League #2

[Bob]

I wonder if, for simplicity's sake, we just labeled anybody with 2 Stamina or less as Critical if it'd help. Probably easier on Fleck since he doesn't need to check their positions and it'll alert us that they have some restrictions somewhere on the field. Might be annoying for goalies, who can be critical two rounds, but still might not be bad.

[Fleck]

I'll try to do that. But I'm in the habit of glancing at positions when checking to see if someone's critical or not, so I might forget. Don't treat the "Critical" status as gospel.

[Bob]

Because my excel document has the section for Stamina tracking, I'm generally just using the Stamina reports to make sure I didn't make any mistakes in my program. Otherwise, I like using the excel document because I can not only track my Stamina, but also watch it for future rounds. I know in these critical rounds in the middle, it's important to look ahead so you don't default on your game by benching too many at once (3 is too many, so if you keep your center and both defenders in the same positions, that WILL happen). Hell, I know planning out the Grizzlies for the Goer match, I was in danger of potentially having FIVE players benched. Would've been an automatic forfeit against the Nightshades, which...no thanks. Sorry, Wyvern. No insta-win for you!

========================= Future Ideas ======================

[]

Regarding modifications, I suppose I could make my ideas public. I will say that abilities are a distant idea, but it's so distant that it might not happen...ever. With my job starting up and a baby on the way, I'm trying to be realistic about my amounts of free time. I do have a few solutions though that I think might be easy and helpful.

I'm considering adding a "Player Type" to the list of crap you have to define about a player. What they'd do is change your random number generator slightly. It's inspired by Kingdom Hearts 1. In the beginning of the game, you have to choose between Sword (attack power), Shield (defense), and Wand (magic power). You choose one that you want to be the strongest and you gain more level-ups in that area. Then, you choose one that you want to be weakest and gain fewer in that area. I'm considering that system in blitz. You'd have categories like this:

1. Strength: ATK/BLK
2. Accuracy: SHT/PAS
3. Vitality: END/CA

Normally, all of your stats are randomly processed by taking all figures into account (goalie boost, shot boost, etc.), then taking that number and picking a random number that can be as low as 10% lower than said number or 10% higher than said number. So if, after everything, the number is 40, then the actual number used will be from 36 to 44. What you'll be able to do is pick one specialty package to become your high package and one to be your low. High will become -5% to +15%. Low will become -15% to + 5%.

Let's say you chose Accuracy and chose to give up Vitality. Your SHT is normally 40 and your END is 20. Because you chose Accuracy as your specialty package, your final random number for SHT will be between 38 and 46. Your END, however, will be between 17 and 21.

The advantage here, obviously, is that you can have a specialty on the field. You can achieve higher numbers and there is less risk in obtaining lower numbers. If your player has an area they can sacrifice, then it's pretty win-win. The reason this is in place is that obviously, a goalie will want Vitality. There is NO reason for a goalie to have anything but Vitality. I want to be clear here, so I'll talk in obnoxious caps. THERE IS NO ADVANTAGE TO A GOALIE WITH ANY NON-VITALITY SPECIALTY PACKAGE. THE BOOST RECEIVED BY PLAYERS FROM THE GOALIE IS IN NO WAY AFFECTED BY THE GOALIE'S SPECIALTY PACKAGE. So, basically, give your goalie Vitality. Mmkay? Mmkay.

So why use this? Well, the sorta-kinda disadvantage here is that you cannot change your specialty package mid-season. Like anything, it stays how it is until we level our teams, which happens only after tournaments. What makes this important is that it will make goalies important and non-replaceable. Yes, your goalie will get tired and you'll need to substitute in another player, probably a defender. Once we butcher the Super Goalie package, we'll be back to no real distinction between defender and goalie. But now, consider if you'll have defenders with the Vitality package. Maybe you will, but likely defenders will all use Strength. Hell, your defenders might even give up Vitality since END isn't terribly useful for defenders, while PAS is pretty useful. So your defender will be lacking in PAS, should you do this.

And I'll put this on a new line to stand out. You can opt out of the specialty package. If you do so, then all stats will continue to be +/- 10% for the random number. So you do not have to give up a specialty package, you just...won't have a specialty. Normal, is what we'll call it.

AND NOW I GET EVEN CRAZIER!

