Catch
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;) thanks for the "support," I would have replied, but I don't think it's worth escalating the situation....
Support or not, I do have some experience. I'll jot down a few more words while I still can, before they completely shut me up. :)
On the Portal, I ran Tournaments for Might and Magic II, a version that was much less popular than Might and Magic III. When I started running tournaments, the situation was terrible. The Portal was divided, half the players left, and for the first couple of months, I was just running around on ICQ, inviting players to the tournaments. I clung to every newcomer with all my might. No, I didn't bother them, I just did everything possible to make them feel comfortable. I spent days on the forum (thankfully, my job allowed it), promptly answering all questions, and so on, and so forth... In addition, players from other resources would join, and at that time (2007), the relations between the resources were very strained. They would sometimes play in my tournaments, send me save files and comments on them. Often, the mildest phrases in those letters were something like: "no one on the Portal knows how to play anyway, so here's a terrible save, there's no point in trying harder." Does that sound familiar? Here, one online player expresses something similar, and the whole forum turns against him, but I received such letters repeatedly. Nevertheless, I never replied harshly to any of them, quite the opposite. As a result, these very players started playing on the Portal quite often and brought great benefits to both the Portal and the Portal players, who also learned from their experience.
In addition, I had to make sure that there were no conflicts between the players. Conflict is something that temporarily increases interest in the topic, but after it, as a rule, some of the players leave. Forever. Therefore, a good tournament organizer is first and foremost a diplomat.
I'll repeat once more, we need to stop dividing players into "ours" and "theirs." If they play in your tournament or in a season, organize or help organize tournaments, give advice on the forum, or help other players, they are yours. I always considered all my Might and Magic II players to be mine. And I was ready to tear anyone's throat out for each of them. And sometimes I did. Including other Portal masters.
Every tournament organizer should have approximately this attitude.