potentially more) contestants will again separate into groups of 4 and compete, with the winner of each group of 4 advancing. With the final group of 4 remaining, the winner of the final round is the champion. In the event of a tie in the final round, a frame-by-frame playoff will be held to determine a winner.
Levels: Wii Sports bowling
Settings: Default game settings
Total Tournament Time: 100 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise for a random non-winning participant; $20 ScoreCard and trophy for the winner
Call of Duty 4 - Not-Free-For-All Free-For-All (tm)
Cost: $10; free for members
Age Restriction: 17 and up (without parental consent)
Slots Available: 32
GamerScale: 8/10
Facilities: The Arena
Description: Every man for himself in Call of Duty 4. Four 8-person free-for-all 10-minute matches comprise the qualifying round, where the top two point-scoring contestants advance to Round 2 (for a total of 8 contestants advancing). Round 2 involves four one-on-one matches of 10 minutes apiece, with the winner (by points) advancing to the semifinals. The remaining four contestants will battle head-to-head in 10-minute matches, and the two winners will face off in the final round in one final 10-minute match.
Levels: Wet Work (Round 1), Backlot (Rounds 2 and 3), Showdown (Round 4)
Settings: Default Call of Duty 4 settings
Total Tournament Time: 110 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to a random non-winning participant; $25 ScoreCard and trophy to the winner
Call of Duty 4 - Sabotage at The Score (tm)
Cost: $50 per team (of 4); $40 per team (for members)
Age Restriction: 17 and up (without parental consent)
Slots Available: 32
GamerScale: 9/10
Facilities: The Arena
Description: Teams of 4 battle for victory in the Sabotage game type of Call of Duty 4. Each round pits team against team in 7-minute matches to plant the bomb on the opposing team's base. Planting the bomb grants a team the right to move on to the next round; if neither team plants the bomb in the allotted time, the team with the most combined points will advance. In the (rare) event of a tie in points, neither team will advance (which will result in a team in the next round receiving a bye instead of playing another team). Play continues across 5 rounds until a champion is declared.
Levels: Countdown (Rounds 1 and 2), Broadcast (Rounds 3 and 4), Creek (Round 5)
Settings: Default Call of Duty 4 Sabotage settings
Total Tournament Time: 217 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to a random non-winning participant; $25 ScoreCard and trophies to each member of the winning team
Call of Duty 4 - The Four C's (tm)
Cost: $60 per team (of 4); $50 per team (for members)
Age Restriction: 17 and up (without parental consent)
Slots Available: 16
GamerScale(tm): 9/10
Facilities: The Arena
Description: Teams of 4 compete to be the best at Call of Duty 4's Search and Destroy game type. Teams battle head-to-head in a single-elimination tournament, as the winner of each Search and Destroy round (as determined by the game type's best of 7 format) advance to the next round. Play continues through 4 successive rounds until one team remains undefeated.
Levels: Countdown (Round 1), Crash (Round 2), Creek (Round 3), Chinatown (Round 4)
Settings: Default Call of Duty Search and Destroy settings
Total Tournament Time: 225 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to a random non-winning participant; $25 ScoreCard and trophies to each member of the winning team
Trivia Night at The Score (tm)
Cost: $30 per team (of 2); $20 per team (for members)
Age Restriction: 12 and up
Slots Available: 16
GamerScale(tm): 4/10
Facilities: 2 Game Stations
Description: Teams of 2 vie for the trivia crown by competing in two separate games: Wits and Wagers (Xbox 360) and TV Show King (Wii). Teams split up, with one member of each team participating in both games. Each team's points (equal to the number of wins in either game) are added together, and the team with the most points wins the competition. Both games will feature a round-robin tournament in which each contestant plays twice. Winning a match (against 3 other contestants) results in a victory (and earning 1 point), while failing to come in first results in zero points.
Levels: n/a
Settings: Default settings
Total Tournament Time: 192 minutes
Prizes: Trivia-related boardgame to a random non-winning participant; trivia-related boardgame and trophy to both members of the winning team
Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Solo Smash at The Score (tm)
Cost: $15; $10 (for members)
Slots Available: 64 (computer opponents inserted as necessary to fill out 64 slots)
GamerScale(tm): 7/10
Facilities: Two Game Stations
Description: Individuals compete in a 64-person Super Smash Bros. Brawl solo tournament using the built-in Tourney Mode on two separate Wii consoles (32 contestants per game station). Each match will feature four contestants per match, with one winner emerging from each match until there are two semifinalists (one per tournament of 32 on each game station). The two finalists will then compete in a 5-minute timed match to determine the champion.
Levels: Random
Settings: Default Tourney Mode settings / default Super Smash Bros. Brawl settings
Total Tournament Time: 130 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to a random non-winning participant; $20 ScoreCard and trophy for the runner-up; $30 ScoreCard and trophy for the winner
Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Home Run Derby Duo (tm)
Cost: $15 per team (of 2); $10 per team (for members)
Slots Available: 20
GamerScale(tm): 4/10
Facilities: Game Station
Description: Teams of 2 compete to hit the Super Smash Bros. Brawl punching bag the farthest as part of the game's built-in Home Run Derby mini-game. Each team plays two Home Run games (counting only each team's highest score), with teams competing in a randomly selected order. The team with the best score wins.
Levels: n/a
Settings: Default Home Run mini-game settings
Total Tournament Time: 45 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to a random non-winning participant; $20 ScoreCard and trophy to each member of the winning team
Rock Band Round Robin (tm)
Cost: $60 per team (of 4); $50 per team (for members)
Age Restriction: 17 and up (without parental consent)
Slots Available: 12
GamerScale(tm): 5/10
Facilities: The Arena
Description: Rock Band teams of 4 take turns playing pre-selected songs to determine a musical champion. Each "band" of 4 people plays a total of 3 songs and the team with the highest point total wins the tournament.
