Posts from CIS-2021. Summary.

CIS-2021: Summary.

Pictures won't attach properly - oh well, forget them. We'll manage without.
After missing CIS-2019 and 2020 — I was really looking forward to CIS-2021, preparing, cherishing, and nurturing a script that was supposed to be no worse than the previous one played in 2018 (and seemed in some ways even more explosive — thanks to the video clips). But, as usual, everything went sideways... and the bomb turned into a somewhat dragged-out "filler" program (all because of the projector).

Thanks to Roma for the attempt: at least no one had to sleep under the open sky (except for those who wanted to) and no one starved (although the chicken skin soup with buckwheat left a lasting impression).

But, it seems to me, CIS in this form is not quite palatable and, moreover, in some ways discredits the very idea: after all, a round-the-clock trash-TikTok-house I personally consider "overkill," though it is primarily caused precisely by the scattered accommodation and the lack of common, normal premises for leisure and such.

The Fly in the Ointment.

This year, our entire expanded group showed that we can organize a celebration for ourselves in any, even the most extreme, conditions.
And the main factor here becomes the value for money. But this year, if the concept of price was more relevant than ever — the most expensive CIS in my memory (I don't know the final price tag for Georgia) — then the quality was utterly terrible.
Overflowing toilets, issues with doors, showers, undrinkable water from taps in the houses on the water (it stank as if it had been distilled from the same portable toilet), general neglect of the room stock, initially unsuited for comfortably accommodating our group: if the Vaskelovo format traditionally doesn't imply a serious level of comfort (getting wasted and sleeping in a heap was always the norm there), then CIS, as the main offline event of the Heroes world, has higher requirements (which I write about every year).
The lack of a hall for the tournament. Well, it's obvious to everyone — people got sick precisely because of the cold in that tent which they never bothered to close off from the wind. Tables and benches — again, comments are unnecessary: I personally will now have to treat my lower back after this mess (my toes started going numb — right after the board game tournament in that freezer).
The base, rented "entirely for us," turned out to be a thoroughfare where anyone who felt like it was constantly hanging out — both locals and visitors...
Why this wasn't announced in November is a mystery to me (the option would have been rejected immediately). Instead, there were enthusiastic statements that everything would be perfect and strictly tailored for us: including the hall, which didn't exist...
The final price tag was comparable to a vacation in Turkey, but the quality was absent.
Furthermore, the commercial booking rate at the commercial price for those who came full-time turned out to be cheaper than the organizer's stated price (how is that even possible? especially considering the standard discount for renting the entire base is around 15-20%...). Well, those who can count figured it out on the spot, the rest need to go back to school...
Regarding the additional bill for food — this smacks of outright fraud by the catering base: 51k on top means plus 7 people every day for every meal, and in this case, the fault lies primarily with the canteen — they should have demanded a magnetic card from everyone, but in the end, they didn't really bother. For example, I constantly saw other vacationers not from our group in the canteen (and what guarantee is there that all of them paid for their full meals in advance?..). This problem is solved very simply — either by having no outsiders, or by using personal meal tickets (bureaucracy, but how else?).

About streams and filming what happens in real life.

At CIS, there is an unwritten rule, or rather, there used to be one.
The rule is: "What happens at CIS, stays at CIS." This means that we resolve any conflicts on the spot with the participants and usually don't air our dirty laundry in public. It also means that generally, any events that happened at CIS in a private capacity should not become public knowledge (unless it concerns some egregious cases threatening the entire community). CIS is not a public event in the full sense, but a private, closed gathering (at least for the outside public). And that's why it was very strange for me to see constant live streams and filming of our meals, get-togethers, and drinking sessions. This especially applies to the after-party, when the most open and heartfelt communication happens. Therefore, and I believe the entire core group will support me on this, streams from anywhere other than the main hall: from the canteen, from gatherings and parties are only possible with the consent of all those present. If even one person objects — no stream and no filming. It's one thing when people voluntarily pose for photos and videos, and completely another when filming is done without consent (there were signals about this at the after-party). And it's very strange that someone doesn't understand this. I repeat — it's one thing when we take photos and videos for laughs and our own community, another thing when drinking sessions and all the inside dirt are broadcast live, uncensored, to an unlimited audience. I hope you heard me — otherwise, I know a few spells for banning a Twitch channel, which I will definitely recite next time.

The Ban List.

A proposal was made that I fully support: for special offenses, put people who have lost all sense of what is permissible and what is not — on a ban for the next year.
Matrosov, as long as you're drinking somewhere on the sidelines and not bothering other guests — it's acceptable. But when you barge into the hall, disturbing the participants, and especially when you knock over a table where a game is being played — that is not acceptable and not permissible. And that won't happen. So next year, take a break on your own.

