The Summer There Games start this week! Save the date for August 9th-17th. The Opening Ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, August 8th at 7:00 PM PDT.  Want to know more about Summer There Games? Check out our handy There Games FAQs.

I’ve been hearing a lot about Summer There Games.  What is it?

Summer There Games is a huge 9-day event series in There that runs in the later part of summer.  Everyone is invited to play in this fun and friendly competition.  Events happen at all hours of the day and range from vehicle races to card games to quests and so much more!  No matter what your interest, you’re likely to find activities to enjoy.

In a nutshell, members compete at There Games to earn points for their team.  At the end, all the points are counted up and the team with the highest overall score wins the gold medal.  (The 2nd and 3rd place teams take the silver and bronze awards respectively.)

How can I join a team for There Games?

Congratulations, you are already part of a team!  We have 16 There Games teams based on the 16 avatar Nametag colors.  (The Nametag is the colored bar over your avatar’s head where your see your name.)  Everyone has a Nametag color that is randomly generated when you join There.

What if I can’t figure out what my Nametag color is?

If you aren’t sure what your Nametag color is, it’s easy to find out.  Just head over to to the Summer Games Welcome Center and find one of the handy Nametag signs.

When you click the sign’s action tag, it will tell you what color your Nametag is.  Once you know your Nametag color find your team club listed here.  Joining your team’s club is a great way to meet people, make new friends and keep up to date with what’s going on.

Do I have to join my Nametag team’s club to participate at There Games?

No. While joining your team’s club is a great way to connect with your fellow teammates, it is not required.  You can still go to There Games events and earn points for your team.  The event Hosts will be able to see which team you belong to by (you guessed it!) looking at your Nametag.

How do I sign up for an event?

It’s very easy to participate in Summer There Games. Search the keyword “TSG” on the Activities Page to see a handy list of all the TSG events. There are lots of events to choose from! Take a look and start signing up for the things that interest you. Whether you love the thrill of competition or prefer something more low key, you will find plenty of fun activities.

Some event descriptions state that points are given and others do not.  What’s the difference?

Some There Games events are competitive and award points to the teams based on who comes in 1^st, 2^nd, etc.  Other events are purely social for people who don’t want to compete but still want to participate in the Games. Event descriptions are marked accordingly to help you decide which events are right for you.

When you attend an event that awards points, the goal is to try to earn points for your Nametag team. At the end of There Games, all the points are counted up and the team with the highest overall score wins the gold medal.

How do I attend a There Games event after I’ve signed up?

When you sign up for an event, it will be added to your schedule.  To see a handy list of the events you have signed up for, go to the Activities Page and click the “My Upcoming Events” link.

If you are in world and sign up for an event that has already started, you’ll get a system message offering to take you there now.  Otherwise, you’ll get the message when the event begins.  If you accept, you’ll be teleported directly to the Zone where the event is happening.

What should I do when I arrive at a There Games event?

When you arrive at a There Games event and enter the Zone, the first thing you should do is look for a rule book.  Be sure to read this so you are familiar with the rules of the event.  If there is a Zone box in use, also keep an eye on this in case additional instructions are being given.  Become familiar with how the event is scored and what you should strive to do in order to win a point for your Nametag team.

For a fun team-building activity, you might want to start a group IM with other members of your Nametag team who are also participating in the event

I tried to go to my There Games event but got a message that the event is currently full.  What should I do?

If the event is currently full and you are unable to enter the Zone, wait for a system message to tell you when it’s your turn before you attempt to enter again. Trying to enter before it’s your turn will result in you being teleported back out of the Zone and moved to the bottom of the waiting list for the event. This will also create extra lag in the event and affect the Zone box, making it difficult for the Host(s) to properly communicate with the members inside.

Any other tips for attending a There Games event?

1. Do not go AFK (away from keyboard) in a competitive, points-awarding event. If something comes up, please step out of the Zone and free up a space for someone who is actively waiting to compete for their team.
2. Please have patience with the event Hosts. There Games events can be very hectic with a lot of specific instructions to follow for the event to run smoothly.  Keep yourself well informed by reading the rules and knowing who the Host(s) are in case you have questions.

How does scoring work at events?

Each event is unique in the way it is scored.  When you attend a There Games event, it’s very important to read the rules and listen to instructions given by the Host(s) at the beginning of the event.  This will give you an understanding of how you can compete and possibly earn points for your team.

I see lots of people running around with team-colored items.  Where can I find this stuff?

If you want some gear to show your team spirit, be sure to check out our There Games Shop.  Many designers have also created team gear that you can find for sale in the Auctions.

Can I find out how my team is doing during There Games?

If you would like to keep track of how the Games are going, you can check out the official There Scoreboard at http://www.therescore.com.

Point totals update automatically each time a Host enters the results from his or her event into the database.  Another handy feature on this page is the ability to see a list of the activities scheduled each day by simply clicking the links for Day 1, Day 2, etc.