[PTS] A better way to run officials

[OldKeith]

The way in which officials are run nowadays is flawed, and the delivery of a new system asap would be desirable, as it saves a lot of time for staff and players alike. Although my suggestion may seem a bit radical, I will explain each of the points (they are part of an official-running suggestion, not individual ones):

 

1. Automated, in game entry in Trainer Tower-like Venue open for one minute or more to an unlimited number of players.

This will eliminate early or late signups that are such a big problem on the forums.

 

2. Automated matchup system and disqualification

This will eliminate the need for staff to manually create brackets, update them and take decision that need an element of bias.

There will be no time clause, but the time allowed for players each round will decrease if they take too long to make a decision.

 

3. Competitor-only room

-Upon entry, the teams are checked for any illegal pokemon and are admitted into the official.

-The players can be spectated by others but they cannot interact with them (through trade).

-The players cannot leave the venue without being disqualified.

-The players cannot use TMs in the venue, but they can change their lead and their held items. Upon winning a match, their party will be fully healed. Upon loss, they will be eliminated from the competitor room.

 

While this would be a new concept, I believe it will be very healthy for our competitive state, as it prevents scouting and counter-teaming, an element which drives new competitive players away from the game. Knowing you can only run one team throughout the entire official makes you more determined to build a team that counters the meta rather than to focus on countering the individual. This can help get more accurate usage statistics as well.

 

4. Secret matchup

A way to further remove scouting is by having the bracket not be visible to spectators or players. This means you cannot ask your friends to scout your opponents, at least not early on.

 

5. Automated usage statistics

This will eliminate the need for staff to individually take usage stats by going through every competitor individually.

 

6. Match history available at any point

Bugs and glitches still happen, and a cm can only view so many matches. But if every ongoing match has a history that can be viewed any time you join it (if you are a staff member), players can notify staff if they suspect their opponent is abusing a glitch, and the staff will have the possibility to disqualify them if that is proven.

 

I believe this system will make a more healthy competitive environment for everyone. New players can take their time to build a team of 6 preparing for an official, knowing that they will not be individually countered. Multiple staff members will not be required for the tournament, as everything they had to do is automated. One or two staff members at a time are more than enough to supervise the entire official. Participants will have no reason to force time clause anymore. Everyone wins.

 

Opinions?

[jayfeatskydd]

Not sure how much I agree with point #3 as in any and all pokemans tournaments, whether they be here, showdown, or at your local ToysRus, we've always had the ability to change move sets and comps as we please. There is no such thing as a perfect team and with this method, it sounds like if you don't build a great team for the 1st round, you are not allowed to make up for it and build a less shit team for the future rounds of the tournament.

 

As for #6, would we all have access to the replays or just staff?

[PandaJJ]

I can't express just how much of a brilliant suggestion this is. Competition will be much more fair, usage stats will be way more accurate, staff will be freed of a lot of work, and it will be possible to run a lot more tournaments, even during weekdays and for different time zones. Also, this system will allow us to abolish the time clause, because it is possible to run matches from different rounds at at the same time in the event that one or more matches are taking too long.

 

Everyone wins.

 

EDIT:

Not sure how much I agree with point #3 as in any and all pokemans tournaments, whether they be here, showdown, or at your local ToysRus, we've always had the ability to change move sets and comps as we please. There is no such thing as a perfect team and with this method, it sounds like if you don't build a great team for the 1st round, you are not allowed to make up for it and build a less shit team for the future rounds of the tournament.

 

As for #6, would we all have access to the replays or just staff?

 

I'm not too familiar with the tournament system on showdown, but I'm pretty sure spontanious tournaments force you to use the same team in all rounds (which is also why scouting is not allowed). VGC tournaments also follow this rule, although scouting is not disallowed there. The problem with being allowed to change teams between rounds is that it is possible to counter individual players. If you are forced to stick with the same team all the way you will rather have to counter the meta as a whole. The first scenario also gives unrealistic usage stats, since certain pokemon will be brought simply to counter an individual player.

Edited April 26, 2015 by PandaJJ

[londark]

EDIT:

 

I'm not too familiar with the tournament system on showdown, but I'm pretty sure spontanious tournaments force you to use the same team in all rounds (which is also why scouting is not allowed). VGC tournaments also follow this rule, although scouting is not disallowed there. The problem with being allowed to change teams between rounds is that it is possible to counter individual players. If you are forced to stick with the same team all the way you will rather have to counter the meta as a whole. The first scenario also gives unrealistic usage stats, since certain pokemon will be brought simply to counter an individual player.

 

 

I've played a bunch of tourneys on Showdown and you can change team beetwen rounds, in VGC you are forced to use the same team in the 3 battles against the same opponent, but pretty sure you can change it from semi to final....

 

A more "fair" ( intend this as you like ) is having a tournament box with "12" ( or whatever ) slots and during all the tournament you can only use and swtich those

Edited April 26, 2015 by londark

[DrCraig]

I like this idea a lot. I mostly like the hidden bracket suggestion.

 

I feel like a system based off this idea would be awesome for allowing more officials to take place, possibly daily or every other.

