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Discussion - Possible 1v1 PvP League / Knockout Competition

EM Gotan

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran
Background: A few PvPers have asked if it was possible to run a 1v1 league with possibly (but no promises yet) an EM prize for the finalists, as a potential Felucca event. This might be something worth doing, as a parallel to the one off Trammel events, but there's a few issues I'd like feedback on before I work on a design. Also this is only to help me clarify how it could be done, it's not a promise that it will be done.

1.) It would probably be hosted in Occlo Arena, with gates to/from major hubs. But... those rule set quibbles that always come up. What do people think would be the acceptable arena restrictions?

2.) Time for matches played in a league. There's two approaches, both with flaws;

1 day per week where we try and cram all league matches in; allows myself to record all the results, but unfair to those who can't make it that day. With completely evenly matched players like we saw with the first PvP event, you could also be there all day waiting for even one match to end.

Or, allow the matches to be played any time between a 7 day period; problems are how to submit and validate a battle as being fought to the rules, and the extra work load in arranging when both combatants are free to meet. This will also stretch out the time it takes to complete a league; we could be looking at months to a year if people from all around the world signed up.

3.) How to avoid the issues of multi-character entries; in a league setting they'd at some point have to meet their own alts.

4.) If we went the Knockout route, we could possibly arrange it for a single day again, but would people accept a random seeding, especially with so many complaints about PvP imbalances?

5.) Er... there's probably a lot more issues too. But off the top of my head, those are the main ones. Thoughts?

Again, no promises I can set something like this up; I would just like ideas on how it could be structured.
 

callum_fitzhugh

Sage
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
The only way I can see this working is to run the "league" via website and email/inbox/forum for communications.

Get players to sign up with their character names. One character per player. Limit it to the first 8 or 16 who sign up. Then communicate secretly the times and dates and venues of fights to the players involved only and do it that way.

Run it like a league - 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for losing - make fights last ten minutes maximum then its a draw.

Sure that ruins it as a spectacle but does mean you can control it totally. If a player invites their mates along to view and there is trouble/interference you ban the player.

If you want to make it public then couldn't you use the pvp locations in Felucca built by the Ems or the PVP house near Trinsic Felucca?
 

EM Gotan

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran
The only way I can see this working is to run the "league" via website and email/inbox/forum for communications.

Get players to sign up with their character names. One character per player. Limit it to the first 8 or 16 who sign up. Then communicate secretly the times and dates and venues of fights to the players involved only and do it that way.

Run it like a league - 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for losing - make fights last ten minutes maximum then its a draw.

Sure that ruins it as a spectacle but does mean you can control it totally. If a player invites their mates along to view and there is trouble/interference you ban the player.

If you want to make it public then couldn't you use the pvp locations in Felucca built by the Ems or the PVP house near Trinsic Felucca?
It's possible to use those locations, but my first attempt to host a PvP event where there was an honour code was... not a success, shall we say? :p Arenas enforce a rule set, and also eliminate any claims of bias as I can't control them.

There's no problem with using out-of-game pages for organisation, but sending people time in private correspondence risks yet more speculation drama, as well as removing one bonus of an open league, which is attracting more people to try, or at least watch UO PvP. I'm leaning more towards a single day for a knock out at the moment, as it's more manageable....

Any thoughts on what sort of combat rules (pets, summons etc?) the PvP community would think is fair?
 

Leto

Journeyman
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
There were a couple of EM organized PvP tournaments a few years ago. They were at the Occolo Arena as well I think.

Doing it at the arena is probably a good idea. Like you said; it's the only way to enforce a rule set.

I would advice against an item as a reward, instead use a plaque. If there's a valuable item in play the stakes get to high and that invites all kinds of nasty behavior.

As for the rules; the rules in large part decide the winning template. In a closed space like the arena Tamers have a huge advantage over pretty much everybody. So if you don't ban pets, it's likely a Tamer will win. If you do ban pets, that leaves Dexers and Mages. The a closed space of the arena is now an advantage for dexers. Etc etc etc...
I think it's impossible to come up with a rule set that suits all templates equally. So maybe it's best to have class-based tournaments. One night allow everything including pets, the next one no pets/no pots and finally something for mages.


Good luck ;)
 
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