Risk needs a modification at this point anyway. Currently, it has static figures. Low risk is +5, normal is 0, High risk is -5. Or...whatever. So we need to be more percentage-based on that anyway. So now, we'll change Risk to:

Low Risk: x1
Normal Risk: x2
High Risk: x3

We'll see if you know where I'm going with this already. What Risk will do next league is boost your randomization range. I'll provide an example using a base stat of 40, just to give a better understanding

Low Risk is no change, basically (x1)
-10% to +10% on neutral specialty --> i.e. 36 to 44
-5% to +15% on positive specialty --> i.e. 38 to 46
-15% to +5% on negative specialty --> i.e. 34 to 42

Normal Risk is kinda risky (x2)
-20% to +20% on neutral specialty --> i.e. 32 to 48
-10% to +30% on positive specialty --> i.e. 36 to 52
-30% to +10% on negative specialty --> i.e. 28 to 44

High Risk is nutters (x3)
-30% to +30% on neutral specialty --> i.e. 28 to 52
-15% to +45% on positive specialty --> i.e. 34 to 58
-45% to +15% on negative specialty --> i.e. 22 to 46

So...yeah. Suck on that? That's my proposal for next season. Programming will be a breeze and it'll allow for some MASSIVE customization on the field. High risk shooters will be deadly in the league and can easily score with a high number, but they also have a HUGE range. They might pull off some amazing shots, passes, tackles, and so forth. But at the same time, with such a huge range, they might miss a critical tackle and allow a powerful shooter to sneak by, or maybe they'll eke out a pass so dreadful that the other team grabs it and disrupts a critical play.

I am up for discussion on this proposal, as always, whether it's the system itself, which stats are paired as specialties, or what numbers are used for the risk factors, but I really like this idea and would like to try it out.

Regarding our current goalie packages, I'm thinking that we should get rid of Super Goalie, should we use my proposal here. Goalies will be standardized for their CA, for sure. Everybody will likely have the same CA and use the Vitality specialty package. But, for me, I love making different goalies because the goalie bonus is so prominent. They're basically the team boost that we had in Mallboro Blitzball. Want a team with good ATK? Make a goalie with good ATK. Good PAS? Good goalie PAS. So I think we'll have goalie customization, for sure.

Regarding the Keepa package...we'll see. I'm thinking we'll reduce it, but I'll wait to see how things play out this season, first. I try not to look at your team builds when I copy them into my teamdata, but I did notice that at least one other player (besides me, I'll be upfront about that) is trying a team with extreme Keepa. If both teams end up winning the league/tournament, then I'll think about making the Keepa package more like 1.5 SHT per level and maybe use the bonus idea Count was describing for it. Otherwise, maybe just 1 SHT, 1 CA. I really like goalies being able to help out SHT randomly, we just need to make it something that isn't a requirement.

[wyvernxk7]

tl;ra... thoughts later, letting it process.

[Bob]

If you guys can get me line-ups by today or tomorrow, I'll sim a match before I leave. Otherwise, it'll be probably Tuesday.

[Bob]

Thanks for the line-ups, guys! Next games will be simmed on...probably Tuesday, so you have a bit of time to prepare, if needed.

Spoiler part:

If you've EVER wanted a weirder round, this is it. Goers almost lose to...who? I mean, seriously. Closest game yet and it's vs GW. And that's not the end of it. It's upset central this round! Even one of Count's teams won!

BA vs LO Spoilers: Seriously. Let me break this down for you on the Aurochs v. Loveless game. Letty, LETTY, scores a point against arguably the best defense in the league. Letty has a SHT of 11. He got a boost from Keepa. Keepa can only boost another 11. Even WITH the boost, Letty is a worse shot than most forwards in the league. And yet, sorry Fleck, but he gets the only point of the match. What. The. Hell.

SM7 vs MRC Spoilers: On this one...holy crap. This is a fun game to watch/read. SM7 scores. Bob goes "Nooooo!" Immediately after, Tseng scores and ties it up. Repeat 4 friggin times. Seriously. And once again, Bob regrets pulling out Gaf. Again, he doesn't need a break, but I pulled him to prepare him for the future. Mercs have an intense three rounds coming up, so I need that boy rested. I'll bet he could've brought home the bacon though!

...Weird round. Well, one week till the next round. Get me those line-ups when you can! In a week, we sim again!

