So, the finishing touches have been applied and this event is more or less good to go. We've just got to release the Game Brief pack next week and that'll be it.
This event is quite important for us as we're trying a different model to the usual scenario game approach. After chats with Tony, Gaz and others about how European games run (even smaller ones of less than 500 players) we've tried our hardest to cram as much value as possible into Wedding Day for forty quid.
To run a scenario game (i.e. a game of less than 500 players) for a whole weekend as opposed to just the usual one day Sunday game and to do it for the same price is pretty hard to do. Costs for wages, site, equipment hire, pyro, HPA etc all double, but your income from tickets is the same.
So the hope is that more players attending (due to the added value) will hopefully cancel out the additional costs of putting on an event with so much going on.
If more players book in and attendance increases at Wedding Day then we'd love to put on more events with this much value for customers. If attendance doesn't increase - then we'll not be able to afford to. Simples really. So it's an important event for us as it could change the shape of future Shoreline events if it goes well.
So, all this talk of value - what can everyone expect?
Pre-Game
Well, we've put as much effort into our pre-game program for Wedding Day as we usually do for our Big UKPSF Game. Pretty decent website including deals with local hotels etc. We usually get professional images and banners designed for all our events and this event is no different.
The Player Pack is pretty comprehensive and in the same way that we did at Dunkirk, we'll be releasing every details of the game script to the players before the event in the form of a Game Brief Booklet. That'll mean that everyone will arrive knowing what points are available when and there will be a site map complete with grid squares for everyone to cut out and use on the day.
Everyone who books in will receive a personalised ticket in the form of a wedding invite which you'll use to register when you arrive by tearing off the disclaimer and handing it in to reception. Different event organisers approach ticketing in different ways. Some send tickets out to players and some do not. We find it works for our events.
The Saturday
Some players are camping from the Friday night, you are welcome to do so. However, please email us at Shoreline so that we can make appropriate arrangements for you if you wish to camp on Friday.
Registration will open at 10am on the Saturday. HPA and chronos will open at 11am and the first games will start at 12noon and run every hour until 5pm. The games will be proper scenario games with props, missions and pyrotechnics. This is no lazy run about to warm up for the main event - they will be full on battles specifically set up for some 'balls on the table' paintball.
All day Saturday we'll also have the Help for Heroes Shooting Competition running.
You can either use your own gun or one of ours, it'll be a pound or two for 40 shots and the best scores will win prizes (including some guns). Importantly, all profits will go to Help for Heroes so we hope that everyone will have a go to raise some money for a worth charity and also give yourself a chance to win some excellent prizes.
As the paintball games end at 5pm on the Saturday, we'll be running Airsoft and LaserTag games in and around the military bunker complex. These games will be completely FREE OF CHARGE with the only stipulation that if you break a gun - you pay to repair it. It's a good chance to try something different and you'll be surprised how much fun both games can be.
All day, catering will be provided onsite from the cafe until 6pm.
At 6.30pm, Registration will close and we'll run the Free Air Safety Training. It'll take about 20 minutes and we'll get your Air Safety Pass made up, laminated and back to you within an hour. It's free as well.
The free Airsoft and LaserTag games will end at 7pm which is when the Players Party will start.
We'll have a PA system blasting out the tunes and Gringo's Tequila shack will open for food. Gringo will be serving Chilli Nachos and loads of tasty mexican wraps - the Tequila Chicken wrap is bloody lovely!
During the party Gringo will have various Tequila based challenges and will be serving a range of filthy Tequila drinks.
Click here for Gringo's Tequila Shack info.......mental!
There will also be the Bomb Sauce Challenge. One of the funniest things you'll see.
Those who are brave enough can also take part on The Beer Hunter drinking game:
For some reason, I suspect we'll see some Warren Wood guys sitting at the roulette table for that one!
The traders onsite all day Saturday and Sunday will be BZ Paintball and MacDev. They'll have all the paint, guns and goodies that you could ever want. Support these traders guys, pre-order your paint with them and buy any kit that you need from them at the event. They invest a lot of money to be present and support the event so it'd be great if everyone repaid that investment.
The night games will start at 10pm. Every player will be given glow sticks to attach to their marker so that you'll know who is on which team. The games will be illuminated using parachute flares floating down over the battlefield and we'll also be using enormous fuel lift pyro explosions during the games. These will be the first proper night games ever played at a UK event and they'll be epic. Not for the feint hearted! The night games will end around midnight.
If you don't fancy playing, we'll be setting up a spectators area so you can grab a beer and your mask and take a seat and watch the mayhem unfold against a back drop of explosions and flares.
Important note - if you want to play in the night games, do not drink before hand. We'll not be allowing anyone who has drunk alcohol onto the field on the Saturday or Saturday night.
All this before the main event has even started!
Sunday
Registration will open at 7am and the game briefing (in the form of a wedding ceremony) will start at 9am.
Game will start at 10am.
As per all true blooded scenario games, the game will run continuously for 6 hours with no breaks. The action will move around the site from fighting through and clearing out the military bunkers room by room, to the woodland area and to the village as different points scoring periods come into play. There will be in game pyro explosions, tonnes of game props and secret special missions to keep everyone on their toes.
There is no dress code, wear what you want. But it'd be great if as many as possible could grab an old shirt and tie - would look ace on the pics!
The two sides will be the Bride's Family and the Groom's family.
The Bride will be Zoe Cooper of the Warren Wood Rangers. She'll have two factions to call on. One led by The Father of the Bride, Andy Sables. The other led by the Usher Rebel Ryan.
The Groom will be Tony Lindsay of the Scottish Warriors. His two factions will be led by his Best Man, Bobcat from the Convicts and the Bridesmaid Cat 'Noodles' Mortimer of the Morecombe Bay Assassins.
Tickets are on
http://www.shorelineoutdoor.com
Air will be supplied by Hpac.
The field will be set up differently to previous events held at the site. All paths and entrances from the game zones to the car park will all be blocked off so no player will be able to leave the field without walking through the main staging building first. Marshalls will be a mixture of experienced Prozone marshalls and Shoreline's own staff.
Any overshooting, wiping or unacceptable language will be rewarded with ejection. We tend not to suffer from these problems at our games because players know that there is no three strikes or second chances. We've ejected players before and everyone knows that we'll do it again where necessary. Thankfully, that clarity means that our games suffer less than most others in those respects and long may it continue. Simples.
All bottles will be checked as per UKSPC minimum standards, chrono limit will be 280fps and there WILL BE extensive in-game chrono checking as there is at all Shoreline events.
Only players with a current Air Safety Pass will be able to use the HPA system. If you do not have a pass, then our staff will fill your bottle for you. No players under the age of 18 will be permitted to use the HPA system. Again, we'll have staff there to fill for you if necessary.
At the end of the game at 4pm, all players will get a free drink of Champagne and slice of wedding cake before we send you home.
There will be video taken during the weekend (especially of the Bomb Sauce Challenge) and Branewbs will be there providing professional photography services of the very highest order.
That's about it. You now know what to expect. It should be a great weekend of non-stop paintball and partying and we're looking forward to seeing as many of you there on the happy day as possible.
Shoreline.