Acknowledgments.

I've already thanked Romantika for the attempt — I assess the organizer's work at a generous 3 out of 5, especially for such a budget (was there enough for ice cream and foie gras?..), especially considering that a rehearsal was held in May. Moreover, the elder had warned in advance about the base's unsuitability according to typical CIS criteria, and had outlined specifically what should be in the contract (the very contract that turned out not to have the hall specified).
However, the person who was a revelation for me this year was Michman. He is the only one who, without further ado, simply took things and did them. Without him, the banquet would have been a complete failure, because the speakers, the mixing console, the microphone — he brought and connected everything himself; this base did not have the promised equipment (not to mention that the banquet was initially planned in the kitchen hall, where it was fundamentally impossible to properly arrange the required number of tables with all the equipment).
Regarding the shashlik and fish at 500 (agree, it's expensive) — this should be seen as market relations: no one is forced, if it suits you — take it, if not — don't. And for those complaining about the lack of an alternative (like, "I have to buy it because I'm hungry") — there is always a choice: we had grills everywhere, stores were nearby — including those with meat, cars were available — no one stopped you from handling this yourself. Besides, it turned out there was some funny business here too — people took food "on credit," but some never paid...
We'll think about what can be done about this for next year — maybe we'll simply hire a grill cook who will cook for everyone. Otherwise, dinner is at 19:00, the kitchen closes at 22:00... And people party until late night/early morning... Or maybe arrange a midnight meal (in Turkey, for example, they serve soup at night). I'm leaning towards an additional late-night dinner.
In short, Michman is great in any case; without him, neither the banquet nor CIS itself would have happened at all.
Seryoga Freeman and Ilya Profiler — they made the absolute most of the conditions we found ourselves in, although the vaunted delivery service let us down (and it's a good thing I sent the equipment by another service).
Kostya Dirty Player — continues to be a reliable organizer of that chaos we had and still have (this year was truly some kind of circus — there were clowns, acrobats, animals, magicians...and a big top...). And hosting a live stream with him — was a sheer pleasure for me from start to finish. I would very much like to do it again.
Here I also want to mention Frozy, who took on the role of tournament referee secretary.
Also a huge thank you to Mont for the stream — from the inside perspective, I personally realized that it's impossible to commentate Heroes streams alone: you'll go crazy faster than OH breaks. Mont showed a very good level of understanding the game, so on one hand — it's a shame he didn't perform very well in the tournament; on the other — we did pretty well on the live stream, significantly surpassing last year's result.
Uncle Sasha Horn — thanks for coming, always glad to see you — and regarding "Kondrashka," I haven't changed my mind, come hell or high water: if you write "Kondratiy khvatil" with a capital letter, then "Kondrashka" is written the same way, and those who write it otherwise are doing it wrong. Besides, your main rivals answered this question similarly, so it didn't affect the overall result. Regarding Sailor Moon — I didn't work on the phrasing enough, but again, it didn't affect the overall game result.
If anyone recorded the Captain's Contest on video — please get in touch, send it, upload it, share it.
I was very glad to see everyone — both the old guard and a huge number of new faces. As always, I catastrophically lacked the time and energy to communicate more closely and get to know each of you better.
We are considering the idea of holding CIS at a resort — but then it needs to be planned for a period of 10-14 days, because many would come with families.

P.S. My number on WhatsApp and Telegram is +79168238180, email merlinmagician@mail.ru

I appeal to everyone — please send your photos and videos from this event, and from all Heroes events of past years. I would like to try to compile a complete archive. Because XV is not eternal and links to photos are not eternal either — part of what was published on XV in previous years is already unavailable.

Added 56 minutes later

Requirements for the CIS Venue

1. Comfortable accommodation for participants and spectators — no more than 3-4 people per room, preferably two per room. Beds mainly single (room cleaning at least once every 2 days).
2. Conference hall for the games themselves — must be of sufficient area to comfortably accommodate 30-40 players with laptops and 30-40 spectators. The hall is provided for our round-the-clock unlimited use — access to the hall for base staff only by agreement with the organizers. (Hall cleaning is carried out daily during breakfast)
Tables and chairs must also be available.
In close proximity to the hall, two or three additional rooms are desirable (like meeting rooms — for organizing the commentary booth, Match of the Day games, Semi-Finals and Finals, as well as for board games).
The hall requires sound equipment (2 wireless microphones, speakers with an amplifier/mixing console for playing music from a laptop) and a projector with a screen, as well as a water cooler with hot and cold drinking water.
3. Internet — two dedicated lines for the hall (one line is used by participants for playing, the second for organizing the broadcast on the internet, precisely through the commentary room). Here, the maximum upload and download capabilities are of interest.
4. Absolute loyalty of the administration to alcohol and noise: for this, either the base operates entirely for us, or our entire group is organized with minimal overlap with other guests.
5. Availability of additional leisure activities (the more the better): football, volleyball, fishing, billiards, swimming pool, banya/sauna, etc., etc.
6. Organized three meals a day with menu options, including for vegetarians. Possibility of an additional midnight meal.
7. Possibility of organizing a welcoming Opening Banquet (without alcohol — we have our own alcohol) with seating for 8-10 people per table. The banquet requires sound equipment (2 wireless microphones, speakers with an amplifier/mixing console for playing music from a laptop) and a projector with a screen.

