Next Factions Community Tournament -- Discussion

[Aleonymous]

Alright folks, the "Winter Tourney" is coming closer. Brace yourselves:

1. Tourney registrations will close tomorrow at 22:00 GMT (!), so that we can form the groups and maybe start the tourney by this weekend. I'll start a new forum-thread for that, once we're ready to start
2. It seems that we'll be ~16 players (maybe a few more?), so Tirean suggested we do 4 small groups (of 4-5 players), instead of 2 big ones (of 7-8 players), to speed up the group-stage. Sounds fair to me. Top two players from each groups will advance to knockout stage. We'll see how/if we can fit any fresh players on the knockout-stage.
3. I formed an open Steam-group, for you to join: https://steamcommunity.com/groups/TBSF_Community. We'll post announcements there, for all of you folks to get via their Steam Notifications/Activity. Maybe we can use that: (a) for the groups to decide on their special rule-set, (b) for players to schedule the matches with their opponents, so as not to throttle the tourney-thread.
4. Website/platform to host our tourney management: We're looking into this with grumpy and netnazgul. Most likely it's gonna be Challonge. We also considered Binary-Beast, but Challonge seems better. Anyway, don't you worry about this.
5. Group-compositions will be defined once registrations close. From the feedback I got, I think we can do 2 groups with random-builds, 1 group with non-random/fixed builds (those three will have players of mixed EU/USA timezone availability) and 1 group with USA-based folks with limited availability (they decide on their rules, random builds or not). Please, express a preference on the groups defined as: RM={Random-Builds; Mixed-Timezone}, FM={Fixed-Builds; Mixed-Timezone}, US={TBD-Builds;USA-timezone}. If I don't hear from you, I will quasi-randomly seed the groups according to my good judgement
6. League-stage rules: Each group will feature home/away battles and the members of the group can decide on their special rules (random builds, home-team advantage, power-level etc). We can make Steam-group discussions/threads for each group to decide separately on their rules.
7. Knockout-stage: 8 players, the 4 top-placed of each group fighting the 4 second-placed. We can do Best-of-3 (Bo3) for each match-up. The two opponents are to decide on rules (random builds, home/away/neutral team, power-level, map/board, first turn etc).

Updated participants list:
1. Aleonymous
2. stoicmom
3. Tyrael
4. Yngvar
5. Rymdkejsaren
6. Gudmundr
7. Tirean
8. grumpyoldman
9. Lost Viking (*) -- Generally limited availability
10. netnazgul
11. JackJammer
12. hreinnbeno
13. Another Persona (*) -- Only in for random build fights
14. Veringatorix (*) -- Limited barracks (only rank-1s)
15. IIpuBeT
16. mindflare77

*** Lolisauce (*) -- Only for Knockout double-elimination stage

[Lost Viking]

I'd like to try some random building, farmed a fair amount of renown last weekend to make troops as need be, hope it's enough =)
I am still a bit unclear how we generate our builds for matches but someone can walk me thru it once its time Im sure.

So looks like we are getting ready eh? good stuff

[Aleonymous]

I'd like to try some random building, farmed a fair amount of renown last weekend to make troops as need be, hope it's enough =)
I am still a bit unclear how we generate our builds for matches but someone can walk me thru it once its time Im sure.

So looks like we are getting ready eh? good stuff

Here's a program I wrote that can generate random builds according to various criteria. Just download and run it (double-click), assuming you have JRE v7+ installed; oh, just read that post and you'll get how it works

[Mermzilla]

consider this my official entry for the random team build division of this league! looking forward to it

[Aleonymous]

Tourney registrations haven't closed yet, but here's a first draft of the groups that I put together, trying to cater for everybody's wishes (random/fixed builds and timezones)

Group A: [Random-Builds] + [USA-Timezone]
1. Lost Viking
2. Another Persona
3. mindflare77
4. Mermzilla

Group B: [Preset-Builds] + [Mixed-Timezone]:
1. Gudmundr
2. stoicmom
3. grumpyoldman
4. Yngvar

Groups C & D: [Random-Builds] + [EU-Timezone]:
1. Aleonymous
2. Tyrael
3. Rymdkejsaren
4. Tirean
5. netnazgul
6. JackJammer
7. hreinnbeno
8. Veringatorix
9. IIpuBeT

Note: As we are 17, one of the groups (C or D) will have 5 players instead of 4... This means that competition is gonna be a little harder there; so, I think I should auto-place our previous finalists, Tyrael and Tirean, in that 5-man group Do you have any major-objections about those group-drafts? If not, and if nobody else joins, I am just gonna randomly seed groups C & D so that we can get started by this weekend

[Yngvar]

I'd rather be in a random group.

EU timezone would be great as well.



Edit.

But don't misunderstand me, I love my group-neighbours and it will be a pleasure to be in that B.

I'm just worried about times an so.

[JackJammer]

Fine by me, if you don't want to pick random, just put me in the griup with 5 players.

but mom, i had hoped you would try something new at least for this tourney

[mindflare77]

I'm good with this setup.

