As Pikaclicks wrote about how to get yourself invited to and accepted for events in the previous article – but I also feel it’s important to cover things to avoid if you want to keep getting invited back for more!
What will get you blacklisted from events varies a lot from organiser to organiser, and between different event types – but here are a few common reasons I’ve heard (or used) for players not getting return invites.
Show up unprepared.
“Five minutes is plenty of time to get ready for the event! Wait – I was meant to read instructions? Install a mod pack? Vote on this poll? What do you mean the event date was changed to yesterday?!!”
To be a good contestant, make sure to stay up to date with announcements, and respond to anything that needs a response. Even just acknowledging that you’ve seen messages can bring organisers peace of mind that you’re still engaging with the event and are aware of changes.
Whether unpreparedness will get you blacklisted depends partly on the type of event, and how much negative impact it has on the gameplay, other players, or the event as a whole. Smaller events, or ones with complicated rule sets, are where you’re more likely to get into trouble.
Don’t show up / don’t make content.
The majority of event organisers invite creators specifically because they will make content and bring in viewers (with potential exceptions for close friends). If you’re invited directly, it’s best to assume that you’re expected to make content – usually by streaming – unless told otherwise.
If you either can’t attend, or you can’t stream for some reason (technical difficulties, feeling unwell, or you just don’t want to) then make sure to tell the organiser with as much advance notice as possible. It’s better that they know (and have the option to call for back-up players if they choose) than for them to find out only once the event has started.
Making content is especially important for events with fewer players (where each stream is proportionally more important), highly competitive events (where VODs may need to be reviewed for bugs or cheating), and charity events (where not streaming harms fundraising efforts).
Be toxic to other players.
Remember, there’s a line between being competitive and being rude. Minecraft is not some FPS game where shit-talking is commonplace – and it will likely get you banned and blacklisted.
Sacrifice other creators’ content to win.
This does depend on the type of event, but something pretty much all creator events have in common is that they’re designed for content. If you’re actively ruining other people’s content just so that you can win, it will probably be frowned upon.
Act like you’re not interested, or be rude about an event.
Sometimes, an event may go wrong, or it may just not be your type of thing. That said, try to stay positive, or at least neutral. You don’t have to lie and say you’re loving the event, but if you’re constantly complaining, acting bored, or being overly harsh and critical towards an event especially as it’s ongoing, then that attitude will carry over not just to your own viewers, but could also affect other players and their viewers as well, putting a damper on the experience even if they were previously having fun.
At the end of the day, remember we’re all human, and stuff happens – especially under the stress of an event. If you mess up, communication is key. You’re more likely to stay in the organisers’ good graces if you acknowledge your mistake, rather than just ignore it and hope they don’t realise.