Levels: Songs to be determined and announced at the time of the event
Settings: Normal difficulty for all players
Total Tournament Time: 180 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to a random non-winning participant; prize via sponsorship TBD (Gibson?) and trophies for winning team
One Guitar Hero, Many Guitar Villains (tm)
Cost: $30; $20 (for members)
Age Restriction: 17 and up (without parental consent)
Slots Available: 32
GamerScale(tm): 10/10
Facilities: 2 Gaming Stations (qualifying round), The Arena (head-to-head elimination rounds)
Description: Up to 32 individuals compete to become the Guitar Hero - The Score's store champion. Participants play a pre-determined song at a Gaming Station, with the Top 16 (of the participating 32) moving on to the next round. The tournament then enters head-to-head elimination rounds in The Arena until a winner is determined.
Levels: Songs to be determined and announced at the time of the event
Settings: Hard difficulty (qualifying round), Expert difficulty (head-to-head elimination rounds)
Total Tournament Time: 155 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to a random non-winning participant; prize (guitar?) via sponsorship TBD (Gibson?) and trophies for winning team
Grand Prix on the Wii (tm): Mario Kart Single Elimination Tournament
Cost: $25; $20 (for members)
Slots Available: 64
GamerScale(tm): 6/10
Facilities: 4 Gaming Stations (qualifying rounds), The Arena
Description: Gamers compete in a single-elimination Mario Kart Wii tournament. Qualifying rounds consisting of 8 contestants apiece take place on four Gaming Stations, with the top 2 of each round advancing. The top 16 are broken into two groups of 8, again with the top 2 advancing. The top 4 compete in a final round, taking place in The Arena, with the winner claiming the championship. Each round is four races in length, with the tracks pre-determined at the time of the event.
Levels: To be determined at the time of the event
Settings: Default Mario Kart Wii settings
Total Tournament Time: 90 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to a random non-winning participant; nice prize via sponsorship TBD (Nissan or Saturn?) and trophies for the winning team
Home Cooking (tm): NCAA Football 2009
Cost: $10; $5 (for members or for non-members playing as Vanderbilt or MTSU); $1 (for members playing as Vanderbilt or MTSU)
Slots Available: 16
GamerScale(tm): 4/10
Facilities: 2 Gaming Stations
Description: Select a local team and compete for bragging rights in NCAA Football 2009. Head-to-head competition across 4 rounds.
Levels: Homefield advantage given to the worse team, as determined by NCAA Football 2009 in-game team ratings. Any ties in overall rating are to be broken by coin flip.
Settings: 2 minute quarters (Rounds 1-3); 4 minute quarters (Round 4); default difficulty and game settings
Total Tournament Time: 128 minutes
Prizes: University-sponsored prizes for random non-winning participants; $15 ScoreCard and trophy to winner
Home Cooking (tm): Madden 2009
Cost: $10; $5 (for members or for non-members playing as the Tennessee Titans); $1 (for members playing as the Tennessee Titans)
Slots Available: 16
GamerScale(tm): 4/10
Facilities: 2 Gaming Stations
Description: Select a local team and compete for bragging rights in Madden 2009. Head-to-head competition across 4 rounds.
Levels: Homefield advantage given to the worse team, as determined by Madden 2009 in-game team ratings. Any ties in overall rating are to be broken by coin flip.
Settings: 2 minute quarters (Rounds 1-3); 4 minute quarters (Round 4); default difficulty and game settings
Total Tournament Time: 128 minutes
Prizes: Titans-sponsored prizes for random non-winning participants; $15 ScoreCard and trophy to winner
Bombs Away (tm)
Cost: $10; $5 (for members)
Slots Available: 16
GamerScale(tm): 5/10
Facilities: 2 Gaming Stations
Description: Bomberman single-elimination tournament. Each match pairs up 4 players at a time competing to be the last Bomberman standing, with the winner advancing to the next round. The winner on each Game Station ("West" and "East") will match up for a Championship Round to determine a winner.
Levels: Randomly selected
Settings: Bomberman Live! (Xbox Live Arcade) default settings; first to 3 victories wins a given round
Total Tournament Time: 150 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise for a random non-winning participant; $15 ScoreCard and trophy to the winner
Beat The Clock: Super Mario Bros. 1
Cost: $12; $7 (for members)
Slots Available: 8
GamerScale(tm): 7/10
Facilities: Game Station
Description: Can you beat the clock in Super Mario Bros. 1 (NES)? Defeat the game by going from world 1-1 through defeating Bowser in world 8-4, in 10 minutes or less, and claim a prize.
Levels: n/a
Settings: Default game settings; warps and naturally-occurring glitches in the game may be exploited
Total Tournament Time: 80 minutes
Prizes: Special prize TBD along with trophy for each winner
Beat The Clock: Super Mario World
Cost: $12; $7 (for members)
Slots Available: 5
GamerScale(tm): 7/10
Facilities: Game Station
Description: Can you beat the clock in Super Mario World (SNES)? Defeat the game by going from Yoshi's Island, through the legendary Star World, all the way to Bowser's Castle and defeating the big guy in less than 20 minutes, and claim a prize.
Levels: n/a
Settings: Default game settings; warps and naturally-occurring glitches in the game may be exploited
Total Tournament Time: 100 minutes
Prizes: Special prize TBD along with trophy for each winner
Friends and family,
Lori and I are happy to announce the formation of a new business venture - "The Score." Also, this week we have closed with an investor, who has purchased a significant portion of the business, providing seed capital to move forward.
What follows is a description of the business and a little of the strategy behind it. Also included after my letter is a sample list of The Score launch events, which I think most would find interesting. I am sending this to people I think will be interested in this news, as starting a business is the fulfilling of a dream for me, but please feel free to forward to others as necessary.
The Score (formally organized as The Score Holdings LLC and to be formally recognized along with location, e.g. "The Score - Nashville") is an entertainment and recreation-based retail concept. The Score will use video games in a variety of formats to create structured, highly organized activities and experiences for all ages within a retail location in a strip mall or retail center, the first of which will open in the Cool Springs/Franklin area of Nashville, Tennessee, by the end of the calendar year. Fortunately, there is no business like this within (at minimum) a 50-mile radius of the Cool Springs Galleria and the fast-growing Cool Springs commercial district, although that can't be said for more major metropolitan areas in the US.
