Announcement: Event Host Guide

One of the most important parts of our little social group here on the interwebs is our events calendar. Each event success has always required event hosts and it's ultimately those folks efforts that make them work.

It's simple really, but it does require some effort on your part. Given that, there are some pretty nice benefits to being an event host. First and foremost is recognition in the form of getting to know the members, finding those guys and gals that enjoy the same titles you do. So, beyond being the glue that holds an event together, you also get to enjoy the benefit of being a leader.

Being an event host is not for the faint of heart. Many events may not have the turn out you would expect and in those cases it's tough to keep things going, yet ultimately you're just playing a game you wanted to play in the first place. Also, when an event you host is or becomes popular, it can be a bit time consuming to get and keep it organized. So if you think you have what it takes, here is a list of guidelines that we have found works best.

Event topics - Use these to your advantage, make sure you post in them to let people know you're serious about participation.

Be proactive - Find those people in the game list (PS3, 360, PC or Wii) that own the game and private message them about the event, help them figure out how to participate.

Show up - Be available 15 minute early to allow you to coordinate with any co-hosts you may have (this may depend on the game in question), organize the groups, or add any friends to your list that you may not have currently.

Be organized - Since the limitations of some games' online component will require multiple groups, it's good to have list of people that have RSVP'd available so you know who you're expecting and which group they belong in.

Communicate - As people come online or if they're online prior to the event, send them a PSN message saying the room is open and how to find it or send invitations etc as needed.  We'd recommend a PS3 wireless keyboard for easy messaging to players (at least, until Sony finally blesses us with cross-game voice chat).

Be timely - Start the event as promptly as possible, as sitting in the lobby for 15 minutes waiting for one person tends to make the room antsy. If people come online late, and still wish to play, simply message that you'll send them an invite as soon as possible (when this is an option).  You might receive a flurry of PSN messages asking to join while you're in game playing; please be patient and do you best to accommodate these requests, within reason.

You're not alone - We want to stress that event host are not expected to do this alone, there should also be a moderator available to you, if they aren't already playing in that event. A moderator can certainly be at each event until you're comfortable to handle the event on your own, if needed.

Life happens, so if for some reason you can't host the planned event, grab a stand in host.  The moderators would be happy to help you find a replacement, if you can't find one yourself.

Most of all remember to have fun and don't stress out over an event, we're all here to play games