How to start an IFS - Ingress First Saturday Organizator tips

ArrivedArrived ✭✭
edited June 2019 in First Saturdays

Hi! I feel like this is a good place to start a conversation about things which can be good for you to know if you want to organize FS event in your country.


1. First of all: pick the right location

I know that it might sound silly but really, try to think about it before you register your event. You should pick a location with registration portal where is not a real high density of people but still with enough portals on your "Battlefield". If you're eligible to go to a pub and you have a favorite one, that's the right place where you really want to have your meeting point. a) friendly atmosphere? b) good drinks/food? c) do you know the owner? If are all answers possitive, you're in...


2. Before you really start to manage all other things, find your crossfaction partner and get to know with him, even when it's your enemy, you should trust him/her say who will do which things and discuss the location.


3. Go to your desired location and talk with the owner of the pub/bar. Discuss pros and cons (if there's any con for them at all bcs they will make some 💰).


4. Register your event

Personally, when you'll be picking the time when will be the registration portal alive, I like the afternoon events because you'll have much higher range for players (they don't have to get up at 5 o'clock in the morning on Saturday)


5. Think about the theme of your FS and ASAP submit your #IngressFS missions!

RN Niantic told us that the max amount of missions with #IngressFS tag is 6, don't even try to submit more missions...


6. Try to contact your local ingress community and ask them if they're in touch with other players all around the region or/and state. It's super helpful if you find other FS organizators and you'll ask for help. They'll be glad that they aren't alone, trust me.


7. Summarize the info about the event and start a chat group on the local most-used communication platform.


8. Share the info about your event and invite others.


9. Get some swag.

Ask some sponsors (city hall, banks, shops) if they'll give you some free stuff. Make your own swag, at least biocards it's good to order it with other organizers of events in your region because it can be much cheaper. Also, the more people attending, the bigger prizepool should be so think about prizes for winners.


10. Communicate with the attending players and respond to their questions.


If you like this thread and you want me to continue, feel free to contact me :)

Comments

  • GibsonGirl71GibsonGirl71 ✭✭
    edited June 2019

    July IFS falls on the opening day of our nearby Renaissance Faire. There is an admission fee but there are usually online deals and coupons for the opening weekend.

    Otherwise it's a great location with lots of portals. But is the admission fee a problem for IFS locations?

    Although 2 weeks is pretty tight to get it all together.

  • @GibsonGirl71 Well... Admission fee is a problem...

    As long as it's voluntery it's ok. I recommend you to pick a place for meeting point and restock out of the paid area and let people decide whether they want to pay or not...

  • @bluesfemme sure thing, I'll join that info, thanks for your suggestions

  • One thing I do is putting some distance between the registeration portal and the restocking portal so people can walk more.

  • TrinityPrincessTrinityPrincess ✭✭✭✭

    Yeah, you definitely do not want to be behind a pay wall... The event needs to be accessible to everybody. You don't want people reporting you to Niantic for not having equal access and failing to uphold the FS guidelines.

  • TrinityPrincessTrinityPrincess ✭✭✭✭

    We make a single row mission set that starts and ends at the checkin/checkout place (sometimes this is the same spot, and sometimes it is different). We also have prizes for AP, trekker, and we rotate a 'mystery' stat. We've never had a problem with people not going out and playing!

  • jplolojplolo ✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2019

    I just wrote a huge list of unconventional helpful tips and advice and it got squashed when posting it because it has to wait for approval. Does anyone know who is responsible for these approvals? I hope all that effort to compile that info isn't wasted. (it's 323 words)

  • jplolojplolo ✭✭✭✭

    Some more FS hints/info to add:

