I just read Corpse's post about Gman and he imagining n00bfest dominating the world of gaming. I can certainly see how this is possible if n00bfest constantly tries to perservere and stops allowing complete fags to spam the forums and gay up the servers, but also if there were more perks for other types of members.
If there was some kind of special calling to the college/20-30 year old age group, n00bfest would grow considerably in size and skill (seeing as how these are the guys who play the most, care about it the most, would want to compete the most). If n00bfest started growing in such a way that it increased in quality of their players moreso than quantity (which I can certainly say is what we have now), n00bfest could be put on the map of the REAL gaming community.
To have hardcore gamers visit n00bfest.com when they go through the list of daily forums would be the ideal seat for this community/clan. Perhaps a marketing strategy would work the best. First off, something to attract those 18-30 year olds who find gaming a way of life. Everyone would have to band their efforts together in order to outdesign, outskill and outmaneuver other communities with the same goal. Certain links to other reputable sites may have to be posted on n00bfest as a way of attracting the attention of the other host site as well as that of other gamers. For example: if n00bfest were to begin using only CAL regulation configurations for their servers, and if this fact was highly advertised within the community, players from CZ along with their administrators may notice the increase in agreement between n00bfest and their own great CAL "community".
A highly reputable gaming/computer company would have to view n00bfest.com in high standing within the gaming community first (meaning hardcore players of CAL and the like) Perhaps if a certain someone in n00bfest knows a certain player of a certain CS clan, that certain player can come to n00bfest.com and realize how well organized and decent it is.
Then again, maybe the only way to attract a higher-skilled base of players would be to expand from merely CZ to either 1.6 or CS:S. I would highly suggest these options, not only because I like them, but they would help bring more players into the community (not quantity, quality.)
You may think, "We had a 1.6 and Source server; they didn't work out too well..." The problem with the previous servers is that they were simply set there without any reason to go there when players already played in CZ n00bfest servers. What would need to happen for these servers to prosper would be to either sponsor a reputable clan from outside n00bfest with the server or find players for a 1.6/CSS subclan to be formed within n00bfest. It doesn't necessarily have to start with current n00bfest players, because I know that most people who play these other games also have friends who play in these other games. These friends could be the basis for expanding a server into another form of CS by giving the server to a clan for public usage. The GNG clan (if I'm not mistaken) had their own server although they played in n00bfest CSS server sometimes. This is not the same because they already have their own servers that are not run by n00bfest. If the servers were donated to a highly regaurded clan/played on by skilled n00bfest players, the servers would continue to see statistics even after the first MONTH!
To crack it all down again: if n00bfest plans on expanding it's base in the gaming world, it needs to hook the primary age-group of players, it needs to pull together legitimate advertising as perks to coming to the site, and needs to find reputable players within a different form of counterstrike (after CS is dominated, on to DOD, COD, etc...)

This is what I have thought of after sitting here and pondering for half an hour. I would absolutely LOVE if n00bfest could be read about in "PC Gamer" much like fatal1ty and noting that the CPL premiered on MTV. Then again, I ♥ a small clan of dedicated players along with the large group of inactive nubs which is n00bfest.

I was originally posting this in n00bcon about a n00bfest convention, but I decided to put it out there in case some people cared enough for their community.

Edit: Oh yeah, I did want to mention that I liked the n00bcon (n00bfest Convention) idea because it allows n00bfest players to get together for a major event in within the small meaningless CS that we play. This n00bcon could include a large LAN center and invite n00bs, rcts and non-n00bs. Basically, I am imagining a decent-sized LAN setup in some major US city. It could be an annual thing. Each person pays for their expenses except for renting the LAN area. I'm entirely sure that if n00bfest actually pulled this off and each of the people attending also invited a friend or 2, this even would quickly escalate in a few years. I guess this is what I meant to mention along with the more skilled player-base becuase a high-skilled LAN event would provide for intense competition/intense training/people caring enough about it to find out about the event.

Of course, this would be a few years down the road, if this idea even got off the ground.

------My apologies for writing so much - now |stfu|stfd|gtfo|-------

I'll read this some other time it's way to damn long at this time of the night

I would attend. Every 2 years 2600 has their HOPECon's in NYC. Granted they have it at the Hotel Penn in NYC (2600 is NY based) which is down the street from my office. Since I am a local I help setup the NOC and the LAN. Bear in mind there is ALOT of work that goes into putting up a Con. Mostly starting the planning more than a year ahead. We have conferences, workshops, people giving talks, as well as a very large area set aside to hack. Since it is a highly visible you also have to deal with the media as well as the FBI/NSA/DHS. If you want to look at a highly succesful long running Con, check out DefCon, which happens every year in Las Vegas.

Well if we got a couple sponsors and a nice guestlist to come and play CZ, then that'd attract people too. As well as offer CZ lessons at the convention. Maybe a small ticket price too, depending on how many people we'll have there initially. I originall recommended NY because it has a large influx of different varieties of people, as well as a large gaming population. However, Alabama might fit n00bfest better. NY is also the most probable location I could attend.

Hmm.. make it in 2-3 years near Missouri and I'm in!

I agree.. n00bfest could really be a big thing some day. And if we want it to be, we should take action now and start expanding player base to different games.

I don't see the harm in making all the servers have CAL specifications, either. You still have all of the admin commands you need.

And we need to take alltalk off the servers, in my opinion. This would eliminate douchebag micspamming and make the server more enjoyable for people who want to play Counter-Strike and not have to listen to 10 year olds whining about dying. This would attract more people also.

That's just my 2 cents. Now I'm broke. :(

g00d idea... but far from home... dah

That's the other thing. If you're in Canada, you just take a ferry across the river to get to NY, correct?

who cares about the canucks though?

ROFL, nice one Joe..Anywho, I kinda skipped through most of what your wrote Kicked..I am sorry, but it looks like alot to read and my mind doesn't like to read alot, but I did read the edit thing you did.. @_@