[Aleonymous]

OK. Let's get this going. After a small chat, I will swap places with Yngvar; he'll be in group C or D, and I will be in group B. I will now randomly split the 8 "random lovers" (excluding JJ) in two groups, C & D, and JJ will be inserted in group D (which will have 5 players). So, with the power invested in me by this community, the groups are:

Group A: [Random-Builds] + [USA-Timezone]
1. Lost Viking
2. Another Persona
3. mindflare77
4. Mermzilla

Group B: [Preset-Builds] + [Mixed-Timezone]
1. Gudmundr
2. stoicmom
3. grumpyoldman
4. Aleonymous

Group C: [Random-Builds] + [EU-Timezone]
1. IIpuBeT
2. Rymdkejsaren
3. hreinnbeno
4. netnazgul

Group D: [Random-Builds] + [EU-Timezone]
1. Veringatorix
2. Yngvar
3. Tyrael
4. Tirean
5. JackJammer

Anyone got a problem with those groups? If I don't see any complaints by tomorrow, I will make a new thread announcing the tourney as a kick-off. Everyone should contact the members of their groups ASAP, to arrange the matches and cement their group-specific rules (builds, power-level, home-advantage). You can use stoic-forum threads, or I can create four dedicated discussion threads in our Steam-Group (one for each of the 4 groups) for that...

[JackJammer]

If everybody is in the Steam-Group i would prefer to use that for contacting than stoicforums, since you get a notification on steam if something new is posted there. but on hand or another, contatcing shouldn't be a problem

edit: also we could make a fixed thread there/or here with the finished rules again. therefore nobody should have issues with finding them

[Yngvar]

Best option is to send a friend request to the members of the group you are in.

[Aleonymous]

Please note that the Steam-group also has a chat-room: https://steamcommunity.com/groups/TBSF_Community , where you can arrange to get together (live) and discuss.

About Random-Build Groups:
In my opinion, what you'll have to decide first is whether you'll have sets of RBs (Random Builds) generated at: [1] once, i.e. at group-formation (now!) or [2] per match-up, i.e. each time you're about to face somebody. With choice [1], you get more control, i.e. you can better manage what build to use against which opponent etc. With choice [2] you'll have more limited options, so luck will be more decisive!

About Score/Point System:
As we agreed, you get 3 points for a win, 0 for a defeat, and 1 point for a mutually accepted draw (e.g. at a stalemate situation). The winner of each match should also record his NOULA (Number Of Units Left Alive), to be used in tie-breaking situations (your opp must confirm this); if you haven't recorded that we will assume the worst-case, NOULA=1.

About Management platform:
As the groups don't all have the same number of members, it seems that we will have to manually keep track of the scores. Don't worry; I'll set something up for this within the weekend.

About Tie-Breaking:
Here's the conditions for tie-breaking, in case two (or more) players gather an equal amount of points in the end of the league/group stage:

1. Most points, only in the two matches between them
2. Most NOULA, only in the two matches between them
3. Most NOULA (total)
4. Extra sudden-death battle(s) will be required to settle this

[Lost Viking]

Im in sweden so thats gmt +1 or something such anyway im afraid ill have a hardtime matching up to the US =/

[Aleonymous]

Im in sweden so thats gmt +1 or something such anyway im afraid ill have a hardtime matching up to the US =/

Oh... Why did I think you were USA-based??? You Swedes should start speaking worse English; you're confusing us non-native speakers!

Well, unless somebody steps up to switch places with you, I could do that. But, provided that all your group members don't work on weekends, it won't be so hard to schedule ~2 matches per weekend, so that the group stage is concluded in a month or so.

[mindflare77]

OK. Let's get this going. After a small chat, I will swap places with Yngvar; he'll be in group C or D, and I will be in group B. I will now randomly split the 8 "random lovers" (excluding JJ) in two groups, C & D, and JJ will be inserted in group D (which will have 5 players). So, with the power invested in me by this community, the groups are:

Group A: [Random-Builds] + [USA-Timezone]
1. Lost Viking
2. Another Persona
3. mindflare77
4. Mermzilla

Friend requests sent. I'm EST, but am currently between jobs, so my schedule is flexible for folks.

[AnotherPersona]

My RBG needs to be different for each player, that's for certain. You can just generate a separate one for each person I am playing and I will go with that.

[ojustme]

Wow. Is it closed now? *slowpoke.jpg*

[AnotherPersona]

I'm sure we can fit you in Ojust, Aleo is a flexible hume.

[Aleonymous]

Wow. Is it closed now? *slowpoke.jpg*

I'm sure we can fit you in Ojust, Aleo is a flexible hume.

Heya, Ojustme You in for this Tourney? We can squeeze you in Group B or Group C (as defined on the previous post). Take your pick!

[AnotherPersona]

Aleo, Lost Viking and I can play right now if you get w/Viking and see the copesetic level and give us the builds

I really think that should be left for the two players to decide for each match up. Me, I'd propose +2 (or +1) power to home team for p12 (or p6) away team-power. Another idea, to hook up with the random builds, is this: Three random builds are drawn for each match-up and the home-player gets to pick one first, followed by the away-player. A power bonus could also apply.

I'd like the three random builds drawn with +1 or 2 power. But it doesn't really matter, whatever the other player is cool with.
So is it two matches, points awarded for each? Home/Away? Or is it just one fight?