by PACO » Sun Sep 13, 2015 10:25 pm
Dear OwnedWellians,
The Summer slumber is ending and it is now time to discuss the Fall 2015 agenda. It is no secret that UT99 activity and interest has been waning but despite the warning light coming on, I am of the belief that there is still some gas left in the tank. For this reason, we will be featuring several UT99 events however we will also be making a real plunge into UT4 and investing time in the newest iteration of our favorite game.
We will be hosting events in three different games however there is a small possibility that we could be adding a fourth title for a community event (hint.. it rhymes with BS:SCHMOE).
I will cover the planned events by game however they are not necessarily in chronological order.
KOTG.II: This monstrosity of a frag-fest is an annual event. We have been running it since 2011 and we will not be stopping now. The past two KOTG events pushed 160 participants and we will be prepared to handle that many however only the first 100 signups will be guaranteed a spot. Rules/format will be the same as past iterations however the maplist will be reviewed.
iCTF FACTIONS.II: The first attempt at FACTIONS was relatively successful and we will be looking to build on the concept. Expect maps to be similar with only a few additions/subtractions and expect some changes in the overall point system and where people were scored. I'm of the belief that a lower point cap would help get more players included and lead to more tournament-wide parity. This will be up for discussion.
sDOM FACTIONS.I The sDOM FACTIONS format will mimic the iCTF format. We will be aiming for 16 teams and will cut the maplist to 5-7 maps. We would like to give teams a proper opportunity to be prepared for their matches and a smaller maplist should help a lot. Rankings/ratings and team balance will be extremely difficult. I will be looking for community input and am hoping that people will step up to the plate to help this run smoothly.
PUG NIGHT: I will be steaming a pug night one either the 20th or the 27th. A minimum of 6 hours and I will try to complete the #iPug cycle and get a game played in ever gametype. More details soon and I am hoping to see all of you in attendance.
On the note of pugs in general, it is difficult to get them filled in the year 2015. Lots of people don't like sitting around on IRC waiting for a game and since we no longer have the critical mass (due to the community fracturing NA/EU), we have slowly been starving ourselves of games. It's an imperfect situation but it doesn't mean that we can't find an imperfect solution. I'm proposing that we have some "set times" where people will 100% be around. Example 7pm EST on a Monday or midnight games during the week. It sounds strange since recently we could join IRC and get a game whenever however additional organization will be required for the people who do not want to twiddle their thumbs waiting for a game.
For the first time, I can confidently say that we are ready to start organizing some games and events for the newest Unreal Tournament. The game is far from perfect and there are some alpha blips but it is in a playable state and there have been many encouraging signs. Game balance will be a contentious subject however I think we will need to throw the game into the fire and give it a real chance before we offer criticism and suggestions.
CTF FACTIONS: The FACTIONS tournament will mirror the same format as the FACTIONS tournaments for UT99. The player pool is a lot smaller and ranking players might be difficult however it is a task that we are willing to undertake. We will be looking for a minimum of 8 teams however we would be more than happy to extend the bracket to accommodate for 16 teams. FACTIONS/Drafts/Whatever are great for old games and new games. In the near future, we are hoping to run tournaments with no restrictions on teams however in the infancy of the game, it will be important to distribute talent.
iCTF: iCTF is up in the air as to whether we will throw up a show match series with a winner stays on format or set up a bracket and runs a FACTIONS style tournament. Pug activity and team estimations will play a role in determining the format that we roll with.
Showmatch Series: We ran a showmatch series last Fall and covered things like UT99 Duel and UT99 Assault. We will be bringing this back and covering UT4 Duel and UT4 Assault. Depending on how the game progresses, you can expect an NA and EU Duel or Die Bracket in January 2016.
Currently, the UT4 actions is happening in #ut4pugs. I would recommend everyone to idle in this channel and partake in the activity.
There has been a lot of discussion on the game and possible tournaments however one is now currently being organized. Se7eN and myself will be working behind the scenes on this tournament and it will likely have some prizes for the top spots. Official details and formats are still being ironed out however the tournament will be run by a bracket on OwnedWell. Expect more details in the near to immediate future.
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The Fall roster will be jam-packed with activities and festivities and we will be looking to expand and grow the community. At this moment in time, I am looking for an administrative staff for all three games. The current UT99 staff has been great and has given it their all however at this juncture in time, we are looking for people who are committed to the now and committed to the future. Message me on the forums or IRC if you are interested in helping out in some capacity (current admins and non-admins).
In addition, if you are looking for a game of UT4, check out #ut4pugs on globalgamers. The channel is still in its infancy however it has a solid foundation and should have a lot of room to grow.
Thanks for reading,
PACO