I just need a quick show of hands on this between now and midnight!

The number of people we have (er... will have, after the people I know are gonna sign up tonight do) for the tournament means that we have two options!

We can either continue on with having one large tournament, with everyone together, or we can split it into two tournaments, one for the lower level (about 12 or less) and one for the upper level (everyone else) players! This would make things more even on an IC level, so while I thought this would be best - I just need to make sure no one's gonna freak if it gets split.

As of right now, we WILL be splitting it up! Objections?!

Personally, I think for time/convenience, it would be better to have 2 leagues. (regardless of how much harder it will be for me to fight higher leveled players...=_=) Cause we don't want this lasting forever, as we do want to reap tbe rewards fast.

So, no objections from me.

I like the idea of two divisions. Remembering a duel with Uruvei, as fun as that was, I think I prefer to stay fighting people of my own level - that way, it's actually a challenge in terms of tactics, 'cause they can actually hurt you.

Also, if we gain levels and/or equipment between rounds of the tournament, do those carry into the next round?

Ditto to all that, and more. There's really no satisfaction in a fight unless if it's completely one-sided. I agree on two leagues.

I agree with two divisions as well.

Edit: If you have a first character in the upper league and a second character in the lower league, do both characters have the chance to gain rewards?

Though I think I'm going to lose at the higher ups area, it'll be okay to split 'em in two. Better for the challenge, but still, I vote for both, because both are pretty good, s'yeah.

I go for two divisions.

Actually, I brought this up with Lyra. There are a number of advantages that we gain from dividing the tournament. We noticed that a large gap exists between Uruvei and Bane, which coincides with dividing players by level. The sizes of the groups involved are also good since they stand on or near powers of two (4, 8, 16, etc.). Length-wise, the lower-level group gets 3 rounds and the higher-level group gets 4 rounds. Previously, we would have needed about 5 rounds. Though the final round would have been better than usual (because we would have had three battles among the three top players, in every possible pairing, and the winner would have been the best out of the two matches). I also know at least one person was waiting on this sort of decision to consider entering, so we might get one last ride in participation out of this.

Dividing the groups prevents a constant problem that was hanging over various decisions, which was that high-level players can kill weaker ones very easily. This could be regarded as somewhat "cheap", but there comes a point where anything a player does could kill in one hit. For instance, Hacorie could probably kill a lot of players in one strike. The damage dealt is also nil, the SP advantage is prominent, and stronger skills/spells are available at higher levels. That would also have significantly shortened some matches, decreasing posting opportunities. So everyone wins with this.

I checked before. The rules say that our levels are locked, but we can gain equipment. I know, it's a little strange, but apparently the justification is that the tournament is held across one or two days. Hence, we have enough time to switch equipment or make purchases between rounds, but not to gain levels.

Technically, I would say that can't happen. Even though each division will be rewarded separately, I imagine, this change is meant to solve various problems and give low-level players a better experience. I don't think it would be fair if a person did that because the low-level players don't have access to second characters, but the high-level players do (I know the limit is 12 or less, but the strongest player there is level 8). Hence, high-level players could enter their division but not the the other way around. Of course, those are just my thoughts. We'll get an official answer later.

I would assume that it falls under the special events rule with the second characters how only one of them can get rewards even if both are entered.

So yeah. I think that's what that means, even if they are in seperate divisions.

Another question:

The bonus we chose, is that going to be applied to our characters in the form of a perpetual Ap once we're in the field? The reason is, I chose physical defense. If I wanted to, could I use a Knight's Blood to give myself even more physical defense?

Sounds like a fine rule. Competing against all the rest of the higher-levels is going to be tough for me, but competing on the larger scale with members that match my level will be beneficial, both for fairness and interest.

So, two divisions, methinks. Don't think there's any sway to this argument, anyway.

I'd also like to know this. For characters like Locke, who chose Phys. Eva. and also has a +Phys. Eva. accessory, and say, a [insert Phys. Eva. status boosting Blood here], could all three be used in conjunction? And, in general, just your boost, and a Blood or spell of matching use to stack bonus?

Again, this is not the official word, but from what I reasoned with Lyra, the bonus is a specific numerical increase to a stat. It was originally thought of as a continuous Ap, and percent-based, but we realized that contradicts the numbers that were being considered. Specifically, Ap spells give +10 of the particular stat. That's actually a sizable increase. The boost that was being considered was smaller than that. So chances are it won't be an Ap, and Ap spells will stack with it. I'm almost sure that regardless of the outcome, accessories will stack with the rest, because accessories are equipment.

Please note that stat-boosting items (Bloods and such, not accessories) cast Ap spells without the SP cost, so items and Ap spells do not stack.

[Editted for clarity.]

/agree, yada yada no early knockouts of doom yada yada.

/agree, yada yada no early knockouts of doom yada yada.

