Forum Wars - The Ultimate Challenge

[Keygen]

So we've got more than 4 players? Nice!!

It is time to start thinking of an "intersite" commitee that will make the rules.
Some in ACOL wants all the "dirty" tricks ON except of cource the very obvious cheats .

[Googlie]

I'm of two minds.

One part of me says ....... let's have a full scale inter-forums tourney (along the lines of Qantaga's Ryder Cup suggestion - of course it would appeal to the golfer in me ... - but maybe a Presidents/Ryder cup triple format).

Would need at least six players from each forum. Each player on the 1 - 6 singles list would play (a 2 faction deathmatch?? - a 2 human/5 AI match??) their respective counterpart on each of the other 2 forums list.

3 pairs play their respectively ranked pairs of the other 2 forums, no AI

2 triples play their counterparts in each of the other 2 forums in the ultimate team game, no AI

Thus the maximum number of games any one individual would play would be 5 ( 2 singles against the same ranked player in the other 2 forums; 1 x 3 pair games against their ranked peers in the other 2 forums, and 2 triples, one against each forum's same ranked triple.

Same map, same start positions, so that the necessary invidious comparisons and gloatings can have meaning

the other part of me says .............. That's a heck of a lot of work and time consumed. What started out as an e-mail by Keygen to find a partner and a couple of players in the two other forums for a pick-up game just grew like Topsy when words like the best and representing Aployton started getting bandied about.

My inclination is to step to one side and say "Good luck, Keygen. I hope someday you get to play that game you dreamt about."

But ..... of course, .....if drafted, I will serve 'on the Committee thing', and CMN and whatever (even play, if one of the 3 forums needs a final team member, as I am fairly active in all 3, as are Misotu and mark13)



G..

[buster]

Bump and status report.

Acol is ready with two teams. That seems to be max that can be mustered.

CGN has 6 players lined up getting teamed right now.

Poly ? Anyone still interested here?

At Acol there were lenghthy discussions about rules and format etc.

thread is here for those interested: http://www.planetacol.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/000126.html

if I get it right here you have

Keygen
Misotu
Big_Canuk

I guess more will apply if you announce a bit.

To get it moving I suggest as follows:

Googlie (in co-op with others as he wishes/can arrange decides, rules, map etc.) His (their) word is law (or we never get anywhere). I think he can be trusted to be biforumoriented :B: .

Each forum arranges play-offs, winners from each forum meet each other.

A date for the inter-forum matches is set (if all are ready before it of course can start earlier of course). By that date a representative team must be found.

Winners meet each other playing three team-team or one team-team-team match.

Alternative:

We go directly inter-forum.

I imagine something like dividing into three groups. Two groups with a team from each forum, one (if Acol does not come up with another team) with just a team from CGN and Poly.

Every team plays everyone else in group.

Winners of each group goes on. Winner is decided from most victories (if there is more than one game). If there is a tie - earliest victory beats later victory.

The winner of each group - play the other winners. Final Victor decided same way.

Personally I prefer the play off scheme - main downfall is the time factor. The alternative of going directly inter-forum will however also require a play off of some sort or a pre-selection of a team (which is not much fun).

The in-each-forum playoff has the added advantage that each forum can decide how to arrange it - only it needs to be done so that it will realistically meet a time limit.

I don't know exactly what is realistic for a four player game. Aiming for a turn a day I guess it should not go longer than around 150 days. If there is special reason CMN must adjudicate if a delay can be accepted.

This of course means that the Forum-War-Champ-Team will not be found one of the next days, but then - this is PBEM and I don't see a much quicker scheme except the "team selection by comittee" which I personally think will leave most forum attendees rather un-involved.

Personally I will find it much easier to cheer the team that beat me in the play-offs that one that was selected by whatever criteria.

Anyway, is there still interest here?

[Solver]

And a bump of my side. They probably just forgot.

[Rynn:]

Hobbes and I are joining forces as ACOL's third team.

So I won't be able to adjudicate/CMN/be a committee of 1 etc.

Plus, Apolyton needs a third team, I believe

Rynn (Googlie)

[Keygen]

Alright Googlie

Misotu could find a third team as she had made some contacts with other players.

The Apolyton teams are so far:

1. Misotu-Big_Canuk
2. Keygen-Stuntman19

[Misotu]

Okey dokey. I'll give it a go.

[Misotu]

I've had an email from DilithiumDad saying that he would be interested in being part of the 'Poly squad. Just need to find out whether he has a team-mate lined up ...