Essentially, this was the request for this year and will be for next year (I only added the possibility of a midnight meal and specifics about cleaning).

I have no desire to engage in a discussion, as backstabbing the organizer has become a good tradition. It doesn't really matter that he ran around the entire CIS region like crazy, slept only 3-4 hours, solving a ton of your problems, and many people saw this. Let it be. I really want to see how many percent the next CIS venue will meet the stated requirements, which, I hope, Kirill will take on and organize. I'll come, relax, and offer some criticism. In my opinion, the main mistakes were: 2 bases (initially, we should have focused on the northern slope and only used that one; then the problem with the gaming hall would have been solved much easier – there was a banquet hall above the place where we ate, but when I went there, it was too late – it had been rented for several banquets during our dates). Regarding the hall... it's a very long story. Initially, it was planned to demolish the upper cafe and make it much larger, specifically for our needs, but... after May, the decision was made to set up a large, enclosed tent on the pontoon, but 3 days later, it turned out that the pontoon couldn't handle it. We had to urgently find a replacement, and that's how the northern slope tent appeared, and the price was reduced from 80k per day to 25. Thus, another, and perhaps the main, mistake was my trust in the management of the northern shore, who couldn't or didn't want to fulfill their promises, but I physically didn't have the opportunity to constantly go there and monitor things, and as always, only Michman was my assistant, and not always. Consequently, such nuances as overflowing toilets (the problem was solved within 10 minutes after a call, right?) arose, and only near the end did people start to understand that it was easier and faster to call the administration than me. The water problem, however, was a very big problem, but again, when we were there in May, I didn't notice this problem, although I lived "on water" and also washed and showered. Apparently, this problem becomes acute in hot weather. Okay, I wanted to write a few words, but it turned out the way it did. I've drawn my own conclusions. Well, we'll see each other at CIS 2022, and then we'll see...

As an experienced organizer, I know that if something goes wrong, you're always the one to blame. And if there's a real reason to complain, it's even worse... In general, as someone accustomed to a spartan environment, I can point out the following shortcomings in the organization. The house on the water with all the amenities that were mentioned – I can overlook that. Sleeping arrangements with several people on one bed – I can overlook that (although, in my opinion, it's very strange that those living in the house for 3 or 5 people pay the same price). The inflated price. It's very strange that it's more expensive for a large group of 80 people than booking directly through the website – I can overlook that (provided the quality is good). I want to believe until the very end that this is some kind of misunderstanding, and not that the organizer has added a hefty sum. The food, which many people complained about – personally, I have no complaints (well, maybe the portions could be a little bigger). In general, all of this can be tolerated. But what cannot be tolerated, and what I definitely won't overlook, is the shabby tent with wooden benches. This is simply outrageous, and I won't accept any excuses for it. I, as a judge, was there from early morning until the last client, and then I even had to clean up the laptops. Some evenings it was very cold. It's one thing to just be there, and another thing to sit and play. Some people even got sick. This drawback outweighs all the advantages and puts a stamp on the tournament: "The organization is terrible!" without any ifs or buts. Because the CIS tournament is primarily a tournament, not a booze-up in a TikTok house. Which, for some reason, we seem to have forgotten. All excuses like "we were scammed" or "there are different owners here" are just excuses. For events of this type with such budgets, a proper contract should be drawn up, clearly stating who is responsible for what and what the consequences will be. Then it will be more difficult for the owners of the base to go back on their word. If you have a problem drawing up a proper contract and taking into account all the nuances, you can ask Merlin for help; I'm sure he won't refuse. I hope the organizers of future tournaments will learn from this. And finally, my last complaint, which I have mentioned repeatedly, is the speed of decision-making. They posted a link, and within 3 days, we had to urgently make a prepayment. A situation where something has to be "built for us based on a verbal agreement" should have been automatically rejected. But we had to hurry. As a result, we got what we got. I hope the organizers of future tournaments will learn from this as well. I would also like to note two important points that Merlin mentioned, and with which I fully agree. 1. In some places, there was too much IRL content. It's one thing to film the tournament hall, and another thing to film everyone eating and even drinking. In my opinion, this should only be done with the consent of everyone who is being filmed. I warned about this in the dining room. I hope our "bloggers" will know the limits. 2. The stop-list. This issue has long been overdue. If someone doesn't know how to behave after excessive alcohol consumption, then such a person has no place at these events. I will personally lobby for this list with specific names for the next tournaments. Well, now a few words of thanks. Thank you to everyone who came to this event. I was glad to meet new faces and very glad to see old friends. Special thanks to MSStudio – Sergei and Ilya, for covering the tournament, even though it wasn't easy. Thank you to Maxim Frozi for taking on the role of secretary and helping with the protocols. He did an excellent job! Thank you to Kirill Merlin for trying to create content on all fronts. I hope there will be another opportunity to do joint streams. Thank you to the TikTok house for the warm welcome! My congratulations to the winners and prize-winners of the tournament. Fighting in such inhumane conditions is worth a lot! Respect!

