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[TSB in Tokyo] Spring/Summer 2015 Tournament Interest Check

Would you want to attend this tournament?  

77 members have voted

  1. 1. Would you want to attend this tournament?

    • Yes, definitely! I'm 99% sure I'd be able to go!
    • Yes, definitely! But it's too far off to know if I'd be able to go.
    • I'm interested but there's a good chance I can't get the money or time off..
    • You've spark my interest but I need/want more information first.


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Spring/Summer 2015 Tournament Interest Check

Alright people, I've had this idea for a while and I thought I might as well make a thread to see what kind of interest I could get for it.

I want to have a fighting game event in Japan aimed at the most popular (air-dasher/anime) games at the time. Since I'm planning so far in advance (over a year and a half from now), it's hard to determine exactly what games the event would have or exactly when it would be, but there's a pretty good chance it would include some form of GG, BB, and Persona. This isn't some huge event like a major: think of it like a large local, but you're in Tokyo with the best of the best.

Why am I trying to do this? I want to do something different. Too often we expect the amazing players to travel to come play us (for EVO), but rarely do we ever go over there to play them. Also, I know a lot of people I've met over the years who play fighting games want to visit Japan at some point to play in the arcades and see the country. I think this would be a good opportunity for people to plan a trip with their friends. The tournament would only be one day, but while you're over there you can do whatever you want! See what you want to see, buy what you want to buy, play where you want to play, but now you'll have an event to look forward to over there as well. Take it from me: going to watch large events is fun (such as ArcRevo and SBO), but that can't even compare to actually playing and hanging out with the players.

The TSB qualifier in Japan for NEC last year went off without a hitch, and I'd expect that this could be done well too. Rent out a small venue, fill it with players (and possibly a cosplayer or two) and we could have a total blast. Every event I watch over there looks fun as hell. Why not try something like that for once?

So what do you think? Good idea? Bad idea?

I know this might be too far off for you to actually know if you'd be able to go or not because of school/work/money, but damn if you think you'd go, please say so. If this ended up being close to EVO, would that sway you away from possibly attending this? I know the big thing for a lot of people will be money, so tell me if you're interested but you'd need more time to save the cash.

Let me know what you think. Vote and leave some feedback. Thanks people!

Some things to consider:

1). Flights to Japan cost ~1000 USD +300/-200 depending where you're coming from, the time of year, and how many layovers you have. Direct non-stop flights tend to be more expensive than flights with a layover (or two).

2). Lodging can be anywhere from really cheap to expensive as hell. If you stay in an American styled hotel you're going to be paying close to (or over) $1000/week. If you stay in a hostel it'll run you under 1/2 of that.

3). Be prepared to bring money to travel inside the country as well. Depending on how long you stay, and where you plan on going, traveling from place to place can rack up a hefty bill pretty quick.

4). Eating is not expensive, and convenience stores are everywhere. Food would be the cheapest part of this trip and will run you under 30USD a day.

5). If you plan to play in arcades and buy stuff plan to bring some spending money. Most arcades are ~1USD per play. Depending on your skill, you'll either be paying a lot to play or very little. Also, some stores will destroy your wallet without you realizing it.

6). If you're thinking about going, start brushing up on your Japanese now. The sooner the better. It's fun to play, but it's even more fun and rewarding to be able to communicate.

7). This wouldn't be planned near Golden Week, but it could possibly be planned near an Arcsys event (if there is one) or even Comiket. Spring May/June would be ideal, but I would hold off it it meant more people could go.

8). If possible, I'd also try to get in contact with specific arcades to possibly have events for other games outside of the main event. If we got enough heads, I'd even try to contact ArcSys themselves to get involved.

Overall Cost

Weekend (3-4 Days) = Under 2000USD

1 Week (7 Days) = ~2500 USD

2 Weeks (14 Days) = 3000+ USD

These are ballpark estimates and depend greatly on how much spending money you want to bring, and how much money you need to bring in order to travel inside the country. It also depends greatly on your base ticket price and how you feel like living one you're over there. A week trip can be done for under 2000 USD if you plan well enough. My estimates are on the high end, because I expect people to want to get out of Tokyo for a bit and buy some things along the way. Ultimately, YOU have to do the planning yourself.

Useful Posts

Komidol lays out different tiered travel plans. (These estimates are a tad high though IMO)

==============================================================

UPDATE #1

It's been a while since the initial poll (5 months) so I wanted to see what people still thought about having this. About a year from now is when plans would be finalized. You'd have dates for booking plan tickets, a place (or places) to stay, and a rail pass if you so choose.

