StreetWars

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

StreetWars is a three week long water gun "assassination" tournament that travels to cities around the world. Created by Franz Aliquo and Yutai Albert Liao, the tournament is based on the college and high school game Assassin.

1 Structure and rules of the game
2 History and Background on the Tournament
3 Controversy
- 3.1 Mayor Bloomberg blasts StreetWar
- 3.2 Police concerns in London
4 The Shadow Government
5 Rogue Assassins
6 Past Winners
7 References
8 News Coverage
9 See also
10 External links
- 10.1 1. Streetwars Germany

[edit] Structure and rules of the game

There are about two to three hundred participants at each game, all from the same area. Each participant signs up on a website, agrees to the rules, provides his or her name, photograph, contact information, home address and work address and pays a fee of about US$50. Each participant is then provided with information about their intended target, whom they are to "assassinate" by squirting with a water gun, water balloons, or super soaker. Each participant is also assigned as intended target to some other player whose identity they do not know. Street Wars is a 24/7, 3 week long tournament.

The assassin must attempt to "kill" his or her target, by squirting them with a water gun, water balloon, super soaker or similar device. The intended target can shoot back when attacked and try to "kill" their assassin. Every participant "killed" in this fashion leaves the game. Successful assassins are assigned a new target or take over the target of the assassinated participant.

The official game period is three weeks. If more than one assassin remains after three weeks, then a one-week sudden death tournament is initiated. The player who lasts the longests wins a monetary prize (about US$500). At the end of the 3 weeks, a party with all players takes place.

Certain rules apply, such as participants are only able to defend themselves using umbrellas; raincoats and leggings are not allowed. Areas such as public transport and the blocks surrounding workplaces, bars and pubs are no-kill zones.

[edit] History and Background on the Tournament

The tournament is losely based on the game Assassin popular among some high school and college students. Aliquo and Liao took the game citywide, and opened it to anyone above the age of 18, and changed it to a 3 week long, 24/7 format.

The first StreetWars took place in the summer of 2004 in New York City; subsequent tournaments took place in Vancouver (2004), Vienna (2004), San Francisco (2005), Los Angeles (2006), and London (2006).

[edit] Controversy

[edit] Mayor Bloomberg blasts StreetWar

In July of 2005, when asked of his opinion on StreetWars, Mayor Mike Bloomberg of New York City said that the creators of StreetWars could probably 'use some psychiatric help'.^[1]

[edit] Police concerns in London

Before the start of the game in London in July 2006, police voiced concerns that the associated suspicious activities might lead to deployment of officers and waste of resources.^[2]

[edit] The Shadow Government

While StreetWars was created by Aliquo and Liao, the tournament itself is operated by an organization that calls itself "The Shadow Government", led by two mysterious figures known only as "Supreme Commander" and "Mustache Commander". Of course, it doesn't take long to figure out that these characters are just the alter egos of the two eccentric founders.

[edit] Rogue Assassins

One of the Shadow Government's greatest weapons is the League of Rogue Assassins. Private assassins operating specifically under the command of the two commanders, the Rogue Assassins can eliminate any player in the tournament, but cannot themselves be killed, as they were never alive in the game to begin with. The best of the Rogue Assassins are usually the top players from past games.

[edit] Past Winners

[edit] Champions

The 'Champion' is the last assassin standing at the end of the three week regulation period, or the winner of the sudden death tournament.

NYC 2006 - Michael Giordano (Sudden Death)
London 2006 - Abi Davison-Jenkins (Sudden Death)
LA 2006 - David Jackson (Sudden Death)
San Francisco 2005 - Redeye Gonzales (Sudden Death)
NY 2005 - The Crazy 88's (Sudden Death)

[edit] Most Kills

This award goes to the assassin with the most successful hits.

NYC 2006 - Team Bushwick Country Club (11 kills)
London 2006 - Robert Gribbins (9 kills)
LA 2006 - Brandon Karrer (7 kills)
San Francisco 2005 - Sandra D'Angelo (Myspace profile) (7 kills)
NY 2005 - Amanda Keylor (7 kills)

[edit] Golden Mustache Award

A golden framed mustache from the Mustache Commander's own personal collection of mustaches, The Golden Mustache Award was first created in the London 2006 game as a reward for the assassin who successfully completes a contract placed on the heads of a wayward team by the Mustache Commander. The award has since been repurposed to live on in future games to acknowledge general excellence in the field of battle.