I've read it – I'll probably answer for the last time, but since the question about the amounts that the organizer supposedly allocated has come up for the second time, well... The tent cost 25k/day, totaling 150k. About 80k was collected, resulting in a deficit of 70k. Unaccounted catering costs amount to 51k (possibly my mistake; I probably should have just sat at the entrance and monitored who was coming in and out, but that would have taken about 2 hours in the morning, 2 hours in the afternoon, and 2 hours in the evening – a total of 6 hours each day, which isn't exactly relaxing, but rather work). There's also some compensation for the time spent by the Petty Officer, who was constantly being asked to get skewers, but he was only paid for about 50% of them. Others had internet issues, and we'll pay for that tomorrow, etc. The guy worked like Pinocchio and ended the event with 300 rubles in his pocket (this is for those who think he made a lot of money). I'm not even mentioning minor things like compensating him for the rental car – another 15k, paying for the broken table and balcony in the hunting lodge (they were partying and breaking everything, but the organizer pays), the broken handle on the portable toilet in the Russian style. I won't even mention the people who dropped out at the last minute, the prizes/awards, and the amount of time spent. Okay, I don't want to convince anyone; I just want to see the budget for the next CIS event. If it's significantly lower, and the conditions are much better, provided that it's not in the middle of nowhere, where only about 25-30 people would want to go (I'm very interested in the Moscow option, for example, because the prices are roughly comparable), then I'll take my hat off and admit that I'm a terrible organizer.

I'll share my alternative opinion, since that's what you want... To be honest, I haven't seen a single CIS tournament where Merlin was satisfied and happy with everything that was done. I think he'll always find something to complain about, no matter what. And yet, he also positions himself as one of the organizers and boasts about it – Kirill, shouldn't you then also take responsibility? I could also find things to criticize in your work, both in the program and in your role as a host... and why didn't we even see this (great) program as planned? I'm approaching this from the perspective of an ordinary person. I don't care – this was my first time attending a CIS tournament, and I was hoping to enjoy all the hard work you put in, Kirill... Blaming others: something wasn't delivered, it didn't work out, it fell through – that's not a great way to prepare for a CIS tournament, and the result reflects that...! And in general, Merlin, I think it's not right for you to "air dirty laundry." You came up with this imaginary rule, you announced it yourself, and then you broke it yourself! But I'll stop here and won't continue – out of respect and understanding of the overall situation, because I have also been involved in organizational matters many times, both in the Heroes community and in other communities with even more experience. I perfectly understand all the difficulties, and how unpleasant it is to read when you've tried your best, and then someone still criticizes you. I believe in looking at things from a positive perspective. It's good that this CIS tournament even took place, and it's good that {I wrote the report}... I agree that not everything is ideal. Many of the logistical problems, the organization of the Championship, were correctly pointed out by both Merlin and Dirty. I won't dwell on the toilets, the cafeteria, the sweet dreams with your favorite candy on the same bed, and the prices – I won't make things worse. But there are some things that bothered me from an ideological point of view regarding the points raised: First. I don't quite understand the ban and the outrage over "IRL content." First, the trend in the modern world is that everyone is filming stories, posting them on Instagram, YouTube, whatever they want. Try to stop them – it's pointless! Second, behave decently and appropriately for your "status," or don't be in a society that you consider immoral, where you might be exposed... What's the problem? Does this bother you? Does it seem like someone wants to appear better than they are?! Second, and in general. I seem to have a very low threshold for outrage, cultivated back in the Michurinsk dormitory with that "spirit of heroes"))), so I'm tolerant and happy. I'm tolerant of people, including those who want to be put on a "stop list." I think this is a bad idea overall, which will still not lead to anything good.