Plane tickets seem to be the best prices around the late May time frame this year ($900-$1250), so that's probably when I would try to plan it next year since I know money is the limiting factor for a lot of people. The prices seem to spike for most of the Summer all the way through August.

Relevant games are still a big question since Xrd could be updated in arcades by then (and we'll still be on the vanilla version). Our versions of Persona might overlap but that's wishful thinking. BB was released on console, so we might be getting updates on a new arcade version later this year, so I'm not going to hold my breath. The Arcana guys seems to be really interested in this so that's another possibility.

Would late May be an okay time for a lot of people? I will start talking to people in Japan to try and get some details ironed out, but I don't want to put tons of effort into a lost cause.

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I would honestly die to go to this. It's actually more helpful that its far off since that gives alot more time to try and get together the finances to make a trip possible. Though at the moment I know I would not be able to make it there is the possibility that something will happen that can allow me to make this. This is also a great thing because it gives a good concrete event and reason to plan and save for a trip like this. I see no way this can be a bad idea other than the possibility that nobody from the USA can make it out due to finanacial, timing, whatever issues (most likely financial though). I am in full support of this happening, regardless of whether I could actually make it or not (I know I definitely want to though).

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Only thing I worry about, as you've said, are financial issues. Does anyone have a VERY rough ballpark number for this kind of trip? I would love to go and would/will start saving for this!!

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I'd love to do this. Unsure about the job situation atm bcuz I'm looking, but most likely by this time I will have one and have some vacation time saved up. I've always wanted to go play at the arcades in JP. Looks like a lot of fun! And ofc I'd like to see the country as well.

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Even with 2 years of advance notice I can't imagine many American players being able to make it out. Realistically most players would have to start saving now and constistently until then.

That said I think it's a really cool idea and I'd make it out if I could.

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It's a really cool idea and I'd love to go but as you said money is a big issue. lol

I'll do my best and try to save up, I guess?

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I would love to do this.

I'm not afraid to do this.

I'd think I'd have an amazing experience.

I do not think I'd have the money to go, though. That makes me sad, because I WOULD go on that adventure.

If you can break down the expenses for us, that might help planning a LOT.

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Coming here in the summer time can be expensive. If you were just looking to stay ONLY in Tokyo (terrible idea) you could do it for cheaper but if you were looking to make a solid 10 day trip out of this and you bought a rail pass for your travel you could PROBABLY get by on $2500-$3000 airfare included. Intend to stay at hostels or sometimes net cafes as opposed to hotels.

With the rail pass the majority of your travel would be covered which for a 14 day pass is about $450 and airfare would be about $1200-$1300 you could get lucky and get a lower fare depending on the situation. Accommodation is of course cheaper in groups and the rest would be play money.

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Having gone this January, 2 weeks costed about $1.5k~ for the hotel, flight, transportation, and food. Then another $300-500 for arcades and sadlife etc. I plan to go back next year anyways and with this I'd probably go again the year after lol

If you're thinking you'd like to go but money is an issue, I assure you it's well worth the effort and is an amazing experience.

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Notice, I said if you wanted to make a full trip out of it. Obviously if you only wanted to stay in Tokyo you wouldn't need the rail pass.

My point was that if you're gonna go to Japan then see Japan.

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I think $2,500 is good coverage for flight/railpass/lodging and with still enough money for food and leisure. I've been there with plenty of cash to throw around, and I've also been there on a very limited budget. Both worked out fine. For those that are serious about this trip assuming they start saving up now/have income, I don't think it's as far-fetched of a goal as some people make it out to be.

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Only thing I worry about, as you've said, are financial issues. Does anyone have a VERY rough ballpark number for this kind of trip? I would love to go and would/will start saving for this!!

Here's how a trip to Japan breaks down cost-wise.

So let's assume you're going to go to Japan for one week. You're not going to spend all that money on plane tickets for just 2 days right? Didn't think so. Here's some real numbers for you guys. Using American Dollars. The exchange rate at this post is 98 yen = 1 dollar. This is what you'd need for a one-week trip to Japan.

