The Sorcerer's Apprentice - Season 3

[Sam Magic]

Good news for everyone staying...challenges will now be much longer!

Really looking like Donald Trump now. You still do not get why everyone is doing this.

All I am about to type is with sound mind and body and complete honesty.

Yet there still seem to be problems randomly arising every few days that seemingly have made this contest truly different. I told myself that it was just me and that I could win, I just needed to improve from what I had done wrong in the past. I thought if I bit my tongue and went on it would pay off, but when I realized I was not alone in this feeling I felt that now I could play and feel better. Soon it became evident that it would only be right to stand with my true friends of this forum.

Therefore it is with great sadness that I too, along with many fellow Imagineers announce my resignation to the Sorcerer's Apprentice while this indeed is a grand and fantastic tradition it saddens me to see so much of this drama occur. It's heartbreaking, but deep down I know that it must be done. It is sad that this great contest has turned into a stage not to improve the board, but to further divide it and stroke the egos of others. The actions by the judges this season have shown me that this contest is not worth playing anymore.

To JDM, this contest meant so much to me and many other people. Last year this contest was very special because it brought the forum back together, but now, in a quest to change it, add drama, and quite frankly do stupid things have turned this once important event into nothing but DramaFest2K15. I hope you will forgive me and will see that we do this because we love this game and forum not out of spite or hate. Above all this I hope that someday this contest will once again be what it used to be.

 

[Sam Magic]

You know everyone, thank you for competing. It's a true shame this competition has been taking such a toll on everybody, and for that, I apologize. But I cannot apologize for what I have always done...running this little competition I like to call..."The Sorcerer's Apprentice". I am saddened to see so many people I consider friends waltz out the door at the same time. I try, but I'm human. This competition has had its ups and downs through the years. The beginning of this year was definitely a down. And only have three reasons to explain that different feeling: the shortened time frame with more contestants, the use of four teams, and the unnecessary obsession by myself to make the game more complex (ie Golden Buzzer). It hasn't been a great year so far. But I have always been one to change and adjust the comp on a whim...on the will of the competitors....I can't really put words down right now to describe my lamentation...

I think it's time to say, just so everyone knows, that this is my final year as full time host of The Sorcerer's Apprentice. Next year, I'll hopefully be sharing hosting duties with someone else (tentatively @Vipraa), or I may not be here at all due to unforeseen circumstances I cannot confirm right now. So to those left in the competition, I urge you to never stop fighting. Never give up. Keep thinking, I urge you. Let's make this competition great again. Please.

We'll work with you if you are willing to work with us. Admitting some of the shortcomings was very strong of you and I respect that. I think we all have the same end goal, and that is to make this forum great. We do not need to that in factions, we can do that together. We just need to be willing to work together, without ego and without grudges.

 

[Sam Magic]

I would just like somebody to tell me. I truly don't understand all of these dramatic events as described. I can think of Golden Buzzer, but I honestly am grasping at straws to see otherwise. I just don't know. Nobody else is wrong, I just want somebody to tell me said problems so they can be FIXED.

PS. To note...nothing has been done to "add drama".

I'll give you the gist...just give me a sec to type it up.

 

[Sam Magic]

I'm ready to sit back and hear what people have to say, and honestly discuss with people what they think is better for the community in this competition. I just want to talk about it.

And I concur, we have a good dialogue going right now.

 

[Voxel]

I'm ready to sit back and hear what people have to say, and honestly discuss with people what they think is better for the community in this competition. I just want to talk about it.

Which was what I was trying to initially say. That's all we were trying to do in the Initial PM, become calm/level headed people, word our issues properly then come forward with them.

 

[TheOriginalTiki]

I think the elimination of IDI over England was a bit of a tipping point in some of it, and for that I'd like to claim some responsibility. I was worried that since England was already causing a stir with the Golden Buzzer, him being eliminated within a 24 hour timing with what he considers a judging technicality wouldn't take it lightly. I realize now what a mistake that was. It was a decision made from the production side of things and not the competition side of things, and ironically enough in trying to prevent controversy it played a HUGE role in creating that. For that I'd like to deeply apologize.

 

[Sam Magic]

Many of us, for a long time now have felt that SA is not the same. Judging has not be consistent, projects were either not clear or repeats from past challenges, and the schedule was truly grueling. It just lacked excitment and plain and simple fun.

 

[Sam Magic]

To be perfectly honest, I probably wouldn't have dropped had you not posted your letter to the contestants. That is probably one of the most unprofessional things I've seen a host of a comp do. You don't win people's support with condensing letters....

I will say, with great respect to you Jdm, that this took me off-guard. It did not seem like you, but your comment of challenges being longer is what pushed me over the edge.

 

[englanddg]

I think the elimination of IDI over England was a bit of a tipping point in some of it, and for that I'd like to claim some responsibility. I was worried that since England was already causing a stir with the Golden Buzzer, him being eliminated within a 24 hour timing with what he considers a judging technicality wouldn't take it lightly. I realize now what a mistake that was. It was a decision made from the production side of things and not the competition side of things, and ironically enough in trying to prevent controversy it played a HUGE role in creating that. For that I'd like to deeply apologize.