Regarding the first point. I don't quite understand the ban and the indignation over "IRL content." Firstly, the trend of the modern world is such that every second person films stories, posts them to Insta, YouTube, or wherever they please. Try banning them—it's foolish! Secondly, generally behave decently and appropriately for your "status," or DO NOT be in a society that seems so immoral to you, where you might be exposed... What' same the problem? Is it stressful? Does it turn out someone wants to seem better than they are?!

Yes, personally I want to seem better than I am. What's wrong with that?
Well, it's not very pleasant for me if I'm being broadcast live while smacking my lips at the table.
I'm not against IRL content, but boundaries shouldn't be crossed.

Regarding the second point and in general. Apparently, I have a very low threshold for indignation, fostered back in the Michurinsk dormitory with that same "spirit of heroes"))), - which is why I am tolerant and happy. Tolerant of people, including those who are being put on a stop-list. I consider this a bad idea overall, which will not lead to anything righteous anyway.

Legends could be written about how patient I am. And I have been in Michurinsk and even in Verov Dvor. But again, everything has a limit. It's one thing when a person gets drunk and sleeps quietly, but another when they are disruptive and constantly have to be calmed down. Why is this necessary?

I'll say it once more, we've seen all sorts of things already, many things can be overlooked and ignored EXCEPT FOR THE GAME HALL. If you, Lyokha, or Roma had spent as much time in this hall as I have, you would speak quite differently. I spoke with many tournament participants and not a single one was satisfied with the game hall; some even got sick. What does that say?

This is my main and only complaint. As for why it happened like this, I've already written: the lack of a proper contract and a decision made in haste. I want this to never happen again, regardless of who organizes the next tournament.

Regarding the first point, I don't quite understand the ban and the outrage surrounding "IRL content." Firstly, the current trend is that everyone is filming their daily lives and posting them on Instagram, YouTube, and sharing whatever they want. Trying to forbid them is pointless! Secondly, behave decently and appropriately for your "status," or don't be in a community that you consider immoral, where you might be exposed... What's the problem? Does it bother you? Does someone want to appear better than they are?!

The issue isn't about trends/fashion (I've always ignored that), or the morality of behavior, etc. (we can tolerate it, but not indefinitely; two sailors is already too much)...
The question is whether the individual agrees to be filmed: we're not in a live show, and we haven't signed any binding documents.
First, get consent, then film: that's all there is to it.

I won't comment on the organization itself, whether it's good or bad, as I've never been in that role.
But I definitely agree with Merlin: Pasha deserves 100% respect!

I wrote a post about the Michurinsk tournaments to prevent them from being unfairly criticized. But then I realized there was almost no one left from that era to write for, as almost none of the players from that time remained.

I wrote a post about the Michurinsk tournaments so they wouldn't be bashed for no reason. But then I looked and realized there's almost no one left to write it for; almost none of the players from that era remain.

Erik, hi! No one even thought about bashing the Michurinsk tournaments; on the contrary, we remember them with nostalgia and a smile in our hearts I would be very glad if we could meet again sometime!

Well, it's not very pleasant for me if someone broadcasting me smacking my lips at the table is on a live stream.
Yes, personally, I want to seem better than I am. What's wrong with that?

It's not about trends/fashion (I've always ignored those), immoral behavior, etc. (we can tolerate it, but not indefinitely; two sailors is already overkill)...
The question is whether the individual agrees to be filmed: we aren't at a life-show, and we didn't sign any binding documents.
Consent first, then filming: that's all there is to it.

Dirty_Player, well then don't smack your lips! You should be, not seem! As for a specific individual, of course, you can demand a ban on filming if you don't want specifically yourself to be filmed. I'm talking about the general crowd, trash content, drinking parties, etc. If a blogger films such trashy content—either intentionally to generate hype/views or accidentally—who is going to chase them and track it? Review what they shot, what can be posted, and what someone feels crosses certain boundaries? Do you really think the organizers will do that, when as we can see, they already have plenty of unresolved problems?

It's also about trends, Kirill. Making every participant or guest sign something about a filming ban and explaining what can be filmed and what cannot is complete nonsense IMHO. And tracking it even more so! You can scare some people; that might stop someone. But I assume blogging and live streams will only gain more popularity each year with the arrival of new viewers and guests. In my opinion, it's foolish to fight windmills. If this bothers you personally so much, behave cultured within those boundaries that you wouldn't want anyone to see, and there will be no problems.

