The 2012 Classic Arcade Gaming (dot com) Tournament   March 2012, Chicago, Illinois

Introduction    (click here to skip to table of contents)

     The seventh annual edition of The Classic Arcade Gaming (dot com) Tournament is being held at a new, and incredible, location next year - Logan Hardware, which is located a few miles southeast of O'Hare airport in Chicago, Illinois.  The two-day event will take place over one weekend in later March; specifically, Saturday March 24 and Sunday March 25, 2012.  Those who have paid the entrant fee (or will pay in person) may come out and practice on Friday (the 23rd) for a small fee (though no scores will be taken; Friday is for practice only).  In addition, on that day, a number of world-class players will be going for world records on a variety of tourney, and non-tourney, games.  More details are forthcoming.

    Like the first six editions of the event, it is being co-organized by myself (Mark Alpiger, administrator of this CAGDC web site), and my location partner, which is the arcade location's owner - Jim Zespy.  Now, even with the change in venue, there's no change with all of the great features of previous years, which will, of course, be carried over for this event.  One of the main ones is the ability of an entrant (for a limited time, of course) to actually pick a game (from the potential list of titles) to appear in the final set of tournament games !  More details on that, and all the additional 'player-friendly' features, appear later on this page.

Who will be there    (click here to go to table of contents)

    Currently, 10 players have already signed up for the event (with only 30 spots left before we cap the entries at 40).  Both myself (Mark Alpiger) and Jim Zespy will be signing up quite a few each, and we also have a number of prospects that will likely sign up in the weeks to come.

    Games listed under an entrant indicate tourney game titles that the player is good at.  Titles listed in green indicate that the player has chosen that title to appear in the event.  So far, 10 titles have been picked by entrants (plus, one has been picked by me), and there are only about 10 (or so) more 'spots' left for new entrants to choose a game to appear in the event, when they sign up, so be sure to sign up before this incredible option expires !  Oh, and a big thanks to everyone here, for picking out your game choices, and thereby making this your event !

    Wow - that's some list !  So, be sure to sign up ASAP, and you can not only be part of this elite group of top gamers, and meet co-stars of The King of Kong movie (specifically, Pat and Donald, who are scheduled to appear, plus organizer Mark Alpiger), but, keep in mind that those who sign up early for this tourney will get the chance to choose a game title to be in the event !  This idea has been wildly successful for the past few tournaments, so don't wait to sign up, or the chance to choose may be gone !

Reasons to attend    (click here to go to table of contents)

    For newcomers, what makes this a 'must-attend' gaming event ?  Well, Logan Hardware is one of the biggest classic arcade gaming locations in the nation, with about 50 classic titles set up in the game room, and more available onsite, to be rotated into the mix.  To check out the dedicated website for the location, click here.  Now, out of all of these great classic games, a selection will be picked out that includes popular titles that are specifically designed for gamers that have attended various events in recent years.  Also, while organizing this tournament (and past ones), I consulted with quite a few classic gaming aficionados to find out what they most wanted in a contest, and what they would like to see addressed or perhaps improved upon (whether in regards to previous CAGDC events, or other events they've attended in the past).  So, based on that, contestants at this tournament can rely on the following things to be in place:

    .  the contest games will be working properly

    .  the tourney results will be updated multiple times daily over the two-day event

    .  there will be a time limit (per my CAGDC contest rules) of one hour of play, maximum, to avoid titles being tied up for
       extended time periods; fortunately, most titles in the contest can only be played for a period of less than an hour; also,
       all games will be set at the factory / default difficulty settings, as is the case in all CAGDC tournaments and events

    .  an information board will be prominently displayed, with pertinent tourney info and updates that all contestants need to
       know, or be aware of

    .  there will be five prize levels (totaling $425 !!), four of which comprise first, second, third and fourth place levels;
       the fifth is actually five prizes in one, and is detailed more later on this page

    .  transportation to and from motels, and airports, will be coordinated with other players, so that we can best combine our
       resources

    .  and last, but far from least, there will be incredible choice as far as which games each player can play, along with there
       being popular, well-known titles, in the pool of contest games; in addition, entrants who sign up early will actually receive
       the privilege of picking a game title (from the potential list) to appear in the final set of tournament games; see the game
       listing title for one that's not yet been picked, and when you sign up, you can enter that title on the appropriate line, and
       be assured that your choice will be one of the approximately 21 game titles to be part of the tournament

Contest format, and the results ranking system    (click here to go to table of contents)