I intend on seeking out key sponsors to partner with us on some of our events, e.g. Nissan or Saturn (Nissan's $100M US headquarters just opened in Cool Springs this week, while Saturn has a large presence in the area) about sponsoring our Mario Kart tournament, or talking with Gibson (another big Nashville company) about sponsoring our Guitar Hero or Rock Band events.
Tournaments will be held daily, and scheduled like movies to occur at set times. Potential customers can pick up a calendar of events (or find it online), much in the way someone might browse the newspaper for movie times, and instead of showing up to buy tickets ahead of time, people come and buy their ticket to a tournament to secure their place in the event before it sells out.
These tournaments will be held in "The Arena," a circular space centrally located within The Score to facilitate video game competition like never before. Also located within The Score are various Game Stations where patrons can try out the latest games, attempt to beat a high score in one of our monthly Challenges (which are documented on posted "Scoreboards" within each location), or accumulate "Scorepoints" (similar to the ever-popular 'Achievements' in various games) all in an effort to claim video game supremacy and bragging rights within the entire city of Nashville...or perhaps just within the family.
Our tournaments will be priced similarly to movies in the theater – anywhere between $10 and $15 per person on average for a tournament that will last approximately 2-2.5 hours. "Free play" on our gaming stations will carry an hourly fee, and party packages will be available, but the main revenue stream will be from our tournaments and other events. Snacks and drinks will be for sale (cheaper than a movie theater), and merchandise will also be available for purchase. A membership program will allow frequent customers to pay a monthly fee in exchange for discounts as well as access to members-only events. Additionally, current video game consoles and software titles, which are available for play in The Score, will also be available for purchase by our customers. We don't want to do the work of introducing new people to the latest videogame, only to have them walk out the door and fork over $$ to GameStop or Best Buy to purchase software for home use.
The economy is in recession, but in recession, there is still opportunity. Video games have proven themselves to be "recession-proof," as demonstrated by booming profits and growing sales volumes, and the success of the Nintendo Wii has muted the stigmas that used to exist for playing video games. No longer "child's play," video games now reach deep into demographics that were previously unfathomable, such as senior citizens in retirement communities.
Video games have succeeded in a down market by winning the "dollars per entertainment hour" ratio over other substitutes, such as movies or music. For The Score to be successful, our tournaments and events will have to compare favorably in this regard as well.
The Score will have predictable traffic of high school and college-aged males playing the latest games, sure, but will cast a wider net through corporate teambuilding events, business vs. business competition, and events specifically targeted to non-traditional gaming groups (e.g. women's groups, senior citizens). This will ensure a wide swath of both "casual gamers" and "hardcore gamers" as customers and should help the business achieve favorable utilization rates even during days while kids are in school.
The Score will reach out to the community, offering a monthly free class to parents called "Videogames 101: How to Protect Your Child." This class will educate parents on the strengths and weaknesses of video game use in terms of child development. The content for this class will cover various topics such as online interactivity within video games, the ESRB ratings board (and what the ratings mean), problem solving within video games, and suggestions for games based on age. This class will either be conducted on-site at The Score or at a nearby community center.
As the popularity of online 'multiplayer' video game play has swelled, so has the collective understanding that parents can't protect children online from racial slurs, inappropriate conduct, and even child predators. In addition, from a typical gamer's point of view, online interaction can become tiresome and does not grant you the ability to enjoy, in person, the thrill of victory. These factors and more indicate that online video game play, while growing in popularity, does not stand in the way of a venture like this.
Music and movies both have venues for the enjoyment of "live" entertainment - why not video games, which is a bigger industry than music and movies combined?
As we embark on what will certainly be an adventure, your support and your prayers are important to us. If you have any suggestions, questions, or comments, feel free to fire me an email.
Thanks,
Bradley
The Score: Launch Tournaments and Events
(Member discount extends to teams with 50% or more members than non-members; trophies may be exchanged as necessary with free merchandise received from vendors or free games received from iGames.org alliance as necessary to support sales.)
You Can't Make Mii!(tm) Mii Design Competition (ages 6-12)
Cost: $10; free for members
Slots Available: 8
GamerScale: 2/10
Facilities: Two Game Stations
Description: 8 contestants compete to design the most accurate-looking Mii by using the Nintendo Wii's Mii design software. Contestants receive a list of three possible Mii design choices (e.g. Abraham Lincoln, Mario, or George Clooney) and must design one in 10 minutes. The Mii is judged by The Score staff using the criteria of Accuracy, Creativity, and Fun to assign point scores out of 10 (1 being bad, 10 being great). Each contestant receives a different list of three Mii choices, in order to prevent any contestant from copying another. The top two contestants face off against one another, designing the same Mii (as determined by The Score staff) simultaneously during a 10-minute final round. The best Mii (as judged by the same criteria as the previous round) wins the tournament.
Levels: n/a
Settings: default Mii design settings
Total Tournament Time: 90 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to the runner-up; trophy to the winner
Wii Love Geographii! Geography Competition (ages 6-12)
Cost: $10; free for members
Slots Available: 8
GamerScale: 1/10
Facilities: Two Game Stations
Description: 8 contestants compete in a head-to-head geography bee using the Nintendo Wii's built-in globe software (under the "Forecast Channel"). Four one-on-one matchups comprise the first round, where each contestant squares off against another to move the map from The Score's location (e.g. Nashville, Tennessee) to a given geographic location. First contestant to locate five geographic locations faster than his or her opponent wins each round. Winners of each round advance to the next head-to-head round until only one winner remains.
Levels: n/a
Settings: default Wii Forecast Channel settings; start city of Nashville
Total Tournament Time: 60 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to the runner up; trophy to the winner
Halo 3 - Not-Free-For-All Free-For-All (tm)
Cost: $10; free for members
Age Restriction: 17 and up (without parental consent)
Slots Available: 32
GamerScale: 8/10
Facilities: The Arena
Description: Every man for himself in Halo 3. Four 8-person free-for-all 10-minute matches comprise the qualifying round, where the top two point-scoring contestants advance to Round 2 (for a total of 8 contestants advancing). Round 2 involves four one-on-one matches of 10 minutes apiece, with the winner (by points) advancing to the semifinals. The remaining four contestants will battle head-to-head in 10-minute matches, and the two winners will face off in the final round in one final 10-minute match.
