Map Blaster IV: The Pantheon Jihad [See 1st Post]

[brandoncfi]

Looks like the votes are even as of right now...I"ll keep the pool open until the first batch of final games have been sent...A tie vote will keep the scoring the same.

What the hell, might as well change the rules, again.

Shouldn't only those participating in the finals be aloud to vote since it only effects them.

Actually, I think that brandonfici should make the decision based upon whatever criteria he wants. He changed the rules at the beginning of round 3 without explanation, so he's free to change them again if he likes. It's his tournament, after all.

Clearly the scoring of the tournament was flawed, allowing Psilotum to 'game the system' and advance without really playing. The rule change in round 3 might have been put in place to fix this flaw, but it's hard to overlook the fact that the change increased brandoncfi's odds of making round 4 without affecting the status of Psilotum's advancement.

The rule change did prevent a strategy I was trying to implement in round 3, so I suppose it worked to ensure that the best players advance, rather than whoever had the best strategy in the tournament. It has been educational, for sure. I think that any tournament that awards advancement based upon scoring of some sort, rather than purely rewarding the winner, is open to this type of strategic gameplay.

unfortunately the rule change before round three does benefit me...although I am doing everything in my power to win the 2nd spot in my group so this won't create a conflict of interest

[brandoncfi]

Fairly certain I've locked up one of the wildcard spots...

Either brandon's going to get the second or he's going to have a high enough group score to move in and GlobeSmack will get it...

This is accurate

[brandoncfi]

Looks like the votes are even as of right now...I"ll keep the pool open until the first batch of final games have been sent...A tie vote will keep the scoring the same.

What the hell, might as well change the rules, again.

Shouldn't only those participating in the finals be aloud to vote since it only effects them.

In my humble, but now qualified (according to colson) opinion, I think the scoring for the final round should be based on nothing but (round 4) wins. No scoring algorithm to allow someone to 'game the system'. If we have a tie after all the maps have been played, we should (all 8 of us) play single, random maps until we break the tie.

The scoring will be adjust slightly to discourage army building and not going after cards or positions. Origionally I wanted people to battle for position as well as the win. I still want this type of play but the scoring will must be changed for this to happen

[brandoncfi]

Final Round
Colson
Lisbon101
Whitetrash67
danalan
Psilotum

Wildcard Race
Hath [wins 76]
brandoncfi [wins 74]
GlobeSmack [wins 72]

[psilotum]

According to my calculations, brandon has made it through on points. This was not settled until the final game.

Congratulations and good luck to everyone in the finals!

[brandoncfi]

Final Round
Colson
Lisbon101
Whitetrash67
danalan
Psilotum
brandoncfi

Wildcard Winners
Hath [wins 76]
GlobeSmack [wins 72]
It did come down to the last game me and steelmind were only 5 points from each other once the dust settled. Since I made the second spot in my group Globesmack will win the second wildcard spot

Colson
Lisbon101
Whitetrash67
danalan
Psilotum
brandoncfi
Hath
GlobeSmack

[brandoncfi]

The Finals are set and the games will be made shortly Good Luck

[Jondalar]

Guys, thanks for a really GREAT tournament.... I thoroughly enjoyed it! Well done to the finalists...

(And my apologies to my third round opponents again for the sporadic play while I was on holiday!)

I'm looking forward to MB V....

[danalan]

Once upon a time, a hero was sought to fight a holy war against the Emperor and his Pantheon. The emperors vast resources stretched across the worlds, so the hero had to build an army and fight across all the Emperor's different landscapes and settings.

So a tournament was held, to which every hero in the land was invited. The best strategists, most powerful fighters, and just plain luckiest participated. So many heros participated that several rounds were held, and a scoring system was devised to determine the winner of each round. After the second round, it was apparent that there were some excellent heros, however 1 supposed hero had discovered a way to consistently advance in the tournament without exhibiting any strategy, fighting prowess, or luck.

Exploiting a weakness in the scoring system, this craven coward continued to advance in the tournament, despite the protests and warning from the organizers. If this weak-willed moron were allowed to utilize the same "strategy" in the final round of the tournament, it was certain that the Emperor and his Pantheon would easily overcome the forces arrayed against him, and continue his evil reign.

Thus, the 7 real heros of the tournament, who had all fought their way through hundreds of battles, suffering and exulting with their troops, despaired of this outcome, and consulted amongst themselves: "How can we resolve this discrepancy?" Many suggestions were offered, some complex, and some vindictive. All were extreme, except for one...

"This is supposed to be a contest to find the greatest hero," said one of the heros (whose own advancement had surprised many), "yet one of our number is not acting heroic. I propose that any of us who fails to play -- doesn't take territs, doesn't take spoils, and simply doesn't engage in battle -- not be awarded points under the scoring system. No play, no points."