Legends could be written about how patient I am. And I have been to Michurinsk and even to Verov Dvor. But again, everything has a limit. It's one thing when a person gets drunk and sleeps quietly, but another when they are disruptive and have to be constantly calmed down. Why is that?

Please explain how you actually implement the stop-list mechanism? Do you think if you ban Matrosov from coming to CIS, he will obediently agree? Vigo, for example, or Besh? They don't give a damn. Out of spite, they'll come specifically just because it riled them up. How do you physically intend to restrict the presence of one person or another? It would be very interesting to see this in action
Of course, I don't support their behavior, but on the other hand, it's even kind of funny. And if an unstable person has specifically annoyed you, there are much simpler ways to explain to a nuisance that they should tone down their passion. IMHO.

I'll repeat once more: we've seen all sorts of things already, and many things can be overlooked or ignored EXCEPT FOR THE GAME HALL. If you, Lyokha, or Roma had spent as much time in that hall as I have, you would speak very differently. I spoke with many tournament participants and not a single one was happy with the game hall; some even got sick. What does that say?

It's hard to disagree here; of course, holding a tournament in such conditions is a direct path to a cold or prostatitis. If you sat in one spot and played for hours, it would probably be very uncomfortable. I don't approve.
Shall we make our own CIS in a warm little bed, without paparazzi and far away from Matrosov? 😄

p.s. Merlin, may the Kondrashka take you, you don't put a period at the end of a thread title, nor in headings!!! 😅

Dirty_Player, don't be so greedy! You need to be, not just appear to be! As for a specific individual, of course, you can demand that filming be prohibited if you don't want to be filmed specifically. I'm talking about the general crowd, trash content, drunken parties, etc. If a blogger, either intentionally to boost hype/views or accidentally, films such trash content, who will chase after them and monitor it? Who will review what they filmed, what can be posted, and what seems to cross some boundaries? Will the organizers, who already have enough unresolved problems, as we can see, take care of this?

Well, "being greedy" is just an example. Would you be happy if you were filmed, for example, while you were going to the toilet? Probably not. So, every person has moments that they wouldn't want to be broadcast. Some have more, some have less. The person filming should use their own head and think about what they are filming, instead of pointing the camera at everything that moves. There's no need to monitor anything; if you don't like it, report the channel, and that's it.

If this bothers you so much personally, behave in a civilized manner within the boundaries that you wouldn't want someone to see, and there will be no problems. Please explain how you would implement a stop-list mechanism. Do you think you can forbid Matrosov from coming to the CIS and he will obediently agree? What about Vigo or Beshe? They wouldn't care at all. They might even come specifically out of spite, just to provoke. How are you going to physically restrict the presence of one person or another? It would be very interesting to see this in action.

First of all, there might not be room at the venue. And if such a person does come, finds a place to stay, and continues to interfere, then personally, I am ready to refuse to judge and run the tournament. And in the future, I will also refuse to travel to such championships. I go to these tournaments to relax with friends, not to deal with drunkards.

Of course, I don't support their behavior, but on the other hand, it's even funny.

Of course, it's funny. It's funny when you drink with them and watch them bother others. But when they interfere with you doing your job, it's not so funny. Why does it come to this? Because society supports it, saying, "go ahead, have fun." Someone might even take them in out of kindness, and then they end up with overturned tables.

And if a jerk is bothering you specifically, there are much simpler ways to explain to the annoying person that they should tone it down. IMHO.

And then get arrested for it? No, thank you.

Oops, here comes the drama.
Dust.

You are free to film any content at home under a blanket. Closed events (and the event for which the venue is rented is, by definition, a closed, i.e., non-public event) may also violate and do violate the legally protected right to privacy. Therefore, it would be useful for so-called bloggers at our events to remember this. As a result of the "content" that was broadcast, the CIS has turned from the main offline Heroes tournament of the year into the main drinking party of the year. Which, in principle, discredits the entire event, i.e., nullifies its value. But you don't care, because you come specifically to drink and hang out, and you are happy with everything. I, when I published the initial post, took the time to gather a variety of opinions. I assure you, for example, that I gave the organizer an average score based on the scores I received.

I still consider the CIS to be the main offline tournament of the year (and not just a drinking party for old and new friends). And this means that the priorities here are as follows:

1. Providing comfortable conditions for the game itself.
2. Providing comfortable conditions for participants to relax between games.

Everything else comes second. Were comfortable conditions provided for the game? No, they were not (and this is what Kostya is writing about).
Were comfortable conditions provided for the participants to relax within the stated prices? No, they were not (because the number of household problems, multiplied by the price, exceeded all limits).