    What exactly is meant by a 'pool' of games, as denoted above ?  Well, in a historic precedent that was first implemented by this event in 2006, this tournament will actually let the players pick the games that they will play !  Each gamer can pick 7 titles to contest, from a pool of about 21 contest games (the 20 'known' titles will be shown in the first table below after all entrants have picked them, plus any additional ones needed by myself and Jim), plus there will be one or two more 'Mystery Titles', which will be revealed on Friday, the day before the event begins.  Now, contestants can actually choose to play more than seven of the tourney games (including all of them, if they wish); naturally, only their best 7 results will count.  In this case, the best seven results will be determined by their highest seven percentages, as determined by the tourney calculation and comparison system (see below).  Because each player will likely have a different set of seven games that will comprise their tournament games (tho it does not matter if this is the case or not), instead of playing against all other players on all contest titles (which is the method for all past gaming contests), you will actually only be playing against other players (for the best result, as determined by the contest calculation system) on the specific titles that you pick.  This ingenious method allows players to have optimal flexibility, and choice.  Oh, and just to make it clear, as one player asked about this; you may (of course) play each title as many times as you wish during the contest hours, so that you will have the best possible results.  One final note: since the pool of games is so large, there must be a contingency in place, for the unforeseeable situation where one or more games becomes non-functional, or unavailable, at contest time.  This is unlikely, and will be avoided at all costs, but it can happen, and there will be a reserved set of substitute titles in place, in case any are needed (the substitute titles may be announced later).  In any event, up-to-the-day information can always be found on this page, and also on the CAGDC forums.

    As mentioned earlier, another welcome situation is that there will be well-known, and popular, titles in the contest (see the official game listing in the first table below).  One reason that some events may have avoided putting in major titles is that there's the chance of one or two players 'clocking' the field (like Don Hayes, and others), since they are so good at so many common classic titles.  The ability to choose your own game titles to play in this tourney is a big help in avoiding this from being much of an issue (yet, it is still fair to the elite video athletes).  In addition, I'll be employing a scoring method (suggested by Donald Hayes and used last year with great results) which uses logarithmic math to lend more accuracy to the deserved finishing places of all (qualifying) contestants than any other method I've seen.  After dropping non-qualifying player's scores (meaning, they turned in less than 7 scores) from any and all qualifying player calculations, each qualifying player's best seven results (as determined by the seven highest percentages for each, when comparing all of their best submitted scores for each game against the entire qualifying field's entire number of submitted scores) will be averaged to show their average percentile for the event.  Then, the ranking (from highest to lowest) will, of course, show the results of the tourney for the entire qualifying field.  OK - it sounds complex, but really isn't when it comes to calculating it on a computer !

    A final note is about the scores allowed to be turned in at the event.  As shown in the game listing table below, a minimum score must be made on each tourney game in order to turn in the score.  This is to discourage people from playing titles that they really shouldn't be (because of too low a skill level), and it also keeps the difficulty of the score tabulation to a reasonable level for the tourney organizers.  As an example, the game Donkey Kong has a minimum (or, 'threshold') score of 25,000 listed.  Players scoring lower are not allowed to turn in their score, until they have raised it to at least 25,000 points, or more.

Contact info for the organizers    (click here to go to table of contents)

    For information on the regular, and the contest (for contestants only) arcade hours, see the second table below.  For any questions on arcade-related matters, you may contact Jim Zespy via phone; the number at the arcade location is 773-235-5030, and the best time to try is Monday through Friday, from about 1 PM to 6 PM CT.  To contact me (Mark Alpiger) about contest matters, go to the e-mail link in the next-to-last paragraph below.

Information for travelers    (click here to go to table of contents)

    Now, lets get to an important issue to most contestants (especially those traveling into the Chicago area) - the local amenities.  The arcade is located in an area that has extensive eateries, including a few fast food places.  There's a McDonald's near the Western Station train stop that's located about a half-mile south of the arcade.  A Subway is a similar distance to the east.

    As far as places to stay, there are a number of hotels in the area, though prices (as per a big city) can easily be $100+ a night.  However, one hotel, a Day's Inn that has a terrific rating at hotels.com, is less than 3 miles from the arcade, and is currently booking at around $80.  If you're up for a bit of travel, via the train stop mentioned above, there's a hotel recommended by one entrant that has terrific rates (under $50 !), and is said to be as nice as a typical national chain 'cheapie' location - namely, the Chicago O'Hare Garden Hotel.  There's a train stop within a block, and it's the line (see details below) that takes you to the stop nearest the arcade.  One final note is that there are over a hundred newly renovated rooms, though availability depends on when you book, naturally.  Also, I'd advise requesting a renovated room, if you make a reservation, rather than assuming you'll be booked into one.

    As far as airports go, the least expensive location to fly into, for most, would be O'Hare (versus Midway, though feel free to check pricing for both, of course).  The airport is less than 10 miles from the arcade, and there's train service offered (to within reasonable walking distance of the arcade, assuming your luggage is easy to carry / move).  From the airport, you take the blue line train (which runs 24 hours a day) to the above-mentioned Western Station stop.  Then, walk straight north for about a half-mile to West Fullerton Avenue, and the arcade location (2410 West Fullerton Ave.) is immediately to the left.