[Fleck]

Team Stamina Round 5

Grizzly Bears - CRITICAL: ZANGAN, DUNCAN

Forward: Tellah - 4
Forward: Orlandu - 7
Center: Zangan - 0
Defender: Auron - 8
Defender: Duncan- 0
Goalie: Dr. Kadowaki -7
BENCH: Galuf - 10
BENCH: Sazh - 10

Mercenaries - CRITICAL: TSENG

Forward: Ba'Gamnan- 4
Forward: Rude - 5
Center: Tseng - 0
Defender: Elena - 8
Defender: Lani - 8
Goalie: Worker 8- 5
BENCH: Gafgarion - 10
BENCH: Amarant - 10


The Mad Experiments - CRITICAL: JULIUS

Forward: Odine -5
Forward: Julius -1
Center: Deling -4
Defender: Mikoto -8
Defender: Xande's Clone -8
Goalie: No. 288 -5
BENCH: Hojo - 10
BENCH: Kuja -10

The Nightshades - CRITICAL: RENO, MIRA

Forward: Xu -4
Forward: Reno -2
Center: Illua -8
Defender: Cissnei -8
Defender: Mira -0
Goalie: Frimelda - 5
BENCH: Chime -10
BENCH: Blank -10


Sublimely Magnificent 7 - CRITICAL: LAGUNA, SNOW, CID

Forward: Seifer -5
Forward: Jecht -7
Center: Laguna -0
Defender: Snow -2
Defender: Cid Highwind -2
Goalie: Edgar -5
BENCH: Balthier -10
BENCH: Edge -10

The Magic Missiles - CRITICAL: SELPHIE

Forward: Selphie -1
Forward: Rinoa -7
Center: Garnet -6
Defender: Aeris -6
Defender: Vanille -4
Goalie: Lulu -5
BENCH: Yuna -10
BENCH: Rydia - 10

Loveless

Forward: Terra -4
Forward: Lightning -7
Center: Genesis -5
Defender: Cecil -8
Defender: Hope -3
Goalie: Vivi -5
BENCH: Sabin -10
BENCH: Marche -10

Guests Who - CRITICAL: EDEA

Forward: Minwu -7
Forward: Larsa -4
Center: Edea -2
Defender: Alma -8
Defender: FuSoYa -6
Goalie: Olan -5
BENCH: Lebreau -10
BENCH: Leo -10


Commentary:

As suggested, I've now started using the "Critical" Status to denote any player who has fewer than 3 stamina (meaning they are not eligible for all possible positions). At current, this change only mattered for SM7 and GW.

Okay, let me be the first to say what the apocalyptic hell? Bob's already gone over the madness of this round, but let me do it again for emphasis. Let's go left to right according to their listing on the Challonge site.

So the Goers were sitting at home, smoking a pipe and talking stock options when suddenly there came a knock on the door. "Knock knock." "Who's there?" "GUESTS WHO!" Granted, it wasn't a victory, but the Guests have left the Goers shaken, not stirred. The second team after the Bears to hold the Goers to under 5 goals and the FIRST to come within a goal of tying. And all this from last season's Detroit Lions. The Guests have made a statement and that statement is, "We would kindly like some respect please. Thank you." They are very polite. I think some of them are Canadian.

The Grizzlies beat the Shades! Now that's not horribly surprising. While the Bears have had a rough go of it so far, to be fair, their schedule hasn't been roses up to this point. But they are still the reigning league champions and have taken this opportunity to remind the league of that fact. Beating the Shades by two points is damn near impossible, especially this season, but the Bears managed it, probably because of the combined awesomeness of The Du and His Holiness Auron. P.S. Auron and Orlandu are sexy.

The Magic Missiles cast a magic spell and turn their goose egg W Column into a 1! Or a missile, if you kinda squint at it. The Experiments are still having some issues it seems, but they're not a guaranteed victory, so this was an important win for MM. Given how insanely crowded the middle is, there's still plenty of time for MM or TME to climb back into serious contention.

SM7, unfortunately, go from being third in the league last season to the LAST TEAM LEFT without a W to their name. They did battle a tie out of the Mercs, which is nothing to scoff at, but you know SM7 wanted more. Jecht COULD theoretically be reached for comment, but he was screaming and swinging a bench around the locker room and we were all afraid to go inside.