[Keygen]

Hm, I hope he did found a teammate .

[Googlie]

OK - almost underway.

JSchwab is replacing me at ACOL, so I'll CMN the matches, referee, etc. etc.)

Teams:

Match #1

ACOL: Fistandantilus & SMAniaC
Poly: Keygen & Stuntman19
CGN: Scipio & Provost

Match #2

ACOL: Mose & JAMiAM
Poly: Misotu & big_canuk
CGN: mark13 & Buster

Match #3

ACOL: Hobbes & JSchwab
Poly: Dilithium Dad & TBA
CGN: Blarney & Gusto

I suggest I work with Mark, Misotu & Mose to formulate such rules as there will be, does everyone play the same factions, etc.

Comments?

[Googlie]

Concept we're mulling over is for a 9 game simultaneous series, with each team playing 3 matches which would pit them against all 3 teams of the other forums, thus:

(where A=ACOL, C=CGN and P=Poly)

A1 vs C1 vs P1
A2 vs C2 vs P2
A3 vs C3 vs P3

(That's the set up that was outlined a few posts above)

Simultaneously:

A1 vs C2 vs P3
A2 vs C3 vs P1
A3 vs C1 vs P2

and:

A1 vs C3 vs P2
A2 vs C1 vs P3
A3 vs C2 vs P1

This would be a very viable way to identify the winning forum. If there is a tie, then a playoff could take place.

There should be no restrictions on faction choice. In fact, as these will be scenario-developed games, if 2 or even all 3 teams wanted the same factions that could be accommodated - indeed all 6 players could play as the PKs (or whatever) if that were really wanted - just a bit more work to set up)

The 3M Committee are in discussions now to finalize format, rules, etc.

Dilithium Dad:

You have multiple applicants for a partner (or you might have independently canvassed and found your own) - any thoughts?

Googlie

[Flo]

Dilithium Dad and me are game.

Most suggestions sound valid.
I do not like (read: abhor) the idea of playing *3* new simultaneous games. SMAC is a hobby, not a profession.
I don't need to tell anyone how much time is spent with a single turn, say, round 120, with a decently developed faction against competent opponents. Please reconsider. 3 games/team ought to be enough. Opinions from the other participants ?

[Googlie]

Flo:

Your protestations are falling on deaf ears (you're talking to one who is in 25 PBEMs)



(But I'm just the CMN, not the Format & Rules Committee)

Seriously, though, you have a valid point. I survive on abround 2 hours a day, on average and I know I don't do all games full justice, hurrying through those where I have fallen hopelessly behind, and micrmanaging the others where I have a lead or am close to it.

And that's with DSL. For a couple of months in the winter I was on dial-up modem, and was taking around four hours an evening to get through some 20 or so games. Of course, half the time was waiting for 'Poly to load so that I could post the turns - I eventually just stopped posting them.

But the big advantage of each team playing three games is that every team plays every other team in the other forums, and doesn't play any other team twice. That's really a true test of skill, rather than just a single team game against a pair of pairs who, for whatever reason, might be having an off game.

But, as I say, I'm not playing, so it is easy for me to say.

Whatever

G.

[SITS]

I realise that this probably isn't the right thread but I too I'm playing multiple games and what takes the most time (at least at this early stage) is posting to the boards. Two suggestions..

1) Is it possible (or can it be made possible) to email to a thread so you can do it all offline and send it when you connect

2) Reduce the 45 second waiting between posts. I find if I upload a number of turns I have to wait for this restriction to clear.

Just a few ideas....

[Misotu]

SITS ... although this isn't the right place for it (as you recognised), I'm sympathetic Apolyton has a forum specifically for this kind of comment, can't remember the name but it's obvious when you look for it and it's worth repeating your post there.

Googlie/Flo: Regarding the 3 games at once thing, yeah I know. But I really think this is the fairest way. I'm in far too many games right now and am praying for some to finish so I'm not deaf to Flo.

But ... on the upside ... Flo, we are talking *six player* games here. Dunno what your experience has been, but mine is that six-player games turn roughly every 2 to 3 days, and that's when people are dedicated. I'm in a couple of games with 6 people that turn twice a month. So I honestly don't think it's as bad as you fear.

However, there are ways round this. Googlie, as CMN, I assume you wouldn't have a problem with staggering the start dates? That way we could kick off just one game per team, and see how it goes. If the progress is fairly slow, kicking off a second round might be OK, and then the third. We could poll everyone and see how it's going before kicking off a further round.

Not trying to pressurise anyone. Maybe just suck it and see?