Levels: Last Resort (Round 1), Snowbound (Rounds 2 and 3), The Pit (Round 4)
Settings: Default Halo 3 settings
Total Tournament Time: 110 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to a random non-winning participant; $25 ScoreCard and trophy to the winner
Halo 3 - Off To The Races! (tm)
Cost: $20 per team (of 2); $10 per team (for members)
Age Restriction: 17 and up (without parental consent)
Slots Available: 32 teams
GamerScale: 6/10
Facilities: The Arena
Description: Halo 3 "Rocket Race" tournament. Eight qualifying matches (4 teams per match) last 7 minutes apiece, with the top two teams (as determined by points) advancing to Round 2. Round 2 features four matches (4 teams per match) of 7 minutes apiece, with only the top team advancing to Round 3. Round 3, the final round, features all four remaining teams vying for the championship, with the top points scorer in a round of 15 minutes emerging victorious.
Levels: Sandtrap (Round 1), Valhalla (Round 2), High Ground (Round 3)
Settings: Default Halo 3 settings
Total Tournament Time: 99 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to a random non-winning team; $25 ScoreCards and trophies to the winning team
Halo 3 - 4x4 Mass Warfare (tm)
Cost: $50 per team (of 4); $40 per team (for members)
Age Restriction: 17 and up (without parental consent)
Slots Available: 32
GamerScale: 10/10
Facilities: The Arena
Description: Halo 3 "Team Slayer" single-elimination tournament. 10-minute rounds.
Levels: Epitaph (Rounds 1 and 2), Isolation (Round 3), Guardian (Round 4), Narrows (Round 5)
Settings: Default Halo 3 settings
Total Tournament Time: 310 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to a random participant on a non-winning team; $25 ScoreCards and trophies to the winning team
Living In The Past (tm): Old School Olympics
Cost: $10; $5 (for members)
Slots Available: 8
GamerScale: 5/10
Facilities: Game Station
Description: Fight for old-school gaming bragging rights across three classic titles. First, how many points can you score in the original Super Mario Bros. (NES) with just one life? Second, how many points can you score in a game of Tecmo Bowl (NES)? Finally, how many points can you score in Donkey Kong (NES) without losing a life? Each player is ranked, from 1st through 8th, in each event, and the winner is determined by taking the average rank across all three games. Any ties will be broken by using Super Mario Bros. game performance, then Tecmo Bowl performance, then Donkey Kong performance, in order until a winner is determined. In the event that a player has not lost a life in Super Mario Bros. or Donkey Kong after 10 minutes of active participation in the game, a 1st place finish in that game will be awarded.
Levels: As listed in description
Settings: Default game settings
Total Tournament Time: 120 minutes
Prizes: NES cartridge of Super Mario Bros., Tecmo Bowl, or Donkey Kong, along with commemorative trophy, for the winner
Living In The Past (tm): Pac-Man
Cost: $10; $5 (for members)
Slots Available: 16
GamerScale: 2/10
Facilities: Game Station
Description: Live in the past by competing for dominance in Pac-Man. The player with the highest score wins.
Levels: n/a
Settings: Default game settings; "Championship Mode" on Pac-Man Championship Edition (Xbox Live Arcade) to be used
Total Tournament Time: 80 minutes
Prizes: Pac-Man-themed merchandise for a random non-winning participant; Pac-Man-themed merchandise along with trophy for winner
Strikes, Spares, but No Shoes: The Score's Wii Sports Bowling Tournament (tm)
Cost: $10; $5 (for members)
Slots Available: 64
GamerScale: 2/10
Facilities: Four Game Stations
Description: Wii Sports bowling tournament. Groups of 16 are assembled at four different Gaming Stations and take turns playing (in groups of 4). The winner of each 4-person game will advance to the next round, and in the event of a tie, both participants will advance. The remaining 16 (or potentially more) contestants will again separate into groups of 4 and compete, with the winner of each group of 4 advancing. With the final group of 4 remaining, the winner of the final round is the champion. In the event of a tie in the final round, a frame-by-frame playoff will be held to determine a winner.
Levels: Wii Sports bowling
Settings: Default game settings
Total Tournament Time: 100 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise for a random non-winning participant; $20 ScoreCard and trophy for the winner
Call of Duty 4 - Not-Free-For-All Free-For-All (tm)
Cost: $10; free for members
Age Restriction: 17 and up (without parental consent)
Slots Available: 32
GamerScale: 8/10
Facilities: The Arena
Description: Every man for himself in Call of Duty 4. Four 8-person free-for-all 10-minute matches comprise the qualifying round, where the top two point-scoring contestants advance to Round 2 (for a total of 8 contestants advancing). Round 2 involves four one-on-one matches of 10 minutes apiece, with the winner (by points) advancing to the semifinals. The remaining four contestants will battle head-to-head in 10-minute matches, and the two winners will face off in the final round in one final 10-minute match.
Levels: Wet Work (Round 1), Backlot (Rounds 2 and 3), Showdown (Round 4)
Settings: Default Call of Duty 4 settings
Total Tournament Time: 110 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to a random non-winning participant; $25 ScoreCard and trophy to the winner
Call of Duty 4 - Sabotage at The Score (tm)
Cost: $50 per team (of 4); $40 per team (for members)
Age Restriction: 17 and up (without parental consent)
Slots Available: 32
GamerScale: 9/10
Facilities: The Arena
Description: Teams of 4 battle for victory in the Sabotage game type of Call of Duty 4. Each round pits team against team in 7-minute matches to plant the bomb on the opposing team's base. Planting the bomb grants a team the right to move on to the next round; if neither team plants the bomb in the allotted time, the team with the most combined points will advance. In the (rare) event of a tie in points, neither team will advance (which will result in a team in the next round receiving a bye instead of playing another team). Play continues across 5 rounds until a champion is declared.