And then the last game. Fuck the last game.

[countlieberkuhn]

The Mercs are so awesome that they literally go back in time whenever they score a goal! Check that shit!

I'm glad I performed reasonably well though, I went with the same strategy as I did last time against the Mercs, which was to go center formation and just try to out-brawl them. Last time resulted in a loss, and this time it was a draw so yay for SM7! They're improving. I hope they beat the Aurochs at least!

As for MM, I'm hoping they can bring about another upset for Loveless, who are no doubt still reeling from the shame of losing to the Aurochs (cue SM7 losing to the Aurochs now I've said that).

[Bob]

Whoa. You're right, they do! Makes me wonder if my timer is outputting incorrectly. Totally possible. We probably haven't seen many points within the same minute, or at least not often enough to think to check times. I'll have a look at that. Go Mercs!

Seriously. I'm so stuck on the Loveless loss, but not because they lost so much (though that's surprising, too). I'm mostly concerned because it was Letty! He has TERRIBLE shooting abilities! How does this chump score? SO confused.

If you want the key to beating the Mercs, it's shutting down Gafgarion. Seriously, they've won every game that Gaf has played except one, and that's because Loveless and Mercs just decided to have a gigantic rumble in the center of the arena instead of playing blitzball. Mercs tie without him, win with him...or fight.

[Fleck]

Right now, the big problem with Loveless is that they aren't scoring. At all. They're averaging less than a goal a game, which is quite awful. So all MM needs to do is squeak a goal past their defense and they've got themselves a win. BUT, SM7 was the only team where Loveless scored twice, and if MM's defense is anything likes SM7's, then LO might be able to actually have something resembling an offense.

But goddamn that Aurochs game. I specifically told Bob that I wasn't going to count it as an automatic victory, because I knew that they were JUST good enough to have an upset. So I played almost my entire starting lineup, which SHOULD have gotten the victory. But friggin Genesis. He is hereby banned from the Center position. I'm totally going to rebuild his weak ass yet again at the end of the season/tournament.

[countlieberkuhn]

Just read the long post, Bob! It all seems fun and interesting, and more customisation always makes me a happy chappy! Which is why I really hope we don't go the route of having identical goalies. I love that they can give boosts, even though I'm not 100% sure how they work in technical terms.

I went into both leagues so far with goalies who are a little low on the ol' CA stat, but good in other areas (though not to old Mad Experiments levels), and certainly in league 1 I never felt like I was missing out by skipping on 2 or 3 potential CA increases in order to bolster stats elsewhere. My goalies were weaker, but the tradeoff was meaningful enough for both my teams to perform pretty well. The removal of Super Goalie may be a bit harsh, but perhaps toning the CA down to a buy-2-get-1-free system would be enough to balance it, since it doesn't offer much else. It just doesn't need to right now, is all. Pretty much the same as your proposed Keepa package. Hell, maybe Keepa could do something funky, like you get 1 bonus SHT, 2 bonus END, and 1 bonus CA every 3 levels in it, if you really wanna help out your strikers from the back. That might be a bit overpowered, but you get the jist of it - I quite like these latest two packages being somewhat niche, and having an element of risk to them for people who REALLY want those stats.

[Bob]

Yeah, I could definitely use some sort of rounded decimal system and maybe use 2 levels = 5 CA for Super Goalie and possibly a 2 levels = 5 SHT for Keepa. This is all pending on the idea that this tournament shows extreme bias toward those packages, but I'm pretty sure it will.

Anywho, I'm back from my weekend vacation, so Count, if you get me your stats, I'll sim the matches asap. Make up for some lost time and all that.

[Bob]

The results are in! And some of the games...not so expected. Check it out! New round Saturday, so get those line-ups in by then!

Quick spoilers:

A quick congrats to the Shades. First team to not lose to the Goers. Not win, but not lose. Best yet!

[wyvernxk7]

YES YES YES!

I maximized my odds through a series of trial and error lineups, and even then, my odds were 40% for w/t. I was holding my breath the whole time to see if it paid off, and it did! I tarnished those mother-fathers!

[Bob]

Haha, good job! I've considered doing multiple sims for Goers or Aurochs, but I'm too damn lazy. I'm eager to have the Mercs play them because the Mercs have a solid defense and the chance for a lucky point or two. I doubt I'll win it, but hey, gotta try.