((I thought Silky's second was Dien, not Magz. *sigh* Another thing lost on Cent.))

I whole-heartedly agree with the division. Fighting level one and two players would not have been fun, if only for the amount of work it would take to make it reasonable.

From that same duel, I'm a little bit inclined to say "leave 'em together." I know that the tactics part of it was probably a little bland for you, since you had to invent an excuse to hold back, but I did enjoy going up against someone I knew I'd lose to IC and then discovering that as far as scoring went, I did fairly well. The challenge made it fun...

But, I certainly see the reasons for splitting it up, and I'm perfectly fine with it either way. :3

EDIT: It's sounding like the split is at level 15? ...Could I maybe request to be in the higher devision? As I said, I kinda enjoy the challenge, even though IC I'd be at a disadvantage... And there's STILL quite the level discrepancy between level 8 and level 1...

There are players who have their most up-to-date profiles in Main and cannot access that information right now. Anyone who needs a profile page or something, let me know. I can access Main, save the page, and transfer it over through IM or e-mail.

Edit: You can also tell me to retrieve your rewards from Third and Final Hub: Breaking and Entering! if you never had the chance to add them into your profile.

Uruvei: Awkwardly enough, you're the highest level in the lower range. The gap goes from you at level 8 up to level 15 (Bane, I believe). Unfortunately, "holding back" barely covers it... maybe for you against a level 1, yes, it's an appropriate word, but if I were to go against Diaki or Stane, they couldn't even survive a single hit from me, and no amount of tactics would change the fact that my stats compared to theirs mean that I could be equipment-less and bitchslap them to death. In the past, we've limited tournaments to certain ranges, and so there's never been this terrible disparity - and let me tell you that, as a judge, it's IMPOSSIBLE to grade matches where either party has two or less posts - and that's all the longer you'd survive against Hacorie or Sekai, or Stane would against Slicer. (Hell, I'm not even sure Bane would stand a chance against Hacorie, IC...) Basically, I'm just calling for this tournament to be like past tournaments: limited to a range that makes it easier for people to survive against each other.

Sowwy?

Heh, I'm interested to know how this will turn out IC, for me. I'd rather be on the lower side - no holding back >D.

Also, I not sure I'm understanding something. We are splitting for IC's sake. Are we splitting for player skill as well? This would allow the higher group to play in the lower group. If writer skill doesn't matter, disreguard that.

I think it would be awesome to have the winners of the two brackets fight it out (no pressure :P) after they have both won. Maybe not a requirement, but if the two winners want to, I'm sure a lot of the stragglers would LOVE to have that last-minute hope for revenge via another player. Also, the lower bracket winning would be major lulz.

I'm pretty sure it's split just for IC level restrictions... I think splitting it by skill is kind of counter-productive, since the grading scale for the duels is the skill with which you post. Just a thought.

I didn't really understand what he meant in "splitting by skill". How would we measure that to begin with? Once the duels are underway, we'll technically know, but we can't really know now. Still, the division is level-wise, with players sorted at random with their division.

I want to see a match between the winners, perhaps between the top three of each division, but I'm not currently sure how that would work. Also, given the expected level gap between those groups, it would be impractical to have them fight. I estimate a level gap of 20, give or take 3 levels.

I know this may seem a bit tedious and late, but considering the original reason why we made the split, would it be possible if we had 3 divisions? Because, let's face it, if I fought Kiwi, I would die in a single hit. And there are even people that are a higher level than him.

Eh, that'd be a lot of tedious match-making that'd have to go into that. And if I'm not mistaken, you're kind of on your own in terms of level. Isn't the next highest person lv. 20?

*shrugs* I dunno. But it's too late anyway. I'm already contemplating throwing the first match due to the pairings; the match would end in one hit. =/

Maybe this one just isn't for me.

Didd the tournament section of the board just vanish for anyone else?

O_o Hey! You're right! It did go poofies!

That's because you weren't supposed to be able to see it yet.

We're not done setting up. It's being in existence for anyone else... was an accident.

You'll see it soon. Don't worry.

Bets are open for the tournament!

Come on down and make some moolah, amigos.

I'd kind of like a middle bracket as well. -_-;;

I guess Bane and I are in a similar boat, as lowest of one bracket or highest of the other. But, you and me can just face off sometime, Bane. :3

2 tiers is good, gives me more of a chance.

Just a suggestion for next time (if there is a next time) if you're going to split into tiers, post it ahead of time? It might be more of an encouragement for lower levels to give it a shot. There's really no fun in a four-post tourney fight.

Well, that is hoping if you actually get a chance for posting in the first place. :P

^^' We decided on the tiers because of how many low level people were interested in it. In the past, the players in the tournaments have almost all been between levels 10 and 25, so things were a bit more even anyway.

Winning bets are posted, with the exception of two matches that are still in the air.