I do hate the template. Not only does it encourage cooperation, but you barely get to use diplomacy cards at all (why 6 turns, but takes SO long to get?). Plus as soon as someone starts winning a couple games, everyone will gang up on that person in the other ones. It is going to be a total mess. And the low boot time speeds games up, but will also completely unbalance other ones because someone gets booted.
yes, an FFA ladder is definitely a bad idea. I think since the popularity for diplo and ffa games is on the rise, Fizzer probably thought that an ffa laddder may appeal to more people buying a membership and joining. I'm probably wrong, but thats my guess on why Fizzer would organise an FFA ladder, knowing that it wouldnt work out so well as the pervious ones.
SO many people asked for an FFA ladder. Fizzer gave it, people complained. I quite like the settings; the only bad thing about it is the diplomacy card setting.
It's usually the top-players who complain, and i just have to say:
accept that some templates are different and/or harder then others,
and that you can't (or shouldn't want to) be good at them all ;)
powerneg, this template is not harder, it is in fact easier. A non-top player can win a few games if they can use diplomacy well. There is a larger element of luck in this format, which means more people have a chance to win at it.
And what is wrong with wanting it to be better? If we are going to do FFA once and a while, that is fine. I will skip that season. It's not a big deal. But I am offering suggestions to improve the format at the same time I'm saying I hate the idea altogether. That way if it does stick, it will be better for those that choose to play it.
you moan at Fizzer when he keeps using med Earth with slightly tweaked settings and then moan when he radically changes things
in my opinion the game needs variation. isnt that the point of the season ladder? Yes Yes things may not be perfect, but its the first try for heavens sake.
I personnaly think that each season should be very different from the season before
FFAs
Random teams
1v1s
and anything else i havent yet thought of
FFA takes a very different skill from 1v1 and great 1v1 players often discount the skill of diplomacy needed in private chat on FFA games. its a massive part of FFA. ganging up on someone is what FFAs are all about. yes yes again i know its not perfect, the games do get screwed when one person drops out, and yes ideally Anon players would have been much better as i think early leaders will suffer but you have to respect variety and just accept that you arnt always going to love the season ladder and join the ones you are interested in
^exactly. I'm quite sure Fizzer would rather hear these things so he can tweak his templates.
Hopefully we are not too harsh (and me specifically, since that is all I can control), but if you are a game maker, you have to have thick skin. There will always be complaints no matter what you do, and given the level of maturity on this site, you will have people that take things too far as well.
Yeah I see that Chris :) I for one like variety though. The more different the better (and the more chance I have of doing well :P). Another reason I love it when top players hate the seasonal ladder :P