At the same time, I did not write a single word anywhere that the organizer did nothing at all. I am reasoning strictly and exclusively about efficiency. Others may write about this as well, but all the difficulties that were encountered, as far as I know, were voiced back in May after the rehearsal. As a result, everything remained at the same level as before, except for the catering.

Now about responsibility. Dust, how much money did you specifically pay me for the game program so that you can demand that I be responsible for its quality? How many game programs have you personally run in your life (those very programs when the hall is technically not ready at all, when someone sits down with their company and starts drinking right from the start)?
So, I will answer you. In the conditions in which I found myself, it would have been better not to hold it. Want to prove otherwise? Go ahead, I will gladly watch how you will manage when the entire script falls apart from the very beginning due to the technical unpreparedness of the hall. The question arises: who is responsible for the technical readiness? For me, it is always the organizer, because I voice my requirements for the hall in advance. And here it turned out that I was also carrying speakers before the program (Mitchman can confirm, they were heavy). And only thanks to Mitchman did any sound appear at all. I have never seen a not-cheap banquet be so poorly provided for by the administration - for this money, we always received a ready-made hall with all the equipment.
And I will answer you about the money for the game program. My direct, non-refundable losses in chronological order for the CIS: payment for the work of a designer with video and audio recording in a studio - 7k, tickets - 14k, daily rent of housing in St. Petersburg - 7.5k (because I arrived in advance and went to the venue two days before the general arrival, just to indicate what specifically needs to be done regarding the hall), rent of a room in a cottage at the venue - 18.5k (a 4-bed cottage with breakfast costs 37k), 5600 rubles for lunches/dinners. In total, we already see 52 with something thousand. In addition, there is a very large amount of time spent on developing the script and preparation. More than 200 man-hours, if you like (and this is a very modest estimate). Just searching and selecting footage for the video took several days...
This is what I spent personally, and this is what Dust did not pay me a single penny for. And no one else paid for it. So, I am responsible for the quality of my content primarily to myself, and I am not ashamed of how I performed the program this year. If the audience (which you are a representative of) says that the program is not needed, I will not lose anything from this, I will even save. And if the audience says that the program is needed, but it is necessary to improve its quality, for your money, anything is possible: for example, I have a long-standing idea to make a game in teams in nature (based on the concept of trials a la Fort Boyard) - but every time I roughly estimate its cost, it all ends there (a lot of hired staff is needed to service the checkpoints).

And finally, or first. I did not violate the rule "Everything that was at the CIS remains at the CIS" in this case - no private events were made public in my post (except for the feat of Matrosov, read, a socially dangerous individual). The prices for accommodation are public information, if that's what you mean - everyone has the opportunity to visit the websites of the venues.
In addition, it was not I who introduced this rule, and not even I who first voiced it. But you don't care about this in your pseudo-oppositional desire to say something...

I started the topic so that all the "mistakes" were voiced - and subsequent organizers could avoid making the same mistakes.

It was my first time, and I was stationed at a base far from the lake (there weren't any major issues there).
Regarding streams – either ban everything or ban nothing. Otherwise, it won't work.
Everything I photographed is here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1CtkDwJavUkymumhXWpnP3kXDvEF0suU7?usp=sharing

At closed gatherings (and an event for which a venue is rented entirely is, by definition, a closed, i.e., non-public event), filming can and does violate the legally protected right to privacy (are you familiar with this term?).

Merlin, why did you conclude that the CIS is a CLOSED gathering? What kind of stupid definition are you giving, especially since it's not even accurate, and what does the venue and living environment have to do with it? It's obviously not the case.
And further... the right to privacy, protected by law – go have fun with your terms with a judge!))) I maintain that the CIS is an OPEN event, because ANY interested person, participant, guest, blogger, or clown can attend. Don't talk nonsense.

And, by the way, why are you bringing this discussion into the public domain, in your CLOSED ✌ CIS? Why can't you discuss everything in private topics or groups? A closed gathering, he says...

I still consider the CIS to be the main offline tournament of the year (and not just a get-together of old and new friends).

I also consider it that way, but I come as a guest to relax. And you don't need to make assumptions about what I care about and what I enjoy. The fact that the CIS has a certain "booze party" vibe is a shared achievement, and there's no need to complain about it anymore. It was, is, and most likely will be. We choose this format and support it, including you.

Now about responsibility. Dust, how much money did you actually pay me for the game program, so that you can demand accountability for its quality? How many game programs have you organized in your life (those very programs where the venue is technically not ready at all, where someone sits down and drinks with their company right from the start)? So, I'll answer you.