Levels: Countdown (Rounds 1 and 2), Broadcast (Rounds 3 and 4), Creek (Round 5)
Settings: Default Call of Duty 4 Sabotage settings
Total Tournament Time: 217 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to a random non-winning participant; $25 ScoreCard and trophies to each member of the winning team
Call of Duty 4 - The Four C's (tm)
Cost: $60 per team (of 4); $50 per team (for members)
Age Restriction: 17 and up (without parental consent)
Slots Available: 16
GamerScale(tm): 9/10
Facilities: The Arena
Description: Teams of 4 compete to be the best at Call of Duty 4's Search and Destroy game type. Teams battle head-to-head in a single-elimination tournament, as the winner of each Search and Destroy round (as determined by the game type's best of 7 format) advance to the next round. Play continues through 4 successive rounds until one team remains undefeated.
Levels: Countdown (Round 1), Crash (Round 2), Creek (Round 3), Chinatown (Round 4)
Settings: Default Call of Duty Search and Destroy settings
Total Tournament Time: 225 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to a random non-winning participant; $25 ScoreCard and trophies to each member of the winning team
Trivia Night at The Score (tm)
Cost: $30 per team (of 2); $20 per team (for members)
Age Restriction: 12 and up
Slots Available: 16
GamerScale(tm): 4/10
Facilities: 2 Game Stations
Description: Teams of 2 vie for the trivia crown by competing in two separate games: Wits and Wagers (Xbox 360) and TV Show King (Wii). Teams split up, with one member of each team participating in both games. Each team's points (equal to the number of wins in either game) are added together, and the team with the most points wins the competition. Both games will feature a round-robin tournament in which each contestant plays twice. Winning a match (against 3 other contestants) results in a victory (and earning 1 point), while failing to come in first results in zero points.
Levels: n/a
Settings: Default settings
Total Tournament Time: 192 minutes
Prizes: Trivia-related boardgame to a random non-winning participant; trivia-related boardgame and trophy to both members of the winning team
Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Solo Smash at The Score (tm)
Cost: $15; $10 (for members)
Slots Available: 64 (computer opponents inserted as necessary to fill out 64 slots)
GamerScale(tm): 7/10
Facilities: Two Game Stations
Description: Individuals compete in a 64-person Super Smash Bros. Brawl solo tournament using the built-in Tourney Mode on two separate Wii consoles (32 contestants per game station). Each match will feature four contestants per match, with one winner emerging from each match until there are two semifinalists (one per tournament of 32 on each game station). The two finalists will then compete in a 5-minute timed match to determine the champion.
Levels: Random
Settings: Default Tourney Mode settings / default Super Smash Bros. Brawl settings
Total Tournament Time: 130 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to a random non-winning participant; $20 ScoreCard and trophy for the runner-up; $30 ScoreCard and trophy for the winner
Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Home Run Derby Duo (tm)
Cost: $15 per team (of 2); $10 per team (for members)
Slots Available: 20
GamerScale(tm): 4/10
Facilities: Game Station
Description: Teams of 2 compete to hit the Super Smash Bros. Brawl punching bag the farthest as part of the game's built-in Home Run Derby mini-game. Each team plays two Home Run games (counting only each team's highest score), with teams competing in a randomly selected order. The team with the best score wins.
Levels: n/a
Settings: Default Home Run mini-game settings
Total Tournament Time: 45 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to a random non-winning participant; $20 ScoreCard and trophy to each member of the winning team
Rock Band Round Robin (tm)
Cost: $60 per team (of 4); $50 per team (for members)
Age Restriction: 17 and up (without parental consent)
Slots Available: 12
GamerScale(tm): 5/10
Facilities: The Arena
Description: Rock Band teams of 4 take turns playing pre-selected songs to determine a musical champion. Each "band" of 4 people plays a total of 3 songs and the team with the highest point total wins the tournament.
Levels: Songs to be determined and announced at the time of the event
Settings: Normal difficulty for all players
Total Tournament Time: 180 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to a random non-winning participant; prize via sponsorship TBD (Gibson?) and trophies for winning team
One Guitar Hero, Many Guitar Villains (tm)
Cost: $30; $20 (for members)
Age Restriction: 17 and up (without parental consent)
Slots Available: 32
GamerScale(tm): 10/10
Facilities: 2 Gaming Stations (qualifying round), The Arena (head-to-head elimination rounds)
Description: Up to 32 individuals compete to become the Guitar Hero - The Score's store champion. Participants play a pre-determined song at a Gaming Station, with the Top 16 (of the participating 32) moving on to the next round. The tournament then enters head-to-head elimination rounds in The Arena until a winner is determined.
Levels: Songs to be determined and announced at the time of the event
Settings: Hard difficulty (qualifying round), Expert difficulty (head-to-head elimination rounds)
Total Tournament Time: 155 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to a random non-winning participant; prize (guitar?) via sponsorship TBD (Gibson?) and trophies for winning team
Grand Prix on the Wii (tm): Mario Kart Single Elimination Tournament
Cost: $25; $20 (for members)
Slots Available: 64
GamerScale(tm): 6/10
Facilities: 4 Gaming Stations (qualifying rounds), The Arena
Description: Gamers compete in a single-elimination Mario Kart Wii tournament. Qualifying rounds consisting of 8 contestants apiece take place on four Gaming Stations, with the top 2 of each round advancing. The top 16 are broken into two groups of 8, again with the top 2 advancing. The top 4 compete in a final round, taking place in The Arena, with the winner claiming the championship. Each round is four races in length, with the tracks pre-determined at the time of the event.
Levels: To be determined at the time of the event
Settings: Default Mario Kart Wii settings
Total Tournament Time: 90 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise to a random non-winning participant; nice prize via sponsorship TBD (Nissan or Saturn?) and trophies for the winning team
Home Cooking (tm): NCAA Football 2009
Cost: $10; $5 (for members or for non-members playing as Vanderbilt or MTSU); $1 (for members playing as Vanderbilt or MTSU)
Slots Available: 16
GamerScale(tm): 4/10
Facilities: 2 Gaming Stations
Description: Select a local team and compete for bragging rights in NCAA Football 2009. Head-to-head competition across 4 rounds.
Levels: Homefield advantage given to the worse team, as determined by NCAA Football 2009 in-game team ratings. Any ties in overall rating are to be broken by coin flip.