 

+1

Edited April 26, 2015 by DrCraig

[DoubleJ]

Ya I like it, I just don't really like #3. 

[ThinkNice]

4. Secret matchup

A way to further remove scouting is by having the bracket not be visible to spectators or players. This means you cannot ask your friends to scout your opponents, at least not early on.

Can we try this in officials? Don't show players the bracket and just call matches. That's fucking awesome hue

[PandaJJ]

I've played a bunch of tourneys on Showdown and you can change team beetwen rounds, in VGC you are forced to use the same team in the 3 battles against the same opponent, but pretty sure you can change it from semi to final....

 

A more "fair" ( intend this as you like ) is having a tournament box with "12" ( or whatever ) slots and during all the tournament you can only use and swtich those

 

Okay, I was wrong about that then. In official VGC tournaments you can certainly never change your team or items, however the problem that Jay proposed does not really apply here, since you bring 6 pokemon and choose 4 to use in each battle. Another point is that, with a hidden bracket, countering individuals will be pretty much impossible untill the later stages anyways, so the inability to switch teams might not be that important.

[XelaKebert]

This would be nice for some tournaments but it will not entirely eliminate staff intervention. To some degree there will always be some form of human intervention in order to ensure accurate results. This is probably a long way off simply because of the number of PvP issues that need resolved.

[OldKeith]

About the battle box, the idea is good but I feel people would just put Magneton and Dugtrio in there.

 

This system is actually used on showdown, in a different way but ultimately leading to the same conclusion.

 

In showdown, when climbing the ladder you actually use the same team all the time, maybe tweaking it here and there, based on your observations regarding the meta. But your next opponent is hidden in anonymity, just because there are so many players on that ladder. So basically, as I stated, you focus on countering the most common and powerful threats rather than an individual team.

 

I like a discussion going on though.

Edited April 26, 2015 by OldKeith

[Jerryzoo]

Very interesting ideas. I like most of them still lets see what the staff will say.

[Strych]

It was always planned for the whole process to become automated eventually, just takes a whole lot of work.

I'm not sure about making the bracket secret at this stage, I always liked the idea of absolute transparency.

[Robofiend]

I like all of these honestly. While I like being able to switch up my team throughout tournaments, a lot of the time the only reason to do it is to counter an opponent's scouted team or protect myself from someone who's spectated my match before theirs.

[OldKeith]

I suppose team changing can be allowed as long as the matchup remains secret. That could work too.

Edited April 27, 2015 by OldKeith

[Pedrr]

 

3. Competitor-only room

 

-The players cannot use TMs in the venue, but they can change their lead and their held items. Upon winning a match, their party will be fully healed. Upon loss, they will be eliminated from the competitor room.

 

While this would be a new concept, I believe it will be very healthy for our competitive state, as it prevents scouting and counter-teaming, an element which drives new competitive players away from the game. Knowing you can only run one team throughout the entire official makes you more determined to build a team that counters the meta rather than to focus on countering the individual. This can help get more accurate usage statistics as well.

 

1player = 1team = 6pkms = 6 movesets, the scout is a big problem in officials and i like too the system of the hidden bracket ! 

 

Really good idea OldKeith. Hope they will add it in the game

[codylramey]

Hidden brackets can be done now. Dont like the idea of not being able to change teams tho. Often times i will forget a threat and need to change my team accordingly. What about not allowing outsiders spectate until after a round is over? With quicker rounds and secrete brackets by the time you get to scout for ur friend its prolly too late. Even if its not too late whos to say they didnt change teams. Makes scouting a lot more difficult.

Edited April 28, 2015 by codylramey

[Pedrr]

yeah but new player certainly hav'nt 15+ comps. it's for this kind of players the scout is easy to do

[PandaJJ]

Hidden brackets can be done now. Dont like the idea of not being able to change teams tho. Often times i will forget a threat and need to change my team accordingly. What about not allowing outsiders spectate until after a round is over? With quicker rounds and secrete brackets by the time you get to scout for ur friend its prolly too late. Even if its not too late whos to say they didnt change teams. Makes scouting a lot more difficult.

 

I don't think disallowing spectating is a good idea. I remember when blocking a member would prevent him/her from spectating, and people were using alts just to scout. Somebody suggested to disallow spectating altogether, and it was shut down because it would take away much of the fun in the game. It is a spectator's game, after all.

 

As for using hidden brackets now, it would be awesome, but it relies on having unbiased staff (I'm not suggesting anything). And I agree that changing teams between rounds could be allowed, but only because it's more fun to play with varied teams. If you bring a bad team to the first round, you didn't prepare well enough.

[Perry]

This has been added in the PTS r6642.

 

PVP

Automated Tournaments

• The top 128 Ranked players are eligible to enter into Automated Tournaments every month.
• Automated Tournaments are Single Elimination, Single Battles OU tournaments with configurable Shiny prizes.
• After a monthly Automated Tournament is complete, Ranked MMR is 'flatted', pulling all players' Ranked MMR towards the base of 500 by a relative amount.