    • FS events can host any set of rules. You can decide a completely new game within the Ingress platform just for that day. It's a great way to keep things interesting and your attending agents engaged.
    • Win-trading is acceptable during FS and at the after party.
    • Use this as an opportunity to induct noobs into cross-faction social acceptance by assigning every new player to an opposing team guide for leveling up. Everyone benefits from an agent leveling, including your opponents. Also, reducing early on-set paranoia directed at "the other team" will help resolve misunderstandings and arguments faster.
    • FS can actually be held on Sundays as well, if need be. Fev Games allows this.
    • The FS Rep does not have to be the organizer of the event. If you're struggling to find someone from the opposing team who wants to do the work, you only need their approval to include their email in the Fev Games registration form.
    • If you aren't the leader in your community, but think you are a pretty good event planner, you don't need anyone's permission to host an FS event. You just need one representative from each team.
    • There is an option to localize your FS passcode ciphers. Locally, our encoder used local agent names and locations in the puzzles which made the pre-game xfac collaboration a lot of fun. It felt rather special to be acknowledged in such a way.
    • You can use FS as a way to explore new areas of town. It doesn't always have to be hosted at the most prominent portal hubs.
    • Consider hosting the after party at a kid-friendly location.
    • Use FS as an opportunity to fund raise for your community by making swag. The more money in your treasure chest, the better prizes you can offer , or perhaps use it to step up the quality of your events.
  • jplolojplolo ✭✭✭✭

    Some more FS hints/info to add:

    • FS events can host any set of rules. You can decide a completely new game within the Ingress platform just for that day. It's a great way to keep things interesting and your attending agents engaged.
    • Win-trading is acceptable during FS and at the after party.
    • Use this as an opportunity to induct noobs into cross-faction social acceptance by assigning every new player to an opposing team guide for leveling up. Everyone benefits from an agent leveling, including your opponents. Also, reducing early on-set paranoia directed at "the other team" will help resolve misunderstandings and arguments faster.
    • FS can actually be held on Sundays as well, if need be. Fev Games allows this.
    • The FS Rep does not have to be the organizer of the event. If you're struggling to find someone from the opposing team who wants to do the work, you only need their approval to include their email in the Fev Games registration form.
    • If you aren't the leader in your community, but think you are a pretty good event planner, you don't need anyone's permission to host an FS event. You just need one representative from each team.
    • There is an option to localize your FS passcode ciphers. Locally, our encoder used local agent names and locations in the puzzles which made the pre-game xfac collaboration a lot of fun. It felt rather special to be acknowledged in such a way.
    • You can use FS as a way to explore new areas of town. It doesn't always have to be hosted at the most prominent portal hubs.
    • Consider hosting the after party at a kid-friendly location.
    • Use FS as an opportunity to fund raise for your community by making swag. The more money in your treasure chest, the better prizes you can offer , or perhaps use it to step up the quality of your events.
  • jplolojplolo ✭✭✭✭

    Some more FS hints/info to add:

    • FS events can host any set of rules. You can decide a completely new game within the Ingress platform just for that day. It's a great way to keep things interesting and your attending agents engaged.
    • Win-trading is acceptable during FS and at the after party.
    • Use this as an opportunity to induct noobs into cross-faction social acceptance by assigning every new player to an opposing team guide for leveling up. Everyone benefits from an agent leveling, including your opponents. Also, reducing early on-set paranoia directed at "the other team" will help resolve misunderstandings and arguments faster.
    • FS can actually be held on Sundays as well, if need be. Fev Games allows this.
    • The FS Rep does not have to be the organizer of the event. If you're struggling to find someone from the opposing team who wants to do the work, you only need their approval to include their email in the Fev Games registration form.
  • jplolojplolo ✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2019

    @cluelessness That must have changed. It used to be a hidden option for cities that needed it. Ty for the update.

    Edit: I agree. One should always check with their local organizers to make sure there are no conflicts. That's common sense for any event planning. But, if their aren't, agents should not feel restricted in created an FS without "approval".

    @NianticAkshay someone please delete these awful repeats above! They've been there for days. 🙇

  • MorganzaMorganza ✭✭✭✭✭

    Here in the Bay Area we have done it both ways -- both single location with missions in a loop and separate locations with missions going from point A to point B. It depends on the venue more than anything else -- it may be easier to find one venue to use than two.

    You also need to consider the weather -- are players going to be naturally clumping up under shade or rain protection?

  • H4DE5H4DE5 ✭✭

    Here in Belgium we have a seperate group dedicated to organising FS events all over the country, city suggestions can be made by everyone and in every FS Orga is at least 1 experienced member from the FS.BE-group. This makes orga easier for everyone... Also we have a cup going around and every FS the winner can have it 'till the next FS in Belgium. It makes it fun every month 😃

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