I don't think the elimination of IDI over me had anything to do with what is going on now.

That said, yes, I had a problem with the Golden Buzzer, but if you think I'm petty enough to make a stink over an elimination / judges decision (rather than doing as JDM asked and voice thoughts in the conversation thread, which I did, and after JDM responded, and I dropped it), then you really don't know me very well at all, and frankly, I'm a tad disappointed.

 

[Sam Magic]

I understand that now Vox. You have to understand my POV. I get a PM telling me of a PM with all the competitors bashing the comp and judging. So I posted about it (open to concern), after which I was informed of the PM's patient, level-head nature. After you told me that, I was ready to hear the concern when it was prepared to be shared and I still am.

A strong leader would have approached that issue with the utmost professionalism. He would have been ready and prepared to here the other side, before drawing his own conclusions.

 

[LittleGiants16]

I wish I could type the "laughing-while-crying" emoji!

 

[Voxel]

I understand that now Vox. You have to understand my POV. I get a PM telling me of a PM with all the competitors bashing the comp and judging. So I posted about it (open to concern), after which I was informed of the PM's patient, level-head nature. After you told me that, I was ready to hear the concern when it was prepared to be shared and I still am.

I understand your POV, I truly do. I don't think however the best method was to go to a public Thread with the letter you wrote. I have a feeling you knew I was one of those who was dissatisfied, you could have PM'd me. I was ready to have a calm conversation until that public message came out, but blame me because I told the Thread to wait over the weekend so that we can go into Friday relaxed and have time too cool off and organize our thoughts.

 

[TheOriginalTiki]

JDM I can say as someone who's run twelve seasons of a comp I really wish you'd have taken the issue into the judges lounge conversation and we could decide as a team the best way to handle the whole situation. I've been pretty open about the fact that my anxiety disorder has caused me at times to snap at people when I think they're attacking me, so I really do see where you were coming from internally. Trust me, if it was my comp and I found out about a PM like that I'd be freaking the hell out. @IDInstitute can attest to the fact that I had a bit of a lashing out at the end of The Creator Games over how they decided to handle the tie, and it was a bit tense, but we were able to all settle it in as civil a way as possible. The dialogue we have going on now is a good start, I just hope we can keep on the right track because there was a TON of potential in the season up until this point in light of a couple questionable calls from a production standpoint.

 

[Voxel]

Thank you for this

 

[Sam Magic]

I am sorry, I actually often shift to condescending inflection in real life. But as I typed that, it was not heated or meant to be condescending. I was addressing the problems presented to me by a competitor in the most honest way I could. If it offended you guys, I apologize. I should be more careful of my posting and read over my posts beforehand in the future.

In the interest of full disclosure and transparency who exactly was this member, and did it ever occur to you post a more respectful message that showed you were willing to work out the problems or ask the competitor who was in the conversation and approach us professionally in private? To me it seems that whoever informed you painted a very in-accurate image of what was discussed.

 

[englanddg]

Buys @DisneyPrincess1993 a root beer and pops some popcorn.

Want some?

 

[Voxel]

Buys @DisneyPrincess1993 a root beer and pops some popcorn.

Want some?

Don't take food from a stranger.

 

[LittleGiants16]

JDM I can say as someone who's run twelve seasons of a comp I really wish you'd have taken the issue into the judges lounge conversation and we could decide as a team the best way to handle the whole situation. I've been pretty open about the fact that my anxiety disorder has caused me at times to snap at people when I think they're attacking me, so I really do see where you were coming from internally. Trust me, if it was my comp and I found out about a PM like that I'd be freaking the hell out. @IDInstitute can attest to the fact that I had a bit of a lashing out at the end of The Creator Games over how they decided to handle the tie, and it was a bit tense, but we were able to all settle it in as civil a way as possible. The dialogue we have going on now is a good start, I just hope we can keep on the right track because there was a TON of potential in the season up until this point in light of a couple questionable calls from a production standpoint.

I want to speak to the end of CG. It was a shlt show, and I've told Space and IDI that several times. But, it was handled behind closed doors in as professional a manner as possible. While I hate that their mistake marred such a strong competition, IDI and Space's handling of their mistake was ideal from my perspective.

Now, let's all settle down and conduct ourselves like adults, please

 

[LittleGiants16]

Buys @DisneyPrincess1993 a root beer and pops some popcorn.

Want some?

*Walks in with a six pack*

To heck with root beer.

 

[Sam Magic]

I want to speak to the end of CG. It was a shlt show, and I've told Space and IDI that several times. But, it was handled behind closed doors in as professional a manner as possible. While I hate that their mistake marred such a strong competition, IDI and Space's handling of their mistake was ideal from my perspective.

Now, let's all settle down and conduct ourselves like adults, please

Everyone has been calm, so I'm not sure what you're trying to say here.