Settings: 2 minute quarters (Rounds 1-3); 4 minute quarters (Round 4); default difficulty and game settings
Total Tournament Time: 128 minutes
Prizes: University-sponsored prizes for random non-winning participants; $15 ScoreCard and trophy to winner
Home Cooking (tm): Madden 2009
Cost: $10; $5 (for members or for non-members playing as the Tennessee Titans); $1 (for members playing as the Tennessee Titans)
Slots Available: 16
GamerScale(tm): 4/10
Facilities: 2 Gaming Stations
Description: Select a local team and compete for bragging rights in Madden 2009. Head-to-head competition across 4 rounds.
Levels: Homefield advantage given to the worse team, as determined by Madden 2009 in-game team ratings. Any ties in overall rating are to be broken by coin flip.
Settings: 2 minute quarters (Rounds 1-3); 4 minute quarters (Round 4); default difficulty and game settings
Total Tournament Time: 128 minutes
Prizes: Titans-sponsored prizes for random non-winning participants; $15 ScoreCard and trophy to winner
Bombs Away (tm)
Cost: $10; $5 (for members)
Slots Available: 16
GamerScale(tm): 5/10
Facilities: 2 Gaming Stations
Description: Bomberman single-elimination tournament. Each match pairs up 4 players at a time competing to be the last Bomberman standing, with the winner advancing to the next round. The winner on each Game Station ("West" and "East") will match up for a Championship Round to determine a winner.
Levels: Randomly selected
Settings: Bomberman Live! (Xbox Live Arcade) default settings; first to 3 victories wins a given round
Total Tournament Time: 150 minutes
Prizes: The Score merchandise for a random non-winning participant; $15 ScoreCard and trophy to the winner
Beat The Clock: Super Mario Bros. 1
Cost: $12; $7 (for members)
Slots Available: 8
GamerScale(tm): 7/10
Facilities: Game Station
Description: Can you beat the clock in Super Mario Bros. 1 (NES)? Defeat the game by going from world 1-1 through defeating Bowser in world 8-4, in 10 minutes or less, and claim a prize.
Levels: n/a
Settings: Default game settings; warps and naturally-occurring glitches in the game may be exploited
Total Tournament Time: 80 minutes
Prizes: Special prize TBD along with trophy for each winner
Beat The Clock: Super Mario World
Cost: $12; $7 (for members)
Slots Available: 5
GamerScale(tm): 7/10
Facilities: Game Station
Description: Can you beat the clock in Super Mario World (SNES)? Defeat the game by going from Yoshi's Island, through the legendary Star World, all the way to Bowser's Castle and defeating the big guy in less than 20 minutes, and claim a prize.
Levels: n/a
Settings: Default game settings; warps and naturally-occurring glitches in the game may be exploited
Total Tournament Time: 100 minutes
Prizes: Special prize TBD along with trophy for each winner
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Lori's submission to the Nashville Bar Journal was not only published, but made into their June cover story. Check it out here or by heading to NashvilleBar.org. Incredible!
More news to come within the next couple weeks...and by the way, the new Coldplay album is phenomenal...
More news to come within the next couple weeks...and by the way, the new Coldplay album is phenomenal...
Sunday, June 15, 2008
I am struck by the outpouring of emotion in the aftermath of longtime NBC newsman Tim Russert's death. He's been a favorite of mine, primarily because his passion as well as his decent nature are so readily communicated on screen.
As a journalist, he was an innovator. His incisive questioning of various guests on "Meet the Press," while maintaining total control and polite restraint, was both enjoyable to watch as well as insightful for the way it disarmed so many people he brought onto the program.
I pretty much grew up watching Russert, since we would watch NBC Nightly News every night at home and Meet the Press on those rare Sundays we didn't go to church (this was in a world without TiVo, remember). As such, I still had no idea, until I heard others (such as Tom Brokaw this morning filling in as the host of "Meet the Press") that Russert was such a man of faith. A devout Catholic, his passion and enthusiasm he brought into so many other worlds, such as politics and even sports, carried over equally to his religion. I respect that.
So the increasingly vapid world of American journalism loses one of the true "good guys," a man who by all accounts did not hesitate to use his power to find truth, help others both young and old advance their careers, honor important times in other people's lives, and to positively affect many, many lives through the quality, passion, and sheer joy he exhibited on a daily basis for his profession.
The Executive Producer of the Meet the Press program (whose name escapes me at the moment) was on the show this morning with Brokaw, remembering Russert's work and talking with the others on the show about this man's legacy. She recounted that when she gave birth to her son, after returning home from the hospital a hand-written letter from Tim Russert was there waiting on her. But...it was actually not written to her, but it was written to her new son, telling him how lucky he was to have his parents and that he had an internship waiting for him at Meet the Press when he got old enough. Remarkable.
He also served on the Board of Directors of a variety of charitable interests, including the Boys and Girls Club, and contributed heavily to these causes he believed in both financially as well as with his time.
The explosion of press releases, statements, and support for Russert's family is overwhelming to see, and helped educate me on this life that he lived. This was a guy who positively impacted that small inner-circle world around him as powerfully as he did the 'world' of politics. He will definitely be missed.
As a journalist, he was an innovator. His incisive questioning of various guests on "Meet the Press," while maintaining total control and polite restraint, was both enjoyable to watch as well as insightful for the way it disarmed so many people he brought onto the program.
I pretty much grew up watching Russert, since we would watch NBC Nightly News every night at home and Meet the Press on those rare Sundays we didn't go to church (this was in a world without TiVo, remember). As such, I still had no idea, until I heard others (such as Tom Brokaw this morning filling in as the host of "Meet the Press") that Russert was such a man of faith. A devout Catholic, his passion and enthusiasm he brought into so many other worlds, such as politics and even sports, carried over equally to his religion. I respect that.
So the increasingly vapid world of American journalism loses one of the true "good guys," a man who by all accounts did not hesitate to use his power to find truth, help others both young and old advance their careers, honor important times in other people's lives, and to positively affect many, many lives through the quality, passion, and sheer joy he exhibited on a daily basis for his profession.
