I'm not going to mention the length of time in rounds here.
The problem I want to adress/see adressed is the actions taken after time has been called. Time limits are 100% essential to prevent rounds from going over time, but the state of the game is currently the winner after time is not actually representative of the player that would have won the game itself; especially in sudden death.
My first suggestion is as such: That if a game goes to sudden death, the player who would have played first if the game were not sudden death STILL plays first. You may say 'but this gives that player an unfair advantage!' but it's only fair to player A, if they win the first game and then lose the second game, to go first in game 3; regardless of whether it's 6 prizes or 1 prize. You earn that by winning the first game.
My second suggestion, which is far more 'radical' than the first suggestion, we implement draws. What is that? Well, if anybody here has played Magic, they would already understand the system.
What 'draws' would entail is that players who finish game 2 and are tied 1-1 after time is called do NOT start a game of sudden death. If player A wins game 1, the second game counts as a win if four prizes have been taken (the same way that it does currently). Lastly, if time is called AFTER the start of game 3, the game does not count unless a player has taken more than 4 prizes (similarly to how the time works now). If it's in game 3 and a player has not taken 4 or more prizes, the game ends as a draw.
The other thing that is big with the system is 'intentional draws'. What that is, is that if two players are 3-0 in a 4 round tournament that they can 'choose' to draw; leaving them at 3 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw each. What this does is it also rewards players who perform well.
What does this improve? Well, it's not as simple as donking your opponent in sudden death as to who wins the game. Also, games can be more representative rather than a new game entirely.
For example, with the old system:
In game 3, Player A opens with a Zekrom EX. Player B opens with a Thundurus and two Tynamo. Player A attaches DCE and passes, having no supporter or trainer. Player B uses collector, getting guys, attaching, dual ball, etc, and time is called on his turn. His opponent attaches an energy, catchers a tynamo and kills it; still with no supporter. On player B's second turn of the game, it is the final turn of the game. Unable to KO Zekrom EX in one turn, Player B loses - 5 prizes to 6.
In the new system: The same as above happens, but the game ends in a draw.
Also:
Time is called, and you are playing durant. Now, you don't get horribly screwed over when a game goes to time; or you have to play sudden death.
(I could also go on to 'first turn' suggestions, but we all know how non-constructive those are. Or prize-card penalties for decks which don't deal with prizes. Those can be saved for another day.)
Edit: Title should have been 'What steps can we take' or 'what can we do'; but now it's a combination of both...
The problem I want to adress/see adressed is the actions taken after time has been called. Time limits are 100% essential to prevent rounds from going over time, but the state of the game is currently the winner after time is not actually representative of the player that would have won the game itself; especially in sudden death.
My first suggestion is as such: That if a game goes to sudden death, the player who would have played first if the game were not sudden death STILL plays first. You may say 'but this gives that player an unfair advantage!' but it's only fair to player A, if they win the first game and then lose the second game, to go first in game 3; regardless of whether it's 6 prizes or 1 prize. You earn that by winning the first game.
My second suggestion, which is far more 'radical' than the first suggestion, we implement draws. What is that? Well, if anybody here has played Magic, they would already understand the system.
What 'draws' would entail is that players who finish game 2 and are tied 1-1 after time is called do NOT start a game of sudden death. If player A wins game 1, the second game counts as a win if four prizes have been taken (the same way that it does currently). Lastly, if time is called AFTER the start of game 3, the game does not count unless a player has taken more than 4 prizes (similarly to how the time works now). If it's in game 3 and a player has not taken 4 or more prizes, the game ends as a draw.
The other thing that is big with the system is 'intentional draws'. What that is, is that if two players are 3-0 in a 4 round tournament that they can 'choose' to draw; leaving them at 3 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw each. What this does is it also rewards players who perform well.
What does this improve? Well, it's not as simple as donking your opponent in sudden death as to who wins the game. Also, games can be more representative rather than a new game entirely.
For example, with the old system:
In game 3, Player A opens with a Zekrom EX. Player B opens with a Thundurus and two Tynamo. Player A attaches DCE and passes, having no supporter or trainer. Player B uses collector, getting guys, attaching, dual ball, etc, and time is called on his turn. His opponent attaches an energy, catchers a tynamo and kills it; still with no supporter. On player B's second turn of the game, it is the final turn of the game. Unable to KO Zekrom EX in one turn, Player B loses - 5 prizes to 6.
In the new system: The same as above happens, but the game ends in a draw.
Also:
Time is called, and you are playing durant. Now, you don't get horribly screwed over when a game goes to time; or you have to play sudden death.
(I could also go on to 'first turn' suggestions, but we all know how non-constructive those are. Or prize-card penalties for decks which don't deal with prizes. Those can be saved for another day.)
Edit: Title should have been 'What steps can we take' or 'what can we do'; but now it's a combination of both...
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