Key: P - Poverty; A - Average; B - Baller

Plane Tickets: P: 1365 A: 1700 B: 2200

Food: P: 80 A: 200 B: 300

Train Tickets: P: 80 A: 120 B: 300

Arcade: P: 50 A: 100 B: 200

Lodging: P: 180 A: (350) B: 800

Other: P: 50 A: 100 B: 300

Poverty build gets you flying delta, getting bodied by the flight, enough for one meal a day, 50 games at the arcade (~10 losses/day), enough to crash at a manga cafe/capsule hotel for 6 hours every night, and to and from the arcade area. Not much to say here. I wouldn't recommend only doing this much unless you know some Japanese, you've gone to Japan before, and you know how to manage your money very well. You /might/ get a keychain or some shit.

Average build gets you flying ANA, covers inter-subway travel in Tokyo, gets you 2 meals a day, a solid 100+ games at the arcade (~20 losses/day), and buys you some anime stuff and doujinshi you never knew existed about your waifu, and covers your ass if you don't any Japanese and need to take a taxi or something. The lodging will get you a hotel to dump all your shit if you can split with somebody (if not double lodging price and recalculate). Most people will want this, and want to go in on it together.

Baller build gets you sippin' wine on some first-class rig, a one-week train pass to go wherever the fuck you please, enough money to pay for you and your friends games, bitches at roppongi, a hotel with a built in onsen, and three gdlk meals a day.

Keep in mind, this doesn't budget anything else. The other section is more to cover extra expenses. If you want to goto maid cafes, or take a trip to Akihabara and buy a dakimakura, or get some whores, you need to include an entertainment budget for yourself. For one week I would take /at least/ 250$ for an entertainment budget. Also, you can obviously take from each column and build your own budget. Cheap plane tickets and an expensive hotel would be a different budget.

Finally, budget based on how much Japanese you know. Add up your totals and multiply by 1.05 (5%) if you're great at JP, 1.10(10%) if you know some JP, and 1.15(15%) if you don't know any Japanese at all. This additional percentage covers you for mistakes you'll definitely make. If you just go straight down the columns the totals come out like this, but I'd make your own budget and leave some breathing room.

:psyduck: Poverty-Trip: $1985.50 #mbaa

:lordknight: Average: $2827.00 #japan

:st1ckbug: Ballin': $4510.00 + doesn't even give a shit #rokyubu

Bottomline: Aim for $2500 and look for plane ticket deals/people to share lodging with.

No entertainment, no other budget, you're godlike at JP, you know how to handle yourself, eat light, you get a good deal on tickets...you could do it for ~1800$ but don't count on it.

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Lol, our views on a "ballin'" plane ticket are very different. For me ballin means business class. Which is at least roughly $4000.

As long as you are flying coach for over 5 hours one way the only options are shitty and shittier.

Unless the plane isn't full and you have the seat next to you free. Then it's comfortable.

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Having gone this January, 2 weeks costed about $1.5k~ for the hotel, flight, transportation, and food. Then another $300-500 for arcades and sadlife etc. I plan to go back next year anyways and with this I'd probably go again the year after lol

If you're thinking you'd like to go but money is an issue, I assure you it's well worth the effort and is an amazing experience.

Like him, I'd definitely be interested in going. I could probably save up for this. I think we could probably convince a number of SoCal players to go to this, given the number that have visited japan in the past year or two.

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I'm down. I have to visit the moonrune island at least once in my life. Going with other players will make the experience even better. :3

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Alpha, money is definitely the issue but I think for most players on this site, rather than "is this worth the money?" it's more like "where the hell am I gonna get that kind of money"

Not to shit on anyone, just thinking realistically given the age range of people here.

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I was able to go with a minimum wage paying job, saved up for 6 months. It's definitely possible for people that already have a job and if you don't have one and money is the only restriction holding you back, get a job :P

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TBH, I don't need a lot people to go to say this is worth it or successful. I'd say 15-20 is a good place to start, and I don't think that would be hard to achieve at all.

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I will cancel all of my plans to make this. 100% will go unless I get hospitalized.

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given just how in advance this is unless something huge and life altering happens in my life I would relish joining in with the community for a nice trip like this -- assuming I'd be welcome of course

really 2 grand-ish for a trip really isnt all that bad ... Ive taken week+ cruises for about the same rate -- Celebrity yo!

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On the one hand, I've been thinking about going on a vacation somewhere, and couldn't think of one. This might be perfect.

On the other, the government shutdown is burning up all my vacation time. :vbang:

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i would very much be down for this.

realistically though, school and bills are probably gonna make my chances slim to none =\

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