The Executive Producer of the Meet the Press program (whose name escapes me at the moment) was on the show this morning with Brokaw, remembering Russert's work and talking with the others on the show about this man's legacy. She recounted that when she gave birth to her son, after returning home from the hospital a hand-written letter from Tim Russert was there waiting on her. But...it was actually not written to her, but it was written to her new son, telling him how lucky he was to have his parents and that he had an internship waiting for him at Meet the Press when he got old enough. Remarkable.
He also served on the Board of Directors of a variety of charitable interests, including the Boys and Girls Club, and contributed heavily to these causes he believed in both financially as well as with his time.
The explosion of press releases, statements, and support for Russert's family is overwhelming to see, and helped educate me on this life that he lived. This was a guy who positively impacted that small inner-circle world around him as powerfully as he did the 'world' of politics. He will definitely be missed.
Monday, June 09, 2008
Lori and I went to Birmingham briefly this past weekend for a family reunion (on my mom's side of the family). It was in the lovely location of Clanton, Alabama, which probably was 150 degrees that day! (Or maybe it just seemed like it.)
Overall, a good time. As my mom points out, my grandmother would be happy that we continue to go and uphold the tradition. That's important to me.
Literally 5-10 minutes away is the old Metrock Steel and Wire facility, which I've vowed to see sometime in the next year. There are people on Facebook and Linkedin who work there. I am actually blown away that the Metrock name still remains on what is just essentially a commodity manufacturing plant - clearly, the name means something or else it'd be gone.
I look forward to taking a trip to the plant, touring the place, and seeing how far its come since the last time I was there nearly 20 years ago. That may call for posting some pictures on this blog when that happens. Between two weddings on 6/19 and 7/19 and myriad other responsibilities this summer I hope I get there before August.
Overall, a good time. As my mom points out, my grandmother would be happy that we continue to go and uphold the tradition. That's important to me.
Literally 5-10 minutes away is the old Metrock Steel and Wire facility, which I've vowed to see sometime in the next year. There are people on Facebook and Linkedin who work there. I am actually blown away that the Metrock name still remains on what is just essentially a commodity manufacturing plant - clearly, the name means something or else it'd be gone.
I look forward to taking a trip to the plant, touring the place, and seeing how far its come since the last time I was there nearly 20 years ago. That may call for posting some pictures on this blog when that happens. Between two weddings on 6/19 and 7/19 and myriad other responsibilities this summer I hope I get there before August.
Friday, June 06, 2008
I am amazed at the epic, sweeping artistry of Coldplay's "Viva la Vida," their first single from their new album coming out next week.
The lyrics of this song are more developed than previous Coldplay work, and just tells a very interesting story. Coldplay music inspired me before they wrote like this, but if this song is indicative of the quality of the whole album, it's going to be a great one.
To hear the song, download it or check out this rather excellent cover by some band I've never heard of here on YouTube...
"Viva la Vida" - Coldplay
I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sweep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own
I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes
Listen as the crowd would sing:
"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"
One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt, pillars of sand
I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can not explain
Once you go there was never, never an honest word
That was when I ruled the world
It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let me in.
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People could not believe what I'd become
Revolutionaries Wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?
I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can not explain
I know Saint Peter will call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world
The lyrics of this song are more developed than previous Coldplay work, and just tells a very interesting story. Coldplay music inspired me before they wrote like this, but if this song is indicative of the quality of the whole album, it's going to be a great one.
To hear the song, download it or check out this rather excellent cover by some band I've never heard of here on YouTube...
"Viva la Vida" - Coldplay
I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sweep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own
I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes
Listen as the crowd would sing:
"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"
One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt, pillars of sand
I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can not explain
Once you go there was never, never an honest word
That was when I ruled the world
It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let me in.
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People could not believe what I'd become
Revolutionaries Wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?
I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can not explain
I know Saint Peter will call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
For the Vestavites who read this ... we're still winning national championships, apparently. Click on the video on the front page of CNNMoney to watch. Not sure how long it'll be up there.
Last night's American Idol was masterful on a number of levels. First, the production of the event as a heavyweight fight, complete with Michael Buffer of all people doing the "Let's Get Ready to Rumble" thing at the beginning, to the boxing commentary interspersed throughout, to giving two of the best possible advisors to the contestants they could possibly have (Clive Davis and Andrew Lloyd Webber) to coach them through the week.
David Cook's version of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" was incredible. But there wasn't any stopping David Archuleta's ascendancy to stardom. The guy has seriously got to be one of the most talented vocalists I've ever heard. And obviously his level of preparation, work ethic, and dedication has been equal to his talent every week, as it pretty much has to be to advance this far in the show. The joy he gets from performing comes through every time he takes the stage.
And regarding American Idol itself, it really doesn't matter if people like one feature of the show, don't like another, or whatever...as long as it discovers music talent anywhere even remotely close to David Archuleta or even David Cook, the show's going to last a lot longer than seven seasons.
David Cook's version of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" was incredible. But there wasn't any stopping David Archuleta's ascendancy to stardom. The guy has seriously got to be one of the most talented vocalists I've ever heard. And obviously his level of preparation, work ethic, and dedication has been equal to his talent every week, as it pretty much has to be to advance this far in the show. The joy he gets from performing comes through every time he takes the stage.
And regarding American Idol itself, it really doesn't matter if people like one feature of the show, don't like another, or whatever...as long as it discovers music talent anywhere even remotely close to David Archuleta or even David Cook, the show's going to last a lot longer than seven seasons.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Today's latest example of mindblowing genius: Nintendo's Wii Fit.
It's getting a lot of press, including a feature in today's Wall Street Journal. But these reviews aren't capturing the genius of this product.
There probably hasn't been any piece of software released for a home video game console that will expand the way Americans think about video games than Wii Fit. Wii Sports, the pack-in game that ships with the Wii hardware, greatly helped in this regard, but I predict that in the end Wii Fit will change hearts and minds to an even greater extent.