A murmur rose from the crowd, "no play, no points" they repeated, wondering if they heard correctly -- was this the solution to the problem?
No play, no points.
No play, no points!
No play, no points!
No play, no points!

[psilotum]

dan, if I were a coward, I would just quit the tourney after all the abuse and name-calling I have endured. I didn't make the rules for this tourney. I'm just playing the best strategy I can come up with, just like everyone else. Far from protests and warnings, the organizers have been supportive of any strategy that is successful in the tournament. And in fact, I have taken territories, cashed spoils, and won games in every round of the tournament. I foresee doing the same in this round. So, the accusations that I am "doing nothing" or "not playing" aren't very accurate in my view.

Best of luck and strategy to you in the final round.

-psilotum

[brandoncfi]

OK everybody lets calm down and duke it out in the games. Everybody is aware of psilotums strategy which for this tourney is perfectly legal. The scoreing will not be changed, it is up to the players to decide who is the best. If psilotum can use this strategy against the other seven players who know full well what he is doing then more power to him. Personally I wanted and hoped that everyone would be playing for wins and position. psilotum has found a way to accumulate a massive amount of points by not doing anything but building armies.

I will say to psilotum be warned the rules have not changed but if the group sees you following this strategy we are prepared to stop you in anyway necessary.

So lets all have a good time it has been a long tough tourney. We will decide who wins over the next 107 games . Good Luck

-All is fair in Love and War-

[danalan]

Upon hearing the accusations against him, the coward protested mightily that he too was a hero, even though the evidence was plain -- he had never been a hero, he had always merely tried to survive through any battle as long as he could. He would mass his forces on a worthless territ, and make himself as unattractive a target as possible, not even trying to take a single farm, so as to avoid having any spoils. This ensured that he would survive until near the end of any battle, but also ensured his eventual loss in the battle. He didn't compete, he cowered. He violated the unwritten rule: "throwing games or deliberately benefiting from thrown games".

Once again, the organizer called for order, and pleaded with the contestants to strive for a fair tournament -- after all, the fate of the universe depended upon finding a worthy hero. Seeing that the organizers would not sanction the plea of "No Play, No Points," the real heros of the contest came to a decision:

The coward must be driven to play, even if only to defend himself. He had forgotten the importance of diplomacy, and by earning the emnity of all his opponents, the coward had united them in a single purpose. If he wouldn't play, he would die. His strategy of passivity would not prevail. The fate of the pantheon rested upon this tournament.

[Dazoot]

Congrats to the final round players. Sorry I wasn't updating for awhile as my satelite dish crashed and I was without internet access. But all is well again and I look forward to monitoring the last and final battle of the ultimate eight.

Good luck to all.

[Dazoot]

Scores updated as of Jan.18th @ 2330 hrs.

[lisbon101]

Update the score, pls, thks.

[Dazoot]

Scores updated for Jan.24th @ 1430 hrs.

[Dazoot]

Scores updated for Jan.25th @ 1430hrs.

[Dazoot]

Scores updated for Jan.29th @ 1300hrs.

[Dazoot]

Scores updated as of Jan.30th @ 2330 hrs.

As far as scoring game 106 Oasis. Lisbon101 obviously gets 8 points for the win. But as he killed both of the remaining two players Psilotum and GlobeSmack at the same time the remaining scoring was decided on the following basis. I awarded Psilotum with 7 points as he had 39 armies and 10 regions under his control. I awarded GlobeSmack with the remaining 6 points as he had only 1 army and 1 region under his control. If you find this decision unbearable take it up with Brandoncfi as he has final say but this at least to me seems to be a fair solution to the problem.

[Dazoot]

Scores updated as of Feb.3rd @ 0200hrs.

[danalan]

Scores updated as of Jan.30th @ 2330 hrs.

As far as scoring game 106 Oasis. Lisbon101 obviously gets 8 points for the win. But as he killed both of the remaining two players Psilotum and GlobeSmack at the same time the remaining scoring was decided on the following basis. I awarded Psilotum with 7 points as he had 39 armies and 10 regions under his control. I awarded GlobeSmack with the remaining 6 points as he had only 1 army and 1 region under his control. If you find this decision unbearable take it up with Brandoncfi as he has final say but this at least to me seems to be a fair solution to the problem.

This seems very fair -- it might have been much more contentious if everyone was still alive when the objective was reached.

BTW, thank you for your scoring updates. Your work in that regard is so appreciated!

[Dazoot]

Scores updated as of Feb.4th @ 0100 hrs.

[Dazoot]

Scores updated as of Feb.9th @ 0400hrs.

[Dazoot]

Scores updated as of Feb.10th @ 1300hrs.

[Dazoot]

Scores updated as of Feb.11th @ 1400hrs.