    Now, what about those who may need a ride, versus a car rental or train / bus transport ?  Well, so that contestants may coordinate with each other, for cost savings, and / or convenience, I have a post up on the forums dedicated to this.  If you need (or can offer) a ride from your location, or from the airport, or if you desire (or are willing) to share a room, e-mail me at the link three paragraphs below, and I'll post this info on the forums.  That way, all out-of-town contestants can benefit.  Note that I may not be able to provide rides from the lodging location(s), since I'll be staying at the arcade.  But, as has been noted, Chicago has extensive public transportation available, so there should be minimal issues, and I will try to work with all those who need help, if they stay at the 'official' hotel for the event (which is likely to be the Days Inn mentioned above; this will be officially announced soon, right here).  A final note on public transit is that there are one-day passes (good for both the train and bus lines !) available for about $5.75 from numerous locations in the city (possibly at O'Hare too, though this is unconfirmed).  Having one of those for Saturday definitely makes sense if you don't have your own vehicle, since you can get unlimited rides on public transit for the day the pass is issued for.

Prize purse and entry fee info    (click here to go to table of contents)

    OK, let's get back to the 'nuts and bolts' of the event, and, specifically, the money matters.  The monetary prizes for the winners are among the largest ever offered at any of the past 9 CAGDC Tournaments !  Specifically, first place will receive $200, second earns $100, third garners $50, and fourth awards $25.  Another $50, in the form of five $10 prizes, will be offered to the top-place finishers on five games that will be randomly picked.  If the top finisher already won a prize in the event, then the next-highest (non-prize winning) finisher on the game will get the $10 prize.  Keep in mind that anyone, no matter what their ranking in the event, can win one of the $10 prizes, which gives an opportunity to win to almost everyone who enters !

    Well, now that the prizes are known, what is the entry fee ?  The good news is that it includes both arcade admission, and free play on all of the games !  That's right - play as much as you want, with no quarters or tokens needed !!  All of this, for the two days, is just $50.  The entry fee (other than those paying 'at the door', which is discouraged, and will cost $60) must be sent via PayPal (credit cards are accepted if you don't have a PayPal account), with the final deadline day for receipt being on Thursday, March 22nd.  Payments made at the arcade location, during the tournament, must be in cash.  Note that entrants that are 'locals', who play at the arcade during normal hours, may pay Jim Zespy (and only Jim) directly at anytime before the event weekend.

    Other optional fees include those who wish to come to the arcade on Friday, for practice only (no scores will be taken for the tourney); in this case, there is a $10 fee.  Also, anyone wishing to come and watch the tourney (and, play non-tourney games) may do so.  The fee will be $20 for Saturday, $10 for Sunday, or $25 for the weekend.  Note that anyone paying for the tourney 'at the door' will be charged $60, so sign up early, and save $10 !

Final notes    (click here to go to table of contents)

    As was the case at the last two CAGDC Tournaments, there will likely be media coverage in place at various stages of the event.  In addition, Jim and I will likely be covering the event via video, and we may also have partners / associates doing the same.  Notification will be clearly posted at the event, so everyone is aware that they, and their gaming, may be recorded and utilized for news, promotion, and other purposes.  In other words... you may be spotted by friends on tv, the Internet, and elsewhere, so prepare to be famous !

    Well, that sums up the contest parameters, and should address most questions or issues regarding the event.  If you feel there is something that I haven't covered on this page, then you may with your question, or even send a suggestion.

    The date of this page's last update was January 26, 2012.  Keep checking back for further updates, and, most of all, come out and support both the event, and classic arcade gaming !

Potential game listing table    (click here to go to table of contents)

Arcade and contest hours listing    (click here to go to table of contents)

Online entry fee payment link    (click here to go to table of contents)

Tournament / event options Tourney entry fee - 1 player $50.00 USD Tourney entry fee - 2 players $100.00 USD Enter game choice here

After choosing to sign up one or two players, and entering an eligible game choice (one whose title is not colored green) from the table above (only pick one game title for each player entered), click the Buy Now button at left to pay the entry fee for the 2012 Classic Arcade Gaming (dot com) Tournament.  All transactions are securely handled by PayPal, and you may pay using either a credit card (with no PayPal account necessary), or you may of course pay using a PayPal account.  After March 22nd, you must pay in person, in cash, at the contest location.  The tourney 'at the door' cost will be $60. $50 will be the total charge for this transaction, per entrant. So far, these games have been already been chosen, and therefore should not be picked for a new entrant's game choice:  Beastie Feastie, Donkey Kong, Gyruss, Pac-Man, Punch-Out!!, Robotron: 2084, Tetris Plus 2, Track & Field, Tron, vs. Excitebike,  and Zaxxon. Note that all payments are non-refundable (other than a game chosen by an entrant being unable to be utilized in the event garnering a $20 'refund') - no exceptions, unless the event is cancelled due to weather.

A view of the arcade    (click here to go to table of contents)

 
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