You'll see personal trainers, gyms, and other very atypical business interests start to incorporate Wii Fit into their business models. You'll see stories of people getting, well, FIT from the game. You'll see another spike in those fun media stories about non-gamers getting into gaming thanks to Wii Fit. And that sound you'll hear is the cash register exploding as Nintendo continues its remarkable quest to expand the gaming market and challenge popular notions of what a videogamer is.
I've been around videogames my entire life. People who know me know I'm a huge, unabashed fan of videogames, and as I've become a fan of business as I've gotten older, I've seen the videogame market experience unbelievable growth as it attracts some of the best business and creative talent out there. It's been quite fun to watch.
But even masterpieces like the just-released Grand Theft Auto IV, which had a budget of around $100 million dollars to produce, does not carry (at least, to me) the SHEER GENIUS of Wii Fit. The simplicity, the originality, the consistency with Nintendo's core business strategy, the out-of-the-box marketing efforts, the excellent technology incorporated into the packed-in "Balance Board," and the pricing strategy of the SKU all collectively blow me away.
It's fun being a gamer with companies like Nintendo out there which are obviously driven by a vision never seen before, or really ever even contemplated, within the industry...and a vision that is being executed almost to perfection.
It's getting a lot of press, including a feature in today's Wall Street Journal. But these reviews aren't capturing the genius of this product.
There probably hasn't been any piece of software released for a home video game console that will expand the way Americans think about video games than Wii Fit. Wii Sports, the pack-in game that ships with the Wii hardware, greatly helped in this regard, but I predict that in the end Wii Fit will change hearts and minds to an even greater extent.
You'll see personal trainers, gyms, and other very atypical business interests start to incorporate Wii Fit into their business models. You'll see stories of people getting, well, FIT from the game. You'll see another spike in those fun media stories about non-gamers getting into gaming thanks to Wii Fit. And that sound you'll hear is the cash register exploding as Nintendo continues its remarkable quest to expand the gaming market and challenge popular notions of what a videogamer is.
I've been around videogames my entire life. People who know me know I'm a huge, unabashed fan of videogames, and as I've become a fan of business as I've gotten older, I've seen the videogame market experience unbelievable growth as it attracts some of the best business and creative talent out there. It's been quite fun to watch.
But even masterpieces like the just-released Grand Theft Auto IV, which had a budget of around $100 million dollars to produce, does not carry (at least, to me) the SHEER GENIUS of Wii Fit. The simplicity, the originality, the consistency with Nintendo's core business strategy, the out-of-the-box marketing efforts, the excellent technology incorporated into the packed-in "Balance Board," and the pricing strategy of the SKU all collectively blow me away.
It's fun being a gamer with companies like Nintendo out there which are obviously driven by a vision never seen before, or really ever even contemplated, within the industry...and a vision that is being executed almost to perfection.
Monday, May 12, 2008
I'm a huge Jeff Fisher fan, so not a surprise that I was perusing the information earlier today regarding the Coach's annual softball game out at Greer Stadium (home of the Nashville Sounds).
Typical press release...but one particular line caught my eye:
General Admission is $10 and reserved seats are $15. Tickets for children 12 and under are $6. Tickets are on sale now through the Nashville Sounds ticket office or by calling 615-242-4371. Show your KrogerPlus card, Military or Student ID and get $1 off. For additional information, please visit the Nashville Sounds’ web site at: www.nashvillesounds.com.
I could make a comment about $1 off being practically worthless thanks to inflation, but no. Actually, what made me pause was the parity in benefit between our valued military service men and women and KROGERPLUS CARD HOLDERS.
So let me get this straight ... taking bullets for our country earns the same benefit as walking into a local grocery store and filling out a piece of paper to get a KrogerPlus card.
I'm completely ignoring the students part of the discount, in honor of students pretty much ignoring everything, including class.
Whatever. I can make fun of something that is actually one of the best fundraisers in town, and certainly one of the more creative, entertaining ones. And, of course, it signals the impending start of another NFL season. Initial projections have the Titans surpassing last year's record - right now I've got them at 12-4 - but a lot can change between now and the start of training camp.
Changing subjects briefly, heard a great new band recently called Paramore. I know they're pretty well known among people who are better music fans than me, but their new song/video ("That's What You Get") is good stuff. Check it out.
Typical press release...but one particular line caught my eye:
General Admission is $10 and reserved seats are $15. Tickets for children 12 and under are $6. Tickets are on sale now through the Nashville Sounds ticket office or by calling 615-242-4371. Show your KrogerPlus card, Military or Student ID and get $1 off. For additional information, please visit the Nashville Sounds’ web site at: www.nashvillesounds.com.
I could make a comment about $1 off being practically worthless thanks to inflation, but no. Actually, what made me pause was the parity in benefit between our valued military service men and women and KROGERPLUS CARD HOLDERS.
So let me get this straight ... taking bullets for our country earns the same benefit as walking into a local grocery store and filling out a piece of paper to get a KrogerPlus card.
I'm completely ignoring the students part of the discount, in honor of students pretty much ignoring everything, including class.
Whatever. I can make fun of something that is actually one of the best fundraisers in town, and certainly one of the more creative, entertaining ones. And, of course, it signals the impending start of another NFL season. Initial projections have the Titans surpassing last year's record - right now I've got them at 12-4 - but a lot can change between now and the start of training camp.
Changing subjects briefly, heard a great new band recently called Paramore. I know they're pretty well known among people who are better music fans than me, but their new song/video ("That's What You Get") is good stuff. Check it out.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Random thought time!
- The Go Phone commercial with Meat Loaf is brilliant.
- Celtic Thunder is awesome. If you don't know what it is, Google it.
- Grand Theft Auto IV is a masterpiece. Just because you can do certain things in the game (like drive drunk) does not subtract from the greatness of the game. It's so good, so expansive, and just so perfect that it will go down as one of the best games of all time.
- Cavaliers in 7.
- The Go Phone commercial with Meat Loaf is brilliant.
- Celtic Thunder is awesome. If you don't know what it is, Google it.
- Grand Theft Auto IV is a masterpiece. Just because you can do certain things in the game (like drive drunk) does not subtract from the greatness of the game. It's so good, so expansive, and just so perfect that it will go down as one of the best games of all time.
- Cavaliers in 7.