You call yourself an organizer – take responsibility. If you can't work with people, provide equipment on time, and the program fails, then you're a bad organizer.
And why should I specifically pay you, what is this senile delusion? I didn't order the program from you!

I don't know exactly what your financial relationship and agreements are with Roma, whether he pays you or not, and for what. The banquet cost a decent amount of money, and I assume it should include the host and the program. So, I thought I had paid you for it.

In the conditions I found myself in, it would have been better not to hold it. If you want to prove otherwise, go ahead, I'll be happy to watch how you'll wriggle out of it when the entire script falls apart from the very beginning due to the technical unpreparedness of the venue. The question arises – who is responsible for the technical readiness? For me, the organizer is always responsible, since I voice my requirements for the venue in advance.

So, YOU are the ORGANIZER, take responsibility for your program!
Perhaps you did the best you could with what you had. But why do I need to prove anything to you, to try? I'm not a host, and thankfully, I don't make a living from it.
Actually, I have no complaints about you or Roma regarding this. I understand, and out of respect, I won't even discuss its failures.
And don't make excuses and look for reasons why it didn't work out.

And I will answer you about the money for the game program. My direct, non-refundable losses in chronological order for the CIS: payment for the work of a designer with video and audio recording in a studio – 7k, tickets – 14k, daily rent of accommodation in St. Petersburg – 7.5k (since I arrived in advance and went to the venue two days before the general arrival, just to clarify what specifically needs to be done regarding the venue), rent of a room in a cottage at the venue – 18.5k (a 4-bed cottage with breakfast costs 37k), 5600 rubles for lunches/dinners. In total, we already see 52 with some change thousand. In addition, there is a large amount of time spent on developing the script and preparation. More than 200 man-hours, if you like (and this is a very modest estimate). Just searching and selecting footage for the video took several days...
This is what I spent personally, and this is what Dust didn't pay me a penny for.

You're making an estimate as if you're going to the CIS to make money?! And what's the point of you arriving in advance? Where is your equipment, your program?))
Tickets, accommodation, food. Why are you counting this? Did you decide that you should be paid for it? Are you some kind of star? You took on too much.
P.S. And I thought you were making the video yourself, I'm disappointed

And finally, or first. I did not violate the rule "Everything that happened at the CIS stays at the CIS" in this case – no private events were made public in my post (except for the feat of Matrosov, i.e., a socially dangerous individual).
Moreover, I didn't introduce this rule, and I wasn't even the first to voice it.

In this case, you are the only one who makes it public and brings it to the attention of everyone. The moments that, in my opinion, should be discussed in closed topics, among a truly narrow circle of people.
And who else has heard about this rule besides you? It seems to me that these are just your conveniently invented illusions, just like the misconception about a closed CIS.

But you don't care about that in your pseudo-oppositional desire to say something...

Indeed, I don't care, my dearly beloved NON-organizer, one-sided critic 😙

Merlin's point-by-point guide for CIS organizers at the end of his first message in this thread is useful.

I wanted to add my two cents on a couple of points.

1) Wasn't the CIS event always the biggest party of the year? Who are we trying to fool? And this certainly doesn't diminish or invalidate the value of the event, although there may be some unpleasant excesses in places.
But the transparency of video content and the ability to be under the scrutiny of a video camera at any moment can rather help this event complete its evolution from the biggest party of the year to the main event of the year, rather than hinder it. Or at least help to continue shifting the focus, reducing the proportion of drinking to more decent levels, and increasing the esports component of the event. Konstantin, think about it.
To the point that a troublemaker might end up in trouble for disorderly conduct, recorded by a video camera in a public place. And perhaps it won't even be necessary to get involved ourselves - perhaps the organizers can handle it - as if they have never had such incidents or experience?
Ideally, as has been said many times, 24/7 webcam or two webcams in the gaming hall/halls. Well, if you really want to "hang out" quietly somewhere, designate areas that are free from video cameras. But the world is clearly moving towards technology and transparency in personal life, not the other way around. Resisting this is like tilting at windmills.

2) Similarly, Dust has counter-claims against Merlin that he is making public what he wants. Let him make public what he wants. Has anyone not figured out Merlin's character yet? He is an analyst. The best thing an analyst can do is to tediously list the best accumulated experience point by point and just as tediously and point by point pass it on to future generations. Unnecessary activity that analysts engage in is to nitpick for no reason, deny the new, and prohibit everything. And, by the way, Merlin is not the only one in the Heroes community who enjoys this. I suggest being understanding of personality traits and not paying attention to excesses. Take the best and thank Merlin for this carefully accumulated experience for the future.